Libertarianism: Story of an Affair
Reflection from the Concrete Fortress
John Goes
Issue date: 11/30/09 Section: Opinions
Because I have been asked, I want to confess my history with libertarianism. The careful reader will note that some of my commentary intersects with libertarian commentary, particularly on the war and entitlement spending. I've visited quite a few places on the political spectrum in the evolution of my political thinking, but by far the most fun was libertarianism. When I was a socialist, the world was just terribly depressing. By and large the world's poor didn't seem to be doing so hot and living in a sea of politically apathetic citizens amidst such misery enrages any altruistic person who believes that a better world is possible if only we could get the right people in power to use government power for good. The quixotic attack on greedy capitalism gets kind of stale.
And face it, the more moderate positions on the spectrum, conservativism, right-centrism, centrism, left-centrism, liberalism, are just plain boring; where is the thrill of pioneering new territory, of going against the grain? Where is the risk? For anyone with a sense of adventure, these kind of wishy-washy political systems just won't do.
But libertarianism, you were different. Oh, when I called myself by your name I could laugh in the epiphany that nearly all of the world's problems sprung from one source; that the poverty, corruption, social decay all around us were all logical consequences of government interference in the free market, that holiest of holies. In a free state, replete with respect for the rule of law and property rights, the free interplay of supply and demand would harmoniously dance toward equilibrium, naturally maintaining a healthy society and distributing resources to everyone, with more regularity, more generosity and more elegance than Uncle Sam could ever hope to muster.
Inequalities would persist, but everyone would be increasingly wealthy! It was a heady time in my intellectual life. The enemy was never more well-defined and the solution simply a matter of ensuring that the government got the hell out of the way, letting sovereign individuals trade freely. What could be more beautiful than a society operating entirely on the basis of voluntary contract, with no coercion from above, every man his own king?
And face it, the more moderate positions on the spectrum, conservativism, right-centrism, centrism, left-centrism, liberalism, are just plain boring; where is the thrill of pioneering new territory, of going against the grain? Where is the risk? For anyone with a sense of adventure, these kind of wishy-washy political systems just won't do.
But libertarianism, you were different. Oh, when I called myself by your name I could laugh in the epiphany that nearly all of the world's problems sprung from one source; that the poverty, corruption, social decay all around us were all logical consequences of government interference in the free market, that holiest of holies. In a free state, replete with respect for the rule of law and property rights, the free interplay of supply and demand would harmoniously dance toward equilibrium, naturally maintaining a healthy society and distributing resources to everyone, with more regularity, more generosity and more elegance than Uncle Sam could ever hope to muster.
Inequalities would persist, but everyone would be increasingly wealthy! It was a heady time in my intellectual life. The enemy was never more well-defined and the solution simply a matter of ensuring that the government got the hell out of the way, letting sovereign individuals trade freely. What could be more beautiful than a society operating entirely on the basis of voluntary contract, with no coercion from above, every man his own king?
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Mike in PA
posted 11/30/09 @ 7:55 AM CST
Sorry, John. It appears like you haven't delved far enough into your journey.
I suspect it's because you have grown accustomed to the State as it exists. (Continued…)
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