Review of JG by Rainer Zitelmann

Dr. Rainer Zitelmann had just posted the Spanish translation of this review of The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible with the Instituto Juan de Mariana in Madrid, Spain. https://juandemariana.org/jonathan-gullible-una-obra-liberal-que-ya-esta-disponible-en-60-idiomas/

A primer of libertarian philosophy—entertaining in 60 languages

Rainer Zitelmann

Few books—aside from the Bible—have been translated into more languages than Ken Schoolland’s “The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible: A Free Market Odyssey.” It now exists in 60 languages, roughly the same number as Karl Marx’s “Capital.” Interest in the book has grown as libertarian ideas have gained wider attention worldwide, not least due to Javier Milei. The strength of many libertarians lies in theory and abstraction, but that has also been a weakness, preventing their ideas from becoming more popular.

One exception is the work of Ayn Rand, who primarily wrote novels. Her books have sold more than 37 million copies and have been translated into 38 languages. Her novel “Atlas Shrugged” alone has sold over ten million copies. By comparison, Friedrich August von Hayek’s bestseller “The Road to Serfdom” has sold more than two million. Novels appeal to people’s emotions; nonfiction mainly addresses the intellect.

Ken Schoolland, the author of “Jonathan Gullible,” is one of the best-known figures in the global libertarian movement and serves on the board of Liberty International. His book is about economics and represents an unusual blend of satirical novel and nonfiction. Above all, it is the story of a young man, Jonathan, who is shipwrecked and stranded on a foreign island.

The book’s appeal lies in how it teaches readers to question many things we take for granted. It begins with Jonathan encountering fishermen, yet the lake in which they fish officially belongs to no one. Still, it is managed by the “Council of Lords,” which governs the island. Each episode is followed by questions for readers and a commentary—in this case, on the advantages of private property over state ownership.

In another chapter, Jonathan learns about the harmful consequences of protectionism, while yet another satirically explores the effects of egalitarian tax policies. He is puzzled to see some islanders walking on their knees instead of their feet. The reason is a “Tall Tax,” which forces taller people to pay higher taxes for violating equality. The government’s justification is that tall individuals enjoy advantages in work, sports, and even dating, and that this injustice must be offset through taxation. Only those not in their right minds, Jonathan is told, would stand upright and pay the higher taxes; sensible islanders move around on their knees.

Another chapter deals with government regulation in construction and rent controls. Formally, the islanders own their homes, but the state dictates how they are built and can even have them demolished if they fail to comply. Jonathan wonders why some houses stand empty while others are dilapidated and learns that legal rent caps are to blame. He also discovers that people cannot find work because government-mandated minimum wages prevent it.

The state pension system, devised by “High Lord Ponzi,” turns out to be a pyramid scheme. People trust this scheme instead of providing for themselves and are ultimately deceived. All of this strikes Jonathan as absurd—yet familiar to most readers.

Politicians do not come off well in the book. They tax citizens, funnel part of the money into their own pockets and the bureaucracy, and use some of it to buy votes. Funds are also used to subsidize theaters and art galleries, prompting Jonathan to ask why the state should decide what art is valuable rather than individual citizens.

An old woman tells him a story about a race between a hare and a tortoise competing for the right to deliver mail. The hare is diligent and fast, attentive to customers’ needs. But the tortoise engages in lobbying, and the king appoints it “Postmaster General,” granting it a monopoly over mail delivery. The damaging effects of lobbying for special interests recur throughout the book.

Many government services are called into question in this parable—services so taken for granted that people have forgotten to consider alternatives, such as the state monopoly on education. Jonathan believes everything should be permitted that does not harm others, including the voluntary purchase of sex, as well as the buying and selling of drugs.

The book encourages readers, in an entertaining way, to question assumptions by satirically exaggerating the contradictions of our society. I agree with the author on most points, though not all: he opposes state patent protection and restrictions on migration. I remain skeptical of utopian visions that seek to overturn the entire world. Yet one need not embrace libertarian utopia to enjoy the book, which vividly caricatures and rightly questions many excesses of the welfare state—overregulation, tax burdens, minimum wages, rent controls, and building restrictions.

One senses that the book was written by an American; today in Europe, greater emphasis would likely be placed on freedom of speech, one of the areas where government intervention is most harmful. In my view, no idea is as dangerous as a government that begins to decide which opinions its citizens may express and which they may not. I am certain the author would agree.

It is beneficial that the book is continually updated. The basic principles of freedom remain constant, but politicians’ ingenuity in curtailing them is boundless. Few books present the ideas of freedom and individual self-determination in such an engaging yet instructive manner—and few parables offer so many suggestions for further reading. While aimed at adults, the book is especially valuable for students and young people.

About Rainer Zitelmann:

Rainer Zitelmann was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, in 1957. He

studied history and political science from 1978 to 1983 and graduated with

distinction. In 1986, he was awarded the title Doctor of Philosophy (Dr. Phil)

for his thesis Hitler. Selbstverständnis eines Revolutionärs (English: Hitler’s

National Socialism) under the mentorship of Professor Freiherr von Aretin.

Th e study, which was awarded the grade “summa cum laude,” received

worldwide attention and recognition.

From 1987 to 1992, Zitelmann worked at the Central Institute for Social

Science Research at the Free University of Berlin. He then became editor-in-

chief of Ullstein-Propyläen publishing house, at that time Germany’s third-

largest book publishing group and headed various departments of the leading

German daily newspaper Die Welt. In 2000, he set up his own business, Dr.

ZitelmannPB, GmbH, which has since become the market leader for public

relations for real estate companies in Germany. He sold the business in 2016.

In 2016, Zitelmann was awarded his second doctorate, this time in

sociology, with his thesis on the psychology of the super-rich, under the

mentorship of Professor Wolfgang Lauterbach at the University of Potsdam.

His second doctoral dissertation was published in English as Th e Wealth Elite,

as well as being published in China, South Korea and Vietnam.

Zitelmann has written and edited a total of 32 books, which have enjoyed

substantial success in 35 languages around the world. He is a much sought-

aft er guest speaker in Asia, the United States, South America and Europe.

In recent years, he has written articles and been the subject of interviews in

media such as Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Forbes, Th e Daily Telegraph, The

Times, Le Monde, Corriere della Sera, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Die Welt, and

numerous media in Latin America and Asia. Detailed information about the

life of Rainer Zitelmann can be found at rainer-zitelmann.com.