My friend PoliticalProf has written a rather scathing post directed at libertarians. Here’s the conclusion of his piece:
Stop claiming no decision or action taken by anyone else can ever be legitimate over you in any way. Just stop.
Let me presume (correct me if I’m wrong) that PoliticalProf was responding to this recent post from my friend LaLiberty.
This debate warrants further discussion. Before going further, allow me to post a quick disclaimer:
While I hold (to a degree) a libertarian streak, you won’t find the non-agression principle at the core of my political philosophy. It strikes me as something that, while admirable, isn’t going to happen. Political societies are built on complex webs of loyalties, power relationships and myths. That might not be ideal, but it’s the reality.
So let’s chat about the social contract. Before proceeding, please make sure you’ve read (in full) the posts by PoliticalProf and LaLiberty. They should help clarify a few questions that may arise on the way.
