Roy Childs
Encyclopedia
Roy A. Childs, Jr. was an American libertarian
essayist and critic.
Childs counted among his early influences Ayn Rand
, Ludwig von Mises
, Rose Wilder Lane
, and Robert LeFevre
.
In the 1960s Childs endorsed anarcho-capitalism
, but later expressed doubts about anarchism. In the 1960's, Ayn Rand
wrote an essay entitled "America’s Persecuted Minority: Big Business." Childs responded with an essay entitled "Big Business and the Rise of American Statism
.” He wrote that: “To a large degree it has been and remains big businessmen who are the fountainheads of American statism.” Childs edited the magazine Libertarian Review
from 1977 until it folded in 1981. He was also a research fellow and later a policy analyst with the Cato Institute
from 1982 to 1984. Perhaps Childs's most visible public role was as lead book reviewer for Laissez Faire Books
, in which position he produced a number of memorable short essays. He held this position from 1984 until his death.
After suffering from poor health for several years, Childs died in 1992 at the age of 43. Following his death, pundit Tom G. Palmer
wrote of him, "Roy Childs was one of the finer members of a generation of radical thinkers who worked successfully to revive the tradition of classical liberalism
... and who dared to launch a frontal challenge to the twentieth-century welfare state
... his writings exercised a powerful influence on a generation of young classical liberal thinkers."
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
essayist and critic.
Childs counted among his early influences Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She is known for her two best-selling novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism....
, Ludwig von Mises
Ludwig von Mises
Ludwig Heinrich Edler von Mises was an Austrian economist, philosopher, and classical liberal who had a significant influence on the modern Libertarian movement and the "Austrian School" of economic thought.-Biography:-Early life:...
, Rose Wilder Lane
Rose Wilder Lane
Rose Wilder Lane was an American journalist, travel writer, novelist, and political theorist...
, and Robert LeFevre
Robert LeFevre
Robert LeFevre was an American libertarian businessman, radio personality, and primary theorist of autarchism.-Early life:...
.
In the 1960s Childs endorsed anarcho-capitalism
Anarcho-capitalism
Anarcho-capitalism is a libertarian and individualist anarchist political philosophy that advocates the elimination of the state in favour of individual sovereignty in a free market...
, but later expressed doubts about anarchism. In the 1960's, Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She is known for her two best-selling novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism....
wrote an essay entitled "America’s Persecuted Minority: Big Business." Childs responded with an essay entitled "Big Business and the Rise of American Statism
Statism
Statism is a term usually describing a political philosophy, whether of the right or the left, that emphasises the role of the state in politics or supports the use of the state to achieve economic, military or social goals...
.” He wrote that: “To a large degree it has been and remains big businessmen who are the fountainheads of American statism.” Childs edited the magazine Libertarian Review
Libertarian Review
Libertarian Review was a libertarian magazine published until 1981. It had been established by Robert Kephart in 1972 as a book-review magazine, initially titled SIL Book Review , then Books for Libertarians, and was renamed with the October, 1974 issue...
from 1977 until it folded in 1981. He was also a research fellow and later a policy analyst with the Cato Institute
Cato Institute
The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
from 1982 to 1984. Perhaps Childs's most visible public role was as lead book reviewer for Laissez Faire Books
Laissez Faire Books
Laissez Faire Books is an online bookseller that was originally based in New York City when it first opened in 1972. The bookstore's ownership was transferred to the International Society for Individual Liberty in November 2007...
, in which position he produced a number of memorable short essays. He held this position from 1984 until his death.
After suffering from poor health for several years, Childs died in 1992 at the age of 43. Following his death, pundit Tom G. Palmer
Tom G. Palmer
Tom Gordon Palmer is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute, director of the Institute's educational division, , Vice President for International Programs at the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, and General Director of the -Professional life:Palmer earned his B.A. in liberal arts from St. John's...
wrote of him, "Roy Childs was one of the finer members of a generation of radical thinkers who worked successfully to revive the tradition of classical liberalism
Classical liberalism
Classical liberalism is the philosophy committed to the ideal of limited government, constitutionalism, rule of law, due process, and liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and free markets....
... and who dared to launch a frontal challenge to the twentieth-century welfare state
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
... his writings exercised a powerful influence on a generation of young classical liberal thinkers."
External links
- Biography
- An Open Letter to Ayn Rand, written by Roy Childs.