[ExI] Strong libertarianism, societal good, & suffering (was: Cephalization, proles)

[Samantha Atkins]

On 05/17/2011 12:58 AM, Amon Zero wrote:
> On 17 May 2011 07:43, Kelly Anderson <kellycoinguy at gmail.com 
> <mailto:kellycoinguy at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>
>     How can you say libertarianism has never been tried? It wasn't perfect
>     libertarianism, but it was a lot closer than it is today.
>
>
>
> Kelly, I think you've got a good point. The thing is, I'm far from 
> anti-libertarian - catch me at the right moment and I might even 
> describe myself as libertarian - it's just that Rafal's frankly 
> extreme stance forced me to draw a line.
>

Extreme adherence to the truth is a virtue, not a vice.

> I think you're right that America past, particularly 19th Century, was 
> more libertarian than today, and yes, I would agree there has clearly 
> been net societal gain from the achievements made in that time. But, 
> as you say, there was also of course suffering directly caused by the 
> process.
>
Nope, not so much.

> It seems quite clear that there's a trade-off between the innovation 
> that results from economic freedom, and protection from suffering 
> offered by legal safeguards.

Legal safeguards against actual crimes, i.e., a direct or indirect 
initiation of force, were in place already.  The rest, as and to the 
degree it departed from full individual freedom to do pretty much 
anything but initiate force gained no one much of anything and actually 
has done a tremendous amount of harm.

>
> Imagine a continuum between extreme libertarianism (0) and extreme 
> paternalism (1).

Freedom is not extreme.  It is simply the only moral basis and the one 
that leads to the best results.  Compromise between the best and the not 
so good to downright evil, compromise between a morally valid stance and 
immorality leads only to progressive and accelerating evil.  That is the 
message of the "mixed economy" about to blow up in our face.

- s
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