Publishing Houses Are Needed to Put Books on the Shelves, What Happens When the Shelves Disappear?

|Peter Boettke|

Karl Marx once wrote about the impact of the advent of capitalism on feudalism that "All that was solid melts into the air".  The constant innovations in production, the uncertainty inherent in enterprise, and the changing of social relations tear apart the static conditions of traditional society.  It is important to realize that Marx saw this as not all bad, the dynamic change of capitalism brought material gains unimagined by previous generations.

That the methods of production are in a constant state of revolution cannot be denied in a vibrant market economy.  Such revolutionary forces are currently at work in the publishing industry.  The Wylie Agency announced a publishing venture with Amazon last week that would side-step the big publishing houses.

NPR this morning brought my attention to this discussion (in fact my title comes from a comment made by one of the reporters).  There also was a discussion of Concord Free Press, which gives away books with the caveat that you make a contribution to a charity of your choosing and pass the book along when you are done.  This seems like an awesome idea.  Why is it that the "left" always seem more entrepreneurial about philanthropic enterprise than the classical liberal or libertarian crowd?

Comments

[Daniel Kuehn]

In defense of libertarians, what makes you think that the Concord Free Press is of the left?

Some of the original pushback was from The Nation's editor, after all.

My guess is Concord Free Press isn't particularly ideologically affiliated, and I'd also agree that the left is entrepreneurial - but I'm not so sure libertarians aren't.

That old Stephen Colbert interview of a self-identified libertarian giving away toy guns in Harlem didn't help their image, of course :)

[Chip Hessenflow]

I really don't agree with your idea that the left is better at distributing materials. I think we can find examples of all sorts of groups giving away materials supporting their views.

How many commercials have you seen by LDS? They give away materials all the time.

Watchtower, anyone? Has your Jehovah's Witness visited this year?

Kurt Cameron and his church gave away Charles Darwin's book. They, of course, had their introduction included. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM0oBuhTLRI

The Ludwig von Mises Institute not only will give you a pdf of Mises' work, they also will read it to you. Visit iTunes and look for "Human Action" as a podcast.

I just received a CD with maybe a 100 books on it (pdf). I don't know the group that sent it to me but it may have been the Liberty Fund.

[Greg Ransom]

What?

I'm rather impressed with the Miss Institute in this regard -- and not only the Mises Institute.

"Why is it that the "left" always seem more entrepreneurial about philanthropic enterprise than the classical liberal or libertarian crowd?"

[puma shoes]

Read your article! You write very good it! I would like to further exchange with you next! I hope you agree!

[ScubaSteve]

I agree with puma shoes!

[Bill]

We need to have a "comment like a bot" day.

[ffxiv gil]

It is important to realize that Marx saw this as not all bad, the dynamic change of capitalism brought material gains unimagined by previous generations.