Comments on: What is Libertarianism? http://www.pixelmonkey.org/2007/09/02/what-is-libertarianism Andrew J. Montalenti's Blog Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:30:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Eric Marcarelli http://www.pixelmonkey.org/2007/09/02/what-is-libertarianism/comment-page-1#comment-10141 Eric Marcarelli Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:03:23 +0000 http://www.pixelmonkey.org/2007/09/02/362/#comment-10141 I wanted to write a longer reply, but I have to go to work soon so I'll limit myself to responding to some of the "problems" you listed. I support the right of people not only to say or do what they wish, so long as they harm no one else, but also for them to buy, sell, and contract as they see fit. That doesn't mean there won't be protections for people, but not all protection needs to come in the form of a law. I only support legislation that protects against force or fraud. > No 40-hour work week? If you want to choose to work more that's your choice. People often look employment as a one way equation with the business holding all the power. This is not so. The business is buying your labor, and you choose the price and terms at which to sell it. > No controls on foods and substances? No one advocates this. Some people may advocate competing private organizations that will test and approve substances and put their seal of approval on them. I don't think anyone could make the argument that the FDA does a good job protecting us. I wouldn't want to see the FDA abolished tomorrow without replacement, but I think a transition to private agencies would serve us much better into the future. If these agencies lie (do you think the FDA is always right?) that is fraud and illegal. > No safety labels on medicines? Who would buy a bottle of medicine that wasn't labeled? Consumers aren't retarded. If the description of the medication is inaccurate, that is fraud and illegal. > No nutrition labels on food? People want this stuff, so companies that list it will have an advantage over others that do not. If the label is inaccurate, that is fraud and illegal. > No seatbelts in cars? I wouldn't buy a car without seatbelts, would you? Car companies compete partly on their safety ratings... Besides, even in a crazy fantasy world where SOME cars don't come with seatbelts you can always taken the car to a shop and get some installed like they did before seatbelts were standard. > No environmental regulations on dumping and pollution? If you're polluting someone's land (or air, or water) you are harming them against their will (force), and that is an area where the government should be involved. I wanted to write a longer reply, but I have to go to work soon so I’ll limit myself to responding to some of the “problems” you listed. I support the right of people not only to say or do what they wish, so long as they harm no one else, but also for them to buy, sell, and contract as they see fit. That doesn’t mean there won’t be protections for people, but not all protection needs to come in the form of a law. I only support legislation that protects against force or fraud.

> No 40-hour work week?

If you want to choose to work more that’s your choice. People often look employment as a one way equation with the business holding all the power. This is not so. The business is buying your labor, and you choose the price and terms at which to sell it.

> No controls on foods and substances?

No one advocates this. Some people may advocate competing private organizations that will test and approve substances and put their seal of approval on them. I don’t think anyone could make the argument that the FDA does a good job protecting us. I wouldn’t want to see the FDA abolished tomorrow without replacement, but I think a transition to private agencies would serve us much better into the future. If these agencies lie (do you think the FDA is always right?) that is fraud and illegal.

> No safety labels on medicines?

Who would buy a bottle of medicine that wasn’t labeled? Consumers aren’t retarded. If the description of the medication is inaccurate, that is fraud and illegal.

> No nutrition labels on food?

People want this stuff, so companies that list it will have an advantage over others that do not. If the label is inaccurate, that is fraud and illegal.

> No seatbelts in cars?

I wouldn’t buy a car without seatbelts, would you? Car companies compete partly on their safety ratings… Besides, even in a crazy fantasy world where SOME cars don’t come with seatbelts you can always taken the car to a shop and get some installed like they did before seatbelts were standard.

> No environmental regulations on dumping and pollution?

If you’re polluting someone’s land (or air, or water) you are harming them against their will (force), and that is an area where the government should be involved.

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