I'm libertarian, uncapitalized, to separate the ethical philosophy I follow from the political party I can't.
A Libertarian, capitalized, is a member of the Libertarian Party.
Ethical libertarianism is based on the recognition that no one has the right to use-- or threaten-- violence, personally or politically, against anyone who isn't currently violating the life, liberty, or property of another. This is the guiding principle which distinguishes a libertarian from anyone else. Follow it and you're libertarian, don't and you're not.
"Classical liberals", who believe in the legitimacy of a "night watchman" state, sometimes refer to themselves as libertarians. They want a government to claim a monopoly of force and run institutions and services too important for government to be running. This is closer to what the Libertarian Party appears to stand for, but it isn't for me.
The Libertarian Party seems to value "smaller government" over liberty or any guiding principle.
Many Libertarian Party members are confused about why more libertarians won't support their party.
Maybe I would if they were more libertarian. I was once, for a year or so, a member of the Libertarian Party. I couldn't stay with the party because they didn't seem very libertarian and were too political. The politics seemed more important to them than being libertarian; so important they kept nominating candidates with completely anti-liberty positions. They probably did this because those candidates seemed more electable. I felt they ignored libertarianism for a chance to sit at the government table with Democrats and Republicans. If that's what matters to them, they can do it without me.
A half-joking description of political Libertarians goes, "Libertarians; plotting to take over the world and leave you alone". Yet some people are scared to be left alone, wanting to be told how to live, and they are going to see this as a threat. A more libertarian approach might say "Plotting to keep anyone from taking over the world so you can live life as you see fit". As long as you don't violate others.
I don't support politics of any sort. I understand the appeal of winning political office, if only to keep someone worse from getting the power. I don't see any benefit in gaining the office if you betrayed your principles to win. If you're going to act like the people you replaced, why bother? Unless it's only about the power.
I could sure use some monetary influx.
Weird take. The Libertarian Party's Statement of Principles specifically opposes archation.
ReplyDeleteExcept that they never come close to actually living up to their Statement of Principles, not since Michael Badnarik. Nominating such as Bob Barr and Wayne Allen Root was completely against those principles.
DeleteThe next person I meet, let alone the first group of people I meet, who live up to their aspirations will be the first.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'd go back to at least Harry Browne to say it has come as close as I'd like.
Agreed. But the group is based on archation (the political means), so it's hard to imagine how that could be justified as "libertarian" no matter what they claim as their aspirations. It's doing the opposite of the stated aspirations while still pretending those are their aspirations. I've seen many groups do the same, so it's not unique to the LP. I just can't be a part of that.
DeleteMaybe if they invented a magic bubble within which their archation-like actions magically cease to be archation? Would that work?
DeleteYou'd have to ask them if it is working so far. It doesn't seem like it has, since it hasn't gotten them what they seem to want (political power).
DeleteAgain-- I don't care. I am just explaining why I can't support the LP. You do what you want and feel is best.
They're very clear about what they want:
ReplyDelete"a world of liberty: a world in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives and are not forced to sacrifice their values for the benefit of others.
"We believe that respect for individual rights is the essential precondition for a free and prosperous world, that force and fraud must be banished from human relationships, and that only through freedom can peace and prosperity be realized.
"Consequently, we defend each person’s right to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest, and welcome the diversity that freedom brings. The world we seek to build is one where individuals are free to follow their own dreams in their own ways, without interference from government or any authoritarian power."
So far, they seem about as successful at getting that as anyone else, which is not very successful at all.
And, like every other group of people calling themselves "libertarians," it is infested at any given time, to one degree or another, by people who really aren't.
I gave up on it accomplishing its mission, by its means, a long time ago. These days, it's basically a bunch of friends I hang with, and I try to do what I can to keep it on the right track philosophically because that's what friends do for friends. I honestly wouldn't encourage anyone who's not a politics junkie to join, though.