A. D. Nock

Albert Jay Nock (1870-1945) was an American author, editor, and social critic recognized for his libertarian viewpoints and significant influence on modern conservative and libertarian movements. He served as editor for The Nation and later The Freeman, where his insightful essays garnered praise. Nock was a staunch opponent of government overreach, particularly criticizing the New Deal and advocating for individual liberty.

His life journey included a brief stint in minor league baseball, ordination as an Episcopal priest, and a subsequent shift to journalism after leaving the ministry. Nock's intellectual development was shaped by thinkers like Franz Oppenheimer, and he articulated a philosophy distinguishing between productive economic means and parasitic political means. He also developed the concept of "the Remnant," a small group he believed would preserve valuable societal principles.

Nock's writings often challenged prevailing social and political norms. He authored influential books such as "Memoirs of a Superfluous Man" and "Our Enemy, the State." Despite a controversial essay on "The Jewish Problem in America" that some found anti-Semitic and which effectively ended his career as a social critic, Nock remained a private individual dedicated to his philosophical convictions until his death.

Nock identified as a philosophical anarchist, advocating for a society free from state control. He characterized the state as an entity that monopolizes wrongdoing. His critiques extended to centralization, regulation, income taxes, and compulsory education, which he viewed as forces degrading society. Nock denounced all forms of totalitarianism, including Bolshevism, Fascism, Nazism, Marxism, and Communism, but also expressed strong criticism of democracy. He argued that freedom is the essential condition for developing robust moral character, contrasting this with the failures of law, compulsion, and authoritarianism.

Nock's ideas profoundly influenced the emerging libertarian and conservative movements, with William F. Buckley Jr. citing him as an inspiration. He was among the first Americans to self-identify as "libertarian." A significant concept Nock developed was "the Remnant," which he described as a small intellectual and spiritual elite destined to preserve vital societal values. This idea emerged from his disillusionment with reforming existing systems, as expressed in his article "Isaiah's Job." He believed this remnant would become influential only when the current societal trajectory proved undeniably unsustainable, a process he anticipated might take a long time.

In his 1932 works, "On the Disadvantages of Being Educated" and "Theory of Education in the United States," Nock launched a sharp critique of government-sponsored education systems. He believed that true education was not universally accessible, likening the educable to those naturally gifted with exceptional height. His autobiography, "Memoirs of a Superfluous Man," published shortly before his death, reflected his deep sense of alienation from contemporary social trends. Nock's controversial 1941 essay "The Jewish Problem in America" explored his views on Jewish identity within American society, leading to accusations of anti-Semitism and effectively ending his public career as a social critic.

“The state is that human institution which claims and exercises the monopoly of crime.”