Defending the Undefendable: Walter Block on Slavery
Defending the Undefendable: Walter Block on Slavery

Author(s): Randall G. Holcombe
Subject(s): Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Political Philosophy, Sociology of Law
Published by: Addleton Academic Publishers
Keywords: Walter Block; libertarianism; self-ownership; slavery;
Summary/Abstract: Early in his academic career, Walter Block wrote Defending the Undefendable, first published in 1976, which defends pimps, prostitutes, scabs, slumlords, libelers, moneylenders, and others, as the book’s subtitle tells readers. Block’s libertarian defense of these oft-criticized individuals, and many others, rests on three pillars: they are not coercing others, in most cases their activities benefit society, and if those activities are prohibited, we would be worse off as a result. Block (2018: xiii, italics in the original) says “Libertarian philosophy condemns only the initiation of violence—the use of violence against a nonviolent person or his property.” Block has consistently defended that libertarian stance throughout his long academic career. Not content to merely take on somewhat controversial topics as he defends the undefendable, perhaps his most controversial stance along those lines is his defense of slavery. Throughout his career, Walter has not been one to shy away from controversy.

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