The experiences of black Americans do not fit neatly into our nation’s political culture. As the authors argue, those on the right fail to acknowledge the gravity of past injustices and rights violations, while those on the left ignore decades of failed paternalism and unintended consequences of government policy. But there is an alternative: classical liberalism, a philosophy based on free markets, individual rights, and vibrant civil society.

Exhausted by extremism on both sides, in their new book, Black Liberation through the Marketplace: Hope, Heartbreak, and the Promise of America, economic philosopher Rachel Ferguson and historian Marcus Witcher argue that classical liberalism provides the building blocks for a free and prosperous society for all.