on adopting "moderate" libertarianism
In response to this post:
You realize of course what will happen if libertarians ever control government, right?
They won't want to relinquish power, just like every other political group. So they'll start looking for ways to retain power, without appearing to violate the NAP, and the best ways of doing that are to a) make the public complacent and b) eliminate or marginalize the opposition.
This is how Hugo Chavez has so effectively consolidated power in Venezuela, by the way. He adopts populist political stands, promises the poor free health care/education/ponies, keeps the military close at hand, and pushes opposition to the side without actually dismantling democratic institutions. As a socialist dictator, he's a fucking genius. He's learned very well from Uncle Fidel, and in many ways the student has become the master.
This is what "moderation in all things" can bring: a population complicit (and complacent) in its own slavery. Trying to address the problems of government without attacking the fundamental underpinnings won't accomplish libertarian goals. You're just trying to put a new bow tie on the pig, and I've already had enough of that.
You realize of course what will happen if libertarians ever control government, right?
They won't want to relinquish power, just like every other political group. So they'll start looking for ways to retain power, without appearing to violate the NAP, and the best ways of doing that are to a) make the public complacent and b) eliminate or marginalize the opposition.
This is how Hugo Chavez has so effectively consolidated power in Venezuela, by the way. He adopts populist political stands, promises the poor free health care/education/ponies, keeps the military close at hand, and pushes opposition to the side without actually dismantling democratic institutions. As a socialist dictator, he's a fucking genius. He's learned very well from Uncle Fidel, and in many ways the student has become the master.
This is what "moderation in all things" can bring: a population complicit (and complacent) in its own slavery. Trying to address the problems of government without attacking the fundamental underpinnings won't accomplish libertarian goals. You're just trying to put a new bow tie on the pig, and I've already had enough of that.