The great weakness in Libertarianism.

[Farfenugen]

I have a had quite a few drinks tonight but this has been on my mind for a while. I generally sympathize with libertarianism and believe strongly in social libertarianism.

Theoretically, economic libertarianism is a good system, but I see a major weakness. It has the potential to create a large portion of the population that is disenfranchized. The section of the population cannot compete in the free market because they are either too stupid or too lazy.

This makes them easy prey to radical leftist movements and can compromize a pure libertarian economic system.

Thoughts?

BTW, I hope to get some thoughtful answers on this and not agry trolling from the libertarians here. I am not calling out libertarianism in the slightest, I am only trying to get a thought on my mind out and promote discussion. I think if a libertarian system goes wrong you open up a pandora's box of radical leftist movements.

[tolbiny]

Lazy people aren't a threat to anyone.

[AlexM]

[ QUOTE ]
I think if a libertarian system goes wrong you open up a pandora's box of radical leftist movements.

[/ QUOTE ]

This country is a libertarian system gone wrong, and that's pretty much exactly what happened. :P

[hmkpoker]

We can enfranchise them the same way we disenfranchised them: by changing the criteria for enfranchisment.

[Nielsio]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a had quite a few drinks tonight but this has been on my mind for a while. I generally sympathize with libertarianism and believe strongly in social libertarianism.

Theoretically, economic libertarianism is a good system, but I see a major weakness. It has the potential to create a large portion of the population that is disenfranchized. The section of the population cannot compete in the free market because they are either too stupid or too lazy.

This makes them easy prey to radical leftist movements and can compromize a pure libertarian economic system.

Thoughts?

BTW, I hope to get some thoughtful answers on this and not agry trolling from the libertarians here. I am not calling out libertarianism in the slightest, I am only trying to get a thought on my mind out and promote discussion. I think if a libertarian system goes wrong you open up a pandora's box of radical leftist movements.

[/ QUOTE ]


So.. what are you proposing? Instituting a leftist government?

[Skidoo]

[ QUOTE ]
It has the potential to create a large portion of the population that is disenfranchized. The section of the population cannot compete in the free market because they are either too stupid or too lazy.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that's where Darwin kicks in. Or else they'll form a collective interest.

[madnak]

I think if such a system were implemented, there would initially be a lot of people walking around with signs or some such thing, most of them young and rather well-off. The problem is it takes more brains and effort to effect social change than it does to actually make a living, so the majority of them would be harmless.

Part of the reason I think a change to a libertarian system must be slow is that there's a genuine danger both from well-intentioned people who are dedicated but deluded and from crazy people of various types (particularly power-hungry people able to create cults of personality). Still, some unrest is going to exist for a long time to come. If we can eliminate poverty (for instance), that would make it worthwhile even if we still had a lot of angry reactionaries.

[Exsubmariner]

You mean that there are people out there who want to control the lazy and the stupid and would start social movements to get themselves in positions of power so they can tell everyone, lazy, stupid, or otherwise what to do and control how they live their lives?

No. No. Say it's not true! Please, make it stop!

Of course, these kinds of lefty socialists and their potential impact don't frequently figure into economic theory, let alone AC.

Good post, BTW.