One is a Crowd

by Frank Chodorov

This is a treasure: One is a Crowd. It collects Frank Chodorov's most profound essays on the topic of individualism, many of which have otherwise been unjustly lost to history. His piece on what educational institutions should do is unforgettable. When an essay from this book on the American Revolution hit, it soared up as one of the most widely read pieces of history. ..".all rights inhere in the individual, by virtue of his existence, and that he instituted government for the sole purpose of preventing one citizen from violating the rights of another. Sovereign power resides in the individual; the government is only an agency of his will. If it fails to carry out its duties properly, or if it itself presumes to invade his rights, then the moral thing to do is to kick it out." This book contains essays such as "Misguided Patriotism," "Socialism by Default," and "The Need of a Golden Calf," in which he writes: "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." Incredible material here.

Genres: Politics

138 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[James Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Daniel Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!