melissa@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (09/12/86)
In Vol 6, issue 57, Eyal Mozes recommends Peter Schwarz's pamphlet. I read that pamphlet and I'd like to amend his recommendation: Libertarians should read it to understand why objectivists hate them. I found a multitude of inconsistencies, misquotes and a general lack of understanding. And I read it when I had just discovered Rand, and was extremely favorably minded towards anything written by someone claiming to be an objectivist. I'm not sure if Schwarz is a bad Objectivist, or just doesn't understand Libertarianism, but he's obviously influenced a lot of Objectivists. I plan to try to write a lengthy point-by-point refutation of that pamphlet, but this will take some time, as I intend to track down the contexts of all of his quotations from Libertarians. Some of them are so anti-Libertarian that I feel it necessary to see for myself that they aren't being pulled totally out of context. Anyway, if anyone knows of any writings that have already done such a refutation (I assume it would be by a Libertarian), please let me know! If not, could a Libertarian out there give me any suggestions as to where I could find copies of things like "The Libertarian Party platform, 1981"? Send that last by e-mail to me, if CWM inserts an editorial comment here to the effect that the specifics might constitute political advertising. Melissa Silvestre (melissa@athena.mit.edu) [ I prefer Poli-Sci to be a forum of discussion, so I prefer not to receive *any* party's entire platform as a submission! - CWM] -------
eyal@wisdom.BITNET (10/03/86)
>[Peter Schwartz] obviously >influenced a lot of Objectivists. That depends on what you mean by "influenced". Objectivists have always opposed Libertarianism. Schwartz's contribution was to systematically state the arguments for this opposition, and to help many young Objectivists in precisely indentifying the reasons of what was, for some, just an uncomfortable feeling. >I plan to try to write a >lengthy point-by-point refutation of that pamphlet, Well, I wish you luck, but, as you can probably guess from my recommendation of the pamphlet, I have grave doubts whether you can do it. Peter Schwartz thoroughly understands Libertarianism, was able to analyse it right down to its philosophical essence, and he's built a watertight case. >I intend to track down the contexts >of all of his quotations from Libertarians. Some of them are >so anti-Libertarian that I feel it necessary to see for myself >that they aren't being pulled totally out of context. I must admit that I also found some of these quotes hard to believe. But I've checked all the quotes he gives from books, and some of the quotes from "Reason", "Inquiry" and "Frontlines", and I found them all to be completely accurate and in context. I didn't have an opportunity to check the quotes from party platforms, though. Those quotes are certainly anti-liberty. But Schwartz succeeds very well in demonstrating that those who believe Libertarianism supports liberty, and therefore think the quotes are "anti-Libertarian", are the ones who don't understand Libertarianism. >Anyway, if anyone knows of any writings that have already >done such a refutation (I assume it would be by a Libertarian), >please let me know! About a year ago (this was after Schwartz published the beginning of his pamphlet, but before he finished it) I heard a rumor that George O. Smith - who is the author of "Atheism: the Case Against God", and who is quite active in the libertarian movement - has announced that he's planning to write a rebuttal. I've no idea how accurate that rumor was, or, if that rebuttal was written, how to get it; I'd very much like to see it, so, if you find out, please let me know. Eyal Mozes BITNET: eyal@wisdom CSNET and ARPA: eyal%wisdom.bitnet@wiscvm.ARPA UUCP: ...!ihnp4!talcott!WISDOM!eyal -------