So I was over at the American Conservative site [whoa! You, at the American Conservative site? -ed]. Ahhh hem. So, as I was saying before being so rudely interrupted, I was over at the American Conservative site when I stumbled across an article by Robert Locke entitled "Marxism on the Right" .
Locke is referring here to what is generally referred to as Libertarianism. As I understand it, his main thesis is:
If Marxism is the delusion that one can run society purely on altruism and collectivism, then libertarianism is the mirror-image delusion that one can run it purely on selfishness and individualism.
I don't know enough about Libertarianism to say whether he is right and even if I did (and he is), it's still up to you to decide for yourself. What I can say is Libertarianism, taken to extremes, is full of self-contradictory statements that don't work in the rough and tumble world known as real life (I believe the same is also the case with Conservatism and Liberalism but we're not talking about them right now). Locke goes through a list of them: Libertarian approval of slavery, the abolition of all child labor laws, the abolition of clean air/water/land laws, and the abolition of government backed money to be replaced by money issued by banks.
All I can say is that the great majority of people have exercised their freedom of choice and have chosen not to be Libertarians (nor to have a country run by them). Perhaps this is because absolute freedom, like absolute power, corrupts absolutely? YMMV. Insert disclaimer here. Use at your own risk.
Have a Great Weekend, Everyone - Aloha!
