This book contains essays such as "Misguided Patriotism," "Socialism by Default," "The Myth of the Post Office," and "The Need of a Golden Calf," in which he "Is not the State an idol? Is it not like any graven image into which men have read supernatural powers and superhuman capacities? The State can feed us when we are hungry, heal us when we are ill; it can raise wages and lower prices, even at the same time; it can educate our children without cost; it can provide us against the contingencies of old age and amuse us when we are bored; it can give us electricity by passing laws and improve the game of baseball by regulation. What cannot the State do for us if only we have faith in it? And we have faith. No creed in the history of the world ever captured the hearts and minds of men as has the modern creed of Statism."
One of the most stirring appeals to the idea that the individual is the foundation of society. Arguing against the "religion of statism" the author reviles the notion that any good can come from the movement toward collectivism. Published the year that Eisenhower was first elected president this books is as relevant today as it was seventy years ago.
At times this book seemed a tiny bit scattered; a couple of the chapters didn't seem to feel right for the rest of the book. However, overall, this was a very good book on collectivism, individuality, and society. This book offers dozens of excellent quotes!