The Quasi Libertarian

Economics Political Theory
1

I’ve been trying to think of a new project focusing on popularizing libertarianism or separating it from tea party style counterfeits. I haven’t read some of the new books out that are proposed to do this, like Libertarianism Today and The Case for Legalizing Capitalism, but I was wondering what topics you would include in a work titled The Quasi Libertarian?

2

Could you specify it a wee bit more?

Do you mean something like ‘a non-radical, accessible libertarianism’?

3

I call them “maybe privatize or reform the post office” libertarians.

4

Now that I’m started thinking about it, maybe a work needs to be written that unpopularizes the word libertarian, or essentially what it entails to call yourself one.

5

Chapters

  1. Why is the rich world rich and the poor world poor: explanation of division of labour and specialization in history
  2. Mathematics vs. human contemplation: which is better for understanding human problems
  3. Social Darwinism: Why biological Darwinism doesn’t fully explain rise of civilization
  4. Role of ethics and values in building human society
  5. Can we generalize about life from history? (on Marxism and historicism)
  6. Argumentation ethics
  7. Et cetera

I am suggesting these things, because there is a need for more contemplative liberals, and not those interested in debating legislations, taxes, federal spending, or immediate political issues. We need those who step back and look at matters in isolation, in the broader long-term perspective, rather than what legislation would be best for solving current problems. It is more important to talk about fundamentals we take for granted, like the giant body of property laws and criminal laws, than to talk about how to start a movement to privatize medicine. Movements are useless - there will always be vice and wrong in man, and there is no point finding a way to stop it, because it will come back in the long-term and reverse liberalizations.

6

You’re not a libertarian when:

  1. …

  2. …

3…

7

Perhaps you should write something along the lines of “Myths of libertarianism”. You could talk about libertarianism vs. libertinism, the difference between ethics and political prudence on the use of force, etc. Also you should briefly argue for a totally free society -which is what makes libertarians so different from everything else.

8

When you get ticketed for speeding and you tip the policeman.

9

If you want to ‘popularize’ libertarian ideas; why not write a book on all the ‘easy’ questions? Avoid ‘private security’, ‘anarchy’, ‘abolish welfare’ and stuff like that, but focus on issues like:

  • minimum wage laws

  • school choice

  • other policies that wouldn’t be as drastic as making immigration illegal (bryan caplan talks about that)

  • decentralizing government

  • privatizing the post office

etc.

Admittedly; it isn’t as ‘inspiring’; but some people become libertarians by giant leaps, others by small steps.