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Tips for Libertarian Activists

Gift ideas

Last updated 1994-11-02 by Tom Isenberg

Here are some gift ideas for people who are not necessarily libertarian. I have broken them down by age group. Most of them are books with some kind of libertarian themes. Many of these books can be found in either your local book store or can be ordered from Laissez-Faire Books, 1-800-326-0996. You ought to be familiar with the book before you decide to give it, of course. Make sure it's appropriate.

Young Children (5 - 9)

  • "The Little Red Hen" (traditional story)
  • "The Three Little Pigs"
  • "The Ant and the Grasshopper"
  • "The Emperor's New Clothes"
  • "Robin Hood" (be sure it specifies that he's returning the tax money to the poor)
  • Little House on the Prairie (Laura Ingalls Wilder series of books)
  • Yankee Doodle: A Revolutionary Tail by Gary Chalk $14.95
  • The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss
  • Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose by Dr. Seuss
  • big piggy bank (Statue of Liberty?) with some bright shiny hard cold cash in it!

  • Songs from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood (on tape, for use in the car and at home).

    I've always been a big fan of Mr. Rogers, and my 2-year old son loves Mr. Rogers, as I did until the age of 6 or so. As a parent, I appreciate the topics covered in his songs. They foster genuine self-esteem: the joy of doing things for yourself, the joy of trying hard and doing your best, the importance of not hiding your true feelings, dealing with childhood fears, etc. Comedians like to make fun of Mr. Rogers, but his show is not smarmy or cloying, it is just gentle and calm. It deals with real issues of concern and interest to young children.

    As a libertarian, I appreciate that Mr. Rogers, unlike other childrens' shows, actually celebrates capitalism and individual achievement by showing lots of film clips about how things are manufactured, and profiles people with special talents (Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, athletes, astronauts, etc.) One of his puppet characters is a genial factory owner who manufactures rocking chairs and is proud of his product, and one of his live characters (Mr. McFeeley) runs a private delivery service. How much more libertarian can you get? <G> Seriously, I've read "Mr. Rogers Talks With Parents" (a great book gift for parents, by the way) and thinks that it is very important for children to understand that people make and do interesting things in their lives.

    Now, if only we could privatize the Corporation for Public Broadcasting...

Kids (10 - 14)

  • Stock. Framed stock certificates from a "cool" company. Find out what product -- music, toys, candy, TV show, computers -- the kid loves and let her become an owner of the company that brings it to her: Warner Brothers, M&M Mars, Disney, Mattel, etc. (It'd be nice if you also gave a sample of their beloved product as well as the most recent annual stockholder report!) In the accompanying card (which you'll tuck into the most recent stockholder report), you include a clipping from the newspaper showing how the stock traded that day so she can then track it herself. You inscribe the card with something to the effect that she now owns the company! Finally, if you have an annoyingly leftist sister-in-law, buy her kids stock in General Electric, McDonell-Douglas, or some other defense contractor and include a cool poster of a warplane in action. <g>

  • Capitalism for Kids by Karl Hess (cool money-making ideas)

  • Animal Farm by George Orwell

  • Diary of Anne Frank

High School and College (15 - 20)

  • Stocks in a cool company (see above.)
  • Gold/silver coins and coin jewelry (call Rhyne Precious Metals 800-547-4848 for catalog.)
  • Buy your budding environmentalist a chunk of wetlands through Ducks Unlimited and give her the book "Free Market Environmentalism" by Anderson & Leal. Careful, though, some groups (like Nature Conservancy) are evil sleazes that ought not to be supported, i.e., they often use government coercion to get what they want.
  • 1984 by George Orwell
  • Anthem The Fountainhead, or Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (will be offensive to religious kids, though)
  • The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Double Star and The Expanded Universe by Robert Heinlein
  • Parliament of Whores by P.J. O'Rourke
  • All The Trouble in the World by P.J. O'Rourke
  • Gift subscription to Reason (if appropriate)

Adults (21+)

  • Gold/silver coins and coin jewelry (call Rhyne Precious Metals 800-547-4848 for catalog.)
  • Gift subscription to Reason (if appropriate)
  • Parliament of Whores by P.J. O'Rourke
  • All The Trouble in the World by P.J. O'Rourke
  • Scrooge Investing by Mark Skousen
  • The Economic Time Bomb by Harry Browne
  • How to Raise Happy Healthy Children by Frances Kendall
  • The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey