Reviews
Liberty in Peril is an important book. It seeks to show the transformation of the underlying ideology of American government since the Revolution from commitment to the principle of individual liberty to the principle of democracy--that government should be responsive to the will of the people. It combines sophisticated--but easily readable--economics with sophisticated political science and a deep historical interpretation of changes in American politics over this period which have completed the transformation. It is an outstanding political and economic history of the U.S. --George L. Priest, Edward J. Phelps Professor of Law and Economics, Yale University Randall Holcombe's Liberty in Peril illuminates the forces that have shifted power and responsibility from individuals to government, and from local to centralized government, throughout American history. This timely reminder is must reading for all those concerned with the erosion of, and new threats to, the legal rights and liberties that form the core of a successful society. --Michael J. Boskin, former Chairman, President's Council of Economic Advisors; T. M. Friedman Professor of Economics, Stanford University; Wohlford Family Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution; Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research Liberty in Peril is a gem. Randall Holcombe traces the inexorable growth of government through war and peace, from railroads to autos, and during prosperity and depression. --Burton W. Folsom Jr., Distinguished Fellow, Hillsdale College; author, New Deal or Raw Deal? How FDR's Economic Legacy Has Damaged America and FDR Goes to War: How Expanded Executive Power, Spiraling National Debt, and Restricted Civil Liberties Shaped Wartime America The Independent Institute has been leading the way for some time in asking uncomfortable questions about a disturbing tendency: the transformation of the American government and market system toward cronyism. In his marvelous Independent book, Liberty in Peril, Holcombe lays bare the case in careful detail. Using the interest group model of public choice, Holcombe is able to show the slow but cumulatively catastrophic changes that have taken place, punctuated by a few crises of the type Robert Higgs has emphasized for decades. The problem, at its base, has been the erosion of the protections for liberty in favor of populist 'democracy.' I hope that this timely and well-written call to action can motivate a consideration of the limits, and the need to limit, the dangerous impulses of interest-group politics. --Michael C. Munger, Professor of Political Science, Economics and Public Policy and Director of the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Program, Duke University Every new book by Randy Holcombe is a pleasure to read. Clearly written, insightful, thought-provoking and of high importance to the state of the world, Liberty in Peril is no exception. The book describes how fundamentally the U.S. has changed as a political system, and how the ideals of individual liberty, limited government and separation of powers have eroded. It should be read by everyone concerned about the growth and abuse of government power, no matter whether it is done by the left, the right or the center. --Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard, Professor ofPolitical Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark In Liberty in Peril, Randall Holcombe dissects the commonplace assertion that democracy and liberty support one another and rejects it. His rejection is based on a careful analysis of the working properties of democratic institutions and processes. Any reader looking to find a short and readable explanation of how political democracy can erode personal liberty should read this book. --Richard E. Wagner, Holbert L. Harris Professor of Economics, George Mason University Liberty for individuals guided the U.S. founding fathers. Randall Holcombe gives a powerful explanation as to why over time liberty gave way to the 'will of the people' or 'democracy.' Citizens get what they think they want but do not fully appreciate the loss of liberty. Liberty in Peril is a welcome wake-up call about the stakes at play. --Lee J. Alston, Ostrom Chair, Professor of Economics and Law, and Director of the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University Holcombe's well-written book Liberty in Peril provides the reader with a clearly stated explanation of how the grand American experiment, which began as a republic formed by people who prized liberty, evolved to become a highly politicized 'democratic' economy. Taking a bold political economy approach, the book is brimming with fresh constitutional comparisons and historic treatments. Woven together, they yield a coherent story of how, over the course of our history, liberty, broadly speaking, has been systematically compromised. Liberty in Peril is a must read for those who wish better to understand the deep roots of America's politically intertwined economy. --Bruce Yandle, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Economics Emeritus and Dean Emeritus, Clemson University Individual liberty and democratic self-government, the twin ideals on which the United States were founded, do not co-exist in perfect harmony. Aware of this fact the Founders designed a constitutionally limited government to guard against the threat majoritarian democracy may pose to individual liberty. Holcombe's book Liberty in Peril is about how over time a growing role of majoritarian rule and direct popular vote worked to erode the constitutional constraints the Founders intended, resulting in continuous government expansion and spreading interest group politics. With his detailed and instructive historical account Holcombe demonstrates the causes that are behind and the mechanisms that have propelled this transformation. His sobering account of the evolution of American democracy calls for renewed inquiry into the problem the Founders sought to solve: How to limit democratic self-government by constitutional constraints that effectively protect individual liberty and keep interest-group politics in bound. --Viktor J. Vanberg, Professor Emeritus of Economic Policy at Freiburg University and former Director and Senior Research Fellow of the Walter Eucken Institute Liberty in Peril is pure Holcombe, with a fine linear lucid narrative that presents the gradual disencumbering of the Federal Government from constitutional constraints as a shift from a government conceived in liberty to one emphasizing 'democracy.' --Roger D. Congleton, BB&T Professor of Economics, West Virginia University To protect individual liberty or to promote the general welfare--which is the proper role of government? Charting the 200-year transformation of American government from the former to the latter, Randall Holcombe's book Liberty in Peril is a masterful work of U.S. political-economic history. Learned and scholarly, yet fun and accessible, Liberty in Peril is perfect for anyone interested in 'how we got here.' --Edward J. Lopez is Professor of Economics and BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism, Western Carolina University; and Executive Director, Public Choice Society Randy Holcombe's book, Liberty in Peril, continues his intensive study of American political and economic history which he began in From Liberty to Democracy. In this latest work, Holcombe argues that wars and interest groups have eroded America's emphasis on liberty and replaced it with an emphasis on 'democracy.' From the Revolutionary War through the New Deal, he finds government interventions increasingly detrimental to freedom and to the American Republic. If you like thought-provoking and provocative arguments, you will certainly enjoy Liberty in Peril. --Keith L. Dougherty, Professor of Political Science, University of Georgia In the valuable and accessible book Liberty in Peril, Randall Holcombe reminds us that a government of the people, for the people, and by the people once meant--and should once again mean--far more than just counting up the votes. --Richard N. Langlois, Professor of Economics, University of Connecticut We often think of liberty and democracy as complements, even two sides of the same coin. Randall G. Holcombe begs to differ. Americans in the founding era championed liberty, and founded a constitutional republic to secure it. In the modern era, however, Americans champion political 'democracy' instead, which, Holcombe argues, has come at the expense of liberty. In the provocative and timely volume, Liberty in Peril, Holcombe confronts us with the steady loss of liberty in America, and offers a bold argument for a return to the ideals that made America the land of the free. --James R. Otteson Jr., Thomas W. Smith Presidential Chair in Business Ethics, Professor of Economics, and Executive Director of the Eudaimonia Institute, Wake Forest University Liberty in Peril is spot on! Holcombe is right to say that we have lost so much of the liberties upon which our nation was founded. His book should be read by anyone who cares about the future of freedom from government tyranny. --Robert A. McGuire, Adjunct Research Professor of Economics, The University of Akron; author, To Form A More Perfect Union: A New Economic Interpretation of the United States Constitution When I took history and government in school, many critical issues were misrepresented, given short shrift or even ignored entirely. And those lacunae undermined my ability to adequately understand many things. Randall Holcombe's new book, Liberty in Peril: Democracy and Power in American History, fills in some very substantial gaps, particularly with regard to American constitutionalism and how it has morphed from protecting liberty to advancing democracy at the expense of liberty. And it does so with a host of novel and important insights, rather than the disinterest generated by the books I suffered through in school. . . . Liberty in Peril challenges the typical current presumption that liberty and democracy are complementary. . . . The book also challenges commonly held presumptions that our Founders wanted democracy. . . . Holcombe lays out issues of consensus versus democracy, with consensus illustrated by market systems, in which all those whose property rights are involved agree to transactions. . . . Another notable aspect of Liberty in Peril is how far beyond the typical discussion of constitutional issues it goes, substantially expanding readers' understanding in intriguing ways. . . . But there is far more in the book to learn from, and often be surprised by, in comparison to what history courses usually teach. . . . there are very many good reasons to recommend Liberty in Peril. In it, Randall Holcombe provides not just a powerful and insightful look into crucial aspects of America's evolution away from the principles of the revolution that created it, but also an important warning: 'Unfortunately, many Americans do not appear to fully understand these dangers as they continue to push the foundations of their government away from liberty and toward democracy.' --FEE.org When asked what system of government is found in the United States, nearly everyone would respond, 'Democracy.' While incorrect, people can be forgiven for this error. Americans and their leaders for decades have referred to the government as a democracy and touted the 'democratic' ideals they believe to be enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Now comes Independent Institute's latest book--Liberty in Peril: Democracy and Power in American History--to set the record straight and to reveal through the author's chronicle of the subtle and destructive shift from liberty to democracy that has seen the United States slouch closer to a Roman conclusion. . . . There is so much invaluable information contained within the covers of Holcombe's Liberty in Peril. The historical narrative set forth by the author is accurate and supported by an impressive bibliography. --The New American
""Liberty in Peril is a gem. Randall Holcombe traces the inexorable growth of government through war and peace, from railroads to autos, and during prosperity and depression.""--Burton W. Folsom Jr., Distinguished Fellow, Hillsdale College; author, New Deal or Raw Deal? How FDR's Economic Legacy Has Damaged America and FDR Goes to War: How Expanded Executive Power, Spiraling National Debt, and Restricted Civil Liberties Sha ""Liberty in Peril is an important book. It seeks to show the transformation of the underlying ideology of American government since the Revolution from commitment to the principle of individual liberty to the principle of democracy--that government should be responsive to the will of the people. It combines sophisticated--but easily readable--economics with sophisticated political science and a deep historical interpretation of changes in American politics over this period which have completed the transformation. It is an outstanding political and economic history of the U.S.""--George L. Priest, Edward J. Phelps Professor of Law and Economics, Yale University ""Every new book by Randy Holcombe is a pleasure to read. Clearly written, insightful, thought-provoking and of high importance to the state of the world, Liberty in Peril is no exception. The book describes how fundamentally the U.S. has changed as a political system, and how the ideals of individual liberty, limited government and separation of powers have eroded. It should be read by everyone concerned about the growth and abuse of government power, no matter whether it is done by the left, the right or the center.""--Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard, Professor of Political Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark ""Randall Holcombe's Liberty in Peril illuminates the forces that have shifted power and responsibility from individuals to government, and from local to centralized government, throughout American history. This timely reminder is must reading for all those concerned with the erosion of, and new threats to, the legal rights and liberties that form the core of a successful society.""--Michael J. Boskin, former Chairman, President's Council of Economic Advisors; T. M. Friedman Professor of Economics, Stanford University; Wohlford Family Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution; Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research ""The Independent Institute has been leading the way for some time in asking uncomfortable questions about a disturbing tendency: the transformation of the American government and market system toward cronyism. In his marvelous Independent book, Liberty in Peril, Holcombe lays bare the case in careful detail. Using the interest group model of public choice, Holcombe is able to show the slow but cumulatively catastrophic changes that have taken place, punctuated by a few crises of the type Robert Higgs has emphasized for decades. The problem, at its base, has been the erosion of the protections for liberty in favor of populist 'democracy.' I hope that this timely and well-written call to action can motivate a consideration of the limits, and the need to limit, the dangerous impulses of interest-group politics.""--Michael C. Munger, Professor of Political Science, Economics and Public Policy and Director of the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Program, Duke University
Liberty in Peril is an important book. It seeks to show the transformation of the underlying ideology of American government since the Revolution from commitment to the principle of individual liberty to the principle of democracy--that government should be responsive to the will of the people. It combines sophisticated--but easily readable--economics with sophisticated political science and a deep historical interpretation of changes in American politics over this period which have completed the transformation. It is an outstanding political and economic history of the U.S. --George L. Priest, Edward J. Phelps Professor of Law and Economics, Yale University Randall Holcombe's Liberty in Peril illuminates the forces that have shifted power and responsibility from individuals to government, and from local to centralized government, throughout American history. This timely reminder is must reading for all those concerned with the erosion of, and new threats to, the legal rights and liberties that form the core of a successful society. --Michael J. Boskin, former Chairman, President's Council of Economic Advisors; T. M. Friedman Professor of Economics, Stanford University; Wohlford Family Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution; Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research Liberty in Peril is a gem. Randall Holcombe traces the inexorable growth of government through war and peace, from railroads to autos, and during prosperity and depression. --Burton W. Folsom Jr., Distinguished Fellow, Hillsdale College; author, New Deal or Raw Deal? How FDR's Economic Legacy Has Damaged America and FDR Goes to War: How Expanded Executive Power, Spiraling National Debt, and Restricted Civil Liberties Shaped Wartime America The Independent Institute has been leading the way for some time in asking uncomfortable questions about a disturbing tendency: the transformation of the American government and market system toward cronyism. In his marvelous Independent book, Liberty in Peril, Holcombe lays bare the case in careful detail. Using the interest group model of public choice, Holcombe is able to show the slow but cumulatively catastrophic changes that have taken place, punctuated by a few crises of the type Robert Higgs has emphasized for decades. The problem, at its base, has been the erosion of the protections for liberty in favor of populist 'democracy.' I hope that this timely and well-written call to action can motivate a consideration of the limits, and the need to limit, the dangerous impulses of interest-group politics. --Michael C. Munger, Professor of Political Science, Economics and Public Policy and Director of the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Program, Duke University Every new book by Randy Holcombe is a pleasure to read. Clearly written, insightful, thought-provoking and of high importance to the state of the world, Liberty in Peril is no exception. The book describes how fundamentally the U.S. has changed as a political system, and how the ideals of individual liberty, limited government and separation of powers have eroded. It should be read by everyone concerned about the growth and abuse of government power, no matter whether it is done by the left, the right or the center. --Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard, Professor ofPolitical Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark In Liberty in Peril, Randall Holcombe dissects the commonplace assertion that democracy and liberty support one another and rejects it. His rejection is based on a careful analysis of the working properties of democratic institutions and processes. Any reader looking to find a short and readable explanation of how political democracy can erode personal liberty should read this book. --Richard E. Wagner, Holbert L. Harris Professor of Economics, George Mason University Liberty for individuals guided the U.S. founding fathers. Randall Holcombe gives a powerful explanation as to why over time liberty gave way to the 'will of the people' or 'democracy.' Citizens get what they think they want but do not fully appreciate the loss of liberty. Liberty in Peril is a welcome wake-up call about the stakes at play. --Lee J. Alston, Ostrom Chair, Professor of Economics and Law, and Director of the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University Holcombe's well-written book Liberty in Peril provides the reader with a clearly stated explanation of how the grand American experiment, which began as a republic formed by people who prized liberty, evolved to become a highly politicized 'democratic' economy. Taking a bold political economy approach, the book is brimming with fresh constitutional comparisons and historic treatments. Woven together, they yield a coherent story of how, over the course of our history, liberty, broadly speaking, has been systematically compromised. Liberty in Peril is a must read for those who wish better to understand the deep roots of America's politically intertwined economy. --Bruce Yandle, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Economics Emeritus and Dean Emeritus, Clemson University Individual liberty and democratic self-government, the twin ideals on which the United States were founded, do not co-exist in perfect harmony. Aware of this fact the Founders designed a constitutionally limited government to guard against the threat majoritarian democracy may pose to individual liberty. Holcombe's book Liberty in Peril is about how over time a growing role of majoritarian rule and direct popular vote worked to erode the constitutional constraints the Founders intended, resulting in continuous government expansion and spreading interest group politics. With his detailed and instructive historical account Holcombe demonstrates the causes that are behind and the mechanisms that have propelled this transformation. His sobering account of the evolution of American democracy calls for renewed inquiry into the problem the Founders sought to solve: How to limit democratic self-government by constitutional constraints that effectively protect individual liberty and keep interest-group politics in bound. --Viktor J. Vanberg, Professor Emeritus of Economic Policy at Freiburg University and former Director and Senior Research Fellow of the Walter Eucken Institute Liberty in Peril is pure Holcombe, with a fine linear lucid narrative that presents the gradual disencumbering of the Federal Government from constitutional constraints as a shift from a government conceived in liberty to one emphasizing 'democracy.' --Roger D. Congleton, BB&T Professor of Economics, West Virginia University To protect individual liberty or to promote the general welfare--which is the proper role of government? Charting the 200-year transformation of American government from the former to the latter, Randall Holcombe's book Liberty in Peril is a masterful work of U.S. political-economic history. Learned and scholarly, yet fun and accessible, Liberty in Peril is perfect for anyone interested in 'how we got here.' --Edward J. Lopez is Professor of Economics and BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism, Western Carolina University; and Executive Director, Public Choice Society Randy Holcombe's book, Liberty in Peril, continues his intensive study of American political and economic history which he began in From Liberty to Democracy. In this latest work, Holcombe argues that wars and interest groups have eroded America's emphasis on liberty and replaced it with an emphasis on 'democracy.' From the Revolutionary War through the New Deal, he finds government interventions increasingly detrimental to freedom and to the American Republic. If you like thought-provoking and provocative arguments, you will certainly enjoy Liberty in Peril. --Keith L. Dougherty, Professor of Political Science, University of Georgia In the valuable and accessible book Liberty in Peril, Randall Holcombe reminds us that a government of the people, for the people, and by the people once meant--and should once again mean--far more than just counting up the votes. --Richard N. Langlois, Professor of Economics, University of Connecticut We often think of liberty and democracy as complements, even two sides of the same coin. Randall G. Holcombe begs to differ. Americans in the founding era championed liberty, and founded a constitutional republic to secure it. In the modern era, however, Americans champion political 'democracy' instead, which, Holcombe argues, has come at the expense of liberty. In the provocative and timely volume, Liberty in Peril, Holcombe confronts us with the steady loss of liberty in America, and offers a bold argument for a return to the ideals that made America the land of the free. --James R. Otteson Jr., Thomas W. Smith Presidential Chair in Business Ethics, Professor of Economics, and Executive Director of the Eudaimonia Institute, Wake Forest University Liberty in Peril is spot on! Holcombe is right to say that we have lost so much of the liberties upon which our nation was founded. His book should be read by anyone who cares about the future of freedom from government tyranny. --Robert A. McGuire, Adjunct Research Professor of Economics, The University of Akron; author, To Form A More Perfect Union: A New Economic Interpretation of the United States Constitution When I took history and government in school, many critical issues were misrepresented, given short shrift or even ignored entirely. And those lacunae undermined my ability to adequately understand many things. Randall Holcombe's new book, Liberty in Peril: Democracy and Power in American History, fills in some very substantial gaps, particularly with regard to American constitutionalism and how it has morphed from protecting liberty to advancing democracy at the expense of liberty. And it does so with a host of novel and important insights, rather than the disinterest generated by the books I suffered through in school. . . . Liberty in Peril challenges the typical current presumption that liberty and democracy are complementary. . . . The book also challenges commonly held presumptions that our Founders wanted democracy. . . . Holcombe lays out issues of consensus versus democracy, with consensus illustrated by market systems, in which all those whose property rights are involved agree to transactions. . . . Another notable aspect of Liberty in Peril is how far beyond the typical discussion of constitutional issues it goes, substantially expanding readers' understanding in intriguing ways. . . . But there is far more in the book to learn from, and often be surprised by, in comparison to what history courses usually teach. . . . there are very many good reasons to recommend Liberty in Peril. In it, Randall Holcombe provides not just a powerful and insightful look into crucial aspects of America's evolution away from the principles of the revolution that created it, but also an important warning: 'Unfortunately, many Americans do not appear to fully understand these dangers as they continue to push the foundations of their government away from liberty and toward democracy.' --FEE.org When asked what system of government is found in the United States, nearly everyone would respond, 'Democracy.' While incorrect, people can be forgiven for this error. Americans and their leaders for decades have referred to the government as a democracy and touted the 'democratic' ideals they believe to be enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Now comes Independent Institute's latest book--Liberty in Peril: Democracy and Power in American History--to set the record straight and to reveal through the author's chronicle of the subtle and destructive shift from liberty to democracy that has seen the United States slouch closer to a Roman conclusion. . . . There is so much invaluable information contained within the covers of Holcombe's Liberty in Peril. The historical narrative set forth by the author is accurate and supported by an impressive bibliography. --The New American
""Liberty in Peril is an important book. It seeks to show the transformation of the underlying ideology of American government since the Revolution from commitment to the principle of individual liberty to the principle of democracy--that government should be responsive to the will of the people. It combines sophisticated--but easily readable--economics with sophisticated political science and a deep historical interpretation of changes in American politics over this period which have completed the transformation. It is an outstanding political and economic history of the U.S."" --George L. Priest, Edward J. Phelps Professor of Law and Economics, Yale University ""Randall Holcombe's Liberty in Peril illuminates the forces that have shifted power and responsibility from individuals to government, and from local to centralized government, throughout American history. This timely reminder is must reading for all those concerned with the erosion of, and new threats to, the legal rights and liberties that form the core of a successful society."" --Michael J. Boskin, former Chairman, President's Council of Economic Advisors; T. M. Friedman Professor of Economics, Stanford University; Wohlford Family Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution; Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research ""Liberty in Peril is a gem. Randall Holcombe traces the inexorable growth of government through war and peace, from railroads to autos, and during prosperity and depression."" --Burton W. Folsom Jr., Distinguished Fellow, Hillsdale College; author, New Deal or Raw Deal? How FDR's Economic Legacy Has Damaged America and FDR Goes to War: How Expanded Executive Power, Spiraling National Debt, and Restricted Civil Liberties Shaped Wartime America ""The Independent Institute has been leading the way for some time in asking uncomfortable questions about a disturbing tendency: the transformation of the American government and market system toward cronyism. In his marvelous Independent book, Liberty in Peril, Holcombe lays bare the case in careful detail. Using the interest group model of public choice, Holcombe is able to show the slow but cumulatively catastrophic changes that have taken place, punctuated by a few crises of the type Robert Higgs has emphasized for decades. The problem, at its base, has been the erosion of the protections for liberty in favor of populist 'democracy.' I hope that this timely and well-written call to action can motivate a consideration of the limits, and the need to limit, the dangerous impulses of interest-group politics."" --Michael C. Munger, Professor of Political Science, Economics and Public Policy and Director of the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Program, Duke University ""Every new book by Randy Holcombe is a pleasure to read. Clearly written, insightful, thought-provoking and of high importance to the state of the world, Liberty in Peril is no exception. The book describes how fundamentally the U.S. has changed as a political system, and how the ideals of individual liberty, limited government and separation of powers have eroded. It should be read by everyone concerned about the growth and abuse of government power, no matter whether it is done by the left, the right or the center."" --Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard, Professor ofPolitical Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark ""In Liberty in Peril, Randall Holcombe dissects the commonplace assertion that democracy and liberty support one another and rejects it. His rejection is based on a careful analysis of the working properties of democratic institutions and processes. Any reader looking to find a short and readable explanation of how political democracy can erode personal liberty should read this book."" --Richard E. Wagner, Holbert L. Harris Professor of Economics, George Mason University ""Liberty for individuals guided the U.S. founding fathers. Randall Holcombe gives a powerful explanation as to why over time liberty gave way to the 'will of the people' or 'democracy.' Citizens get what they think they want but do not fully appreciate the loss of liberty. Liberty in Peril is a welcome wake-up call about the stakes at play."" --Lee J. Alston, Ostrom Chair, Professor of Economics and Law, and Director of the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University ""Holcombe's well-written book Liberty in Peril provides the reader with a clearly stated explanation of how the grand American experiment, which began as a republic formed by people who prized liberty, evolved to become a highly politicized 'democratic' economy. Taking a bold political economy approach, the book is brimming with fresh constitutional comparisons and historic treatments. Woven together, they yield a coherent story of how, over the course of our history, liberty, broadly speaking, has been systematically compromised. Liberty in Peril is a must read for those who wish better to understand the deep roots of America's politically intertwined economy."" --Bruce Yandle, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Economics Emeritus and Dean Emeritus, Clemson University ""Individual liberty and democratic self-government, the twin ideals on which the United States were founded, do not co-exist in perfect harmony. Aware of this fact the Founders designed a constitutionally limited government to guard against the threat majoritarian democracy may pose to individual liberty. Holcombe's book Liberty in Peril is about how over time a growing role of majoritarian rule and direct popular vote worked to erode the constitutional constraints the Founders intended, resulting in continuous government expansion and spreading interest group politics. With his detailed and instructive historical account Holcombe demonstrates the causes that are behind and the mechanisms that have propelled this transformation. His sobering account of the evolution of American democracy calls for renewed inquiry into the problem the Founders sought to solve: How to limit democratic self-government by constitutional constraints that effectively protect individual liberty and keep interest-group politics in bound."" --Viktor J. Vanberg, Professor Emeritus of Economic Policy at Freiburg University and former Director and Senior Research Fellow of the Walter Eucken Institute ""Liberty in Peril is pure Holcombe, with a fine linear lucid narrative that presents the gradual disencumbering of the Federal Government from constitutional constraints as a shift from a government conceived in liberty to one emphasizing 'democracy.'"" --Roger D. Congleton, BB&T Professor of Economics, West Virginia University ""To protect individual liberty or to promote the general welfare--which is the proper role of government? Charting the 200-year transformation of American government from the former to the latter, Randall Holcombe's book Liberty in Peril is a masterful work of U.S. political-economic history. Learned and scholarly, yet fun and accessible, Liberty in Peril is perfect for anyone interested in 'how we got here.'"" --Edward J. López is Professor of Economics and BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism, Western Carolina University; and Executive Director, Public Choice Society ""Randy Holcombe's book, Liberty in Peril, continues his intensive study of American political and economic history which he began in From Liberty to Democracy. In this latest work, Holcombe argues that wars and interest groups have eroded America's emphasis on liberty and replaced it with an emphasis on 'democracy.' From the Revolutionary War through the New Deal, he finds government interventions increasingly detrimental to freedom and to the American Republic. If you like thought-provoking and provocative arguments, you will certainly enjoy Liberty in Peril."" --Keith L. Dougherty, Professor of Political Science, University of Georgia ""In the valuable and accessible book Liberty in Peril, Randall Holcombe reminds us that a government of the people, for the people, and by the people once meant--and should once again mean--far more than just counting up the votes."" --Richard N. Langlois, Professor of Economics, University of Connecticut ""We often think of liberty and democracy as complements, even two sides of the same coin. Randall G. Holcombe begs to differ. Americans in the founding era championed liberty, and founded a constitutional republic to secure it. In the modern era, however, Americans champion political 'democracy' instead, which, Holcombe argues, has come at the expense of liberty. In the provocative and timely volume, Liberty in Peril, Holcombe confronts us with the steady loss of liberty in America, and offers a bold argument for a return to the ideals that made America the land of the free."" --James R. Otteson Jr., Thomas W. Smith Presidential Chair in Business Ethics, Professor of Economics, and Executive Director of the Eudaimonia Institute, Wake Forest University ""Liberty in Peril is spot on! Holcombe is right to say that we have lost so much of the liberties upon which our nation was founded. His book should be read by anyone who cares about the future of freedom from government tyranny."" --Robert A. McGuire, Adjunct Research Professor of Economics, The University of Akron; author, To Form A More Perfect Union: A New Economic Interpretation of the United States Constitution ""When I took history and government in school, many critical issues were misrepresented, given short shrift or even ignored entirely. And those lacunae undermined my ability to adequately understand many things. Randall Holcombe's new book, Liberty in Peril: Democracy and Power in American History, fills in some very substantial gaps, particularly with regard to American constitutionalism and how it has morphed from protecting liberty to advancing democracy at the expense of liberty. And it does so with a host of novel and important insights, rather than the disinterest generated by the books I suffered through in school. . . . Liberty in Peril challenges the typical current presumption that liberty and democracy are complementary. . . . The book also challenges commonly held presumptions that our Founders wanted democracy. . . . Holcombe lays out issues of consensus versus democracy, with consensus illustrated by market systems, in which all those whose property rights are involved agree to transactions. . . . Another notable aspect of Liberty in Peril is how far beyond the typical discussion of constitutional issues it goes, substantially expanding readers' understanding in intriguing ways. . . . But there is far more in the book to learn from, and often be surprised by, in comparison to what history courses usually teach. . . . there are very many good reasons to recommend Liberty in Peril. In it, Randall Holcombe provides not just a powerful and insightful look into crucial aspects of America's evolution away from the principles of the revolution that created it, but also an important warning: 'Unfortunately, many Americans do not appear to fully understand these dangers as they continue to push the foundations of their government away from liberty and toward democracy.'"" --FEE.org ""When asked what system of government is found in the United States, nearly everyone would respond, 'Democracy.' While incorrect, people can be forgiven for this error. Americans and their leaders for decades have referred to the government as a democracy and touted the 'democratic' ideals they believe to be enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Now comes Independent Institute's latest book--Liberty in Peril: Democracy and Power in American History--to set the record straight and to reveal through the author's chronicle of the subtle and destructive shift from liberty to democracy that has seen the United States slouch closer to a Roman conclusion. . . . There is so much invaluable information contained within the covers of Holcombe's Liberty in Peril. The historical narrative set forth by the author is accurate and supported by an impressive bibliography."" --The New American
