Comments on: Long Love Affairs with Libertarianism

By: Vichy

Vichy — Sun, 31 May 2009 17:44:59 +0000

“I blame Greenspan & Rand for the current mess we’re in. (Did U know Greenspan was a BIG fan of Rand?)”
This isn’t really true. Greenspan, at one point, did spend some time in Rand’s discussion circle and I guess he liked her somewhat. But he never even insinuated that he was an Objectivist, and in fact explicitly rejected some of her economic, empirical and ethical arguments.

Read “Alan Shrugged”.

By: kds

kds — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:13:11 +0000

OMG!
Haven’t you thought that this f-ing mess we’re in all right now is because of the monetary system- printing paper money that represents nothing? How does that fit in liberal economics and free market?

People.. please.. don’t!!

By: David Michael Myers

David Michael Myers — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:40:00 +0000

I consider von Mises and Hayek both to be socialists (to a moderate degree)and they didn’t even know it.

I think the ULTIMATE IDEAL situation would be absolutely NO imposed government of any kind (anarchy or mini-archy at the worst), but SELF-GOVERNMENT: each person completely responsible for controlling his own actions. IDEALLY! When will that happen? “When hell freezes over!”

In the meantime, I have learned to live with socialism and I think that Michael Schermer’s prediction of marketplace “subversion” of imposed governments is the way to the ideal should it ever arrive. China has taken baby steps toward it.

Of course, if each person is responsible for himself, he must provide for his own defense, sustenance, etc. No more cops or military to “defend and protect” us.

Libertarianism does NOT mean isolated, “rugged individualism.” Free people are free to associate with whom they mutually agree and to shun those with whom they have no agreement. They are free to form associations and organizations and spend the money they earn on any non-aggressive, non-violent projects they so desire.

One of the MAIN things, by the way is money. In a free-market society, gold and silver undoubtedly would overwhelmingly predominate as money and currency (there is a difference).

With no imposed government to tax and spend and inflate and debase currency, business cycles would all but disappear. No more “sub-prime mortgage messes” or serious depressions.

Gold keeps everyone honest (assuming “The Price of Liberty is Eternal Vigilance” with an enlightened self-interest of what’s going on around you.)

DMM

By: Dylboz

Dylboz — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:58:16 +0000

Libertarianism does not permit slavery, since it’s fundamental principles of self-ownership and non-aggression are obviously incompatible with slavery. In fact, it explicitly rejects the idea that humans can be owned by anyone but themselves, which is why they reject government claims on future earnings or currently owned property, aka, taxation. If you reject slavery as immoral, so to you must you reject taxation, as it is slavery by another name. A prior claim to the wealth you create or a demand for “rent” on property you already legitimately own, enforced through coercion, is incompatible with free minds and free markets.

By: bj walsh

bj walsh — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:47:52 +0000

true libertarianism is not about permitting or not permittng anything

By: Richard Johnson

Richard Johnson — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:12:57 +0000

“Regulation and centralized government will not work as long as human beings are part of the equation. There will always be “civil servants” whose greed, ambition, amorality, and lust for power will drive them to cheat, control and manipulate the electorate to benefit themselves alone. Creative destruction is absolutely necessary to control the worst impulses of human beings.

By: richard mermin

richard mermin — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:21:51 +0000

Does Libertarianism permit slavery? Or if not, why not?

By: Virginia Choobua

Virginia Choobua — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:55:08 +0000

‘Free markets’ will never work as long as human beings are part of the equation. There will always be people whose greed, ambition, amorality, and lust for power will drive them to cheat, control and manipulate the market to benefit themselves alone. Regulations are absolutely necessary to control the worst impulses of human beings.

By: Raquel Baranow

Raquel Baranow — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:10:09 +0000

I blame Greenspan & Rand for the current mess we’re in. (Did U know Greenspan was a BIG fan of Rand?)

[quote]One of Rand’s most famous devotees is Alan Greenspan, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, whose memoir, “The Age of Turbulence,” will be officially released Monday.

Mr. Greenspan met Rand when he was 25 and working as an economic forecaster. She was already renowned as the author of “The Fountainhead,” a novel about an architect true to his principles. Mr. Greenspan had married a member of Rand’s inner circle, known as the Collective, that met every Saturday night in her New York apartment. Rand did not pay much attention to Mr. Greenspan until he began praising drafts of “Atlas,” which she read aloud to her disciples, according to Jeff Britting, the archivist of Ayn Rand’s papers. He was attracted, Mr. Britting said, to “her moral defense of capitalism.”[/quote]

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/15/business/15atlas.html