This book articulates a view of the world that follows from the dual premise that happiness requires freedom and that freedom
requires limited
government. It argues that a society under limited government would lead to greater individual fulfillment, more vital communities, and a richer culture; would suffer less from poverty and crime; and would care for the less fortunate better than does the society we have now.
The author is a Bradley Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. His summary of the book follows.
In the last quarter of the eighteenth century, the American
founders created a society based on the belief that human happiness is intimately connected with personal freedom and responsibility. The twin pillars of the system they created were limits on the power of the central government and protection of individual rights. What It Means to Be a Libertarian presents my reasons for thinking that the founders' insights are as true today as they were two centuries ago, arguing the case for return to a limited government--meaning one that has about the size and powers of the federal government in Franklin Roosevelt's first term in office.