Libertarianism - does anyone seriously still believe in this nonsense?

Libertarianism is generally an excellent creed, but it does have a weakness. It requires a purity of thought that makes formation of coalitions difficult.

 

stop them? - how?

do you mean by going out and buying a bigger gun than they have, or something ................hardly ideal

 

No, it doesn't.

Thugs just means bad people exploiting others through force or intimidation.

So, what is to stop that from happening in Libertarian Utopersville?

 

In the Libertarian nightmare, most people would not even be able to afford diapers. No, they would be crapping their pants every time they stepped foot outside, or awaited the knock on the door.

 

I am very confused by you. You rep my post and then try to argue with it. Are you trolling or serious? I honestly can't tell.

 

Munter doesn't troll - but he does have some very alternative views

And yes, I gleaned a compliment from your post, so thanks.

 

Well it's depends on what you mean by libertarianism. To many on the right, libertarianism is about letting rich people do whatever they want and tell poor people to (*)(*)(*)(*) themselves if it effects their lives, like abolishing environmental laws and letting corporations pollute all they want.

I consider libertarianism to be the idea that the government's only authority is to protect people rights from being infringed upon, and they should be prohibited from interfering in the lives of consenting adults, unless their choices effect others,

When it comes to the economy, I believe that limited regulation is needed. The government should protect the interests of public health and welfare. But they should be prohibited from dictating everyday prices of goods and dictating how businesses are ran, except when they infringe on the rights of others.

 

Sounds good in theory, but surely that's impossible.

I mean, nearly everything affects someone else in some way.

Say, how about we let businesses pay only 50cents an hr, now that would be taking food off a kid's table. Hardly the route towards a democratic society.

 

Freedom is nonsense? What is to stop the thugs from taking over? Hmm, how about market realities? Does Walmart, McDonalds or Apple have any power over your life? Please...

A lot of hyperbole in your post.

 

And having a minimum wage doesn't take food off the table?

Very few people have ever experienced anything close to a free market and yet they profess to know exactly what will happen.

You can't pay people 50 cents an hour in the U.S. because their labor is worth more than that to a business. What you don't seem to realize is that business has to compete for labor (less so when you have an artificial minimum wage).

I know a lot of people who would create jobs and have great business ideas. They will never come to fruition though because of the high taxes and regulations that discourage entrepreneurs today.

 

Anti monopoly laws have a lot of value in today's set up. Without them we would have places like WM or McD's taking over the whole industry, Judge Dredd style.

So, it's only regulation that keeps the economy ticking - none of that would be there in the Libertarian scenario.

 

Mass immigration, combined with lack of min wage will most certainly take food off peoples' tables - the good ol race to the bottom.

Screw the entrepeneurs - because that is just a euphemism for egotistical exploiters.


.......and for the guy who's on about the basic income - seriously, why get out of bed to scrub toilets when you can get free money instead? not me , buddy, that's for sure, lol!

 

Not only that, but if business were REALLY booming, and there were MORE jobs than we had people to fill them, labor would become a SELLERS market. Minimum wage would then be moot then because everybody could command more than minimum wage in the free labor market.

Pie in the sky? I don't think so, but business would have to have a much different environment in which to operate than it does today. The high taxes and regulation you mention is a big part of that. We do need some regulation to keep the competitive playing field level and protect the general welfare.

Forcing business to pay artificially high wages through legislation is treating a symptom and ignoring the disease. The problem is that there are more people than jobs to fill, creating a BUYERS market for labor. Make our country THE place in the world to set up a business, and companies from all over the world will flock here to set up their factories and we will flip the jobs problem on its head. THAT'S power to the people.

 

Thugs are stopped by police forces. Not sure about what you actually mean by the second, but with less government, there is less tyranny. I'm not sure what you mean by women and children dying in the streets.

Libertarianism does not mean no government. It means that government has a limited function, which is to guarantee rights.

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Welfare would be provided by charities.

 

Charities? lol, that myth has been debunked many, many times - can't believe people even try to play that card anymore, total joke!

 

Oh of course - the single thing that you deem to make me either some kind of cold elitist or a kind-hearted liberal is whether or not I support the right of private citizens to own, buy, and sell the surface of the planet.

Shocking idea isn't it, to own the very land you need to live your life in any kind of quality, or to do anything productive on?

I'll grant that on a finite planet it's kind of a problem but there is no better way to do it.

 

Aw shucks....I feel all special now.....

I don't typically think I do someone else's job better than they do it themselves but considering the epidemic of nonsense that has infected American politics it's not hard to do better than them.

 

ok, so how does one determine who owns the land in the first place?

 

You apparently know very little about libertarian philosophy. It doesn't take government force to be happy. Nor does it take government force to be free. It takes a UNITED FRONT to restore freedom. You sound like you've given up on taking any action. Taking the easy path isn't what responsible humans should be doing. Freedom isn't easy. It never was easy. It takes courage. If humans unite, they win. HISTORY HAS PROVEN THIS. Solidarity. When humans make up excuses for not uniting, they're just making up excuses for their cowardice. Commit to civil disobedience en masse, and we win. Those who choose to sit by the sidelines are cowards scrambling for excuses. Libertarianism is not a dream. Our country was founded by libertarians. See, I told you that you didn't have a clue!

 

"I have thought a lot about why those of us who believe in liberty, as a solution, have done so poorly in convincing others of its benefits. If liberty is what we claim it is- the principle that protects all personal, social and economic decisions necessary for maximum prosperity and the best chance for peace- it should be an easy sell. Yet, history has shown that the masses have been quite receptive to the promises of authoritarians which are rarely if ever fulfilled."

Ron Paul's Farewell to Congress.

In other words, it's over.

 

Some parts yes, some parts no

 

Isn't it horrible when the state actually recognizes an ownership right so basic to human existence?

 

Libertarian policies have never been more popular. Attention span and dedication are what is lacking.

 

Liberty has no monetary value for both the poor or rich. It brings nothing to the table but the individual.

I hope it will break the chains.....for all of us.