Difference between revisions of "The Short, Simple Dismissal Of Libertarianism"
From Critiques Of Libertarianism
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
# Libertarians use vague glittering generalities of propaganda (terms like "liberty") rather than specifics such as "liberty for A to do B at an uncompensated cost C to D". | # Libertarians use vague glittering generalities of propaganda (terms like "liberty") rather than specifics such as "liberty for A to do B at an uncompensated cost C to D". | ||
# Libertarianism is based on imaginary "natural rights" (including property rights.) Real rights are creations of coercive human institutions such as law. | # Libertarianism is based on imaginary "natural rights" (including property rights.) Real rights are creations of coercive human institutions such as law. | ||
| + | # Or libertarianism is based on utilitarianism which is not only flakey, but can obviously conflict with liberty. | ||
# Libertarians ignore the fact that all real rights, including property, are coercive. Non-coercive "rights" are merely moral claims. | # Libertarians ignore the fact that all real rights, including property, are coercive. Non-coercive "rights" are merely moral claims. | ||
# Libertarianism privileges property rights (their "liberty") above all other values, redefining liberty in terms of property. | # Libertarianism privileges property rights (their "liberty") above all other values, redefining liberty in terms of property. | ||
| Line 18: | Line 19: | ||
# Libertarians ignore ideas of equality and justice except to make the ludicrous claim that markets provide them. | # Libertarians ignore ideas of equality and justice except to make the ludicrous claim that markets provide them. | ||
# Libertarians demonize government while ignoring the benefits of government. | # Libertarians demonize government while ignoring the benefits of government. | ||
| + | # Libertarians have no solution for public goods problems. | ||
# Libertarians have no justification for taxation even if they consider some government services (such as defense) necessary. | # Libertarians have no justification for taxation even if they consider some government services (such as defense) necessary. | ||
# Libertarians argue as if government is monolithic when there are hundreds of competing nations and most contain balances of powers and delegate powers to many independent levels of smaller, subsidiary governments. | # Libertarians argue as if government is monolithic when there are hundreds of competing nations and most contain balances of powers and delegate powers to many independent levels of smaller, subsidiary governments. | ||
