Abstract

In 1792 Wilhelm von Humboldt wrote his treatise Ideen zu einem Versuch, die Gränzen der Wirksamkeit des Staates zu bestimmen . The treatise supports a notion of the state one would nowadays call libertarian. Seen against the backdrop of his time, characterized by far-reaching governmental regulations, Humboldt’s work must be considered a radical manifesto of deregulation.1 Analyzing various fields of potential governmental activity, Humboldt pleaded in favor of a minimum of governmental intervention