Jun 23 2005
Why Libertarians are Wrong
On a more or less related note to my previous post about why the ACLU sucks, I’d like to explain why the Libertarian party has got it wrong (in my opinion).
First off: I am a registered Libertarian, and until recently was a dues-paying member of both the national and Maryland state Libertarian party. I couldn’t (and still can’t) bring myself to formally associate with the Republicans or Democrats, and registering Independent feels a bit like defeat to me. I hate the “two-party system,” or more specifically I hate the fact that people believe there is a rule that we can only have two major political parties. But I digress…
The Libertarian viewpoint on most purely political issues is, in most cases, very sensible. For example, we shouldn’t fine people for not wearing a seatbelt in a car with no passengers, for the same reason we shouldn’t imprison nonviolent drug offenders: they are hurting no one but themselves. We shouldn’t let the government redistribute our money to help the needy — not because we shouldn’t help the needy, but because the government can’t be trusted to do it without misappropriating half of it and wasting the rest on overhead. Giving to the poor box at church is much less wasteful (but don’t get me started on religion).
The problem with a system that provides unrestricted personal and economic freedom is that it assumes that people will behave responsibly in the absence of draconian policy. I’m not talking about murder or anything; of course that would still be punished. Your rights stop as soon as you impinge on someone else’s rights. But what about non-political institutions, like business or charity? The already frightening trend toward cheap foreign labor and evil megacorporations would only accelerate. Nobody would put money in the poor box if they didn’t have to. In short, the problem isn’t with Libertarianism; the problem is with capitalism. It’s ironic, because the Libertarian platform is totally dependent on a capitalist system, but I don’t believe these two systems could peacefully coexist. Capitalism provides the best overall quality of life available today to its followers. But with it come the evaporation of morals and personal responsibility. We don’t mind suing corporations because they’re “faceless”; heck, most of us don’t mind suing other individuals. Money makes us no better than the other animals we seek to distance ourselves from.
Do I have a better idea? No, I don’t. If we go the opposite direction we end up with communism, which is much worse because nobody can be trusted to administer it. The one thing I do know is that the United States is viewed by the rest of the world as uncaring, hungry for money and power, and I’m not sure we don’t deserve that. Increased social programs are probably the answer, but I can’t bring myself to give more money to our present government. I would pay 70% tax if I knew it was going to good use, but I know the opposite is true. No way could I vote for a Democrat. So, for the time being, I’m a Libertarian. Hey, at least I know I’m wrong.