From: Martin Moore (lethe07@yahoo.com)
Date: Sat Jul 06 2002 - 16:37:25 MDT
Let's start by defining terms. Always a smart first
step when laying the terms of discussion.
The following is an excerpt from the link you
included:
______
"Writing in the Journal of Legal Studies, economist
David Friedman observes that the Free State 'might
almost have been invented by a mad economist to test
the lengths to which market systems could supplant
government in its most fundamental functions.' As
Diamond himself notes:
'Medieval Iceland had no bureaucrats, no taxes, no
police, and no army. … Of the normal functions of
governments elsewhere, some did not exist in Iceland,
and others were privatized, including fire-fighting,
criminal prosecutions and executions, and care of the
poor.'"
--------
This was obviously not a society based upon
libertarian principles. That libertarian principles
support the total lack of government is such a common
misconception. No, this example depicts some sort of
barbaric anarchy. If we can get away without
government, I hope someone can convince me. Until that
time, this concept is another utopian failure and I'm
sticking to my libertarian philosophy.
You would be hard-pressed to find a libertarian who
doesn't support (albeit begrudgingly) a basic role for
government. To say that libertarians would like to see
"no bureaucrats, no taxes, no police, and no army" is
ludicrous.
A good start would be the "Issues" webpage of the U.S.
Libertarian Party's (with a capital L) homepage:
http://www.lp.org/issues/
-Martin
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