It's not politics
Joel Salatin grew up on a Venezuelan farm, an American immigrant child whose parents wanted cheap land, good community, and a free market so they could do what they wanted with it. His parents were not missionaries or government officials. They were just regular people who chose to settle in Venezuela of all places.
At first I laughed. Venezuela at that time was nowhere near what Americans call "free." Military coups, a government that continued to run up debts and devalue the currency (that sounds strangely familiar...), staged elections. But it was free in the one way that mattered -- the pervading public opinion of individuals ran towards liberty. That meant that despite their tumultuous and authoritarian government, people went about their normal lives acting with a lot of freedom. If they wanted to buy and sell raw milk, they could. If they wanted their children to work on the farm, they could. They could build whatever kind of buildings they wanted, educate their children however they wanted, nurture whatever kind of church community they wanted. In the minutia of day to day life, the people were free. And, despite a lack of government regulations, most farms, butchers, and restaurants were clean. Shockingly so by our standards. Why? Because patrons could walk right in and demand to see where their food was coming from, and that is a great motivator for any business owner.
Eventually, in one of the more prominent coups, the Salatins were forced to leave. They were hugely successful foreigners, and at that time public opinion was against their presence. They settled in Virginia on land that Joel still lives on today. His story really begins in Virginia, but the early life in Venezuela got me thinking.
I realized that I don't care one whip about politics. Sounds strange, given that I write about the subject on a somewhat regular basis. Nevertheless, it's true. I don't care about politics. I care about a culture of liberty, and that can happen under any political system. Good kings, benevolent dictators, socialist reformers, or a democratically elected republic -- none of that matters. Any form of government can be good, and any can be terribly corrupt. None seems to be sanctioned by God and inherently desirable. I do think that the founding vision of America provided one of the best blueprints for sustaining individual liberty through multiple generations. (The son of a king, or the king's usurper, may not be as benevolent as that heroic and good one. )
What I really desire is to be in a place where the only "hoops" that matter are relational -- two people who trust each other and a handshake. I am continually frustrated by laws and ordinances that dictate what my everyday existence looks like. I ought to be allowed to legally keep chickens in my backyard, for example. I ought to be able to leave my kids buckled in the car while I run into a store. I ought to be able to build a fence without a permit, put up signs on my own private property without a permit, dig a well without a permit, run laundry lines in my backyard without a permit, build a treehouse without a permit, start a business without a permit, watch my neighbor's children in exchange for pay without a permit, teach without a permit, you get the idea. Heck, I ought to be able to buy a pound cake from neighbor without breaking the law. Did you know it's a crime to sell food made in a non-government inspected kitchen? That's why "bake sales" aren't popular fundraisers anymore, and why they don't sell the food, but ask for donations. The list goes on, and it doesn't even include things that I think other people ought to have the right to do. I'm just talking about things I want to do or have done which have required jumping through government hoops. It's as if the government thinks it owns me, and it permits me to do certain things (like keep about 60% of my income).
Now, in some ways, the laws don't matter if they're not enforced. Enforcement depends on people complaining. If your neighbors like your quiet chickens and occasionally get a dozen fresh eggs, how likely is it that they'll complain? That's where the culture of liberty comes in. If people behave like free people and expect others to as well, then politics don't matter. Communities matter.
I feel like this culture of liberty is eroding every day in America, and that saddens me. Now, then, what to do about it? The battle can't be won politically, because it's not a political battle. It's a battle for the hearts and minds of everyday Americans, and there's a whole host of odds stacked against them. In fact, our entire system is stacked against them.
At first I laughed. Venezuela at that time was nowhere near what Americans call "free." Military coups, a government that continued to run up debts and devalue the currency (that sounds strangely familiar...), staged elections. But it was free in the one way that mattered -- the pervading public opinion of individuals ran towards liberty. That meant that despite their tumultuous and authoritarian government, people went about their normal lives acting with a lot of freedom. If they wanted to buy and sell raw milk, they could. If they wanted their children to work on the farm, they could. They could build whatever kind of buildings they wanted, educate their children however they wanted, nurture whatever kind of church community they wanted. In the minutia of day to day life, the people were free. And, despite a lack of government regulations, most farms, butchers, and restaurants were clean. Shockingly so by our standards. Why? Because patrons could walk right in and demand to see where their food was coming from, and that is a great motivator for any business owner.
Eventually, in one of the more prominent coups, the Salatins were forced to leave. They were hugely successful foreigners, and at that time public opinion was against their presence. They settled in Virginia on land that Joel still lives on today. His story really begins in Virginia, but the early life in Venezuela got me thinking.
I realized that I don't care one whip about politics. Sounds strange, given that I write about the subject on a somewhat regular basis. Nevertheless, it's true. I don't care about politics. I care about a culture of liberty, and that can happen under any political system. Good kings, benevolent dictators, socialist reformers, or a democratically elected republic -- none of that matters. Any form of government can be good, and any can be terribly corrupt. None seems to be sanctioned by God and inherently desirable. I do think that the founding vision of America provided one of the best blueprints for sustaining individual liberty through multiple generations. (The son of a king, or the king's usurper, may not be as benevolent as that heroic and good one. )
What I really desire is to be in a place where the only "hoops" that matter are relational -- two people who trust each other and a handshake. I am continually frustrated by laws and ordinances that dictate what my everyday existence looks like. I ought to be allowed to legally keep chickens in my backyard, for example. I ought to be able to leave my kids buckled in the car while I run into a store. I ought to be able to build a fence without a permit, put up signs on my own private property without a permit, dig a well without a permit, run laundry lines in my backyard without a permit, build a treehouse without a permit, start a business without a permit, watch my neighbor's children in exchange for pay without a permit, teach without a permit, you get the idea. Heck, I ought to be able to buy a pound cake from neighbor without breaking the law. Did you know it's a crime to sell food made in a non-government inspected kitchen? That's why "bake sales" aren't popular fundraisers anymore, and why they don't sell the food, but ask for donations. The list goes on, and it doesn't even include things that I think other people ought to have the right to do. I'm just talking about things I want to do or have done which have required jumping through government hoops. It's as if the government thinks it owns me, and it permits me to do certain things (like keep about 60% of my income).
Now, in some ways, the laws don't matter if they're not enforced. Enforcement depends on people complaining. If your neighbors like your quiet chickens and occasionally get a dozen fresh eggs, how likely is it that they'll complain? That's where the culture of liberty comes in. If people behave like free people and expect others to as well, then politics don't matter. Communities matter.
I feel like this culture of liberty is eroding every day in America, and that saddens me. Now, then, what to do about it? The battle can't be won politically, because it's not a political battle. It's a battle for the hearts and minds of everyday Americans, and there's a whole host of odds stacked against them. In fact, our entire system is stacked against them.