[net.misc] Poor People v. Libertarians

matt@oddjob.UUCP (Matt Crawford) (09/29/86)

Viva Keller!  Abajo con Cramer!

Libertarian:  one who is enraged by an `economic free rider',
but is perfectly happy to be a `moral free rider'.

Until the libertarian so-called `principles' are demonstrated
successfully in a community of 100,000 or more, they should stop
advocating them as a policy for any state or any country.
_____________________________________________________
Matt		University	crawford@anl-mcs.arpa
Crawford	of Chicago	ihnp4!oddjob!matt

Yow!  I want my nose in lights!

dlow@hpccc.HP.COM (Danny Low) (09/29/86)

> 
> Until the libertarian so-called `principles' are demonstrated
> successfully in a community of 100,000 or more, they should stop
> advocating them as a policy for any state or any country.

From what I have read of Libertarism, it appears that we already have
a Libertarian government. It is called the United Nations. Consider
the various characteristics of the UN...

1. It writes laws (i.e. treaties) but obedience is voluntary.
   Enforcement of these laws is up to the individuals (nations).
   There is even true individual enforcement (i.e. mercenaries.)

2. It has a voluntary court (the World Court.)

3. It levies taxes (dues) which are also voluntary.

4. Any action decided by the Security Council can only be
   implemented voluntarily by the individual nations.
 
The current state of the world is a good indication of how well a
libertarian government does work.

Any comments on this note should be sent to *.politics where I
can ignore it. :-)

                        Danny Low Hewlett-Packard
"If you don't know where you're going, it doesn't matter how you get there." 
                    ...Flying Karamozov Brothers
... but if you want to get here, try ...!ucbvax!hplabs!hpccc!dlow

cramer@kontron.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) (09/29/86)

> Viva Keller!  Abajo con Cramer!
> 
> Libertarian:  one who is enraged by an `economic free rider',
> but is perfectly happy to be a `moral free rider'.
> 

I'm not enraged by someone who is disabled and unable to work.  I'm
annoyed by people unable to work because they have small children to
care for, and the father is being irresponsible, but I accept that it
is necessary to provide welfare under these circumstances.  I will not
tolerate people who refuse to work because they don't like the work
that is available, and then expect me to take care of them.

> Until the libertarian so-called `principles' are demonstrated
> successfully in a community of 100,000 or more, they should stop
> advocating them as a policy for any state or any country.
> _____________________________________________________
> Matt		University	crawford@anl-mcs.arpa
> Crawford	of Chicago	ihnp4!oddjob!matt

NO set of principles works successfully in a community of 100,000 or
more -- big cities are just too weird.

Clayton E. Cramer