Washington Metro Objectivism Discussion (WMOD)


                      February 17, 1999

                    "The Noblest Triumph"

                	By Tom Bethell

   At the February WMOD meeting, Tom Bethel will speak about
his new book "The Noblest Triumph: Property and Prosperity
Through the Ages" which argues that property rights are 
the key to understanding history.  Tom shows that empires
developed where security of property allowed enough wealth
to be created to offset the cost of empire.

    Tom Bethell is the Washington correspondent of The American 
Spectator.  He has also been a Washington editor of Harper’s, 
and an editor of The Washington Monthly.  In 1988, a collection of 
his journalism was published under the title "The Electric Windmill."  

    A graduate of Oxford University, Mr. Bethell came to the United 
States from England in 1962.  Initially, he taught at a prep school in
Virginia.  His main interest at the time was New Orleans jazz and its 
origins.  His book on this subject was published by the University 
of California Press in 1977. 

    In recent years he has been a visiting fellow at the Hoover 
Institution, Stanford.  There, he worked on his book on private
property, its role and its neglect by intellectuals, and the
contribution that it can make to the understanding of history.
"The Noblest Triumph" was published by St. Martin’s Press in 1998.
On the dust-jacket, George Gilder said that Bethell 
"commands the most eloquent prose in American journalism.  Here 
he addresses the most crucial enigmas of life and history -- from the 
real reasons for the Irish famine to the nature of intellectual
property, and why capitalism is above all the egalitarian system.
This book is an essential text for all who wish to understand the
sources of economic growth."

   Jim Powell reviewed Tom's book for Laissez faire Books: "In this fine book,
Bethell tackles one of the most important subjects related to liberty,
a subject which, incredibly, no one had given a major book-length treatment
before.  He does a masterful job.  Even when he discusses familiar episodes,
he offers new material and fresh insights."  The complete review can be 
found at http://laissezfaire.org/eh7830.html.

   You can read more about Tom Bethell in this month's Full Context
magazine interview.  See http://www.fullcontext.org for subscription
information.
 
                          January WMOD Meeting

     Thanks again to Sam Kazman of the Competitive Enterprise Institute
for his stimulating January 20, 1999 talk "Death by Regulation."  The
attendance was about 30, and discussion continued until the restaurant closed. 
                   
                When and Where is the WMOD Meeting?

     Join us on Wednesday, February 17.  Anyone who is
interested in rational discussion of Ayn Rand's ideas is welcome.
Note that our meeting location is Metro accessible.  You can
either join us for drinks at 6:30 with dinner at 7 PM and/or for
the talk (free) at 8:15 PM at the Hunan Palace in Rosslyn, VA
just across the Key Bridge from Georgetown.  The street address is
1812 North Moore Street.  If you come by Metro, get off at the
Rosslyn Metro Exit and the Hunan Palace is only a few feet away.
Take the street exit on N. Moore Street (across street from Roy
Rogers/Burger King), go out of Metro and take a left, and the
Palace is a few feet down N. Moore Street.  If you drive, there is
a parking garage (Allstate) next door to the Palace that is free after
6:00 PM if you get your ticket validated at the Palace.  There will be
a $15 fixed price dinner (including tax and tip), or you can order
from the menu.  Please RSVP to WMOD at (703) 820-7696 before
noon on Wednesday 2/17 so that we can tell the restaurant how
many tables to set up and how many to expect for dinner.  For more
information, call the Hunan Palace at (703) 528-8188, or call 
David Saum at (703) 820-7696 (W) or (703) 671-5119 (H).  
     
               Future Meetings

     The long awaited debate on "Abortion and Objectivism" is tentatively
scheduled for April 21, so let WMOD know if you want to speak or if you have
written material on this subject that can be linked to the WMOD web site. 

     WMOD meetings are generally held on the third Wednesday of each
month.  We are always looking for new stimulating meeting topics
related to Objectivism.  Please contact WMOD if you have suggestions
for meeting topics and locations, or if you can volunteer some time to
arrange meetings.

                 DC Metro Calendar

        Cato Institute Events
http://www.cato.org/events/calendar.html

        Free-Market.Net Calendar
http://www.free-market.org/directory/events/

       Future of Freedom Foundation Events
http://www.fff.org/events/events.htm
         
       Institute for Humane Studies
http://www.theIHS.org/
   
(please let WMOD know about other events that we should list) 
                
               WMOD Contact Information

The WMOD newsletter is $10/yr, this email newsletter is free.

Contact:
  Dave Saum
  WMOD
  PO Box 8007
  Falls Church, VA 22041
    Email: DSaum at infiltec.com
    Phone: (703) 820-7696
    Fax: (703) 671-9350
    Web: http://www.infiltec.com/wmod.htm

----------- "Sapere aude" (dare to know) -------------------