Difference between revisions of "Introduction To Libertarianism"

Libertarianism can be divided into three major realms.  (There might be unimportant others.)

Libertarianism can be divided into three major realms.  (There might be unimportant others.)

Political libertarianism is the libertarianism that we are exposed to through the media, a mass market astroturf libertarianism.

Political libertarianism is the libertarianism that we are exposed to through the media, a mass market astroturf libertarianism.

Political libertarianism is dominated by [[Public Relations|public relations]] programs that have been around since at least the 1930's, reacting to [[Progressivism]].  The [[Mount Pelerin Society]] in the 1950's catalyzed a great expansion of these programs.  The [[Charles and David Koch|Koch brothers]] have largely organized or controlled the libertarian public relations programs, and they scored their first big successes in the 1980's under Reagan.  Without the hundreds of millions of dollars pumped into public relations programs, right-wing political libertarianism would be just another fringe political belief as small as left-libertarianism.

Political libertarianism is dominated by [[Public Relations|public relations]] programs that have been around since at least the 1930's, reacting to [[Progressivism]].  The [[Mount Pelerin Society]] in the 1950's catalyzed a great expansion of these programs.  The [[Charles and David Koch|Koch brothers]] have largely organized or controlled the libertarian public relations programs, and they scored their first big successes in the 1980's under Reagan.  Without the hundreds of millions of dollars pumped into public relations programs, right-wing political libertarianism would be just another fringe political belief as small as left-libertarianism.

Individualistic libertarianism is what the targets of political libertarianism believe.  This is a huge morass of conflicting ideas with only one constant: the political libertarian idea that ownership should be sacred.  Ask a libertarian what part of ownership they would give up to achieve any other social end, and they will say no part.  It doesn't matter if some socialistic government (such as roads or defense) would benefit the lives of everybody; they despise it because it conflicts with their property, no matter how meager.

Individualistic libertarianism is what the targets of political libertarianism believe.  This is a huge morass of conflicting ideas with only one constant: the political libertarian idea that ownership should be sacred.  Ask a libertarian what part of ownership they would give up to achieve any other social end, and they will say no part.  It doesn't matter if some socialistic government (such as roads or defense) would benefit the lives of everybody; they despise it because it conflicts with their property, no matter how meager.

Individualistic libertarianism ranges from the honorable and sincere to the vile and repulsive, with stops along the way for the immature, foolish, and intemperate.  You've got your government haters, racists, sexists, pederasts, conspiracy theorists, tax evaders, exploiters and other socially repulsive types generously represented in this category.  Especially because they are rejected by mainstream parties for obnoxious views.  That's not entirely bad, as Noam Chomsky has observed: libertarians have great tolerance of diverse views as long as they denounce government and promote private property.

Individualistic libertarianism ranges from the honorable and sincere to the vile and repulsive, with stops along the way for the immature, foolish, and intemperate.  You've got your government haters, racists, sexists, pederasts, conspiracy theorists, tax evaders, exploiters and other socially repulsive types generously represented in this category.  Especially because they are rejected by mainstream parties for obnoxious views.  That's not entirely bad, as Noam Chomsky has observed: libertarians have great tolerance of diverse views as long as they denounce government and promote private property.

Libertarian philosophy is mostly corrupt: much of it is funded by plutocrats to provide ideas and materials for their public relations campaigns.  [[Hayek]], for example, never held an academic position that wasn't funded by plutocrats.  [[Milton Friedman]] and [[Robert Nozick]] might seem exceptions to this funding generalization, until you consider what class Harvard and the [[Chicago Economics|University Of Chicago]] serve (both are private universities relying on wealthy funders.).

Libertarian philosophy is mostly corrupt: much of it is funded by plutocrats to provide ideas and materials for their public relations campaigns.  [[Hayek]], for example, never held an academic position that wasn't funded by plutocrats.  [[Milton Friedman]] and [[Robert Nozick]] might seem exceptions to this funding generalization, until you consider what class Harvard and the [[Chicago Economics|University Of Chicago]] serve (both are private universities relying on wealthy funders.).

Libertarian philosophy, even when not corrupt, has also in large part been subverted by two generations of promotion of [[Libertarian Propaganda Terms|libertarian propaganda terms]].  Hayek described this totalitarian practice as [[The_Road_to_Serfdom/Perversion_Of_Language|the complete perversion of language]], and most libertarian philosophy is the victim of political libertarian subversion of English terms such as [[freedom]], [[liberty]], [[Free Market|free market]], [[Classical Liberal|classical liberal]] and many others.

Libertarian philosophy, even when not corrupt, has also in large part been subverted by two generations of promotion of [[Libertarian Propaganda Terms|libertarian propaganda terms]].  Hayek described this totalitarian practice as [[The_Road_to_Serfdom/Perversion_Of_Language|the complete perversion of language]], and most libertarian philosophy is the victim of political libertarian subversion of English terms such as [[freedom]], [[liberty]], [[Free Market|free market]], [[Classical Liberal|classical liberal]] and many others.

For more on this, see the [[Philosophy]] index.

For more on this, see the [[Philosophy]] index.