Tag Archives | Left-Libertarian

Libertarian Tag

William Gillis has tagged me with the question: What motivated you to start looking into Anarchist/Libertarian thought?

anarchist bottle delivery I’ve got a long version here, but the short version is: as a 15-year-old science fiction fan I read an article on “The Science Fiction of Ayn Rand” in the May 1979 Starlog; this led me to Ayn Rand’s novels, which led me to her nonfiction, which led me to read people she cited, and then to people they cited, and so on; hence I was soon reading Murray Rothbard, Isabel Paterson, David Friedman, etc. I resisted anarchism for an embarrassingly long time – but I was gradually growing more radical, thanks to my reading, to the influence of the Institute for Humane Studies (including such lecturers as Randy Barnett and Don Lavoie), and to events like the first Gulf War. On May 12, 1991, I decided I had finally become an anarchist.

I hereby tag everybody.


Chambers Film in the Works?

I see that this website lists The Repairer of Reputations as an upcoming film, but gives no further information.

The King in YellowThe Repairer of Reputations” is a short story by Robert W. Chambers, written in 1895 but set in 1920; it also serves as the first chapter of Chambers’ The King in Yellow, a collection of inter-related fantasy stories that exercised an important influence on H. P. Lovecraft.

“Repairer” takes place in a future in which something vaguely resembling World War I has occurred and the American progressive movement has achieved political ascendancy under a President Winthrop, who has introduced a comprehensive program of centralised bureacucracy, aggressive nationalism, extensive public works and urban renewal projects (with an emphasis on neoclassical marble edifices), a nationalised police force, severe racial cleansing laws (including “the exclusion of foreign-born Jews as a measure of self-preservation”), and tax-funded euthanasia chambers in every town (to encourage the unhealthy and maladjusted to relieve the community of their presence).

The Wikipedia page for the story says that these features of the projected future society reflect “the author’s xenophobic tendencies.” I wonder what the basis for this latter bit of speculation is. For all I know Chambers did have xenophobic tendencies, but I don’t think this story by itself is evidence of them. Are the wikipedists assuming that Chambers approves of the society he depicts? Admittedly the narrator obviously approves of it – but the narrator is also pretty clearly intended to be recognised as unreliable, and in fact insane. It seems at least as likely to me that Chambers is satirising the proto-fascist political tendencies of his day. But I await correction from those who have read more of Chambers’ other works than I have.


Please Go Away

There are websites that will host a petition, for free, so I’m planning an anarchist one; I’m curious how many signers I’d get. Here‘s a draft. Feedback? Suggestions for rewording? (I want to make it generic enough that anarchists of multiple flavours could sign on.)

To all those currently exercising positions of responsibility in the Government of the United States of America, whether elected or appointed, and whether at the federal, state, or local level:

UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU to stop reading this blog Whereas the United States Government’s claim to legitimacy is purportedly based on such principles as the consent of the governed, human equality, and the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and

Whereas few if any of those over whom you claim authority have ever consented to such governance; and

Whereas governments, as claimants to such authority over others, are by their nature inconsistent with human equality; and

Whereas your laws, ordinances, decrees, and policies generally stand in violation, directly or indirectly, of the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;

We, the undersigned, hereby demand:

That you cease to claim to be acting in our name or as our agents; and

That you cease all attempts to exercise authority over your fellow human beings, on this continent or elsewhere; and

That you work to dismantle the institution or set of institutions known as the Government of the United States of America, in every branch and at every level, as speedily as possible; and

That you make no attempt to interfere with its replacement by voluntary associations of free and equal individuals.

Two possible objections that come to mind are: “Why just the United States? Why not all goverments?” and “Why petition these bozos? Why not instead petition our fellow citizens to withdraw consent?” To both of which I reply – I never said that this should be our only petition.


When Libertarians Attack

[cross-posted at Liberty & Power]

I have no idea who produced this, but check out this computer simulation of Hans Hoppe, Tom Palmer, Stephan Kinsella, and Walter Block testing Block’s “negative homesteading” theory of innocent shields by trying to kill each other in a bar fight. (Conical hat tip to Geoff Plauché.)

It says “third in a series” but I didn’t succeed in locating the first two.

Since I’m on friendly terms with all the participants represented, I of course can’t admit to finding it funny ….

I will point out, however, that the “Hermann” in Hoppe’s name should have two Ns.


A Weentsy Fib

I just saw Howard Dean on MSNBC saying “There’s not much difference among the Republicans. All the Republican candidates favour staying in Iraq. All the Republican candidates favour pardoning Scooter Libby.”

The truth just isn’t in these guys.


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