Review of the Book

Democracy versus Socialism
by Max Hirsch

Albert Jay Nock

[Reprinted from Land and Freedom, July-August 1940]

In the June issue of the Atlantic, Albert Jay Nock has written a penetrating analysis of Max Hirsch's book, "Democracy vs. Socialism." With many a barbed thrust, Mr. Nock makes war upon his favorite enemy, State Collectivism. His recommendation of the Hirsch book is unequivocal.

"Of the innumerable books on economics and politics published in the last seven years," he says, "the one which is most important at just this moment, at precisely this juncture in our public affairs, is this reprint of a book which fell by the wayside fifty years ago."

Individualism holds its own. The revival of interest in the individualist philosophy has no better illustration than the tremendous response to Mr. Albert Jay Nock's article in the June Atlantic Monthly. Under the title, "In Defense of the Individual," Mr. Nock describes Max Hirsch's Democracy versus Socialism as "a complete case against every known form and shade of State collectivism from Marxism and Fascism down to the New Deal." Four hundred and fifty people have been impelled by Mr. Nock's recommendation to send in orders, and spurred by this show of enthusiasm, the Foundation is running a half-column advertisement of the book in the August Atlantic.