Most people in this country think democracy is great, until the voting doesn't go their way.
Take Prop. 8 in California, for instance. Left-wing voters pushed their Presidential candidate to victory, but were shocked that Prop. 8, that out-lawed same sex marriages, had successfully passed. Demonstrations, involving thousands of anti-Prop. 8 people, occurred later in the week, but accomplished nothing other than some TV coverage.
I see this incident as the perfect opportunity to explain libertarian philosophy in some simplistic terms. As a libertarian (not political party), I believe that people should have the freedom to do whatever they wish, as long as it harms no other person or other person's property. The problem with that philosophy is that most people are afraid of real freedom, or rather of someone else's freedom to do what they want. Yes, democracy is great as long as you're the majority.
In a democracy, the majority rules, right or wrong, and thus stomps on the rights of the minority. There is no need to be tolerant of others because they are the majority and they know they are right.
In a truly free society, everyone has equal freedom to live their lives as they wish without the majority dictating the terms. Tolerance becomes a necessity and a reciprocal way of life. I don't tell you what to do and you don't tell me. Punishment comes from crime such as battery, murder, environmental pollution, theft or burglary, not from lifestyles.
In a libertarian society, there would be no need for a Prop. 8 because any person could marry or not. But even more important, married persons would have no more rights (benefits) than single persons, which is really what Prop. 8 is all about.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
I'll take freedom over Prop 8
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5 comments:
That is good, using the K.I.S.S formula, and positive. I'll ship this over to Digg and try to help us get some exposure.
Greetings and salutations. Indeed I did find you at Digg, via my friend Dean, but I wouldn't have bothered writing you if your article wasn't worthy. Very nicely done. As it happens, I wrote about this same subject myself right after the election, albeit from a slightly different angle. Perhaps you're interested:
http://blog.the-thinking-man.com/danger-of-democracy
Keep on keeping on.
Dean and thinking man: Thanks for stopping by. It's nice to hear from some libertarians. I'm just trying to educate some of my readers. Most readers hanging around here seem to be quite left-thinking.
I agree to a large extent. Government should stay out of individuals' business. However, the politicians must have some way to justify a job. The only way they can do that is by fighting over some sort of perceived injustice. After all, their job is to make legislation, if there is nothing to legislate, then we have no need for the politicians. A vicious circle I know. Just perhaps, if we returned to a system whereby being a politician was not a full time job, where politicians actually held employment in their local community, then things in this country would actually make a more monumental shift toward what is best for the country instead of what is best for their pockets.
It's nice to see someone who understands what Libertarian means.Most people think you're Republican if you say small government or liberty. They can't see any other option. Less often do they realise there is no significant differance between Liberals and Conservatives today.
Good article, and I'll try to keep track in the future.
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