I'm a recovering libertarian. I've come to the conclusion that it won't work for the same reason communism doesn't work. People suck. Too many are stupid, lazy, and selfish. They will take whatever they can even if it hurts other people. The only way to have a fair and free society is to stamp out any elements that would seek to disrupt it. If there is to be voting the franchise must be severely limited to those with the moral and mental capacity to make the choices that will benefit not them but the people as a whole. Only a morally homogeneous people can be free.
One problem with Libertarians (big L) is they think incrementalism goes in both directions. It doesn't, the pendulum is a ratchet. Another is that any political gains they do make are at the pleasure of the powers that be. They'll always be subservient to whatever system is already in charge. I'm still (small L) libertarian and agree with Kienan. I don't see any inconsistency between the minimal state society and "Communists must be physically removed." It's a hard rule. You have to win the war first before you can replace the system.
The problem with that though is the other one shared with communism: To get there you need a strongman to utilize the State to destroy the State. In practice it doesn't happen. At best we'll emerge from the rubble with a better State for a while, which most people here would be fine with.
I'm a recovering libertarian. I've come to the conclusion that it won't work for the same reason communism doesn't work. People suck.
I've reached much the same conclusion, but still consider myself mostly a libertarian because I still think it's perhaps the ideal situation, at least on the small scale. I want drastically reduced government, to such a degree that most people who utter the phrase 'limited government' would be like, 'no, whoa, take a step back there, buddy.'
Similar to how, to some extent, communism can work on the small scale, when it's voluntary, it's opt-in, and everyone shares the same specific goals.
So even though I see and readily admit the flaws in libertarianism, I'm still attached to libertarian ideals. I just don't think it will magically fix anything. Libertarianism as a large scale system is a utopianist pipedream.
I'm right there with you. I want to live on a small commune with like minded people working for the betterment of our community. I cannot see how that works on anything other than a micro scale
I'm a recovering libertarian. I've come to the conclusion that it won't work for the same reason communism doesn't work. People suck. Too many are stupid, lazy, and selfish. They will take whatever they can even if it hurts other people. The only way to have a fair and free society is to stamp out any elements that would seek to disrupt it. If there is to be voting the franchise must be severely limited to those with the moral and mental capacity to make the choices that will benefit not them but the people as a whole. Only a morally homogeneous people can be free.
One problem with Libertarians (big L) is they think incrementalism goes in both directions. It doesn't, the pendulum is a ratchet. Another is that any political gains they do make are at the pleasure of the powers that be. They'll always be subservient to whatever system is already in charge. I'm still (small L) libertarian and agree with Kienan. I don't see any inconsistency between the minimal state society and "Communists must be physically removed." It's a hard rule. You have to win the war first before you can replace the system.
The problem with that though is the other one shared with communism: To get there you need a strongman to utilize the State to destroy the State. In practice it doesn't happen. At best we'll emerge from the rubble with a better State for a while, which most people here would be fine with.
I've reached much the same conclusion, but still consider myself mostly a libertarian because I still think it's perhaps the ideal situation, at least on the small scale. I want drastically reduced government, to such a degree that most people who utter the phrase 'limited government' would be like, 'no, whoa, take a step back there, buddy.'
Similar to how, to some extent, communism can work on the small scale, when it's voluntary, it's opt-in, and everyone shares the same specific goals.
So even though I see and readily admit the flaws in libertarianism, I'm still attached to libertarian ideals. I just don't think it will magically fix anything. Libertarianism as a large scale system is a utopianist pipedream.
I'm right there with you. I want to live on a small commune with like minded people working for the betterment of our community. I cannot see how that works on anything other than a micro scale
I still think it could work for a small, ethnically homogeneous, nuclear armed nation.
There are no economies of scale politically.