Why did murry rothbard say that thomas jefferson sold out when he took office ?
Although I don’t know the context of that particular statement, I can imagine it is a reference to the fact that Jefferson spent a good part of his life prior to attaining the Presidency in opposition to such power structures. Hence the reason why he’s so popular with libertarianism. However, as President, Jefferson launched a war without Congressional approval and tried to suspend the Constitution (that he wrote!) when it ‘impeded’ his executive authority (amongst other things). Thus it can be said he sold out his principles quite dearly.
In the end, Thomas Jefferson was a very important libertarian philosopher even though he ultimately didn’t practice what he had preached (to an extent).
Also, while this isn’t specifically related to him being president, he was a slave owner.
Can you possibly cite your source of information? I just finished reading a book on Jefferson and I don’t remember it saying anything about him wanting to suspend the Constitution.
I’m afraid I couldn’t cite the exact article where I read that information about Jefferson (it was several months ago)… I do believe it was on LewRockwell.com or the Mises site itself, at least. Possibly in one of Stephen Kinsella’s works?
Jefferson was an interesting character, nonetheless. His Presidency seems to have been an exercise in ‘damage control’ (stopping the Federalist programs), but a half-hearted effort at that. Between the Barbary War and the Louisiana Purchase, he somewhat undermined his stated beliefs, which was a shame – especially since he’s held as a paragon of libertarian virtue.
Yes.
It becomes very dangerous when we confuse ideas with virtues. That is what the Founding Father mythology is based on. They had ideas, and because they were men of ideas (good, bad or otherwise) this conferred a sort of sainthood on them. Their actions became acts of virtue, instead of being judged against their own ideas.
It is very unhealthy for libertarianism to accept saints. That’s what turned me off supporting Ron Paul as a post-minarchist. He’s not treated like a man by some people. They revere him like a saint. I don’t think he has cultivated it, but for many of his supporters, it certainly overshadows his ideas at times.