Liberty (1881–1908)

Infobox Newspaper
name = Liberty


caption = Liberty (October 3rd, 1885)
type = Political philosophy
format = Biweekly newspaper
foundation = 1881
ceased publication = 1908
price =
owners =
publisher =
editor = Benjamin Tucker
chiefeditor =
assoceditor =
staff =
language = English
political = Anarchism
circulation =
headquarters = Boston, Massachusetts
oclc =
ISSN =
website =

"Liberty" was a 19th century periodical published in the United States by individualist anarchist Benjamin Tucker. It was published from August 1881 to April 1908. The periodical was instrumental in developing and formalizing the individualist anarchist philosophy through publishing essays and serving as a format for debate. Contributors included Benjamin Tucker, Lysander Spooner, Auberon Herbert, Dyer Lum, Joshua K. Ingalls, John Henry Mackay, Victor Yarros, and Wordsworth Donisthorpe, James L. Walker, J. William Lloyd, Florence Finch Kelly, Voltairine de Cleyre, Steven T. Byington, John Beverley Robinson, Jo Labadie, Lillian Harman, and Henry Appleton. Included in its masthead, is a quote from Pierre Proudhon saying that liberty is "Not the Daughter But the Mother of Order."

Purpose

Benjamin Tucker made it clear that the purpose of the journal was to further his point of view, saying in the first issue that the "journal will be edited to suit its editor, not its readers. He hopes that what suits him will suit them; but, if not, it will make no difference. No subscriber, or body of subscribers, will be allowed to govern his course, dictate his policy, or prescribe his methods. Liberty is published for the very definite purpose of spreading certain ideas, and no claim will be admitted, on any pretext of freedom of speech, to waste its limited space in hindering the attainment of that object. We are not afraid of discussion, and shall do what we can to make room for short, serious, and well-considered objection to our views." However, the journal did become a forum for argumentation of diverse views. Tucker credited both Proudhon and Josiah Warren as influences for Liberty. He says of Proudhon: "Liberty" is…a journal brought into existence almost as a direct consequences of the teachings of Proudhon…" ("Liberty I"). He later said that Liberty was "the foremost organ of Josiah Warren's doctrines" ("Liberty IX").

Revival

In 1974, an attempt to revive Tucker's "Liberty" was undertaken by some of Laurance Labadie's associates. Edited by Earl Foley and Walter Carroll, it billed itself as "The Revival of "Liberty"." The first issue contained articles by Laurance Labadie, Lynne Farrow, and Earl Foley. Its editorial says: "We align ourselves with the Individualist Anarchist tradition of Josiah Warren and Benjamin Tucker." The revival did not survive past the first issue. http://uncletaz.com/liberty/labadie.html

ee also

* "Lucifer the Lightbearer" (1883-1907)

External links

* [http://flag.blackened.net/daver/anarchism/tucker/tucker.html Individual Liberty] a collection of many of Tucker's publications from Liberty
* [http://tmh.floonet.net/articles/ind_intr.html Comprehensive Index to "LIBERTY"]
* [http://www.zetetics.com/mac/tir1.htm "Benjamin Tucker, Liberty, and Individualist Anarchism"] by Wendy McElroy
* [http://www.uncletaz.com/liberty/ "Benjamin R Tucker & the Champions of Liberty: A Centenary Anthology"] edited by Edited by Michael E. Coughlin, Charles H. Hamilton and Mark A. Sullivan
* [http://www.uncletaz.com/liberty/english.html "The English Individualists As They Appear In Liberty" by Carl Watner]
* [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A//www.mises.org/journals/jls/1_4/1_4_4.pdf "Benjamin Tucker and His Periodical, Liberty"] by Carl Watner
* [http://www.panarchy.org/tucker/taxation.html Benjamin Tucker, Liberty and Taxation]
* [http://travellinginliberty.blogspot.com/2007/08/index-of-liberty-site.html Complete archive of "Liberty" and "Libertas" at the Libertarian Labyrinth]