Tracing the movement that became Libertarianism all the way back to conservative Southerner and vice president John C. Calhoun in the 1820s, author Nancy MacLean outlines the growth of the movement up to the present day in Democracy in Chains. Focusing mainly on the development of the ideas of James Buchanan, a Nobel Prize winning economist, the author traces the growth of his ideas on how to fundamentally change the American Constitution.

Buchanan enticed white intellectuals to the embattled Jim Crow South to slowly and stealthily formulate plans to undo most of the gains the majority of citizens had realized through collective bargaining and the New Deal. He truly believed the growth of government undermined individual freedom and that its role should only be to ensure the rule of law, guarantee social order and provide for the national defense. He believed markets should exist unfettered by any government restrictions.

To Buchanan and his followers, the population was made up of “makers” and “takers,” and taxes gave the government the money to take care of the “takers.” As late as 2005, Buchanan called the majority of the country’s citizens “subordinate members of the species.”

Over the years this philosophy attracted the support of many of the wealthiest in our country, such as the Koch brothers, and they have funneled untold millions of dollars into all levels of government and educational institutions. These actions have gone unnoticed by most of the citizenry.

Democracy in Chains imparts a great deal of important information, especially in this election year. Everyone in our book club felt it was important to read. However, I for one thought the author went into too much detail for the average reader who could have garnered as much information from a 50-page article in something like The Atlantic. I would have enjoyed that more. Caveat Emptor.

The LML Book Club holds its meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at the library. This book is available at the library. Readers can join by calling 845-439-5440.