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The Philosophy of Liberty

Learn about the principles of libertarianism and how it advocates for maximum personal and economic freedom, limited government, and individual responsibility. Discover the functions of government and the importance of decentralization. Explore the moral foundations of libertarianism and the concept of self-determination. Find out how libertarianism promotes economic freedom and personal freedom, including the right to privacy.

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The Philosophy of Liberty

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  1. The Philosophy of Liberty Jeffrey Borrowdale Churchill High School March 6, 2015

  2. What is Libertarianism? • The Liberty or Freedom Philosophy • As Government grows, liberty shrinks • Less Government = More Freedom • Both personal and economic freedom

  3. What is Libertarianism? • The Libertarian philosophy includes • Anarchists, who believe in no government • Minarchists, who believe in limited government • Our focus: the minarchist version supported by the Libertarian Party

  4. What is Government? • A monopoly on the legitimate use of force in a geographic area • (Ideally) protects life, liberty and property • (Ideally) prevents force and fraud • Not a good but anecessary evil

  5. Government is force! • “Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.” - attributed to George Washington, probably spurious but a great quote!

  6. Functions of Government: Prevent & Punish Crime Police, Courts & Prisons to address crimes against: • Persons • Murder • Assault • Kidnapping • Their Property • Theft • Vandalism • Fraud

  7. Functions of Government:Arbitrate Disputes Civil Courts“of last resort” to peacefully settle business and property disputes which can’t be settled privately Prevents violent feuding which endangers others

  8. Functions of Government:Diplomacy & Defense The Military to protect against foreign aggression or invasion, NOT • Over 130 bases around the world • Propping up dictators • Defending corporate interests abroad • Nation-building

  9. Functions of Government:Infrastructure Basic infrastructure everyone benefits from • Water, power, roads, bridges, ports and parks • Not subsides for shopping malls or stadiums for sports franchises! • Fire Dept, Garbage, Post Office? Wifi? Volunteer and private options here • Libertarians disagree on this one

  10. The Paradox of Government:Who Guards the Guardians? “If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men...[no] controls on government would be necessary.” - James Madison, Federalist #51

  11. If you can’t trust people with freedom, how can you trust those who would rule them?

  12. Government: A Great Idea?

  13. Solution: Limit Government Because Government is force, it should only act against free people when absolutely necessary, e.g. to protect them from force (criminals, foreign armies), plague, toxic pollution)

  14. Solution: Decentralization Local control - access to officials A Union of Sovereign States (see the Constitution, esp. 10th Amendment) A Federal Government with a few limited, specific enumerated powers (Article 1, Section 8)

  15. Taxes: Pointing Out theGun in the Room Because taxes are extorted through the threat of violence, their only legitimate use is to prevent greater violence; they should be equally proportioned and kept low

  16. Moral Foundation:The Non-Aggression Principle It’s wrong to initiate force against another person (or their property) except to prevent them from using force on others, or to protect them from the force of others Justifies criminal & civil justice system, military, but difficult to justify govt. infrastructure on this basis

  17. Positive Version of the Non-Aggression Principle “You have the right to do anything which does not involve using force or fraud on others. • All voluntary and peaceful actions should be allowed in a free society

  18. Liberty is Self-determinationYou live your own life • No one should force you to do anything you don’t want to do • You know best how to spend your own money and make your own personal choices • You’re free in your decisions but responsible for them

  19. Economic Freedom • Free enterprise (free market capitalism) • The choices of individuals and the law of supply and demand determine wages, prices, the rules under which businesses operate, not government bureaucrats • No corporate welfare, bailouts, subsidies • Government doesn’t pick winners or losers; people do • Minimal regulations • No Federal Reserve destroying the value of your money!

  20. Economic Freedom • No saddling future generations (YOU!) with trillions in debt (18Tn +!!??) • Replace pyramid schemes like Social Security and Medicare with personal savings accounts invested in the economy • Low, simple flat and fair taxes • Right to work (no forced union membership or dues) • Health care choice (no Obamacare, no Romneycare)

  21. Personal Freedom:Right to Privacy End the Patriot Act • No government spying without a warrant (4th Amendment) End FCC Censorship • No longer regulates content of broadcasts (free speech!), only registers frequencies, settles disputes End the TSA • Let airlines make security decisions; no more scan & grope or “security theater”

  22. Personal FreedomAdults should make their own choices • Support right of self-defense with a firearm • End marriage regulation (allow gay marriage, decriminalize polygamy) • End the Nanny State • Drinking age of 21 (!) • Sin taxes, bans on transfat, 32 oz sodas • Legalize gambling, prostitution, drugs, Dr-assisted suicide

  23. Flawed Right-Left Paradigm Left X Right (Socialism) (Fascism) Middle of the road Goldilocks fallacy of the uninformed, unengaged public

  24. Socialism • The State owns and controls the means of production • Supposedly an intermediate step between Capitalism and a stateless society of pure Communism • Rhetoric: The Worker, the People

  25. Fascism • The State controls the means of production, but nominal ownership and some independence is given to private corporations • Rhetoric: The Fatherland, Progress

  26. Nazi stood for National Socialist German Worker’s Party - a socialist labor union party - like Obama’s New Party • Both advocate State control over the economy • Both Fascism and Socialism are forms of Collectivism

  27. Corrected Freedom Paradigm Collectivism X Individualism (Socialism) (Liberty) (Fascism)

  28. Common Misconceptions • Libertarians treat people as isolated individuals when “we’re all in this together” • Confuses government with society • Family, friendship, churches, businesses, charities and other voluntary associations are superior, peaceful forms of cooperation

  29. Common Misconceptions • Libertarians are greedy, selfish, don’t care about the poor • Confuses support for indiscriminate government handouts with personal generosity and charity to the truly needy • Economic freedom produces JOBS

  30. Who’s “greedy” or “selfish” • Those who want to keep money they earned providing goods and services to others via free and voluntary exchange? • Or those who want to take other peoples’ money to provide “free” services? • to use the services themselves • To avoid having to give their own money to charity

  31. Common Misconceptions • “Without Government, X wouldn’t exist” (roads, bridges, education, the internet, space flight) • If people value a thing, the market produces it (more efficiently than government!)

  32. Common Misconceptions “You should be grateful to Government for all the good things it’s done for you.” • You (or your parents) were already forced to pay inflated prices for government services you didn’t ask for, some of which you may not even have wanted)

  33. Don’t fetishize voting! Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what’s for dinner! If you don’t like your parents or peers telling you how to live, why do you want 150k or 650k or 200 million strangers doing it?

  34. Democratic PartySimply Dreadful • Socialism, “spread the wealth” mentality, class warfare, runaway spending and debt, printing and borrowing money (will make us like Greece, struggling Eurozone) • Corporate, State bailouts, union payoffs, “green energy” boondoggles (e.g. Solyndra) • Hands off energy policy hobbling the economy - no oil, natural gas, coal or nuclear! - life’s blood of the economy! • “Race-card” politics • Nanny-state cheerleaders • Recent flip-flop on gay marriage - one bright spot

  35. Republican PartyA lesser evil, but still bad! • The Religious Right - wants to legislate morality • Supports bloated military, interventionist foreign policy • Lots of RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) and Moderates: wishy-washy, have Big Government views like Democrats, even President Bush had many such policies! • Libertarians like Ron Paul, Rand Paul, others with strong libertarian leanings • Anti-Nanny State in many ways

  36. Libertarian PartyPrincipled, Consistent • Biggest third party • “The Party of Principle” • Democrats: Little economic freedom, some personal freedom • Republicans: Some economic freedom, fewer personal freedoms • The Libertarian Party: Believes in freedom across the board and to a much greater extent

  37. You never throw away your vote when youvote your conscience! Quit voting for this guy or you’ll continue to get more of the same.

  38. Libertarian Links • Learnliberty.org • Reason.com • Studentsforliberty.org • AtlasSociety.org • Mises.org • Freetalklive.com • Libertopia.org • Lp.org (The Libertarian Party) • Facebook:LCCStudentsforLiberty (NoSpaces), Technolibertarians

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