I just wanted to ask because a new political party is being established where I live (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and as I can see in its page it’s very libertarian (but statist, of course). I’m thinking in going to a few meetings, just to talk about our ideas, because it seems to be a good try to stop the anti-freedom movement here. What do you think? Should I get involved?
Sure. A group of people attracted to a libertarian party are going to in general be more conducive to anarcho-capitalist/anti-statist free market ideas than others so it is a good place to discuss.
No.
Well, you might enjoy meeting like minded folk, but I view involvement in political processes as immoral.
Not according to Walter Block.
Totally. Try to disrupt the system by taking votes away from the mega-statist parties.
Sure… A libertarian party could be a place where likeminded people can meet and discuss ideas and where you can convert people to adopt the misesian position. But don’t became a part of the party apparatus or automatically support a candidate only because he/she is a member of your party (I remember that Libertarian Party had crackpot JDL-terrorist Irv Rubin as their candidate for governor of California almost a decade ago).
No.
[^o)] Are you just disagreeing with his statement or are you saying that to label the political process as immoral is absurd?
Hear, hear.
There are better (both in utility and morality) uses of our time than politics.
With the caveat that if they are only participating to educate and pushback, perhaps it makes sense. But if the group is seeking power to exercise over others, then it doesn’t seem compatible with any libertarian ethics to me.
I don’t think any anarchist just became an anarchist overnight. Join the LP, that way you can attract current government minimalists to the anarchist movement while attracting current full-blown statists to a more minarchist position. It’s a win-win for liberty.
I know lots of people who started as small government libertarians and learned by reading discussions on this very board (myself included). That party could very well act as a similar catalyst for others. I doubt the OP is joining to exercise political control over anyone, so I would think that his purpose there is not for empowering statist ideas, but to try and garner support for free market ideas instead. A goal that is surely worthy, no?
Do it to educate people. Don’t do it to try to win political positions.
Are you still a small government libertarian?
I try to avoid ends justify the means arguments. The difference between a liberal and a statist, is that a liberal acknowledges that the ends cannot justify the means.
No of course I am not, but the point is that joining a political party to educate people is a great forum to spread ideas with people who are at least potentially open to free market libertarianism.
It would only be an ends justify the means argument if he were in fact using political power to “force” these ideas into policy. I didn’t think that was really what was going on here.
Well I thought I clarified that.
But still, there are better uses of our time than politics. The question is, can we adopt a long view and work patiently on the minutae of progressing liberty, or do we demand bold moves now that may not bear long term fruit?
Certainly I have trouble taking any political libertarian seriously.
[:O] I did. Lysander Spooner is a smooth talker…[:P]
Speaking of which, we should throw you a libertarian party.
And the theme could be non-state forms of dominace and the flourshing of libertarian principles beyond the NAP! Oh it will be great Liberty, we can have a whole big leftist extravaganza! [:P]
Or it could be bouncing smilely faces with blobs for arms…that’s cool too.
You mean like arguing with other, for the most part, ancaps on mises.org? [:P]
Seriously, I thought recruiting people to the cause was a pretty important thing. Ron Paul is an example of a political libertarian that has caused many people to come to mises.org and educate themselves.
Idk, but I do know that more supporters and turning on more like minded people is a good thing for the progressing liberty.