David Bergland

In addition to his presidential candidacy, Bergland is perhaps best known for his book Libertarianism in One Lesson. Now in its ninth edition, it has sold over 150,000 copies. ... Bergland has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Advocates for Self-Government since the organization was founded. Bergland spoke at several early Advocates conventions and at the Advocates' 20th Anniversary Celebration in 2005, and appears on several of the most popular Advocates tapes and CDs on how to effectively communicate libertarian ideas.

Attorney and long-time LP activist David Bergland and tax-protestor Jim Lewis carried the LP banner in 1984. In the face of a much tighter budget and stricter ballot access laws than in previous campaigns, Bergland-Lewis still managed to get on the ballot in 39 states. They were also the first Libertarians to come in third in the popular vote, with 228,705 votes. In addition, Bergland's Libertarianism in One Lesson is still used as an introductory text to Libertarianism.

1984: Bergland/Lewis
Presidential Candidate: David Bergland
Vice Presidential Candidate: Jim Lewis
On the ballot: 39 states plus D.C.
Votes: 228,705

T. R. Reid, in a long ... article called Dave Bergland "an outspoken antigovernment activist who is considered a hard-liner even by the Libertarians' stern standards." (Whoopee!) "In choosing Bergland", the Post's Reid added, "the Libertarian delegates chose ideological purity and turned away from the more pragmatic approach of their 1980 Presidential nominee, Ed Clark." ... Bergland, Reid pointed out, spoke of "the ideal of liberty" and the "ugliness" of government ... In contrast to the Clark campaign of 1980, Bergland declared that Social Security should be "terminated forthwith".

Out of a chaotic, confused, wild, hectic, crazy, convention, in the closest, murkiest, most exciting all-out contest in Libertarian Party history, David P. Bergland of California won the nomination for President on the fourth ballot ... David P. Bergland, a California attorney, a hard-core and principled radical libertarian, needed no coaxing. He saw that the Libertarian Party needed a candidate, and a principled one, desperately, and so he threw his hat promptly and enthusiastically into the race ... Bergland became a candidate on Friday, August 26 ... By noon on Saturday, Bergland was permanently committed to the race.

I was introduced to Murray Rothbard the economist long before I came to know him as a radical libertarian anarcho-capitalist activist. Reading Rothbard, beginning in the early 1960s, was a great experience for me, but that was not my introduction to libertarianism ...
At the 2002 LP National Convention in Indianapolis, I was on a panel ... I took the opportunity to give thanks to some no longer with us. I was grateful to be able to fill these new libertarians in on the profound and lasting effects of Murray Rothbard's contributions to the Party and the movement. He will be remembered.