Is libertarianism doomed to be a minority view the world over?
JacksonEsskay
Virginia
Monday, January 23, 2012 6:03 PM
I am, in general, a libertarian with a "small l" meaning that I do not subscribe necessarily to the agenda of the Libertarian Party in any of its forms. Rather, I believe that the role of government is to make it possible for the citizens to leave as freely as possible so long as one person's freedom does not jeopardize the freedom of others unreasonably.* Thus, while I am willing to accept that some regulations may be necessary for the operation of adult entertainment establishments (for reasonable sanitary conditions, for example), I do not support the use of regulations to effectively prohibit such establishments. Likewise, I believe that there should be laws against those who exploit others in the sex trade (i.e. pimps, sexual slavery, etc.) and against the exploitation of children.
That having been said, I seriously doubt that such a view will ever find much acceptance in the United States, and based on what we are seeing in the current election cycle, the pendulum is swinging even further away from the libertarian view and more toward the "government can legislate morality -- provided it is the 'correct morality'" point of view. Moreover, societies where libertarian views were once mainstream (or at least not political death) are now retreating (Holland, for example).
Are we facing the dawn of a neo-Victorian age?
* I am sure that I will be asked if I can be allowed any reasonable interference with the freedom of others that the government should enforce on my behalf. Yes -- here are two examples. 1. Trespass. I should have the right to keep others off my property and the government should assist me in enforcing that right by making it a crime for others to come on my properly posted land (likewise, the government should support my right to use force to protect my property against any resistance offered by a trespasser) . 2. The government can enforce others' right not to breath my cigarette smoke in a publicly-controlled space (a courthouse or other government building for example) -- contrariwise, I do not want the government to enforce that power for privately-controlled spaces (but agree that owners of such spaces may, if they choose, restrict me from smoking -- just as I have the right not to patronize their establishments. (For the record, I do not smoke, so my view on this latter point is purely academic).
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