Tom G. Palmer is the author of Realizing Freedom: Libertarian Theory, History, and Practice. In this installment of the Exploring Liberty lecture series, Palmer leads a whirlwind tour through human history to document the rise of libertarian ideas, starting with the Mesopotamian epic of Gilgamesh and progressing through the history of ancient Greece and Rome, medieval Europe, the Renaissance, and the Enlightenment thinkers. In part 2 of this lecture Palmer will discuss the resurgence of the authoritarian state in the 20th century and the contemporary rekindling of the ideas of freedom.

Video produced by Evan Banks.