The Mainspring of Human Progress

The Mainspring of Human Progress by Henry Grady Weaver is a libertarian history book published in 1947 by Talbot Books. In 1953, the Foundation for Economic Education printed a revised edition and has done all subsequent printings. The book borrows heavily from the 1943 Rose Wilder Lane book "The Discovery of Freedom".

Relation to "The Discovery of Freedom"

Rose Wilder Lane's book "The Discovery of Freedom, Man's Struggle Against Authority" was printed in 1943. It received good reviews, notably from Albert Jay Nock, but Lane was dissatisfied with it and would not give permission to reprint it. Only one thousand copies were printed in her lifetime. The continuing interest in her book prompted Weaver to write his book.Laissez-Faire Books: The Discovery of Freedom [http://web.archive.org/web/20061004140517/http://www.lfb.org/index.php?stocknumber=IN0002] ] In The Modern Library's readers poll of the 100 best nonfiction books (conducted 4/29/1999 through 9/30/1999), "The Mainspring of Human Progress" was ranked #48 and "The Discovery of Freedom" was #67.The Modern Library 100 best non-fiction [http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100bestnonfiction.html] ]

On libertarianism and religion

Weaver, like Lane and Isabel Paterson, saw libertarianism as being derived from Christian faith instead of in opposition to it, which was the view of other libertarians such as Ayn Rand and Nathaniel Branden. Quotations from his book illustrating this view:

"Pagan worship is based on the idea that human destiny is controlled by the overall will-of-the tribe, rather than by the initiative and free will of the individual persons who make up the tribe....it is in this concept that we find the origin of human sacrifice to the pagan gods" (page 31)

" [Christ] spoke of the God of Abraham, the God of Truth, the God of Rightness -- the God who does not control any man, but who judges the acts of every man" (page 79)

"All of these advantages are the natural, normal outgrowth of a political structure which unleashed the creative energies of millions of men and women by leaving them free to work out their own affairs -- not under the lash of coercive authority, but through voluntary cooperation based on enlightened self-interest and moral responsibility" (page 251)

"There has never been but one revolution. It is the revolution against pagan fatalism -- the revolution for human freedom" (page 68)

Although Weaver's own denomination was Southern Baptist, the book is very positive towards Islam. He sees Muhammad's teaching consistent with libertarian ideals and his sympathy is on the side of the Moslems during the Crusades.

References