The Voluntary City: Choice, Community, and Civil Society

by David T. Beito, Peter Gordon, Alexander Tabarrok

The rise and decline of American civic life has provoked wide-ranging responses from all quarters of society. Unfortunately, many proposals for improving our communities rely on renewed governmental efforts without a similar recognition that the inflexibility and poor accountability of governments have often worsened society's ills. The Voluntary City investigates the history of large-scale, private provision of social services, the for-profit provision of urban infrastructure and community governance, and the growing privatization of residential life in the United States to argue that most decentralized, competitive markets can contribute greatly to community renewal.


Among the fascinating topics covered how mutual-aid societies in America, Great Britain, and Australia provided their members with medical care, unemployment insurance, sickness insurance, and other social services before the welfare state; how private law, known historically as the law merchant, is returning in the form of arbitration; and why the rise of neighborhood associations represents the most comprehensive privatization occurring in the United States today.


The volume concludes with an epilogue that places the discoveries of The Voluntary City within the theory of market and government failure and discusses the implications of these discoveries for theories about the private provision of public goods. A refreshing challenge to the position that insists government alone can improve community life, The Voluntary City will be of special interest to students of history, law, urban life, economics, and government.


David T. Beito is Associate Professor of History, University of Alabama. Peter Gordon is Professor in the School of Policy, Planning, and Development and Department of Economics, University of Southern California. Alexander Tabarrok is Vice President and Research Director, the Independent Institute.

Genres: Economics, Nonfiction, Philosophy, History, Urbanism, Cities

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A vindication of Anarcho-Capitalism. 9/10 times when someone says that Libertarianism cannot work "in the real world" I am able to flip to a chapter of this book and say "well it did".

[Kevin Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful essays on the emergence of associations to take care of societal issues.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit of a slog in the second half, but excellent research and examples of voluntary organizing to solve large scale problems that many think can only be solved by coercive government. From fraternal societies like the Elks who provided life insurance and health care subsidies, to subdevelopments that provided roads (!), Utilities, and policing, there are unexpected examples from the last 300+ years. Interesting notes about the evolution of policing, from initially being privately funded dealing with mainly property disputes, to the more modern form focused on population control and compliance. Worth a read if you're interested in libertarian/market based alternatives.

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating collection of essays that examine how governance can and has developed in addition to or often in place of Government. There is a little speculation, but the vast majority of the essays are historical references. From the examination of Private Neighborhoods to Fraternal Societies and private law enforcement.

It was very interesting to see how many 'market failures' were solved by private means long before they ever 'failed'.

[Zach Boyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The parts about mutual aid societies, mutual anti-crime societies, and non-profit turnpikes were new to me and stuff I had not learned from Mises.org or other sites. However overall this book is a good overview, even if some of the stuff is review.

[Eric Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more I read of history and distant places, the less convinced I am that there are some good things that are inherently government activities. This book, for instance.

[E Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

At age 32, Henry Charles was a carpenter living in what is now the North Side of Pittsburgh. On July 16, 1849, Charles dropped a cigar in his shop, starting a fire. The Allegheny City Fire department refused to extinguish the blaze because they were on strike. The fires spread to adjoining blocks and destroyed the newly constructed First Presbyterian Church. It was eventually extinguished by Allegheny City residents.

This story could either be used to extol the benefits of a free market--if the fire department was a private enterprise, surely profit would motivate its extinguishment--or more likely convince a populace that laws must prevent economics and political goals from standing in the way of a roaring blaze.

The Voluntary City, a collection of essays, tries to make the point that communities can be formed by choice, rather than run by a rigid, overbearing government entity.

MORE: http://www.newcolonist.com/br-volunta...

[Nathan Titus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely well reseached, with all the xyz's of how to make a society open to all exist in the here and now laid out. While I don't agree with everything the book says, all the essays are insightful and intrigueing. Also desturbing at times: it really makes you think "so THAT'S why things are set up the way they are!" The conclusion isn't that the system is broken, but that it works perfectly at what it's meant to do. Scary stuff.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good for folks who want to learn the really dry, nitty gritty details of stateless societies.

[Jerry Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting ideas.

[Jon · Rating 2 out of 5]

couldn't finish it, although some of it is interesting.

[Jamees]

Interesting book, but I just couldn't finish it.