The 19th century wild west is portrayed in movies as a lawless wasteland where the only rule was survival of the fittest. Thieves ruled the land, bank robberies were common, and violence was always right around the corner. This couldn’t be any further from the truth. Voluntary institutions established rules and norms, and property rights were absolute. This is a great book for understanding how property rights actually develop, and a harsh condemnation of rule of law through coercion.