[5] In his 1985 book titled The Joy of Capitalism, Plaut argues for free market economics and compares the profit motive to the libido.

[7] The Scout is a fictionalized account of Plaut's near-death experience as a kidney cancer patient in an intensive care ward.

[citation needed] Plaut was an outspoken critic of the Israeli-Arab peace process and Israel's unilateral withdrawal policy.

[9] Plaut was critical of many Israeli left-wing figures,[10] as well as some Americans such as Michael Lerner and Norman Finkelstein, whom he described as self-hating Jews and apologists for terrorism that are promoting the destruction of Israel.

[11] Plaut was opposed to what he saw as left-wing extremism in Israeli universities, and was actively involved in Isracampus, a self-proclaimed watchdog organization that publicizes anti-Israel people and groups.

[12][13] In the Canadian Jewish Tribune, he denounced Anarchists Against the Wall, a group protesting the Israeli West Bank barrier which he said was composed of "violent hooligans and anarcho-fascist thugs.