This is to introduce a new and powerful intellectual movement into the world: liberalism. There are two avant-garde ideologies in existence currently: libertarianism and objectivism. Both are related and incomplete. Libertarianism has the largest numbers, and objectivism is the strongest intellectually, but liberalism will ultimately triumph.

Libertarianism, in general terms, is outstandingly good. But it's limited in that it's just a politics -- albeit one with many philosophical implications and even applications. Objectivism, in general terms, is truly great. But it's also limited in that it's just a philosophy -- albeit one with many cultural implications and even applications. But liberalism is sheer perfection. It's all-encompassing and unlimited in that it embodies a full and complete culture. Liberalism is something that represents and defines a whole civilization, and on which you can base and create one.

The current libertarian movement is weak intellectually and ideologically in that it's somewhat anarchic and pacifist. It's somewhat mindlessly anti-government, and not clearly pro-freedom, neither at home (with regard to police action) nor abroad (with regard to military action).

Libertarianism is also rather weak in terms of ideas. Absent any strong, sound views on morality, philosophy, or culture, it stands rhetorically rather disarmed. For this reason, today's libertarian movement is inclined to be amoral and unprincipled, and subject to "moral equivalency" and "cultural relativism." And it usually isn't honest or brave enough to publicly identify itself as the radical belief-system which it really is.

The current Objectivist movement, in turn, is weak intellectually and ideologically in that it's somewhat bizarre and cultist. It has many odd idiosyncrasies and unreasonable taboos, and it's not much allowed to doubt or question them, nor the leaders who advocate them. If someone does, they run the high risk of being horrifyingly excommunicated (like the worst of the Catholics) or viciously purged (like the worst of the communists). Much of objectivism today is conservative and authoritarian -- if not reactionary and fascist.

Objectivism also suffers in that the founder of the philosophy didn't write or lecture in an academic or scholarly style, nor was she published in respected, established intellectual journals, nor did she author or present a systematic treatise of her views. She was also quite emotionally and sexually repressed, and was quick to practice gratuitous moralizing and psychologizing on virtually anyone that disagreed with her. All of this came across in the initial presentation and attempted popularization of her ideas. And this deleterious intellectual and spiritual attitude and approach is still present in most of her best work.

The Objectivist primogeniture also created a rich cult of personality which featured all of the usual trappings, including a servile, sycophantic inner circle as well as servile, sycophantic followers. These last were not allowed to have or express any real opinions, and were humiliatingly referred to as "students," no matter how old or experienced. When the founder died in 1982, there was a real sense and period of liberation. But it was short-lived. Most of her myrmidons continued these dreadful, cultic practices. This is based, in large part, upon a robotics mimicry of both the founder's charismatic persona and the like-attributed heroes in her brilliant novels. But these rather mindless and soulless Objectivist janissaries lack her saving eloquence and genius.

Because liberalism is so much more free-thinking and high-spirited than its avant-garde intellectual rivals, it tends to be much stronger and move much faster. It's more bold, vigorous, lively, and creative. Thus liberalism tends to beat its port-liberal rivals at their own game. Liberalism is usually notably more libertarian than the libertarians, and notably more Objectivist than the objectivists. And where the contemporary libertarian and Objectivist movements are flawed or limited, liberalism corrects and transcends them.

Some of the 'essays' in this e-book deal with conventional libertarian/objectivist issues and draw conventional libertarian/objectivist conclusions. But they tend to do so with an attitude, approach and spirit very different from that of current libertarians and objectivists. And some of these essays cover issues, and offer analyses, that today's conservative libertarians and objectivists refuse to touch. Often, they don't dare.

The liberal essays you're about to read are true "essays" in the aboriginal meaning of the term from 500 years ago. They're fiery and ferocious "tries" at understanding and explaining the universe, and at finding the truth. This is so, even tho' in the end the writer himself may not necessarily agree with them(!). These sometimes extreme essays also tend to be a bit long on passionate and emphatic expression, while a bit short on the desiderata of calm, scholarly analysis and neutral, academia-style exposition.

Well, I tried. But these are new ideas, from a new perspective, in a new context. You're about to read some venturesome and fearless essays at truths which are radical and ideas which are revolutionary.