Harry Edson Browne[1] (June 17, 1933 – March 1, 2006) was an American writer, libertarian political activist, and investment advisor.

He was the Libertarian Party's presidential nominee in the U.S. elections of 1996 and 2000 running on a platform that advocated abolishing the federal income tax, privatizing Social Security, ending the war on drugs, and drastically reducing the size and scope of government.

[2][3] A leading figure in the modern libertarian movement, Browne was a passionate advocate for personal freedom, limited government, and voluntary cooperation.

He authored 12 books that in total have sold more than 2 million copies including his influential work How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World (1973), which provided a blueprint for achieving individual liberation by rejecting societal constraints and embracing self-reliance.

[4][5] Through his presidential campaigns, writings, and public appearances, Browne articulated a vision of a society free from coercion, inspiring generations of libertarians to challenge political and cultural orthodoxy.

He went to the Southwestern Signal Corps Training Center at Camp San Luis Obispo, California to study cryptography.

[citation needed] In 1955, Browne was sent to Eniwetok to finish his tour of duty and afterwards was transferred to the Army Reserves at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

In the summer of 1962, Browne was named the advertising manager for the Liberty Amendment Committee's bimonthly American Progress for Economic Freedom.

The following Spring the magazine was renamed Freedom Magazine, and Browne continued as its editor until February 1964 when he turned his full-time attention to the American Way Features, Inc. Also in the 1960s, Browne taught courses such as: The Economics of Freedom, The Tools of Success, Tools of the Market, The Economics of Success, and The Art of Profitable Living".

His book How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World gave a detailed explanation of how one can bring libertarian concepts to every aspect of one's life.

Browne said he needed to be true to what he had preached in his libertarian speeches and that "it would be highly inappropriate for me to stick my nose in the trough after having denounced the Republicans and Democrats for doing so."