David Boaz, a foundational figure of modern libertarian thought who brought libertarian ideas into the mainstream, died June 7, 2024, at his home in Arlington, Virginia. He was 70.
In Libertarianism: A Primer—a 1997 book that was updated and rereleased from Simon & Schuster in 2015 as The Libertarian Mind: A Manifesto for Freedom—Boaz defined libertarianism as the view that each person has the right to live their life in any way they choose, so long as they respect the equal rights of others. Boaz was a prolific writer, and through his many books and articles he provided a libertarian perspective on a range of crucial issues, from marriage equality and drug legalization to education choice and the growth of government.
Boaz was drawn to libertarianism as a teenager growing up in western Kentucky. As a student at Vanderbilt, he was involved in College Libertarians, the student general interest magazine Versus and the conservative youth organization Young Americans for Freedom.
After earning his bachelor’s in history at Vanderbilt in 1975, he worked on the staff of two of libertarian Ed Clark’s campaigns—one for governor of California in 1978 and one for U.S. president in 1980. In 1981 he joined the Cato Institute, a public policy research organization and libertarian think tank in Washington, D.C.
Over four decades, Boaz shaped the course of libertarianism through his work at the Cato Institute. As Cato’s vice president for public policy and executive vice president, he helped Cato to become a significant presence in the policy arena.
“We were created to provide an alternative voice in Washington and the national dialogue,” he said in one of his last interviews. “Not liberal, not conservative—libertarian.”
Boaz is survived by his partner of 30 years, Steve Miller, a brother and a sister.
—Staff Reports
