At its core, libertarianism is a movement to recognize and respect the equal dignity of every last human. David Boaz has been and shall remain a giant of that movement. David understood the role of the libertarian is to know and to say what is right—to serve as a lamp in the darkness—because if the libertarian fails to do this, no one else will. He did not have to win every argument. He did not succumb to nostalgia or defeatism. He knew the race is long. He brought rigor to the role. He demanded rigor of others. He was funny. If you stuck around long enough, he would surprise you with his essential humility. His status as a giant surprised him. Once upon hearing his close admirers laud his achievements, he struggled against emotion to say he would be very happy if even half of it were true. David’s work will continue to define libertarianism long after this or that batch who fail to grasp its essence.
Robert A. Levy For more than 40 years, David Boaz has been Cato’s indispensable man—our jack of all trades and…
Gabriela Calderon de Burgos I met David Boaz when I was an intern at Cato during the summer of 2004.…
Ryan Bourne I was deeply saddened to learn today of the passing of my colleague and friend David Boaz,…
Walter Olson When I think of the most effective advocates of individual freedom in my generation, David Boaz is Number…
David J. Bier Almost no one has had a greater impact on my life than David Boaz. I couldn’t even pronounce…
Aaron Steelman David Boaz was one of the most extraordinary people I have ever met. He was a great conveyor of…
Maria Santos Bier David Boaz, the longtime executive vice president and later distinguished senior fellow of the Cato Institute,…