Tim Bates on libertarianism (was Re: The FAQ is completed!

From: Natasha Vita-More (natasha@natasha.cc)
Date: Sat Feb 20 1999 - 22:36:16 MST


At 05:45 PM 2/21/99 +1100, you wrote:

>He is noting that not being a libertarian means that you believe in using
>force to compel individuals to obey authority: that is the core
>definition of libertarianism: no first-use force, ever.

Well, I think he is wrong to draw this conclusion. Just because I say that
I do not align myself with a libertarianism does not mean that I believe in
force.

>Do you believe that it is moral to use
>force to achieve political ends?

No.

>To make this concrete, is it transhuman
>to have freedom of choice about paying taxes?

Transhuman is an evolution from human to posthuman. I think what you mean
is rather: is it transhumanist to have freedom of choice about paying taxes?

This is a political question and I don't have a freedom about not paying
taxes in the country I live in at this particular time.

>Libertarianism is not a party anymore than republicans "are" capitalism.
>Parties are at best imperfect instantiations of a philosophy.

I was referring to the Libertarian Party.



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