DISQUS

Linz · 3 years ago

Noooooo! You can't be a Libertarian. The Libertarian model doesn't work. Just look at Russia in the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union. It's a perfect example of how limited gov't controls cause the economy to go into the toilet and extreme corruption everywhere. Libertarianism doesn't work because it doesn't take into account the flaws of human nature. In the Libertarian model, there is nothing to prevent people from making decisions based on greed and other similar motivations. That's why Libertarianism is just as retarded as Communism.

And for what it's worth, I'm not a liberal. I'm a social democrat.

Pauley · 3 years ago

Libertarianism doesn't create corruption in and of itself. The people who were in charge of businesses in Russia would have been corrupt beforehand, and would have been corrupt if they'd chosen a different economic model. I can concede that it may not be the best way to start out... Russia was in bad shape anyway, libertarian system or no.

In a free market system, yes, a company's motivation for the bulk of what it does is profit. But the market will also correct itself if someone gets too greedy. If a company tries to charge too much for a good or a service, people won't buy it, and the company loses money. It must either reduce its price or go bankrupt as an organization. The same way, if it comes out that they're doing things they're not supposed to do, consumers get fed up and stop buying their product. The market regulates itself; government action isn't required.

-- Pauley

Dave · 3 years ago

Welcome home, Pauley! :)

I wonder if there is such a thing as a "neo-liberterian" ... someone who respects the ideals of liberterianism but tempers them with practicality? For instance - I think a free market is great, but how do we deal with companies that employ predatory business practices, like Wal-Mart or Starbucks? Obviously product quality alone can't drive consumers to put them out of business - both of these behemoths are hugely successful despite the fact that they peddle crap.

Perhaps what it comes down to is a perfect match between a party's ideals and one's own system of values and beliefs is just plain rare! There will always be compromises, but in the end you choose the system that fits you best.

I'm glad you've chosen wisely, my friend!