You probably have not heard of libertarianism or libertarians. They are a strange breed who live solely on the internet, or behind corporate machinations. To find them you only need go on a politics forum to find their opposition to all forms of 'statism' being yelled out, often in capital letters. In fact, some would say they do not actually exist but are a product of mass propaganda called astro-turfing. I do not go that far, because I understand that Libertarians are genuine people with their hearts in the right place. Unfortunately their ideology is highly misguided and represents a threat to 21st century democracy itself. They advocate extreme liberalism, verging on anarchy. Any form of government regulation is seen as 'getting in the way'. Those who can succeed, should be allowed to, regardless of their affect on others. They treat the state like rebellious teenagers, whining when it does not give them what they want. Socially, they have some decent ideas on equality, free speech and the discouragement of militarism. However, it is their economic views that are most dangerous.
Libertarians demand full economic deregulation, allowing corporations an even freer hand when it comes to controlling and manipulating the global marketplace. They blame the economic crisis, not on too little regulation, as is agreed by nearly all sound thinkers, but on too much regulation. Developing countries should be forced away from protecting their own markets and instead have to enter into trade with the developed west, which has so many advantages, that the third world is all but annihilated. Perhaps most chilling they oppose all forms of state welfare. In the recent republican debates, the self styled libertarian candidate Ron Paul, insinuated that those who don’t have medical insurance should be left to die. Earlier in the year some of their number demanded a US debt default so that the rest of the world would have their ideals forced upon them.
Though few in number, and thankfully still limited here in Europe, they are growing. Their endangering of democracy arises from their totalitarian belief in the undeniable worth of their own values. I often change my political views when finding new ideas or facts, and generally respect the views of others. They do not. It seems that they have a scientific view of politics, much like the equally dangerous Marxists had before them. They see free market economics as a science rather than a art, and thus all those that oppose them are not of a differing opinion but simply wrong. In their eyes to disagree with them is to deny gravity or evolution. Thus they are profoundly undemocratic supporting principles above practicality, whilst the social liberals put people above ideology. The roles have reversed. Where once the left blindly followed ideology, today it is the right.
In the most extreme forms, such as the UK magazine, ironically titled 'Living Marxism' they said that genocidal regimes and malignant corporations should be allowed to carry out atrocities, 'because they could'. Key to this movement was Martin Durkin, the 'scourge of the greens' a producer who made the infamous 'great global warming swindle' film based on false evidence, as can be seen here; http://www.durangobill.com/Swindle_Swindle.html.
Libertarians appear to have an army of trolls at their disposal. Any critical article is attacked immediately, by a multitude of posters who suspiciously joined only recently. Any slight against them is part of a nonsensical 'welfare-corporate' conspiracy, which does not make sense as corporations largely discourage welfare growth.
Do not be fooled by their talk of freedoms. Their freedom is the freedom to die without dignity and care, the freedom to go without work, and freedom to go without an education you cannot afford. It is time to stand up to these internet cultists and create our own view of liberty, formed when good people work together to help each other. Where the government ensures a fairer spread of liberty for all. In the end we can never be equal, so those with any shred of morality, must fight against libertarians who would allow these inequalities to fester.
I've had my skirmishes with them, concluded they are largely naive, while never sure how naive I am to fully judge their failings! Ron Paul's is perhaps the grandmaster leader of their flock, and he's a bit more formidtable. I accept the argument that the "growth of centralized government" is a valid concern, and that all easy choices exist in a growing economy, but in a long emergency contracting one the political answers are yet unknown. If the federal government will one day implode under its own weight, then we need redundancy from below in state governments, which can expand their responsibilities as circumstances demand. But the end of the Federal dominion will also probably mean the end of U.S. world influence, and so if Paul gets his way, the world may or may not be glad our "superpower" status has been lifted. But its chaos all the way down, so if the libertarians win respect, they can play a part in the collapse of the world economy as we know it, whether that is their intent or not!
ReplyDeleteIn a perfect Libertarian society there would be no corporations.
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