Rainbow Liberty

Reviews / Votes

"Rainbow Liberty is a deeply personal and deeply analytical, bold, and timely contribution that brings the insights of classical liberalism and mainline political economy to the study of LGBTQ freedom. True radical liberalism is a political philosophical doctrine grounded in the recognition that we are one another's dignified equals. It is about respect of humanity in its great diversity, and it trusts ordinary individuals with freedom -- freedom of choice in all endeavors, including bodily autonomy and intimate relationships with others. Freedom of thought, freedom of association; toleration and experiments in living. In short, anything that is peaceful. But this is not just a set of normative commitments, but follows from the persistent and consistent application of the economic way of thinking to all human affairs including who we are, who we love, and who we associate with. There are choices and consequences; there is productive specialization, entrepreneurial discovery, and social cooperation. Nathan Goodman, Jordan Lofthouse, and Mikayla Novak have assembled an outstanding group of scholars who demonstrate how the core ideas of the liberal tradition-individual liberty, voluntary association, entrepreneurship, and polycentric governance-help illuminate the processes through which marginalized communities secure dignity, opportunity, and flourishing. The essays in this volume show that the tools of Austrian, Virginia, and Bloomington political economy offer powerful ways to understand how social cooperation emerges from below, often in ways that challenge prejudice and expand the scope of human freedom. By opening a productive dialogue between queer studies and classical liberal thought, Rainbow Liberty significantly enriches both conversations. This book is creative, courageous, and intellectually exciting-an important step forward in the study of freedom in a diverse and evolving society."

Peter Boettke, Distinguished University Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, George Mason University

"The deepest test of any liberal order is whether it makes room for the people that power has most relentlessly tried to exclude. Rainbow Liberty meets that test with rigor, originality, and moral seriousness. Goodman, Lofthouse, Novak, and their contributors demonstrate that the mainline tradition of political economy, from Adam Smith through Hayek, Buchanan, and the Ostroms, has always contained the resources for a genuinely radical liberalism - one that takes queer freedom not as an afterthought but as a test case for the tradition's deepest commitments. This is the book that classical liberals should have written decades ago, and it was worth the wait."

Matt Zwolinski, Professor of Philosophy, Director, Center for Ethics, Economics, and Public Policy, University of San Diego

"Rainbow Liberty is an important and remarkable book. A great deal of queer theory presumes that liberation needs control of state policy and the abolition of capitalism. This collection written by fresh and emerging scholars argues compellingly that the institutions of the free society, namely markets, private property, and voluntary association, offer much surer protections for sexual and gender minority rights. These institutions allow queer communities to experiment and grow spontaneously. The individual chapters are rich with historical and conceptual evidence, along with careful and nuanced recounting of intersectional experiences. A truly unique work that challenges existing assumptions."

Nick Cowen, Associate Professor in Criminology, School of Social and Political Sciences, College of Arts Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Lincoln, UK

"Rainbow Liberty is a welcome and overdue contribution, showing how the classical liberal perspective on liberty, toleration, and pluralism can deepen our understanding of gender and sexuality in fresh and compelling ways. Rich in applications and interdisciplinary reach, this volume brings classical liberal tools into fruitful dialogue with gender and sexuality studies for perhaps the first time at this scale. Rainbow Liberty offers a powerful reminder that classical liberalism remains an indispensable framework for thinking about difference, dignity, and freedom."

Alexander W. Schaefer, Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, State University of New York at Buffalo

"Gender and sexual minorities are often entrepreneurs, not only in the economic arena but in having to daily negotiate socio-cultural norms that marginalise and isolate them. It is a tragedy, therefore, that the tradition which has done so much to understand the role of entrepreneurship and the threats to it has paid little attention to the experiences of LGBT people. This superb collection fills that gap with considerable aplomb."

Mark Pennington, Director, Centre for the Study of Governance and Society, Department of Political Economy, King's College, University of London

"Rainbow Liberty is an important and overdue contribution to classical liberal thought, showing that the liberal tradition is not only a defense against coercion but a framework through which emancipatory change can take root. Contributors explore how the norms and institutions of a free society-constitutional restraint, market dynamism, and civil society-create room for experimentation, association, and lives lived in dignity on one's own terms. By bringing mainline political economy into conversation with queer studies, the contributors illuminate how free and open societies learn, adapt, and over time, tend to become more fully liberal. The result is a timely and constructive book that expands the reach of classical liberal scholarship while deepening our understanding of freedom as a social achievement."

Emily Chamlee-Wright, President & CEO, The Institute for Humane Studies

"Classical liberals are not conservatives, the state is not your lover, and the market is radically queer. This pioneering volume gets the news out. Liberty is liberty, love is love, who you are who you are, says the market."

Deirdre Nansen McCloskey, Distinguished Senior Scholar, Isaiah Berlin Chair in Liberal Thought, Cato Institute, Distinguished Professor Emerita of Economics and of History, Professor Emerita of English, and of Communication, University of Illinois at Chicago