The question no Libertarian can answer — but I can
Attacking the Libertarian philosophy as a pie-in-the-sky idea outside the bounds of reality, a Salon.com article published a couple years ago asked a question that apparently has never been answered by a Libertarian. What is the question?
If your [Libertarian] approach is so great, why hasn’t any country anywhere in the world tried it?
The question is answered by understanding the nature of government.
Wealthy and well-connected politicians run virtually every government known to man. They hinge their success not on the freedom of the people, but on how powerful their office is. The problem with the question is it assumes that a government would, willingly, give up power and control for the freedom and liberty of their nation’s people. Sadly, that is not the way governments work.
The key word here is “willingly“.
The Salon article continued to press the question. “If libertarianism was a good idea, wouldn’t at least one country have tried it?” In other words, Libertarians are being asked if any government in the world has ever voluntarily given up authority over the population to provide the people with a more forceful voice that effectively threatens its own power and influence over the population.
Well gee, no. I don’t think any government has willingly given up such power. Go figure.
But wait…remember the key word “willingly”?
The American revolution was pure libertarianism
What the Salon author fails to realize, however, is how deeply ingrained the principles of libertarianism were in our nation’s revolution several hundred years ago. Libertarians believe in true freedom and liberty. They resist strong and all-powerful governments enforcing freedom-killing legislation that renders people impotent, weak and complacent. As a libertarian, you instinctively believe in the inherent desire of every man, woman and child to be free from tyranny and empowered to build a successful life as they see fit.
A government was formed in the midst of our fight for independence — a government built under the principles of libertarianism. A constitution was ratified that limited the power and scope of the government. Freedom was the prevailing objective, and government involvement was only necessary and prudent in the protection of our natural and inherent liberties as people.
Why is the United States government no longer libertarian? Hint: it’s not because libertarianism doesn’t work. Rather, it’s because governments don’t value freedom and liberty.
A cursory study of governments around the world paints a very consistent picture of government growth enabled by deep-seeded corruption and voracious appetites for power and control. Have you ever wondered why so many of our political figures are extremely wealthy?
Remember: Politicians don’t get wealthy in libertarian governments.
Politicians get wealthy in powerful governments. Over the decades, our political figures have expertly grown government influence through a reckless use of war, poverty and entitlements. At the end of a president’s term in office, have you ever seen our government smaller than when he took office?
No — because governments do not give up power.
And so, to the question of whether I have ever seen a country “try” libertarianism?
Yes, OURS! But unfortunately, “government” got in the way.
