The single most important thing a libertarian needs to recognize is that we are very far from living in a libertarian society. Indeed, it is unlikely we will see such in our life time.
I don't want to completely rule out the possibility of a libertarian society arriving sooner rather than later, given that the world is a very complex place and it is impossible to understand how the multitude of interactions amongst people will develop, but there seems to be very little understanding among the general public at this time about what liberty is and why liberty should be the bedrock of a society.
Once we acknowledge that liberty is going to be a long time in coming, a number of deductions can be made from this premise.
1. It is absolutely stupid to attempt to shoot our way toward liberty. We are outgunned by a multiple of perhaps 100,000 to 1. Further, we don't have the support of the general public for any such shoot out. A shoot out will either get you killed or incarcerated. Forget growing a militia, forget shooting up the TSA,
2. It is generally stupid to confront the government directly in any way. Government has limited resources, but if you make yourself known to them, they will focus their resources on you.
3. Attempting to win political office is a waste of time. You will have to sell out on issue after issue to get to 50% plus 1 to get elected.
In short there are no methods that will bring about a libertarian society any time soon.
So what is a libertarian to do? I propose that instead of spending primary time thinking about how to brig about a libertarian society now, that a libertarian live what I call a "libertarian life."
By this I mean that first and foremost that a libertarian, in his personal life, live according to the non-aggression principle.Living according to NAP will attract other like-minded people around you. You may not be able to change the world, but it will be nice to be around people that have like minded principles.
It also makes sense to continue to study about liberty (and also Austrian economics). The more you know, the more you will be prepared to protect yourself against any new interventions that will distort the economy.
If you can't find like minded people around where you live, I recommend attending one of the conferences held at the Mises Institute in Auburn, AL. It is well worth it and you will, in addition to meeting brilliant scholars, also meet people who will turn into life long friends.
It also makes sense to deal smart when you are dealing with government regulations. Sometimes this may be as easy as wording.
For example, suppose you are at a flea market and want to buy something with cash and don't want to pay tax. You may say to the vendor, "I am going to pay cash, so I don't want to pay tax." The vendor may be reluctant to do this with you because he doesn't know if you are a government agent. But if instead, you hold the cash you are going to pay with and say, "The price includes the tax, right?" He is much more likely to agree to this transaction, since there is no way anyone can prove whether he is including a tax or not.
I can think of many situations where wording can help around regulations. Here's another example, the SEC hates investor relations firms that "push" stocks higher through promotions but if instead you are able to "further disseminate news about a stock" they think this is fine.
In other situations, wording is not enough. In such cases it makes no sense to break the law, but to, instead, bring in a lawyer to break the law for you. Suppose you are opening a restaurant and a government official is hinting he wants a bribe before he clears you for operation. I would never pay such a bribe direct. I would call in a lawyer who will know how to deal with such threats.
Living a libertarian life is partly about understanding the government interventionist threats around you and how to deal with them in a manner that doesn't get you in more trouble.
Making sure ones personal life is in order doesn't mean that the libertarian must avoid all battles for liberty.The battle for liberty is noble and can be fun, whether it comes in the form of smashing an interventionist screed launched by the likes of such characters as Paul Krugman or Robert Reich, or running a campaign against a particular intervention. For those inclined, there is nothing wrong with running for office, as long as the goal is not to win office but to get in as many debates as possible and spread the 100% hardcore libertarian message (You will be only suspect with me if you win.)
On the hierarchy of Hayek's second hand dealers in ideas, we, libertarians, are very high. In my view, higher than doctors, lawyers, university professors and journalists. Thus, it makes a lot of sense for us to continue the study of liberty and also to always continue to improve our communication skills.
This isn't a war we are going to win in the short run, but we sure can have fun destroying interventionist arguments at every venue provided us.The more we improve our communication skills the better.
It can be a lot of fun watching these guys squirm.
Well written RW.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of winning debates, did you ever decide was is to become of Jerry Wolfgang?
edit: "what is to"
DeleteMr. Wenzel, thanks for this piece on how to live with the extortionists. Not in complete agreement with your "deal smart" suggestions but the first part of your essay has some great observations. Almost Taoist.
ReplyDeleteI agree with just about everything in this post. I would add, however, that to live the libertarian life, one should strive to be an exemplary human specimen. If you truly want to spread the ideas of liberty, lead by example. Inspire people to want to be like you. What does this mean? It will mean different things to different people. But to me, it means showing kindness to strangers, really treating each person as an individual, accepting others for who they are, etc. Above all else, be humble and do not preach. Rather, explain why you hold the beliefs you do. You want to convert others? Treat them as you would a customer. Only an idiot businessman is rude to customers. Well, see others as potential customers of your belief system.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I would say:
You want a better world? Treat everyone as a customer.
I agree 100%. But is is easier said than done. I almost have to manually tell myself to be nice sometimes when debating people. The sheer lack of education most people have on so many topics is frightening and it is frustrating to hear people just regurgitate what they have been told to think. A great rule of thumb I saw from someone else is not to try and convince the person you are debating but the people who are listening...something to that effect.
DeleteI totally agree, but especially with that last line you wrote.
DeleteMore times than not, when you're debating someone, it becomes less of a conversation and more of a competition. Your opponent is more likely to get defensive and simply refuse to continue rather than admit defeat and change their mind. They may even be convinced that you are right, but they would never admit it in front of you or an audience.
But the people who are listening can see this reaction in the losing party and are more likely to give the victor's points more credibility and further thought.
This is a reply to Ed and the other "repliers" as well.
DeleteYou all get it. All we can do is offer up our ideas, try to point out the fallacies of the statists, and bit by bit, change minds. I worked on some people for a couple of years, but now they totally get it. Very satisfying. But you need patience.
Is it possible to embrace libertarian principles while being cognizant of the need for transition, that we are at war, in the middle of a war really, and if we don't win, nothing will matter anyway.
ReplyDelete- If we look the other way, like most in my libertarian group do, to the overt intentions of Islam and of the Communists, we will be silenced for good.
- I am all for open borders, but if Canada opens its borders, it will be overrun by 100 million people wanting a piece of our welfare largesse. My country will cease to exist.
- Since the developed societies started providing hygiene, nutrition, and modern medicine (survival to common accidents and infections), plus the acceptance of free sex, some (most ?) of the poorer populations of world have grown enormously. Add to that an imposition of minimum wage, we end up like in the US, with 110 million people dependent on the government . (just a statement of fact)
Libertarians need to provide answers to these questions, ignoring them or saying that they will sort themselves out has a calamitous tone to it.
"Is it possible to embrace libertarian principles while being cognizant of the need for transition, that we are at war, in the middle of a war really, and if we don't win, nothing will matter anyway.
DeleteIf we look the other way, like most in my libertarian group do, to the overt intentions of Islam and of the Communists, we will be silenced for good."
Let me guess...."They hate us for our freedoms". Please....spare me. The fight against socialism will NOT be won on a battlefield and the ONLY reason for this war between Islam and the west is an interventionist foreign policy. End of story. Leave their territories, stop creating puppet dictatorships, and stop supporting the anchor called Israel (for those with IQs that don't even reach 40....Israel is NOT the 51st state).
"I am all for open borders, but if Canada opens its borders, it will be overrun by 100 million people wanting a piece of our welfare largesse."
DeleteCan it be possible that you call yourself a libertarian but you don't see the real problem, and are appealing to other libertarians to "provide answers"?
" My country will cease to exist."
Well, it's a start.
This is W. Churchill's quote from 1899 (River Wars Book)
DeleteHow dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries!
Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy.
The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live.
A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity.
The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men.
Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities, but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it.
No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith.
It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science, the science against which it had vainly struggled, the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient Rome.
-- Sir Winston Churchill (The River War, first edition, Vol. II, pages 248-50 [London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1899]).
There is a map on the internet of the Islamic conquests over time. Europe came really close to falling on a couple of occasions. The Koran has a couple of hundred calls to Jihad against the Infidel - conquest is part of their mandate - just listen to their sermons.
Ever hear of "The Crusades"?
DeleteSo called "Christians" have been using the Bible to justify murder and slavery for 2000 years.
What some Christians, Jews, Muslims, etc. believe is an affront to God/Yaweh/Allah but they wro their hate and evil in religious rags, and try to divide us.
The Crusades? Can you possibly be serious? Islam had conquered all of North Africa, then Spain (they were only stopped from overrunning France at the battle of Tours), and were in the process of conquering all of the Middle East (which had formerly belonged to the Christian Byzantine Empire) when the Christians finally got around to trying to recapture the Holy Land. The Crusades were an attempt to put a stop to the conquest of Christian lands by Islam.
DeleteOne only has one life.
ReplyDeleteOn Veteren's Day, and as a veteren, I give a heartfelt Hat-tip to the Wenzels of the world and to all those who believe in the wisdom of,
Entangling alliances with none, non-aggresive peaceful trade with all.
.
to all you other violent statists ..........get thee behind me.
Robert, what is your opinion of those who choose to get out of their libertarian armchairs and join Oath Keepers?
ReplyDeleteDon't become political. Politics is immoral. Political "solutions" are coercive. Freedom is a product that must be built. Freedom needs to be built to the point where the state can be ignored. Difficult yes. Impossible no.
ReplyDeleteLive like a free man no matter where you live.
ReplyDeleteHere I fixed it for you:
ReplyDeleteHow dreadful are the curses which Statism lays on its votaries!
Besides the fanatical patriotic frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy.
The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the State rule or live.
A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity.
The fact that under Statist law everyone must belong to some state as its absolute property, either as a child, a wife, man, or taxpayer, must delay the final extinction of slavery until faith in the State has ceased to be a great power among men.
Individual Statists may show splendid qualities, but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it.
No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Statism is a militant and proselytizing faith.
It has already spread throughout Europe and America, raising shameless bureaucrats at every step; and were it not that Society is sheltered in the strong arms of Liberty, the liberty against which statists vainly struggle, the civilization of the modern world might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient Rome.
As always, excellent advice. Live the example, stick to your principles, and show people, especially the young, what it means to be a free man.
ReplyDeleteI like you Robert. I read you a lot, and between you, Rozeff, Craig Roberts, and Burris, my education in freedom would be a fraction of what it is today. As well as I also understand, like Orwell said, that true oppression is the result of advanced weapons of now truly creating a totalitarian atmosphere, one of no hope of escape.
ReplyDeleteBut, I also think no action against our oppressors should be what is to be touted. Non-violence, turning the cheek, because of fear of death or imprisonment, does not I believe equate into liberty winning. If we will not see "liberty in our lifetimes," anyways, then what would it matter if we lived a full lifetime in oppression? Where is the victory? I would believe that if each one of us, how many there are, took out one of the oppressors...that would be a bigger step toward victory than just letting their numbers swell. At least it would make them afraid that becoming of them has its consequences. And it's not like they're real humans anyways?
Check this guy out, he seems to be on to something: rathbonezvizionz.wordpress.com
To improve communication skills, I recommend Toastmasters.
ReplyDeleteThere is a simple way to fight the US government that requires one to do little and isn't a direct confrontation:
ReplyDeleteThe plan being: you owe money, or plan in advance to owe money on your year end taxes...and then file an extension(all of which is legal) instead of paying them.
There is approximately 100 million people with liability right now each year.
If simply 1/3 of them could be convinced to do this the gaping hole in the federal government budget could not be filled. The consequences could be catastrophic(for them). Only 33 million people of the 330 million people in the country would have to be convinced.
If 1/3 can't even be convinced to put up a legal and paltry fight against their oppressors, then there is no hope.
Maybe humans will get lucky 100 years from now and some sea change of opinion will occur, but I don't see how that happens without the collapse of the redistribution system with nothing replacing it.
Has that ever happened in history? A system collapses and nothing springs up in its place? If it has, it sure has to be an anomaly and obviously not the rule.(pun intended)
Read "Those Terrible Middle Ages" by Regine Pernoud. Makes the case that Roman Empire centralization was terrible, and the end of the Roman Empire cause a decentralization in which individual rights and property were much more accepted than during the Empire Period. It was only when Roman Law was re-established at the beginning of the Renaissance that women again lost their rights and centralized nations began reappearing. There's much more to the book, and it's very interesting.
Delete