Compulsory Education in Libertarian society

Economics Political Theory
1

Would there be a compulsory education in a libertarian society?

Of course, my guess would be a no, since all libertarians pretty much believe that the department of education should be abolished.

2

I distinctly deny all a priori forecasts of what “libertarian society” would legislate. I side with David Friedman that private law would tend toward our current conception of libertarianism (since economic efficiency and libertarian principles, for the most part, coincide), but I don’t believe any sort of deontic logic would necessarily be practiced.

My hunch is that compuslory education would not be mandated (since the added individual cost of monitoring and enforcing the entire community of school-age children would be unappealing, I imagine), but I do bet laws like “child negligence” would exist.

3

No compulsary education indeed.

Children would have several sources of education:

  • Schooling paid for by parents

  • Schooling paid for by charities and foster parents (for those who run away from parents)

  • Info on the internet (again provided by parents or by charity)

  • The value of their labor if willing to provide for themselves

  • Other market solutions…

Not a perfect world for sure, but arguably better for most kids as private schools would compete for the lower priced segments, which are now outcompeted (with way too much tax money) by the state.

4

If there is legislation (in the political sense), then there is no libertarian society to begin with, and any response along this line of thought becomes nonsensical.

5

Thank gods there are important things other than economic efficiency and libertarian principles!

6

DD5, politics be damned!

7

scineram, I’m not sure there are.