I came here to learn about austrian economics… I have a few libertarain principles but in no way am I a libertarian. I’m an anarchist because of my socially liberal views and I just can’t stand some of the principles of libertarianism… I just think things could be done in a better way. But I really like the principles behind austrian economics. I however find that it is a branch of economics usually limited to libertarians. I just want to know if it’s usually this way. I’m an anarchist myself and I like the idea of austrian economics.
Consistent libertarians are anarchists, so I’m not sure what you mean - are you referring to libertarianism as deontological adherence to rights? Something else? Austrian econ is limited to libertarians (not exclusively though; I think you get conservatives who adhere to it too) I’d surmise because it really doesn’t provide much backing for anyone interested in advocating statism - or at least anyone who wishes to argue their policies are consistent with people’s preferences as opposed to inflicting harm upon them or being detrimental in the ultimate. Moreover, Austrian econ disabuses one of the notion that the state can contribute much at all to economic harmony, so I’d guess rather than libertarians seeking it out, it is the catalyst of the ideological transformation. Hence maybe the causation flows in that direction - as it did for me. Finally, I think Rothbard is a major reason why Austrian econ enjoyed a resurgence, and he was also a major libertarian, and he fused the two together. So the association is easy to make, and many of Rothbard’s students are/were today’s major Austrian economists, who continued his project.
I forget the name of the book but if you look through the archives of the Mises Review you’ll find that David Gordon wrote a review of a book by somebody who wasn’t very fond of markets who greatly admired Mises, Menger, the Austrian school and their methodology nonetheless.
I found it, here.
I meant with social issues. I used to be a libertarian but my social views keep getting in the way of me ever being a libertarian. So, I’m an anarchist and I like the idea of anarcho-capitalism. But, I think that personally-- austrian economics is compatible with a more egalitarian style of anarchy. Discrimination would be allowed but less of it would be ideal in anarchy. I just am fundamentally against some of the views. That’s why I was asking. But I really like the idea of austrian-economics. It is the only explanation of the free market that makes sense to me.
Re-read my post, as I added something else that came to mind. Anyway, libertarianism is merely a commitment to the NAP, of whatever sort, whether moral or not. It doesn’t entail any specific views about how society is/should be organised beyond the legal prohibition of the initiation of aggression. If you want to live in a non-discriminatory enclave you can, so long as you use no force on anyone who does discriminate, e.g. people outside the enclave. There’s really no more to libertarianism than that IMO.
You can follow Austrian Economics… and not be a Libertarian… it’s a value free science essentially.
For eg. You realise price controls destroy. And say you are a Nazi. You would try to influence the Jews in adopting such a policy. Walter Block gave this example I think, in an Introduction to Libertarianism.
Introduction to Libertarianism I by Walter Block
Introduction to Libertarianism II by Walter Block
An Introduction to Libertarianism by Mark Thornton
There was a Nazi economist of the Austrian tradition, though his name escapes me. Bahm-Bawerk’s political views were unclear, they certainly were not ‘libertarian’ as Rothbardites would understand the word.
Austrian economics is popular in libertarianism because the main reason most people are attracted to libertarianism are consequentialist arguments, though they manage to forget this somewhere along the way.
care to back up the assertion that libertarians forget that actions have consequences?
Don’t worry about the energy creature, nirgraham; it’s just trying piss-poor pop-psych.
you can not be a libertarian and be an austrian. For example, you could be a white supremacist and believe the minimum wage should only apply to black communites- with the intent of increasing unemployment with a minimum wage. Or you could be a nationalist and support a gold standard, but hope the rest of the world destroys itself with a paper currency.
I absolutely believe you don’t have to be a Libertarian to follow the Austrian School of thought. I personally believe that the only requirement to follow the Austrian School of thought is a commitment to learning the truth of what is being done to our country as well as others. But while I say this, I must point out that I am also a mathematician and a “liberal” in the current sense, such as workers rights and social freedoms. It is a sad fact that the politicians who “say” that they champion the disenfranchised work quickly adopt the tools of the those would seek to remove all personal freedoms.
It was Hayek who said “Socialism is usually obtained through means which most socialists would abhor” or something like that.