u.s. Imports Crilllinals to Fill Dom.estic Shortage November 1989 Vo13,No2 $4.00 (see,page 25)

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4 Letters Abortion on the block, Rothbard in the dock, the Reconstructionist flock, but not one mention of Albert Jay Nock ... 7 Reflections The editors comment on dead elephants, dead leftists, dead fetuses, dead ideas, dead revolutions, dead bunnies and other lively topics. 15 Media Notes Harvesting nonsense at Time; unreflective conservatives vs Armand Hammer. 17 Russell Means Speaks Liberty talks with the noted Indian activist about politics, environment, property, and the meaning of life. 21 The Lost War on Drugs Joseph Miranda explains how America could win the war on drugs-and why we wouldn't want to. 25 The U.S. Imports Criminals to Fill Domestic Shortage Adam Starchild reports from the front of America's war on drugs. 29 Loathing the Fear in New York Murray Rothbard explains the mayoral race in New York, New York, and the silver lining in the mud. 33 The Case Against a Capital Gains Tax Cut Michael S. Christian takes on the knee-jerk libertarian argument for using the tax code to distort the economy. 35 Avant-Garde Redux? William Oark and Richard Kostelanetz lock horns on the importance of the "avant-garde" in art and in politics. 37 The A Priori of Disagreement Hans-Hermann Hoppe defends his approach to ethics, but fails to convince Loren Lornasky. 40 The Philadelphia Story Chester Alan Arthur tells the inside-and the outside-story of the Libertarian Party Convention. 43 Goodbye, Galactic Empire J.R. Dunn sees the development of a libertarian school of science fiction, and finds hope for both literature and society. 49 Ayn Rand and I Tibor Machan recalls his adventures as an Objectivist philosopher trying to communicate with the One Great Objectivist. 55 A Rustic in New York R. W. Bradford survives a nice place to visit. 59 Capitalism and the Transformation of Poland Krysztof Ostaszewski wonders how long it will take. 61 Beyond Philosophy Loren Lomasky examines Robert Nozick's retreat from libertarianism and discovers something even stranger: Nozick has retreated from philosophy as well. 64 The College Teaching Scam Richard Kostelanetz exposes the institution of tenure. \ 6 Right, Wrong, and Constitutional James S. Robbins tells what is really wrong with New Right jurisprudence. 69 Notes on Contributors 70 Terra Incognita Excerpts from the real world. be grounded in an Aristotelian-Thomist defense of free will." Do you have to be a rocket scientist to know that this did not [ L etters ] come from Mises? And then we are told that Murray took detailed notes of ~======'Barbara's master's essay. Nowhere in his Rand the Second-Hander Metaphysics of Morals by Immanuel (the article does he deny getting his ideas from Rand, and he admits that his foot­ Rothbard's discussion of the Objectivist Antichrist) Kant for an argu­ notes were added after the fact. Where Objectivists' reluctance to acknowledge ment against determinism that Nathaniel did you get your ideas, Murray? Not their borrowings ("My Break With Branden used in print as early as 1962 from Mises and not from the sources you Branden and the Rand Cult," September, and as recently as 1983; this presumably quoted. Did you channel them? 1989) is the nearest I've seen in print to a is what Schoeck refers to in the letter I cannot imagine anybody who thinks full-length treatment of a subject that Rothbard quotes. that Rand was given proper credit. To well deserves it. Let me add to his The Sentence Completion Test, a this day Rothbard uses Rand's philoso­ examples: standard diagnostic tool for some 40 phy without giving her proper credit (cf. Aristotle's Metaphysics, Book 10, years and a mainstay of Branden's liter­ The Ethics of Liberty). (lota), and portions of Parts of Animals, ary career for about half that time. Insults abound in Rothbard's article. for the insights on units and "measure­ On other counts I found Rothbard's Branden is called a "pompous ass," a ment-omission" in Rand's Introduction to article pretty trashy. What both he and "creep," a "potz," etc. So we may ask Objectivist Epistemology. Branden have yet to learn is that catty ourselves what Rothbard said to Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, Book vindictiveness makes one's case less per­ Branden's face when he had the chance. 1, for a derivation ofvalue from the con­ suasive, not more. Nothing! Every time he had a chance to cept oflife and for one ofthe most notori­ Peter Reidy Pasadena, Calif. say what he thought-Casper Rothbard ous fallacies in philosophical literature; in wimped out! "Many of us in the Circle both the and cases, Metaphysics Ethics Rothbard the Channeler Bastiat would fantasize about the taunts Rand's borrowing comes not only unac­ While reading Rothbard's memoir we would hurl at the Randians as w,e knowledged but on the heels ofan explic­ about Branden, I felt myself undergoing' were being kicked out the door ..." it denial that Aristotle had anything to the same process that occurred when I Walter Mitty still lives! offer on these particular topics. The argu­ read Branden's Judgment Day. Before And I would say that to Rothbard's ment that true self-interest dwells, con­ reading Branden's book, I had reserved face. trary to vulgar belief, in a life of virtue judgment on the behavior of Rand and PhiliP'Baltimore goes back further still, to Plato's Gorgias. her circle. As I read Judgment Day (trying Philadelphia, Pa. Hayek's The Counter-Revolution of to focus my attention on the facts; ignor­ Death to Trespassers! Science, published in journal form in the ing Branden's self-serving justifications), R. W. Bradford's ("Abortion Without early 1940s and as a book in 1955; in the I soon changed to the view that Branden Absurdity," September 1989) cavalier first part we find the what-if that grew was a professional flatterer and schemer dismissal of libertarian attempts to re­ into Atlas Shrugged (Hayek reports that and that Rand was entirely justified in solve conflicts between the competing the question had first been posed by ending their relationship. rights of mother and unborn child is ab­ Henri de Saint-Simon, a proto-socialist of The same thing happened with surd. It is only the libertarian contention, the early nineteenth century) and a Rothbard's article. Let's start with the which Bradford describes as "sillyand lengthy case study in the top-down theo­ "tape caper" that Rothbard obviously re­ unconvincing," that provides any way ry of cultural change that Rand later es­ gards as a hilarious example of his "high out of the dilemma. The fetus is, indeed, poused; in the second, we find the word wit." a guest liable to expulsion if he overstays "objectivism" and a critique of "method­ Whether a person finds this funny or his welcome; maintenance of the fetus ological collectivism," which she re­ not (you probably had to be there) is op­ against the will of the mother is, in fact, a named "the tribal premise." Much of tional (and isn't Rothbard's whiny voice form of slavery. Bradford says "it is not Rand's non-fiction career seems to have even more open to this kind of ridicule?) surprising that these arguments are easi­ been a reaction to this book, as she at­ but the fact is that it was meant as an in­ ly demolished." Why is it, then, that he tempted to construct an individualist sult to Branden and Rand. If Branden makes not the slightest attempt to do so? case from just the materials Hayek was wrong, it was for continuing the re­ All libertarians recognize property rejected. lationship one minute longer after he rights, and the first of these is self­ Frank Lloyd Wright, whose life, ideas was insulted. - ownership. If a trespasser is unwilling or and buildings yield numerous small-to­ I had read Rothbard's "The Mantle of unable to leave my property, I am enti­ medium-sized details in The Fountainhead Science" before learning of the contro­ tled to remove him by whatever means and whose persecuted-genius media im­ versy; my response to the controversial are necessary up to and including caus­ age informs the whole work, again de­ section was: "Boy, this is solid Ayn ing his death. It is quite irrelevant why spite explicit denial. The ghost-architect, Rand-how does he get away with he is there or even that I originally invit­ letting someone else take credit for his that?" I take issue with Rothbard's state­ ed him in. work, appears in Comrade John, a 1907 ment that "to anyone with brains it was One might rightly claim that exces­ novel by Merwin and Webster, authors obvious that the paper was written in the sive force is objectionable. So, if "pro­ of Rand's beloved Calumet K. Misesian framework" since in the previ­ lifers" can offer a method of ejecting the Part III of The Groundwork of the ous column he says it was "expanded to continued on page 6 4 Liberty same... experience the new vitality that Rise and Shine can bring you... and do it with absolutely no-risk! VITALITY! How Well Does It Work? Try It With Our No-Risle, Scientific breakthrough by scientists Durk Pearson 100% Money Back Guarantee Call the toll-free number below, or and Sandy Shaw gives you an easy and natural way write today and order your one month to dramatically boost your energy level... increase trial supply of Rise and Shine. 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Until that day the wishes of the seems to be a better demarcation point they are "self-assemblers." They alone property owner-the woman-must be than that which marks the change from adolescence to adulthood. have the inherent power to become respected. Tim O'Brien Tibor Machan adults. Other cells aren't self-assemblers. Madison Heights, Mich. Auburn, Ala. In cloning, the nucleus of the body cell is Abortion, La-De-Da removed and is used to "seed" an egg Abstinence, Sit Abortion, No! cell. Until this surgical transfer takes Bradford argues that abortion should Focusing attention on the stages of be legal "because people will have better place, no growth and development int? development of the fetus merely em­ an adult can begin. Cloned cells are akin control over their lives, the number of ploys the magician's trick of diverting at­ unwanted children will decline, women to zygotes. Cloning is analogous to fertili­ tention from the most significant event zation; whatever the species, both events will be happier, men will be happier, in the causal chain under consideration. families will be happier," and la-de-da. mark the beginning of a n~w individual's There are three lives involved in preg­ life. Please. Does having better control over nancy, not two. The act of intercourse be­ Doris Gordon your life include destroying someone tween two adults is a clear and distinct Wheaton, Md. else, excised as a mere parasite although event and the only point where concep­ Put Up or Shut Up! created byyour own actions? tion and all that follows can be con­ Killing in self-defense is acceptable to Hooray for R.W. Bradford's essay on trolled. The father as well as the mother abortion. Rather than the convoluted rea­ save one's own life; the unborn human carries responsibility for the ultimate being doesn't "aggress" against its moth­ soning that often accompanies the issue, results. Bradford gets to the cogent points: a fetus er, because her own actions created it. I think we can agree that both the egg And if a woman becomes pregnant by is not a person and abortion rights are and the sperm can be absolved from necessary to maximize a woman's control rape, that is a terribly unfortunate trage­ fault in their union and that there is no dy, but it doesn't justify a death sentence over her own life. point in the subsequent development Bradford is right that arguments such for anyone. from conception to personhood where I will no doubt be accused of being as the "fetus as aggressor" are unneces­ fault can be added. None of us can be sary to justify abortion. I would propose, "absolutist" and "subjectivist" and cold held responsible for our own existence, and sexist. But in my view, women must however, that their ridiculousness stems but we cannot escape responsibility for directly from the premise, that a zygote deal with that biological component that the existence ofanother. Pregnancy is men do not have. Ifa woman respects or embryo is a person, rather than from 100% preventable by abstinence from in­ the arguments themselves. herself as a thinking, responsible adult, tercourse. Those who seek 100% assu­ and does not want to house another hu­ Libertarians currently have an oppor­ rance that they won't "get caught" must tunity to put up or shut up-do we stand man being, then she has the knowledge, choose that method of contraception. the control and the will to prevent its up to preserve the freedoms we h~ve or The problem is with those who want the don't we? Abortion is the only major case conception. She must also, however, take immediate joys of unrestrained sex but responsibility for the consequences.of in my lifetime in which a power that gov­ not the long-term pains of parenthood. ernment had usurped was returned to her own actions, or inactions, even If that Scientists have done very well in supply­ means enduring a 9-month pregnancy the people. Let's work to keep that power ing products that can meet the demand and seeing that the child is somehow where it belongs-with individuals, not for contraception. Contraceptives are the state. cared for. Scott Garfinkel available that are both effective and easy Kevin Gough Brookline, Mass. to use, although they don't carry 100% Eau Claire, Wise. Not old enough to drive, but guarantees. Those who are unwilling to Recon Redux abstain from sexual intercourse are Dr. North is correct when he points old enough to cerebrate obliged to consider their options for pro­ I dispute Bradford's point that no out the areas in which libertarians and tection against pregnancy, to calculate stage between conception and childhood Reconstructionists agree, specifically in their risks, and prepare to take the conse­ exists where we may first identify a hu­ quences in the event of losing their bet. continued on page 20 man being. From my understanding of Neither the state nor anyone else is obli­ the development of the fetus it appears gated to provide the means ofescape that around the 25th week the brain de­ Letters Policy w~ic~ enab~es from the consequences of the irresponsi­ velops its cerebral cortex, ble act of two adults. We invite readers to comment on the organism to become a thinking being, Maribel Montgomery articles that have appeared in Liberty. gives it the faculty of reason. Although Albany, Ore. .We reserve the right to edit for length this faculty may not be used for a long and clarity. All letters are assumed to time after it becomes part of the organ­ Send in the clones be intended for publication unless ism, its development would appear to Bradford writes, "The zygote is not otherwise stated. Succinct, typewrit­ pinpoint a stage of development of the the only type of cell that has a DNA ten letters are preferred. Please in­ fetus during which it becomes a human blueprint for a human being; virtually clude your phone number so that we being-that is, a rational animal. every human cell does. What will anti­ can verify your identity. While no doubt there are individual abortionists say when cloning of human :\.. 6 Liberty What did you do during the war, against taxpayer funding of anything, including any medical procedure, and we start hacking away at the State wherever we Daddy? - President Bush's recent rededaration of the War can. But second is another point, which makes the abolition of on Drugs generated memories of another war, a war declared government financing for abortions particularly important. The just 25 years ago. In 1964, President Johnson declared War on anti-abortionists, a large and significant part of the population, Poverty. All the resources of the governmE~nt were to be mobi­ feel deeply that abortion is murder. I don't agree with their posi­ lized to wipe out this enemy-money, programs, laws, regula­ tion. But surely it is adding insult to injury to force these people tions, federal-state cooperation, the co-opting of private efforts. to help finance an act they consider murder! In a few years, poverty would disappear. The arguments for government-financed abortion is the stan­ Well, as we all remember, no one in Johnson's administra­ dard left-liberal argument for everything: namely, that if the mar­ tion had any idea about what caused poverty or even what pov­ ket is left free, the poor will be "discriminated against." And so, erty was. (The most egregious mistake was the belief that to defend tax-aided abortions, we hear about the plight of poor poverty was the lack of money rather than the lack of produc­ women, who would allegedly not be able to afford to pay for tive skills or habits.) In the end, we fought poverty and poverty abortions privately; but, of course, this argument applies to any won. good or service whatsoever, and only makes sense as part of a I for one declare myself a conscientious objector in Mr case for total egalitarianism or complete socialism. Bush's war, just as I did in Mr Johnson's. -WPM Despite the fact that I think both the pro-life and pro-choice Two cheers for Webster - Hey, am I the only guy forces to be off the mark, I am glad to see the abortion issue be­ in the country who likes Webster as is, and hopes that the come a lively issue in American politics-another happy effect Supreme Court, in its confused and blundering way, stays right of the Webster decision. For politicians are wont to fuzz and there? From the hysteria on both sides of the fence, it certainly compromise every issue; they run from principles as from the looks like it. The Webster decision retains the right of choice as­ plague. And so it is good to see them squirm, as they confront sured by Roe v. Wade. It is true that it allows further outlawing two opposing sets of highly principled single-issue voters. It is of abortion into the second trimester of pregnancy by allowing good to see politicians forced, at long last, to take a stand on compulsory testing for viability of the fetus up into the 20th something. week, allegedly on the ground of a few weeks possible error on Having said that, I also believe it is possible for libertarians the date of conception. But that restriction on the right of free to take a stand on their own principles, which may seem, to out­ choice was already included in &e itself, and stems from the siders, as an intriguing "compromise" between the two massed philosophical errors and confusions of the original Roe decision. camps, and which might even prove to be viable politically. For, contrary to the general assumption, Roe did not rest on an That is: for the right of free choice for every woman, but no tax absolute right of privacy or self-ownership of the woman's body support for abortions. And who knows, maybe, in the pulling (and hence everything within it); on the contrary, it acknowl­ and hauling of American politics, this might turn out to be the edged such a right only in the first trimester of pregnancy; in the final result, in which case the principled libertarian path may second and third trimester the alleged "state interest" in fetuses turn out to be the politically pragmatic one. -MNR and children overrides such right, so that the state can regulate is abortions during the second trimester, and prohibit them dur­ One 'man's meat another man's video­ ing the third. But Webster is only a marginal step backward on tape - At the Eris Society conf,erence in August, an advocate the right ofchoice from Roe. of animal rights made an attractive case for the proposition that What apparently drove the pro-choice forces crazy (in addi­ we should treat animals only as ends in themselves, not as tion to the real threat of an overturn of Roe next year) was that means to our ends, and that consequently we must never cause the Webster decision allows state government to cut off their the pain, suffering or death of an animal. own funding of abortions. Since most pro-choicers are left­ In a series of anecdotes, she explained how she came to ad­ liberals, they persist in confusing someone's freedom or right to vocate this proposition. The process began about a decade ago. do something, with the alleged "right" of that person to force While wearing her rabbit fur jacket as she walked through a the taxpayers to pay for that action. Libertarians know that the shopping mall, she happened upon a pet shop. She saw a bunny freedom or the right to do X emphatically does not imply the in a pen and began to pet it. Observing her, a woman walked right of X to force Y to pay for it. But the bulk of pro-choicers­ over and asked her, in a voice loud enough for many other alas!-are not libertarians. shoppers to hear, "How can you stand there and pet this bunny So not only do I cheer the Webster turn; I hope that all gov­ when you are wearing the skins ofdead bunnies?" ernments, state and federal, will take the hint and stop using To some, this episode may seem a simple case of obnoxious taxpayer-financed government funds or facilities to support and self-righteous rudeness. But in this instance it was more a abortions. On two grounds. First is the general point that I am case of Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus. She became Liberty 7 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 embarrassed and was convinced of her hypocrisy. Before long aggression). she was ordering soybean burgers in restaurants and lobbying But one does hear apologetics about places like Nicaragua, for laws against meat-eating, animal exploitation and medical ex­ so it is useful not to let Cuba's history sink entirely into the periments on animals, and showing us a video of man's insensi­ memory hole. In my summer reading, I discovered an excellent tivityand cruelty to them. I forced myself to watch this nasty review of this history: "Semper Fidel," by Mark Malcoff (The film, though I was not sure why. Perhaps I feared someone New Republic, July 3, 1989). Falcoff exposes the popular mythology that repression can would loudly accuse me of hypocrisy ifI averted my eyes as I sat have a positive relationship to economic progress. He argues there wearing leather shoes. that communist dictatorship first secured Cuba's poverty, then used poverty to secure itself: "The revolution for which Cuba Now it was clear. The killing of animals to allow would make the world safe is the revolution of vainglory, which is premised on planned scarcity and repression." her to show us graphic pictures ofanimal suffering What of Castro's economic "miracles"? Even the "revolution that might convince us to support her notion of an­ of literacy" is now largely forgotten. The word is out that the imal rights is a reasonable tradeoff. But the killing "revolution" involved a comparatively small percentage of an already mainly literate population. It was an accomplishment, ofanimals to save human lives is not. no doubt, but an accomplishment easily explicable by what may be called the Moscow Subway Principle: you can do some glam­ She told us stories about the horrible birth defects caused by orous things, even in a badly mismanaged country, if you just ingestion of the tranquilizer thalidomide a generation ago, but concentrate resources on a limited number of projects. she made no attempt to relate the tragedy of thalidomide to her As for the rest of Castro's agenda, Falcoff observes: "After support ofanimal rights. Perhaps she was trying to show the aw­ early attempts at leapfrogging to industrialization (a kind of lo­ fulness of medical doctors and scientists, perpetrators of experi­ cal version of Mao's 'Great Leap Forward'), the island has set­ ments on animals. tled down to doing what it has always done best: producing She criticized a group called the Incurably 111 for Animal sugar.... Cuba is slightly more dependent on this product now Research, who argued that animal experimentation was neces­ than it was before the revolution. In place of the American sugar sary for medical science to continue its progress in relieving hu­ quota, it relies on rigid, prearranged markets with the Soviet man suffering. The organization had been given financial aid by Union and Eastern Europe.... In 1959 Cuba ranked second or some researchers, so its motives were not pure. She told us of the third among Latin American countries in economic and social horrible suffering of her mother from cancer, and how her moth­ development. Today it languishes in the higher teens." er had confided to her that she did not believe experiments on An agenda is a list of priorities, and the first priority on animals would ever cure her or relieve her suffering. Castro's list is, according to Falcoff, the exercise of power. During the question period, someone asked her whether she Fa1coff approvingly quotes Jorge I. Dominguez, author of a re­ was aware that the videotape she had shown had been manufac­ cent book on Castro's foreign policy: 'When a choice must be tured in part from gelatin, which comes from the intestine of a made, Cuba consistently chooses politics over prosperity." cow. Yes, she replied, and she was also aware that samples of Substitute the names of your own favorite dictatorships for videotape had been fed to rats to test its safety in homes with in­ "Cuba," and you will have a universally applicable epitaph for fants who might accidentally eat a bit of it. But it was a matter of progress in the twentieth century. -SC tradeoffs. Now it was clear. The killing of animals to allow her to show Capitalism against extinction - Mankind has graphic pictures of animal suffering that might convince people contributed to the extinction of many species of animals. In pre­ to support her notion of animal rights was a reasonable tradeoff. history, Man probably brought about the demise of the woolly But the killing ofanimals to save human lives was not. rhino, the giant sloth, and many other large mammals. In re­ I was reminded of H. L. Mencken's definition of an animal cent years, Man has wiped out the passenger pigeon and the rights activist as "one who gags on a guinea pig and swallows a dodo. baby." And I vowed that the next time someone tries to show me Four thousand years ago, there were four species of ele­ a horrible film of animal suffering, I will avert my eyes, just as I phant; now there are two, and their numbers are dwindling fast. avert my eyes from graphic pictures of bloody fetuses in waste­ In an attempt to save the elephants, the United States is helping baskets profferred by anti-abortionist militants. -RWB promote a worldwide drive to ban the ivory trade. Unfortunately, this approach is destined to fail. Demand for ivo­ Put this in your cigar and explode it - Do ry will remain high in spite of international regulations, and the you remember the American left-liberals' attitude toward Cuba increase in ivory prices which will result from the ban will only 15, 10 or even 5 years ago? Leftists used to apologize for (if they make the trade more profitable and place elephants in more noted at all) the Cuban government's brutal repression of the danger. If one doubts the ineffectiveness of such laws, examine middle class, the churches, labor unions, homosexuals, and all the drug situation. Drugs have never had more laws levied other political and "social" opponents of the regime; they apolo­ against them, and this has done very little to impede the drug gized by arguing that Cuba needed a peculiarly active govern­ industry. Any prohibition makes bootlegging profitable, and ment if it was to resist aggression by the United States and this sort of government action will probably doom the establish· national sovereignty and economic justice. Nowadays elephants. one seldom reads such arguments'-about Cuba, anyway, or There is an answer to this problem, one that has functioned about that old favorite of American right-wingers, Romania admirably in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. Elephants (there the grand and all-sufficient goal was resistance to Soviet should be treated like any other managed animal, their ivory 8 Liberty Stimulate Your Mind! One way to make those winter days less dreary and those winter nights more fun is to stimulate your mind. There is a world of good reading in Liberty ... and there has been ever since Liberty began publishing! Happily, copies of all editions of Liberty are available at very reasonable prices. Whether you want to catch up on what you missed, stimulate your mind, or complete your collection, now is a good time to buy. The first issue is a reprint; all others are original printings. Enjoy! Back Issues of Liberty August 1987 March 198 • "The Films of Ayn Rand," by Stephen Cox • "Ronald Reagan: An Autopsy," by Murray N. Rothbard • 'Witch-Bashing, Book Burning, and Prof. Harold Hill's Lessons in • "Fear and Loathing in Canada's Elections," by Michael I. Krauss Practical Politics," by Butler Shaffer • 'What if Everything You Knew About Safety Was Wrong?" byJohn • ''Ron Paul and His Critics," by Murray N. Rothbard Semmens and Dianne Kresich Plus reviews and articles by DavidSheldon, Ida Walters, Ross Plus: Articles and reviews by Stephen Cox, Jeffrey Friedman, Tibor Ma­ Overbeek and others; and a short storybyJo McIntyre. (48 pages) chan, David Ramsay Steele and others. (72 pages) October 1987 May 1989 • "The Sociology of Libertarians," by J. C. Green and J. 1. Guth • "Man, Nature, and State," by Karl Hess, Jr • "The Rise of the Statism," by Murray N. Rothbard • "A Conspiracy of Silence: Uncovering the Media's Election Night Plus reviews and articles by Mike Holmes, Tibor Machan, William 'Coverage' Policy," by Margaret M. Fries Moulton and others; and a short story by Franklin Sanders. (48 pages) Plus: Articles and reviews by Murray N. Rothbard, David Gordon, Ste­ phen Cox, Justin Raimondo, Phillip Salin, Jane S. Shaw and others; December 1987 and a short story byJeffrey Olson. (72 pages) • "Libertarians in a State Run World," by Murray N. Rothbard • "The Most Unforgettable Libertarian I Ever Knew," by Karl Hess July 1989 Plus essays and reviews by Stephen Cox, Walter Block, Mark Skousen • "Viking Iceland: Anarchy That Worked," by David Friedman and others; and a short story by David Galland. (56 pages) • "The Myth ')f the Rights of Mental Patients," by Thomas Szasz • "Nude Dancing in Memphis," by Michael Williams March 1988 • "Puritanism Comes Full Circle," by Jeffrey Tucker • "The Crash of '87," perspectives by Douglas Casey, Ron Paul, Murray • 'Who Is Nathaniel Branden?" by RW. Bradford Rothbard, Karl Hess, Mark Skousen, RW. Bradford, Adrian Day and Plus: Articles and reviews by Tibor Machan, John Hospers, James S. Rob­ Harry Browne. bins, Murray Rothbard, Jane S. Shaw and others. (80 pages) • "Can Computers Save the World?" by Ross Overbeek • "Free Speech and the Future of Medicine," by Sandy Shaw & Durk September 1989 Pearson • "The Taboo Against the Truth: Holocausts and the Historians," by Plus reviews and articles by Murray Rothbard, John Dentinger, Stephen Ralph Raico . Cox and others; and a short story by Raul Santana. (64 pages) • "Abortion Without Absurdity," by R.W. Bradford • "My Break With Branden and the Rand Cult," by Murray N. Rothbard May 1988 • "The Argument from Mere Argument," by Loren Lomasky • ''The ACLU: Suspicious Principles, Salutary Effects," by W. P. Moulton • "The Theology of Ecology," by Robert Formaini • "Nicaragua: A Front Line Report," by Gary Alexander Plus: Articles and reviews by Richard Kostelanetz, David Friedman, Plus reviews and articles by Nathaniel Branden, Jeff Hummel, Sheldon Gary North, Jeffrey Tucker, Karl Hess, and others. (72 pages) Richman and others; and perspectives on Ayn Rand and her follow­ ers by David Steele and David Brown. (64 pages) , July 1988 r------• ''Rebel Without a Clue: Lessons from the Mecham Experience," by Please send me the back issues of Liberty I Matt Kessler have selected below ... I • "Nicaragua: An End to Intervention," by William Kelsey Aug. '87, $4.00 __ _ Nov. '88, $4.00 __ • ''The Liberty Poll," a survey of libertarian demographics, attitudes, be­ I liefs, and moral opinions. Sept. '87, $4.50 __ Jan. '89, $4.00 __._ Plus reviews and articles by Jerome Tuccille, Stephen Cox, Murray Roth­ Dec. '87, $3.00 __ _March '89, $4.00 __ I bard, David Ramsay Steele, and others; and an interview with L. Neil _ March '88, $4.00 _ May '89, $4.00 __ Smith. (80 pages) May '88, $4.00 __ July '89, $4.00 __ I September 1988 • "Scrooge McDuck and His Creator," by Phillip Salin July '88, $4.00 __ Sept. '89, $4.00 __ I • "Liberty and Ecology," byJohn Hospers Sept. '88, $5.50 __ Shipping: ~ • ''Kids and Money" by Karl Hess Total: Plus reviews and articles by Douglas Casey, David Friedman, Stephen I Cox, Sandy Shaw, Douglas Rasmussen, Sheldon Richman, Murray o Also renew my subscription @ $19.50 / 6 issues Rothbard and others; and a short story by Erika Holzer. (80 pages) o My check is enclosed (payable to Liberty) I November 1988 o Charge my 0 VISA 0 Mastercard Exp _ • ''Taking Over the Roads," byJohn Semmens I • ''The Search for We The Living/' by R W. Bradford Account # Plus: a symposium on Hoppe's Argumentation Ethics featuring David Signature I Friedman, Murray Rothbard, Tibor Machan and others; plus writings byJohn Dentinger, Walter Block and others. (80 pages) I January 1989 Name • "High Noon for the Libertarian Party?" by Chester A. Arthur Address • "TV Advertising and Minor Party Campaigns," by R. W. Bradford I • "Public Choice: A Useful Tool," byJane S. Shaw City State/Zip Plus: writings by Leland Yeager, William Niskanen, John Hospers and I others; and a short story byJeffrey Olson. (72 pages) ------Send to: Liberty, PO Box 1167, Port Townsend, WA 98368 ..I Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 harvested in a scientific and controlled manner, and the proceeds Well, summer is over. There were no gas lines. Prices gradu­ from ivory sales used to preserve the herds. In this way, the spe­ ally declined to less than a dollar per gallon in most of the coun­ cies can be sustained by harnessing the very powers which pres­ try. Refineries, according to recent reports, are running at about ently are leading to its demise. Through such techniques, 93% of capacity, up from 88% a year ago. Gas stocks are higher elephant herds in southern Africa have increased in size (to than ever. 50,000 in Zimbabwe), even while shrinking dramatically My point is not Nader's recklessness and ignorance. It is to throughout the rest of the continent. ask, why aren't Nader and others like him ever held to account Elephant herding could be state-controlled or private; the lat­ by the media for their irresponsible accusations and scare tac- ter is preferable, naturally. But the plan cannot work if commerce tics? -WPM in ivory is made illegal. The only way elephants can survive is if they have some sort of economic value. In any competition be­ The Reformed Church of Ecology - Despite tween elephants and humanity for their tusks (and their grazing his disparaging remarks about my contributions and Murray lands, given population growth in Africa and Asia), the ele­ Rothbard's, Robert Formaini (''The Theology of Ecology," phants will lose; no government will be able to protect them for­ September 1989) shed some light on the current environmental ever. The plight of the Asian elephant in Southeast Asian movement. Unfortunately, his conclusions were nihilistic. countries is worth noting. Until recently, elephants were used for On the positive side, Formaini argues that "a small, powerful most heavy lifting in rural areas, and were vital for construction minority of modern western intellectuals" espouses a "religion" tasks. There was never a threat of extinction in these areas, be­ of ecology. These high priests idolize nature and detest human cause elephants were necessary for the health of local economies. civilization, and their goals go far beyond cleaning up or pre­ With the spread of machine technology to Southeast Asia, ele­ serving the environment. They want to halt or at least slow phants have become a burden, and are either being killed or al­ down economic development. (My own favorite illustration of lowed to die without replacement. this position is Lester Brown's statement that global climate Kenya has decided to take a particularly hard line to protect change "calls the whole notion of human progress into ques­ the elephant. Poachers are now shot on sight by special govern­ tion.") One of the chief techniques of these gurus is to stir up ment police trained for just this task. This will only increase the hysteria over frightening, low-probability potential dangers, a overall firepower on the savannah-poachers are already using task abetted by minions in the media. Formaini also detects a automatic weapons to take down their prey (and anyone who weakness in this religion-the fact that the lay ministers tend to gets in their way). And by making poaching more dangerous, be Yuppies who find themselves actually enjoying human civili- Kenya is limiting the task to its most brutal practitioners, and at the same time increasing profit margins. In his desire to keep us from buying into the The facts are compelling: in the last thirty years, numbers of elephants have risen by 150% in states which engage in ivory doomsday religion, Formaini wants us to act as if trade; in the last ten years, the number of elephants elsewhere environmental problems did not exist. But he's has been cut in half. The former route leads to survival. The latter wrong. We don't have to adopt the anti­ is taking the elephant inexorably to the endless night of extinction. civilization model to recognize that air and water Elephants are not the only creatures that might benefit from are not always clean and that wild animals are private or public management. Walruses, another ivory';"bearing disappearing. creature, are harvested by Eskimos for meat and tusks, and though the rate of killing has lately been excessive (about 12,000 a year), better management could ensure their survival. The rhi­ zation. Have you noticed that topay's environmental activists noceros, whose horn is thought to bestow sexual potency, is are wine connoisseurs? managed in some countries, and in others, horns are removed The only problem with Formaini's description of "the theolo­ regularly to discourage poachers. The bison survived in public gy of ecology" is that he paiI}tts with such broad strokes that he and private enclaves after demand for its fur vanished. Despite fails to make a substantive-contribution to the literature on the 1960s predictions of imminent extinction, the bison is now being subject (something that is ~orely needed). raised on private ranches and slaughtered for its meat. But if he is really intetested in exposing this political relig­ Whales, which travel in groups and have regular migratory ion, why dump on Murray l&®",ard, who recognizes the me­ patterns, could be treated in similar fashion. Private companies dia-transmitted hype for what it is? And why condemn my own could stake out whale herds, using satellites to pick up signals support of market approaches to environmental protection? from implanted transmitters and to track their progress. (The After all, Formaini agrees that property rights provide the foun­ procedure is not at all science-fiction; such devices are already dation for solving most environmental problems-although he used to monitor North American bears and wolves.) The whalers labels them "so-called" environmental problems. would see to it that their herds remain healthy and vital, for the In his desire to keep us from buying into the anti-human, very simple reason that if they did not, they would lose their in­ doomsday religion, Formaini wants us to act as if environmental vestments. -]SR problems did not exist. ''Reject the model," he says, or be pre­ pared to carry the excess baggage of governmental intervention. The Nadir of Prophecy- Last May, Ralph Nader But he's wrong. We don't have to adopt the anti-civilization predicted that, thanks to a revival of the powers of OPEC and to model to recognize that air and water are not always clean, that a conspiracy among domestic refiners to limit production, motor­ wild animals are disappearing, and that lands (especially those ists this summer would see "soaring prices" and long gas lines. owned by the government) are often poorly managed. The He recommended price controls and gas rationing. world does have environmental problems, and solving them is 10 Liberty Introducing

n THE EXAMINED LIFE philosopher Robert Nozick is writing directly to you. What you get I out of this wonderful book will depend, to a much greater extent than with other books, upon THE EXAMINED LIFE is an examination, a what you bring to it. meditation, on the important things in life, written by In twenty-seven meaty and concise chapters, a fascinating man in the prime ofhis life. You will Nozick spans an incredible range of subjects, like come away with a deeper sense of the important • The Ideal and The Actual things in life, ofthe things which give people a sense • Dying of fulfillment and value. • Creating "This is a work that will live for decades, a pre­ • Sexuality cious book by a unique man who has given us his • Value and Meaning best, hoping to see ours in return." • The Holiness ofEveryday Life -Roy A. Childs,Jr. • What is Wisdom and Why do Philosophers Order Your Copy Today! Love It So? PH5178 (hardcover) Publisher's Price $21.95 95 • Love's Bond OUR PRICE ONLY $19 r------.------, ORDER TOLL·FREE MONEY BACK GUARANTEE 1·800·326·0996 Iffor any reason you are dissatisfied with any 9:00-6:00 Pacific Time book, just return it within 30 days for a refund. Charge your Visa or Master Card • Continental U.S. 24 hours a day * 7 days a week Send your order 10 Please send me the following titles: OTY TOTAL lAISSEZ FAIRE BC])KS _THE EXAMINED LIFE by Robert Nozick Dept. LKMR PH5178 (hardcover) OUR PRICE ON LY $19.95 ...__ 942 Howard Street Other Recent Titles San Francisco. CA 94103 _INDIVIDUALS & THEIR RIGHTS by T.ibor Machan PL5197 (paper) $10.95 ...__ D Send FREE 32-page catalog. _SOUTH AFRICA'S WAR AGAINST CAPITALISM by Walte~ o My check or money order is enclosed Williams CU5190 (hardcover) Pub. Price $37.95/ for $, --:-:-_----=----,-__ OUR PRICE $19.95 ...__ D Please bill my D Visa D MasterCard I _FREE PERSONS &THE COMMON GOOD by Michael Novak I PL5157 (hardcover) $17.95 ...__ I _LIBERALIZATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Dynamics of Acc\. No. -.------I Reform In Socialism & Capitalism by Sranko Mllanovic Expir. Date _ CU5189 (hardcover) Pub. Price $35.00/0UR PRICE $24.95 ...__ I _THE MACHINERY OF FREEDOM: A Guide to Radical Signature ------I Capitalism by David Friedman PL5169 (paper) $14.95 ...__ I Postage & Handling Name (Please Print) I $2.50 U.S. Mail or $3.50 UPS -- Address I NY State &CA residents add sales tax __ ------~ IL TOTAL _$__ CilyiState/Zip . _ Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 worth our attention. balance to the Conscience Fund will not erase the debt or A lot of people have legitimate desires for a better penalty. environment. They want to maintain areas of pristine beauty, to The Gifts to the United States Fund was established in 1843 swim in clean water, to hike in green hills, and to live in cities to allow the grateful citizenry to express their appreciation in free of smog. Many are willing to pay for such, environments­ monetary terms. The first donation rolled in 19 years later. both for themselves and, through donations, for others. The The National Defense Conditional Gift Fund allows one to problem is that many of these people are poorly informed about give money to one's weapons system of choice. This fund the nature and cause of environmental problems. They don't un­ collects little revenue (around $67,000 in 1987), and the way derstand property rights and they assume that the government things are going will probably be used to fund the revamped is a good caretaker. Such ignorance characterizes even people like Meryl Streep who are highly intelligent and competent in their own fields of expertise. They are easily aroused to hysteria Guest Reflection: by unscientific reports about chemical pesticides, the "green­ It is widely believed (not house effect," toxic waste dumps, and old-growth timber, and, Thatcher the Taxer - least by financial journalists and commentators) that the they push for extreme laws and regulations. British Government has reduced taxation dramatically since In political matters many people will always be swayed by 1979, even excessively, and indeed that the unprecedented misinformation and vulnerable to overreaction. This susceptibil­ balance of payments deficit in 1988 was caused in part by im­ ity stems from the rational ignorance of voters, which I dis­ prudent tax cutting in the 1988 Budget. cussed in my article on public choice theory in the January 1989 The truth could not be more different. Measured as a pro­ issue of Liberty. To change policy, we need to communicate with portion of the output of goods and services in the economy (or a smaller group of people-those who have an impact on policy aggregate expenditure or aggregate income) total tax revenue, and who will pay attention to logic and solid information. rose from 32.9 per cent in 1979 to 38.0 percent in 1987. It has Whether we can do this effectively is an unanswered question, been calculated that this conventional measure of the tax bur­ and I'm sure it's a question that all people concerned about lib­ den will surpass 40 percent in 1989 for the first time in about erty grapple with. forty years if there are no tax cuts in the 1989 Budget. Ifthere Formaini grapples with it, too. In a footnote he mentions arre no tax cuts in the years to come, the burden will continue that he has written a book challenging conventional views about to rise and would exceed 50 percent within a decade. science. My guess is that he aims to influence opinion-leaders in Tax revenue has been buoyant for a number of years and the scientific community, just as we at public policy research in­ may be expected to remain so for the foreseeable future. This stitutes want to influence environmental policy-makers. means that, as money inconles and money expenditures rise, Formaini's labeling our views as ''buncombe'' is simply a rhetor­ tax revenue rises faster-much faster. There are three main ical device to differentiate his own literary product. But in at­ reasons for this. The first is that income tax is indexed for in­ tacking constructive approaches such as ours, he is blocking flation but not for the rise in real earnings: as earnings rise, progress, not helping it along. -Jss proportionately less of them is covered by personal allow­ Brother can ya spare a trillion? - In 1988, ances and proportionally more is charged to tax. The second Americans gave $104.3 billion to charities, up 6.7% from the pre­ reason is that value added tax is not levied on "necessaries" vious year, and in spite of changes in the law that reduce the tax such as food and fuel, the demand for which'changes little as benefits of charitable donations. These numbers indicate that, incomes rise; so, as aggregate expenditure grows from year despite what some critics say, Americans are not (entirely) to year, the yield of value added tax grows faster. The third grasping, self-centered, unfeeling tightwad brutes. Yet, one char­ reason is that, by reason of privatization and other economic ity has not reaped the benefits of the public's kind heart, and reforms, profits have for some years been rising faster than this is an organization which, while rendering aid to millions, is national income and the yield of corporation tax has there­ consistently underappreciated and can never make its books bal- fore also been rising faster. A heavy and increasing tax burden is inimical to individ­ ual freedom as well as to economic prosperity. The tax bur­ One charity has not reaped the benefits of the den will almost certainly have risen during the current public's kind heart, and this is an organization financial year (to April 1989) despite the cuts in tax rates in which, while rendering aid to millions, is consis­ March 1988. Substantial tax cuts are required in the 1989 budget merely to prevent the tax burden from rising even tently underappreciated and can never make its farther. Still larger tax cuts are required to start reversing the books balance. That charity is, of course, the huge rise in the tax burden since the Government came to of­ Federal Government. fice. And these tax cuts can be afforded: the budget surplus in 1988-89, at some £12 billion or more (an all-time record by a huge margin) is some three times the cost of the March ance. That charity is, of course, the Federal Government. 1988 tax cuts for the same year. The government has established four accounts for donations. There are sound economic as well as libertarian reasons The Conscience Fund accepts money from those who have cheat­ for tax cuts in the 1989 Budget at least on the scale of those in ed the government at some time in the past, and want to make 1988. And something substantially more ambitious than this amends. This fund has brought in over six million dollars-in the will be required in order to move the economy back towards last 177 years. Note that donations to the conscience fund do not the relatively low-tax regimes of Edward Heath and Harold constitute a legal redress, so if one has, for example, underpaid Wilson. -Barry Bracewell Milnes one's income taxes and for some reason feels ,guilty, giving the 12 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 SDI program. academic and media fantasyland, there is no unanimous or offi­ Finally, the Reduction of Public Debt Fund accepts monies cial black viewpoint. There are black people on all sides of every to bring down what Alexander Hamilton called the national public issue, including both those clearly unrelated to race­ blessing. Although the fund has had no noticeable effect, it has abortion, the environment, aid to the Contras-and those that to averaged a surprising $535,000 per year since 1961. This is a fa­ some degree have a racial component, such as busing, affirma­ vorite fund for politicians giving back pay increases or leftover tive action, and minority set-asides. Even with regard to such a campaign monies, since it allows them some high-profile chest­ potentially emotional issue as the old Amos 'n Andy show, there banging, diverting the public from the fact that Congress is re­ are blacks representing every possible viewpoint, from whole­ sponsible for the debt in the first place. hearted endorsement to bitter condemnation. The government charity funds were never intended to as­ The second point to be made about the new orthodoxy is sume the main revenue collection role, as interesting and liber­ that, in its overweening and moralistic arrogance, it stultifies tarian as that idea might be. Luckily the Federal Government any real dialogue on issues of concern to black people. It makes also has an Internal Revenue Service to collect donations, some­ it difficult to discuss, for example, the reasons for the disintegra­ thing other charities have not. -J5R tion of the black family structure during the past quarter centu­ ry, which is almost certainly the most important cause of long­ The new racial orthodoxy - Recently, a great term poverty in this group. On a more trivial level, it has be­ many of our media mandarins have been telling us that there is come almost impossible to investigate the effects that slavery a resurgence of racism in the United States. There has been a and slave breeding may have had on later black athletic ability special emphasis placed on the allegation that the nation's col­ and general health. (Probably the effects are minimal-the so­ lege campuses are increasingly degenerating into cauldrons of called breeding was patchy and unscientific-but one should be racial bigotry. Now, I don't ordinarily give a lot of thought to able to speak freely about the subject.) the topic of racism. I think I know it when I see it, but as a doc­ This kind of thought patrol, even when it is followed volun­ trine it is too wacky and boring, and as a practice too disreputa­ tarily, poisons what should be normal civil relations among peo­ ble and ugly, for me to waste a lot of time pondering or ple of different races and in countless subtle ways keeps alive analyzing it. whatever residual racism does exist in our culture. In place of a Nevertheless, some aspects of these new warnings about ra­ color-blind exchange of ideas, it prescribes an elaborate and cial intolerance disturb me. I'm taking no dogmatic position as foolish racial etiquette by the provisions of which white people to whether or not they are justified. My gut impression, after are supposed to govern their relations with others. In place of reading a dozen or so articles on the subject, is that what is de­ simple decency and candor, it advocates a stilted and formulaic scribed as campus racism is a motley brew of a handful of actual pattern of communication that amounts to scarcely more than incidents of bigotry surrounded by a number of fraudulent re­ an exchange of slogans. Those who truly want to end racism ports as well as many cases in which, if anything happened at (and it would be naive to assume that all black leaders fall into all, the racial element is problematical, and, finally, quite a few accounts that are too vag'Ue, ill-described, and dubious to be used as evidence of anything. In addition, some of the reported This thought patrol poisons what should be nor­ "incidents" are simply differences of opinion: for example, pro­ mal civil relations among people of different races fessors who express a negative view of affirmative action. I and in countless subtle ways keeps alive whatever would hazard an educated guess that the situation in the coun­ try as a whole is similar, and that there is no "new wave" of ra­ residual racism does exist in our culture. In place cist sentiment abroad in the land. For every bona fide act of of a color-blind exchange of ideas I it prescribes an significant bigotry, I could locate a plethora of non-whites who elaborate and foolish racial etiquette by the provi­ received major career promotions on the same day. sions of which white people are supposed to govern The use of poorly-defined concepts and murky anecdotal ev­ idence when complaining about racism is only one of the prob­ their relations with others. lems that beset this entire issue, however, and in truth it is not the one that causes me the most distress. I am more concerned this category) should tum, not to asinine "anti-racist" rules of by the fact that it is becoming more and rnore difficult for blacks the kind that have recently been slapped onto the student bodies and whites to communicate with each other, especially in any of several major colleges, but to the ancient virtues of civility, sort of public forum. The careless-and often dishonest and po­ tolerance, and respect for truth. They should also insist that peo­ litically motivated-accusations of racism that are so ubiqui­ ple of every category always be treated as individuals, not as tously tossed around these days have steadily narrowed the race-units. -WPM range of "acceptable" statements to or about blacks into a nar­ row spectrum of righteous orthodoxy. These "correct" view­ For 40(, we can solve the drug crisis -One points are, as might be expected, created and disseminated not of the duties thrust upon political columnists is to use virtually even by a broad consensus but more commonly by a cadre of every mega-story in a way that supports their political self-appointed black leaders and their allies among the media convictions. elite. Thus a bad situation is made worse. So it should surprise no one that knee-jerk left-liberal colum­ It would be tedious, though not at all difficult, to list exam­ nist Carl Rowan has discovered the real cause of the epidemic of ples of both "correct" and "incorrect" thoughts on racial issues, crack-smoking that has captured the collective consciousness of as defined by the new dispensation. While I will not weary the the media: the Bush veto of the minimum wage increase to $4.65 reader in this manner, a couple of important points must be per hour. Apparently, Rowan, America's favorite trigger-happy raised. First, in the real world, as distinguished from the advocate of gun control figured that an uneducated, street-wise Liberty 13 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 young man would give up selling crack (daily income of $100 to consistent upholding of civil discourse and reasoned debate, $1,000+, according to the papers) for a minimum-wage job at even when dealing with despised enemies such as communists, $4.65 per hour, but not for the paltry $4.25 per hour advocated required a pointed repudiation of the crudities of McCarthyism, by Bush. -RWB and when they grasped that his devotion to rationality mandat­ ed a denial of religious beliefs, he was denounced as an atheistic RIP: Sidney Hook and I.F. Stone - When I subversive, secular humanist mole and, by some nitwits, even as recently heard that Sidney Hook had died after a long and pro­ pro-communist. Among some conservatives, this hostility to ductive career, I was moved to reflect upon the ease with which Hook never entirely abated. simple intellectual integrity and moral decency tend to generate For over half a century, Hook rode above all this, pursuing a enmity. This enmity was, in Hook's case, so intense that, in the successful teaching and writing career and treating his intellec­ "proper" intellectual and literary circles of the New York-Boston tual opponents with a courtesy which was infrequently recipro­ axis, his name was virtually a curse. Anyone who can upset pro­ cated. He will, and should, be missed. gressive minds that much bears study. It is disquieting to compare the decades-long battering of the Sidney Hook's intellectual history is an example of the way reputation of Sidney Hook with the almost universal reverence in which the best that is within a man-one might even say, the given to J.F. Stone, who died about a week before Hook. Stone was everywhere eulogized as a brave exemplar of journalistic Stone was everywhere eulogized as a brave ex­ courage, a victim of McCarthyism and of the Cold War, and an inspiration to the new breed of investigative reporters. In fact, emplar of journalistic courage, a victim of I.F. Stone was a Stalinist hack whose opinions on any subject McCarthyism and of the Cold War, and an inspi­ were perfectly predictable, since, at least at the height of his ca­ ration to the new breed of investigative reporters. reer, they were simply the Party line. In August 1939 he signed an advertisement denouncing the "monstrous lie" that the USSR In fact, Stone was a Stalinist hack whose opinions would ever cooperate with the forces of Naziism. When, mere on any subject were perfectly predictable, since, at days later, the Hitler-Stalin pact was announced, Stone was lost least at the height of his career, they were simply in admiration for old Joe's cunning in making peace with the Fascist Reptile. The fulminations of the previous week were con­ the Party line. signed to the memory hole, and the joint Soviet-German carnage against small European states which began almost immediately best that is within mankind-can, and sometimes does, triumph. was dismissed by Stone and his ilk as something that should After an early flirtation with Marxism and worse-he publicly certainly not concern progressive people. endorsed the Communist Party ticket in 1932-Hook moved to When after the German invasion of the Socialist Motherland the right and became what in Europe is called a "right-wing so­ on June 22, 1941, this struggle suddenly became, in Soviet par­ cial democrat," and in America a "neo-conservative." However, lance, the Great Fatherland Patriotic War, Stone heaped fulsome his importance far transcends this relatively common kind of po­ praise on the great dictator for bravely leading the forces of de­ litical odyssey. mocracy against the Nazi Beast. When Stalin invited exiled What made Hook special and admirable was his unqualified Polish patriots to Moscow and had them shot, that was fine with loyalty to truth and to certain fundamental virtues of the mind Stone, who knew Nazi agents when he read about them; and so and spirit, and his corresponding aversion to cant, to double stan­ on. Stone knew that the Korean War was started by the South in­ dards, to truth-as-political-convenience. Not for him the selective vading the North, and that the Berlin Wall was erected to keep indignation and synthetic moralism which today pass for "com­ Western spies and saboteurs out of People's Germany. Stone, in passion" and "sensitivity." Hook called 'em as he saw 'em. fact, knew everything that the communists told him, but unfor­ As a result, he picked up enemies literally left and right. tunately not much else. When he said that he hated totalitarian regimes he made it clear The contrast between Sidney Hook and I.F. Stone was the that he meant Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and the Soviet Union. contrast between honesty and stultifying servility to a totalitari­ When he advocated a color-blind society, he pointed out that of an creed. -WPl'VI course this entailed a rejection of affirmative action, racial quotas, and mawkish pandering to minority groups. Naturally the left Nobody knows the Roubles I've seen ­ smeared him as a reactionary, a Cold Warrior and a racist. The Soviet Union has been described as a Third World country Similarly, when the political right came to realize that Hook's with atomic weapons. While it enjoys some of the trappings of the developed world, the U.S.S.R. is in fact a backwater that has only supported itself through economic transfers from its vassal states and the free world, thinly disguised as regular economic intercourse. As the architects of perestroika begin to face up to the realities of Soviet economics, their plans reveal a new willing­ ness to admit the truth, no matter how embarrassing it may be. One such plan is the proposal to pay foreign-currency bo­ nuses to the most productive farms. The notion is to give real in­ centive to the farmers, incentive which cannot be bought with rubles. Last year the Soviet Union brought in $38 billion worth of Western currencies, mostly through arms sales. Farms and en­ terprises that produce goods for sale abroad are generally not al­ lowed to keep or spend foreign currency, but must exchange it 14 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 for the official rate of .6 rubles/dollar, almost seventeen times the If dollars begin to spread legally in the Soviet Union, they will true (black market) value of 10 rubles/dollar. (The exporting drive out rubles whenever possible, especially if the exchange agencies could exchange their dollars for as much as 6.6 rubles.) rate begins to creep towards its true level. But it is doubtful that Under the new program, a single exchange rate will be set for the use of the dollar in the Soviet Union will ever reach the pro­ converting the proceeds from foreign trade (1.3 rubles/dollar­ portions of the French Franc in Niger; the unfavorable exchange still far below market value), and productive farmers will be paid rate, coupled with Gresham's Law, will see to that. directly in hard currency ($64 to $96 per additional ton of wheat, Unfortunately, the reformers are going to get nowhere unless for example-32 to 48% of market price, with the Soviet state they also allow those who hold dollars to spend them abroad. pocketing the "surplus value"). The problem in the Soviet Union is not a lack of money (broadly One notes the similarity to economic conditions in many de­ defined); it is a lack of goods on which to spend money. Soviet veloping states, especially former colonies, in which national cur­ banks are burgeoning with rubles-another reason why incen­ rencies are used only for the most minor transactions, and the tive programs don't work. These savings may be used to buy up currency of the former ruling state is used in all other cases. The dollars from private holders at high rates of exchange, resulting monetary destiny of the small state is thus tied entirely to its in a flood of rubles into the economy and the inevitable inflation. "parent," but it is a more sensible system than the developing To talk of western-style inflation in an economy where the price country trying to establish the necessary reputation to float fiat of bread was established by law in the late sixties (and before money, or amass the precious metals required for hard currency. then just after World War Two) seems nonsensical, but when

mountainside was no more stark than the sight of a farmer's field shortly after harvest. In a few years, the mountainside Media Notes will be alive with trees, and eventually it will again be har­ vested. This is why we call timber a "renewable resource." Human Events, Gaglines at Human Events - When Time features American agriculture, does it show a the weekly voice of unreflective conservatism, has long and cornfield just after harvest, with a few brown stalks standing rightly opposed the Federal Election Commission and the here and there, looking as if it had just been hit by a bomb? whole penumbra of legislation that surrounds it. One of the Does it caption the photo, "The stark aftermath of reaping a few people criminally prosecuted under these laws has been field of corn near the Wiund Cave National Park"? the industrialist Armand Hammer, who pleaded guilty years The first time I saw a Midwestern cornfield after harvest I ago to slipping 54 Big Ones to the Committee to Re-Elect the was appalled by its barrenness. I had grown up in the forest; President, Nixon's re-election campaign. Since the Human my wife, who grew up in Iowa, explained that what had hap­ Events editors believe such contributions should be legal, they pened was part of the natural cycle of life. should have approved of President Bush's recent pardon of Hammer. Right? Forget it. Under the headline, "Armand Hammer rardon When Time features American agriculture, Gags Conservatives," they wrote at great length agafnst his does it show a cornfield just after harvest, with a pardon, rehashing his well-known advocacy of trade With the Reds, his brief meeting with Lenin 70 years ago, and h,s many few brown stalks standing here and there, looking joint ventures with the Soviet government. All of this was as if it had just been hit by a bomb? Does it cap­ more or less accurate-although I fail to see the relevance of tion the photo, uThe stark aftermath of reaping a the fact that Hammer's father once performed an illegal abor­ field of corn near the Wind Cave National Park"? tion-but it does not constitute an argument about the issue at hand, which is not even addressed by the editorial. The Time caption was mendacious in another respect, too. Ifone believes that a law is manifestly wrongheaded, one is The trees were not "old-growth." The trees and stumps were not obligated to advocate its open defiance; yet one is certainly far too small to be anything but second, or, more likely, third called upon to feel sympathy with those whom it unjustly pun­ growth. Why would Time mis-identify the photo? For one ishes. To say, "The law is wrong, but it should nevertheless be thing, old growth timber is found mostly in inaccessible are­ used to prosecute people we don't like," is sadly typical of the moral and intellectual obtuseness of so much of the American as, so photos are hard to get and have less visual impact. right. -WPM Besides, there is a romantic flavor to the phrase "old­ growth." One picture is worth a thousand words. The photo on the following page aJso has a peculiar cap­ - It's not often that national magazines feature the Olympic tion: "A lumberjack attacks a Douglas fir in Olympic Peninsula, the almost uninhabited comer of the United States National Forest." Attacks? Since when is a man harvesting an in which I live. So I was surprised to see a picture of a familiar agricultural product "attacking" it? sight in a recent issue of Time magazine: a color photograph of Time crafted its captions to pander to the esthetic sensibili­ a forested mountainside that had been partly harvested a year ties ofyuppies, who have seenforests on PBS specials and per­ or so earlier. Among the stumps, one could already see the haps from the windows of their BMWs; who have possibly next generation oftrees growing. hiked a few hours or even a day or so through the mountains, The caption was intriguing to me: "The stark aftermath of their hearts aflutter with the beauty of nature, their imagina­ logging in a stand of old-growth trees near Washington's tions no more able to grasp the ecology of the forest than a Olympic National Park." Neanderthal could grasp the beauty of Renaissance Art by "Stark aftermath"? To anyone familiar with the forest, the spending an afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum. -RWB Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 prices are held steady by law, the consequences of currency in­ posed to the lesser (51 % vs. 49%, for example); there was a kind flation are expressed in other ways, such as through the emer­ of built-in democracy in it: every person (regardless of race, sex, gence of barter. etc.) to count for one, and no more than one. There are still The more liberal economic reformers have to face the charg­ many objections one could give to it, but not the obvious ones es that their plans will create social chaos. These charges come that are given by those who have had one ethics course in a not only from the faceless "bureaucratic opposition" so often re­ summer session and now proceed to enlighten us on matters of ferred to in the press, but from the Soviet citizenry, who have moral philosophy. the most to lose if things get worse. A wholly convertible (hard) 2. The core of utilitarianism is "the maximization of good," ruble would end exchange problems, but convertibility is not not "the maximization of happiness." That would be true only if something that can be declared. It can only come about if Soviet happiness were the only good-which raises questions such as money is made "rational," i.e., based on a system of market pric­ whether the undeserved happiness of murderers in getting ing. A switch-over to such a system would result in genuine in­ away with their deeds is to count as good. Other things may flation, perhaps hyperinflation for some necessary goods, and count as goods, such as justice. Utilitarianism is thus much more this is a risk planners are not willing to take. Another approach flexible than its critics give it credit for. Much depends on what to rationalize the ruble would be to base it on gold, and this too one believes is to count as a good. is unlikely. It is ironic that a state holding immense gold re­ 3. By itself the utilitarian formula does not entail any specific serves also has a worthless currency. It is a lesson for those de­ social or political or economic policy. A utilitarian could be a terminists who believe that resource~ are destiny, regardless of welfare statist, an anarchist, a proponent of laissez faire, a cham­ the effects of political choices. pion of property rights, an opponent of property rights, etc., de­ The new hard currency payment plan may go the way of pending on what policies he or she believes will have the overall other recent liberalizing proposals, its impact mitigated by a best consequences if adopted. All this requires separate premis­ succession of administrative restrictions and Party or state inter­ es of an empirical nature: what policies will (probably) have ference. But the Soviet economy cannot be saved without such what consequences. And such inquiries are lengthy and messy. reforms. -JSR (There is a further complication that there is a difference be­ tween the consequences of acts and the consequences of the I hope that liber­ Utility is not a swear-word - adoption of rules. Some writers, such as Richard Brandt, believe tarians will not light into Leland Yeager for making some favor­ that rule-utilitarianism collapses into act-utilitarianism, but most able remarks about utilitarianism ("Contractarianism vs others oppose this position for one reason or another. This too is Utilitarianism," July 1989). It is pleasing to some libertarians to an unbelievably complex issue, on which volumes have been say that Jan Narveson was once (l utilitarian but has now aban­ written.) doned it in favor of something more in sympathy with libertari­ 4. It is usual to consider adherence to human rights as a posi­ anism. As one who evaluated Narveson's manuscript for the tion opposed to (and even a refutation of) utilitarianism. And in­ publisher at two stages of its preparation, I believe that such re­ deed there is something in this, depending on how it is stated. marks are oversimplifications. You have a right to your life even though a thousand persons The term "utilitarianism" means different things to different would like to take it away because they would be happier if you people, and it has become a kind of swear-word to libertarians. were dead. But may it not be that in the long view-which utili­ But it all depends on what features one takes to be central to it tarianism does take-a society is better off, happier, more just, and what features one takes to be peripheral or irrelevant: etc., if it sticks to human rights through thick and thin rather I. The popular meaning, "the greatest happiness for the than sacrificing them whenever there is an apparent gain in util­ greatest number," was never its historical meaning, not even ity in doing so? Thus, the champion of human rights need not be Bentham's when he invented that unfortunate slogan. Even for opposed to utilitarianism. Though they are different views and a hedonistic utilitarian-which Bentham was-it meant the don't state the same thing, it is possible that they may lead to the maximization of happiness; the more happiness and the less un­ same beneficent result. -JH happiness one could create in the world by one's actions, the better. It never did mean the greater number of people as op- RIP: Irving Berlin - Irving Berlin died on the first day of fall, at the age of 101. He was born in a tiny Siberian village, from which his par­ ents migrated to escape anti-Jewish persecution. he grew up in desperate poverty on the streets of New York's Chinatown. He worked as an assistant to a blind street singer. He worked as a singing waiter. He became a composer of popular songs. His first million-seller was"Alexander's Ragtime Band," which was played on the decks of the Titanic and whose 75-year copyright he survived. He grew immensely rich, lost his wealth in the crash of '29 but soon re-established himself sufficiently to get his formerly anti-Semitic father-in-law back on his feet with a gift of one million dollars. In his songs he was a perfect master of the comic arts that are appropriate to an essentially free and benevolent society. ------9 Only in such a society could the man who wrote "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning" have received the encourage­ "He wouldn't feel so bad ifit was just some nut, ment and rewards he so greatly merited. -SC but it was Milton Friedman" 16 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 The Liberty Interview

Russell Means

"I am an Indian because I am a unique individual. I always want to be an Indian. I don't want to be anything else. I don't want to be a facsimile of nothing. Libertarians are the saIne way; and yet they become just like Indians: there are fac­ similes all over the place!"

In 1970, Russell Means helped establish the Cleveland, obviously BIA-inspired, clustered along the highway. In Ohio, chapter of the radical American Indian Movement. Washington on the Olympic peninsula, on the other hand, Three years later, he helped to organize the group of insurgent the Makah Indians seem more interested in maintaining Sioux Indians that occupied Wounded Knee, South Dakota, their own traditions. for 71 days. He has since joined forces with such disparate po­ Means: That is because they have maintained their essence of liticalleaders as Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan, Libyan lead­ living, their way of life, which is fishing. In Montana, as in er Moammar Khadafy and porno publisher Larry Flynt. In South Dakota, our essence in life was hunting. And once we 1987, he joined the Libertarian Party and sought its presiden­ were robbed of that, we have had to adjust. But you see, we tial nomination. have adjusted. But there is also a hidden policy in American Since then he has worked with the Navajo in Arizona and government that those who resisted, back in the 1800s, get with libertarians around the country. In July, he was arrested the worst oppression, repression and suppression. The Sioux for Ifassault and battery" of agovernment official-that is, for certainly come under that, and anyone associated with them, attempting to make a citizen's arrest of a Bureau of Indian such as the Cheyenne and the Arapaho. Affairs official. _, Liberty: You often speak of Indians as one culture, as somehow Means took time out at the Eris Society conference in spiritually one. Yet before the white man came, there was a Aspen, Colo, in August to be interviewed by Liberty. wide diversity of cultures in the Western hemisphere ... Liberty: You said you haven't made up your mind about seek­ Means: Don't misunderstand me. I don't know how you de­ ing the Libertarian Party's nomination for president in 1992, fine culture, but I define culture as a way of life. I don't de­ and will instead concentrate on next year's campaign for fine it as categorized as music, or Michael Jackson. My Arizona state legislature. What do you think will be the im­ culture and our culture was all-encompassing. When your portant issues in your 1990 Arizona campaign? culture is a way of life, you can't categorize it as a political, or Means: First, pave the roads, and privatize them. Second, I'll economic, or educational system; it is one, one way of life. get the state government out of the Navajo reservation, and I was listening, today, to a man who described me as hav­ thereby eliminate my job. ing no education and no history, and-of course!-we don't; Liberty: Do you think that the Navajos ultimately will opt for and this is supposed to justifyThomas Jefferson's idea of sovereignty? complete annihilation. It "justifies" the killing of Indians in Means: They have a big struggle ahead ofthem; it will take Nicaragua, Brazil or Peru, or in Paraguay-Stroessner's them into the next century. It's an evolutionary process. They country, where they still have a bounty on Indian heads. are just now breaking the bonds. And which way it goes is Liberty: What I was getting at was that, for example, Inca Peru what you have to watch out for. And that is why I am in­ was basically a religious-socialist system with a princely volved; I hope to guide it towards freedom. class that enjoyed all kinds of privileges that was in some Liberty: I have noticed what seems to be a cultural difference ways similar to medieval Europe ... between Indians who live in the coastal areas of Washington Means: No, it wasn't. That is what the Franciscans put out and and those who live in, say, Montana. My impression of the want you to believe. In fact, libertarians of all people should Indians in Montana is that they didn't seem to have much delve into these regimes in Mexico and South America that pride. It seemed to me that they were ""hat you have else­ were so prolific in advancement. They also lived by the clan where called "hang-around-the-fort" Indians. The only enter­ system; they championed individual property and wealth, prises I saw looked like little pseudo-businesses that were but they didn't make the mistake of recording wealth, or in- Liberty 17 Volume 3, Number 2 The Liberty Interview November 1989 stituting a monetary system or time-clock. My point is that school. Well, that's a lie! Look at Prohibition; Prohibition they probably were the epitome of a libertarian life-style, or created national crime syndicates. National. Well, with the what a libertarian society would want to be: a rich society prohibition of 1% of the drugs you have the creation of inter­ that accumulated wealth by various different types of people. national crime cartels. What did they learn? They didn't learn There were no kings, queens or royalty as such. In those socie­ anything but to make better crime organizations. ties, as in my society, you had to earn your position; unbe­ Liberty: Most libertarians, I think it's pretty clear, believe that knownst to the Franciscans, Cortez, or Pizarro, those leaders abortion ought to be legal and the woman should have the were very poor people, materially, as in our primitive, no­ right to have an abortion if she wants one. A few libertarians, madic peoples. including 1988 Libertarian Party presidential nominee Ron Liberty: That is in part what I am asking about. There was a Paul, believe that abortion ought to be illegal. What is your position on this issue? high degree of agriculture in Peru and Mexico; but at the same time a pre-agricultural society in most places in North Means: Government out of it. Period. America. What I know of the Paiutes is that they lived, by Liberty: Right now we have all kinds of government policies contemporary standards, an extremely primitive hunter- designed to protect the environment. What course of action will best protect the environment? Every writing that has ever been done has done Means: Strict liability. Liberty: What do you think of the Exxon spill? nothing but create division. The Bible, the U. S. Means: With strict liability it would never have happened. Constitution, the Koran-you go on and on, any And I think that every individual that was harmed economi­ written document-Shakespeare, for crying out cally should have the right to sue Exxon, and the govern­ ment, and everyone who has responsibility for that. loud; Beethoven! If it is written down, it becomes I've talked to Alaskans, and it's a joke around Valdez: eve­ an instrument of division. rybody is drunk! Everybody! Tugboat captains, you name it, everybody drinks excessively up there. Everybody who runs gatherer kind of society. Much more primitive than other a ship, their helpers ... the whole port is a massive alcohol­ American Indians. ism center. And if you understood all the variables about the Means: That's again a stereotype. Understand the area, you will understand that they have to seek an escape environment. somehow. But this incident was not an exception; it is a way Liberty: Of course, given the harsh environment the Paiutes of life up there. lived in ... Liberty: You have lived enough of your life in the West to Means: No, no. They lived-and still live-in the area of their know that in the western half of the United States the govern­ choice. Don't mix up religion with a way of life. A desert is a ment owns almost all the land. It has been proposed by some veritable wealth; it's a paradise-if you know how to live in people that one way to protect the environment is to priva­ it. tize more of it. What do you think of privatization? When I was growing up in California, I took California his­ Means: I don't see how it is possible. We had privatization in tory. But the only books that I could find on California the West before the coming of the regulatory animals, and Indians said that they were root-gatherers, who just went you saw 60 million buffalo were killed in 60 years. Do you re­ around eating roots, going from plant to plant; they were alize what a massive slaughter that entailed? I mean, that is "dirty." But if you think the Paiutes live in a desolate place, fact. A million a year. go see the 0'odham people, in southern Arizona and in Now, you look at everything else that is germane to the Mexico; they live in a real desert-but so do the Bedouins, West; look at the Ogallala aquifer being pumped dry because and they are the richest people on earth! At any rate, they of wasteful technology. I have nothing against technology, know how to live there, so it is a paradise. but wasteful technology has no place in anyone's scheme of It is amazing what people overlook. People say hunter­ things. And it's just massive killing of the coyote by ranchers gathering societies are very primitive. Actually, they are the who are still insisting on doing it-and what happens? The height of civilization. It's the height of living with everything, gophers and ground hogs take over, and the prairie dogs it is the height of property-ownership, it is the height of liber­ move in. And decimate their lands, worse than the coyote tarian society. It is a society without vacations. I can't under­ ever could. It's just insanity to expect uneducated, unknowl­ stand condemning people who only work an hour a day! edgeable people to privatize in a just manner. It's been prov­ Liberty: That sounds pretty good to me! en that it can't be done. Means: People who only work an hour a day; where is that at? Liberty: It seems odd to me to think of the 19th Century expe­ Isn't that what unions are supposed to be all about? rience as privatization. As I understand it, the people who Liberty: What is your view on the legalization of drugs? hunted the buffalo were not people who owned the land or Means: I think it's great; it is the only thing that makes sense! I had any right to the land. There was no privatization at all; am an ad hoc student of history, and I started out my college the government simply allowed anyone to could go in there career wanting to be a history teacher; but when I first started and kill anything he wanted to. high school and they wanted me to take history, I said ''What Means: It goes for the coyote, too, and for the eagle and for for? Why?" The answer invariably was and is that we have to everything. Actually, the government has had to step in to learn from the past so that we won't make the same mistakes put some kind of restraints on killing anything that went on again. That's what they tell you in grade school and high four feet. The only thing they couldn't eradicate were the 18 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 The Liberty Interview November 1989 coyotes, which were too smart. You must take your time on problems. privatization, and educate before you allow people willy nil­ The existence of the clan mothers shows that the claim that Iy to go anywhere. there are founding fathers to this nation is both racist and sex­ Of course, the settlers were put on the plains to control the ist. In reality we have founding mothers. The founding moth­ Indians and get at the natural resources by the government ers of the USA were people who couldn't read or write. So and whoever their partners were. That vvas simply true in the you can't have an illiterate, especially a woman, to have been Black Hills-when gold was discovered there. Look at the the basis of our country, its supposed-to-be champion ... in­ sorry history of the Mormons; one of the deals the Mormons dividual rights based on representative government. Thomas made with the government was to get rid of the Utes, and get Paine recognized this in his writings; Benjamin Franklin use of the land. It's sickening history, but history made speeches about it as early as 1734 and wrote about it; nonetheless. and even Thomas Jefferson mentioned it. Liberty: Is there a solution to environmental problems? So the first policy- and European policy since-was reloca­ Means: Government is not the solution. But I do believe that a tion and extermination. But it didn't become feasible until af­ new Homestead Act has to be enacted. There has to be a re­ ter they reached the Mississippi River because the Indian settling of the land. You have to have people on the land. If nations were too strong militarily. Also, the nation had just exhausted itself in its own civil war and was subject to mili­ We had privatization in the West before the tary defeat. Like my nation which was the first nation to ever militarily defeat the USA, and the subsequent pleadings for coming of the regulatory animals, and you saw peace resulted in the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty and that is 60 million buffalo were killed in 60 years. You why I am standing here today; because of that treaty. must take your time on privatization, and edu­ Reservations come from the word reserve. We reserve certain ~willy land area for ourselves, especially our west, so theycouldn't cate before you allow people nilly to go move us. They removed quite a few in a number of Indian na­ anywhere. tions specifically to Oklahoma, but most ofus they couldn't re­ move even when theytried to starve us into submission. So you d,on't have people on the land, and you have them just theybeganthe reservation policy that is continuing today. This owning a condominium in Denver, or somewhere, you are in is America's apartheid system, and it has been the shining ex­ trouble as a society. ample for dominion, colonialism-successful colonialism-the Liberty: You call yourself an Indian, a European term for an world over. America practices and perfects its colonial tactics Asiatic people. Yet you seem to reject mlUch of European cul­ on Indian reservations and then exports it to the world. ture and traditions ... Liberty: In the article of yours published in Mother Jones, you Means: "Indian" is not a word for an Asian people. Some peo­ made a point of the fact that you were speaking but not writ­ ple think it comes from the word India. But in the 1400s, ing, and that writing words was a European artifact that ... when Europeans first visited America, the country people now call India was called Hindustan. Look at any old map Means: What I was saying was that Europeans put too much and see. Columbus called the people hE! met "Indio", from emphasis on writing. There is nothing wrong with it; my peo­ the Italian for "with God." "Indian" mE!anS "people with ple had a form of writing, up and down this hemisphere. The God." That is why I am proud to be called an Indian. Liberty: You have spoken about the clan system and its People say hunter-gathering societies are very importance ... primitive. Actually, they are the height of civili­ Means: The clan system is responsible for the premise of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The dan mothers of the zation. It's the height of living with everything, Iroquois Confederacy and the Huron Confederacy are the it is the height of property-ownership, it is the ones responsible for the European philosophers­ height of libertarian society. particularly the French back in the 16th century-who began to recognize the beauty of representative government that champions individual rights. John Locke even grabbed ahold point I was trying to make was that they place way too much of it and wrote about it. The Indians championed individual emphasis on it, and that every writing that has ever been rights in their systems. done has done nothing but create division. The Bible, the U. S. The clan mothers didn't have a written constitution, but Constitution, the Koran-you go on and on, any written doc­ they are the ones who gave men suffrage. And they are the ument-Shakespeare, for crying out loud; Beethoven!-If it is ones who chose the leaders and got rid of them if the need written down, it becomes an instrument of division. And that arose. Also the clan mothers made sure that there wasn't any is what I was trying to say; but I just lightly touched on it, I slavery-something that the so-called founding fathers for­ didn't really want to get into it. got to include, along with women's suffrage. So you see us Liberty: Most libertarians see themselves as part of this primitives have something to contribute not only to today's Western tradition of literacy and rationality, of intellectual­ world but in the future also. That the Constitution is a shin­ ism. Do you see yourself as in some sense opposed to this, in ing document for people not only in this nation but all over some way broadening the libertarian movement because you the world is shown by the recent events in Tiananmen don't come from within this tradition? Square, and as we witness continually around the globe as Means: I want to interact with libertarians, as I want to interact both right-wing and left-wing socialism are having its with all of life. To put it very simply, I do believe that libertar- Liberty 19 Volume 3, Number 2 The Liberty Interview November 1989 ians should go out and deal with life, rather than just read emotionally? about it. And then maybe they'll meet an Eskimo, rather than Means: I do not believe they have enough love. making speeches condemning that Eskimo without knowing Liberty: I remember in Texas you said that the LP Platform anything about Eskimos. was "one great big love." I did not understand what you I really like libertarians because they are just like Indians! meant. With both you got a cloistered little world. The reality of the Means: It is a message of love. And that is all it should be. libertarian world is completely at odds with what libertarians "We love you, and this is our perception of how to bring read and know about logically; the reality of the Indian world about world peace." That is all it is. Let's get to the issues. What concerns you? How are we going to get that concern? We all have the same interests. There is no problem. We When you are in a war, every front is neces­ agree with every American. sary. Think-tanks are necessary, election cam­ Liberty: A lot of Americans find libertarian ideas almost repul­ paigns for the President on down are necessary; sive when they come across them. What do you think is the everything in fighting for freedom is necessary, best way ofapproaching people who generally look more for because we are surrounded. security than for liberty? Means: Well, that is the essence of why I started FIF (Freedom If you want to be sovereign, act sovereign. Be Is For Everyone), though we unfortunately hit a mud-hole an example. Freedom works. and got stuck. What we were trying to do was to show peo­ ple that it can be done. In 1974 I heard John Maw, a Seneca is completely at odds with our way of life. Both are at opposite leader of the Iroquois Confederacy, say "if you want to be ends of the spectrum. sovereign, act sovereign." That is all you have to do. Ifyou I am an Indian because I am a unique individual. I always want to be sovereign, act sovereign. Be an example. Freedom want to be an Indian. I don't want to be anything else. I don't works. Create free institutions. want to be a facsimile of nothing. Libertarians are the same When you are in a war, every front is necessary. Think­ way; and yet they become just like Indians: there are facsimi­ tanks are necessary, election campaigns for the President on les all over the place! down are necessary; everything in fighting for freedom is necessary, because we are surrounded. But most important­ Liberty: You have said that there is nothing in the LP platform ly, we have to create our own freedom institutions. that "isn't Indian," and you also have said that you "speak I have approached three libertarian think-tanks (and talked American"; yet few Americans are comfortable with the liber­ a bit with several more) about trying to get to a reservation tarian program. Is the LP platform somehow Indian but not and going to work: create a libertarian country here. The American, or is it just the case that libertarians can't get their only place in America that you can almost immediately message across to the American people? create a libertarian country is on an Indian reservation, be­ Means: It's another case of putting too much store in a written cause they have the sovereignty to do it; without an armed document. By putting all that faith in a written document, revolution, and without all this crap with elections. We you have to explain it and argue about it. And all it does is could do it: I know the psychology of tribal officials, who are become a divisive force for libertarians who are trying to get on the dole. We would sit down, in the think-tank faction, out the message of freedom. and figure out an approach, and do it! But I can't get any in­ Llberty: What would you like to see in anLP platform? terest! Every time I want to bring in some of these people, Means: I'd say, switch the word from Libertarian Party platform some Indians, they beg off. They have excuses. All I got was to Libertarian Party Statement of Principles. And get on with pamphlets. Pamphlets! This would have to be a full-scale the issues. project. It would be a lot of work, and it would not happen Liberty: Do you think that libertarians are too thinking­ overnight, but we can succeed. Surely some libertarians oriented, and don't spend enough time to relate to people must be interested. 0

Letters, continued from page 6 their equal desire for a laissez-faire econ­ that Reconstructionists advocate poli­ first place. omy ("Reconstructionists, Libertarians, cies that restrict personal liberty. Douglas Mataconis and Dead Theologians," September, In our zeal to advance liberty in cer­ Piscataway, N.J. 1989). The problem, however, as Mr. tain areas through temporary alliances Fresh Air and a Healthy Tucker correctly points out, is that liber­ with groups that may disagree with us Breakfast tarians seek to reduce coercion as a in other areas, we must not forget that I like reading all points ofview on the means toward the end freedom from these alliances are best if they are only environmental issues that you publish, state coercion, whereas Reconstruct­ temporary and that the ultimate but I don't like being shit on because I like ionists advocate policy changes as a achievement of a libertarian society fresh air and don't want someone to piss means toward creation of the kingdom of should not be sacrificed in order to in my breakfast. heaven on earth in anticipation of the achieve a victory for liberty in one area William Paloma millenium. Given this almost total disa­ that ends up corrupting the principles Waltham, Mass. greement on ends, it is hardly surprising we are supposed to be acting on in the continued on page 68 20 Liberty Analysis

"Winning" the War on Drugs by Joseph Miranda

It may not be easy, but the U.S. government can win its War on Drugs. Maybe.

William Bennett is ta.king his title as Drug Czar seriously: he has called for the suspension of civil liberties and use of the military to combat the drug threat. But before the U.S. invades drug producing countries in South America, we should first examine what this war will entail­ the objectives, the strategies, and the in·· evitable casualties. . The rhetoric of a "drug war" is not age of resources. It is a failure of strate­ cartels, and the cartels would be either exaggerated. The anti-drug campaign gy. The methods employed by the drug destroyed or forced to capitulate. has been fought in foreign countries" warriors are demonstrably doomed to Though the anti-drug fight does re­ produced thousands of casualties, and failure. Simply dumping more resourc­ semble a war, it is not a conventional involved a host of federal agencies, in·· es into the drug war will not win it; conflict. It is a form of warfare generally eluding the Drug Enforcement Admin·· given the flaws of U.S. drug strategy known as Low Intensity Conflict, with istration, the Coast Guard, Border they would only compound the level of the drug cartels resembling insurgent Patrol, Secret Service, Customs Service, ultimate failure. organizations. 2 American policy has U.S. Information Agency, the FBI, CIA, What the drug warriors do not real­ been unable to deal with the cartels be­ IRS, INS, BATF, as well as elements of ize is that the situation is more warlike cause the U.S. insists upon applying the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Nation·· than they imagine. The methods re­ strategies that made a certain amount of al Guard. 1 qUired to "Yin this war are those Ameri­ sense forty-five years ago but are today Yet, despite the forces assembled for cans would be loathe to take. The end obsolete. the fight, the war does not seem to bE~ result is that the drug enforcers are Like insurgent groups, the drug car­ going very well. At home, virtually dragging the United States into real tels 3 are characterized by: every law enforcement agency reports wars that America has no hope of (1) An extensive organizational in­ an increase in drug use and drug­ winning. frastructure: This infrastructure is a per­ related crime. Abroad, the drug cartels manent organization that conducts all operate openly, and have taken control Drug Cartels as Insurgents aspects of the organization's operations. of several governments in Latin When Americans think of war, they A drug cartel can be divided into sever­ America. generally think of conventional conflicts al components: an infrastructure for Why is this so? like World War II. In conventional production of drugs; an infrastructure The usual answer is that the U.S. has wars, the side that musters the most for distribution of drugs; and an infra­ not made a sufficient effort, that if only military force (in terms of firepower structure for security, intelligence and there could be more funds committed and technology) will win by delivering subversion. 4 Directing this infrastruc­ to drug enforcement, more airplanes for massive blows against the enemy in ture is the cartels' leadership. The car­ drug interdiction, more agents to seize battle. If the fight against drugs were a tels' infrastructure operates largely the property of drug users, more defoli­ conventional war, all the U.S. would underground. It does not openly con­ ants to destroy coca fields, the war need to do to win the war on drugs is front government forces. Instead, it could be won. mobilize sufficient manpower and relies upon clandestine means to con­ But the real problem is not a short:- weaponry, fling them against the drug ceal and protect itself. Liberty 21 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 (2) Use of terror and subversion: by recruits, intelligence information, sanc­ bile Rural Patrol Unit (otherwise known using unconventional means of warfare, tuary, local defense against law enforce­ as the Leopards) to conduct raids the cartels can hold their own against ment, andpolitical legitimacy. against drugs factories. 12 The U.S. has forces with superior resources. There have been numerous incidents also supported the eradication of drug The cartels employ terrorism in the in which peasants in coca producing re­ fields by aerial spraying of defoliants. forms of assassinations, threats and kid­ gions have given advance warning to Expanded efforts have been made to in­ napping targeting police, judges, news­ the cartels of government raids, and terdict air and sea lanes into the United paper editors, government officials and then attacked drug enforcement person­ States, including assistance to other gov­ other opponents. This eliminates their nel to defend the coca fields. 8 ernmnets from our armed forces in the enemies, demoralizes society and fore­ Why do people support the drug form of aircraft, equipment and training. stalls potential opposition. cartels? Partly because they fear retalia­ Federal task forces have been formed to There have been numerous exam­ tion if they oppose the cartels. But, more concentrate on cities critical to the drug ples of their use of terror tactics: the at­ importantly, people support the drug trade, such as Miami. There are in­ tack on the Colombian Palace of Justice cartels because drugs are an important creased penalties for the possession and cash crop: coca throughout much of use of drugs, both civil and criminal. Latin America, opium in Asia and mari­ Drug users now find themselves faced How would Americans juana and tobacco in the United States. with fines, confiscation of their proper­ react if Colombia demanded In Bolivia, coca has been the primary ty, and denial of federal benefits, as well cash crop since 1979, when it displaced as time in jail. that the u.s. cease all produc­ replaced cotton. 9 Yet these measures have failed. The tion of tobacco immediately Because drug factories employ the amount of drugs coming into the United (on the grounds that tobacco is rural and urban poor, attacks on drug States has not diminished. By various production are seen as attacks on the estimates, 75 to 95 percent of all drugs an addictive, life endangering people themselves. Some cartels have make it through·13 Drug use is as wide­ drug) and sent its armed forc­ solidified their popular support spread as ever. 14 es into the United States to providing the poor with social services. The Drug Enforcement Administra­ The Medellin cartel, for example, has tion has a total of 2800 agents, about 300 burn tobacco fields and shoot created jobs, supported social welfare of which are deployed overseas. 15 This .tobacco farmers, and send projects, and contributed to charities in is a ludicrously small number to fight Hspecial agents" to the u.s. to order to further foster this support. 10 In the hundreds of thousands of people in many cases, the people look to the car­ the drug producing infrastructure. Even kidnap the President of Re­ tels as the legitimate source of political with the participation of other federal ynolds Tobacco and bring him power. agencies, manpower in the drug war has back to Bogota for trial? Within the United States itself, drug proven woefully insufficient-which is gangs provide employment for the one of the reasons why Czar Bennett has urban poor as drug pushers, enforcers, been calling for deployment of the lookouts, and couriers. And popular military. in November 1985 by communist guer­ support for the gangs and cartels also But the real problem is not a lack of rillas allied to the cartels; the assassina­ comes from their customers, the mil­ manpower. Law enforcement has failed tion of the Colombian minister of lions of Americans to whom they pro­ because it has managed to ignore the na­ justice; the kidnapping and murder of vide a product they can't obtain ture of low intensity conflict. The drug DEA agent Enrique Camarena Salazar elsewhere: the drug of their choice. war has been led by people who have no idea howto fight and win such a conflict. in Mexico; and the assassinations of The Failure of New York City police officer Ed Burn Drug enforcement personnel are dealing and Colombian presidential candidate Law Enforcement with an insurgency, but they think they Luis Carlos Galan. There are many The war on drugs been pursued by can deal with it by conventional means. others. 5 the following methods: Instead of learning from their errors, Just as importantly, the cartels influ­ 1. Eradication of crops by host they blindly push on. The result has ence governments through bribery and nations. been not only frustration for the drug en­ subversion. On the local level, they 2. Interdiction of drug smuggling. forcers, but a potentially disastrous situ­ enter into alliances with mayors of 3. Investigation and prosecution of ation for the United States itself. towns and villages in drug producing drug cartel members. Consider the errors the drug enforc­ regions. On the national level, they back 4. Increased penalization of drug ers have made: coups and form partnerships with high users.ll (1) Alienation of popular support: First level leaders. 6 The end result is that the These methods have been pursued and foremost in this form of conflict, the cartels become a shadow government in in a wide variety of ways. DEA agents government must have popular sup­ drug producing areas. 7 have been posted overseas to conduct port. The intelligence, recruits and sanc­ (3) Popular support: The drug car­ investigations of drug cartels and advise tuary that accrue to the cartels by virtue tels rely upon the support of the people foreign governments in their anti-drug of support from the people must be for their continued existence. Popular campaigns. The U.S. government assist­ eliminated before the cartels themselves support provides the cartels with ed the Bolivians in organizing the Mo- can be att.acked. Yet, drug enforcement 22 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 officers make virtually no attempt to and fortified compounds they leave the enforcement personnel in the continuing win over the native populations. In·· countryside to the cartels. The cartels battle for control of Colombia. In Peru, stead, by attacking peasant interests the then move back into regions where raids the war is over: drug eradication efforts drug enforcers push the people further have occurred, repair the damage, and came to an end when the guerrillas and into supporting the cartels. This has re·· esume operations. The result is that cartel security forces made it impossible suIted in an alliance between peasants;, hough the number of arrests made and local governments, and the cartels, all of !cres of coca destroyed look good in re­ whom have vested interests in continu­ ports to Congress, drug production is Law enforcement agencies ing drug production. practically unaffected. Popular opposition in drug produc·· Since the drug enforcers are not a are allowed to keep for their ing countries to U.S. drug policies permanent presence in the countryside, own use property seized from should be expected. How would Ameri·· they cannot hold what they take. They people involved in the drug cans react if Colombia demanded that cannot protect those sectors of the popu­ the U.S. cease all production of tobacco lace that favor law enforcement. When trade. This reduces the police immediately (on the grounds that tobac­ crop eradication causes the cessation of to the status of looters, making co is an addictive, life endangering production in a region, the cartels go arrests simply to gain access to drug) and sent its armed forces into the elsewhere. The problem is pushed United States to burn tobacco fields and around the countryside without being the houses, cars, helicopters, shoot tobacco farmers, and send "spe­ eliminated. In actual fact, crop eradica­ computers and office furniture cial agents" to the U.S. to kidnap the tion has destroyed only a small fraction that belong to other people. President of Reynolds Tobacco and of the total coca crop. Coca production bring him back to Bogota for triar? has been increasing in the face of the Wouldn't Americans fe~l their national drug war. 17 sovereignty had been violated? (3) A failure to neutralize the cartels' in­ for the police and military enter the drug Wouldn't American tobacco farmers frastructure: There have been no system­ producing regions of the country. 20 start shooting back? And wouldn't U.s. atic operations against the cartels' Mass support for the cartels has been law enforcement officials be more likely infrastructure. Enforcement operations manifested by peasant protest demon­ have concentrated on a few spectacular strations as well as by local farmers ral­ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~. arrests and prosecutions of cartel lead­ lying to the defense of their fields ers. 18 But these have little effect on against drug enforcement personnel. 21 Unable to deal with the situ­ overall cartel operations because as long A similar situation has arisen within ation, the drug 'enforcers as the infrastructure remains intact the the United States. Growers of marijuana cartels can replace their losses by pro­ have become increasingly militant, using thrash around, trying to find moting people from lower echelons. armed security personnel and booby solutions. The two solutions Similarly, arresting the peasants and traps to counter law enforcement. 22 now in vogue are attacking the urban poor at the bottom of the organi­ They often have the compliance of the zation has no real impact because the surrounding community. Within U.S. users of drugs, and-when aU cartels can gain new recruits by using cities, drug gangs have developed exten­ else fa ils--ealling in the the enticement of employment in the sive infrastructures (although not yet as military. drug trade. well developed as the major cartels' in­ To defend against the threat of U.S. frastructures). Gangs control many directed drug enforcement operations, urban areas, bringing with them crime to side with their fellow citizens than the cartels have entered into an alliance and violence. the agents of a foreign power? with Communist guerrilla movements Drug enforcement is in over its head. Some attempts have been made by in Latin America, including Peru's While in the past, drug organizations Latin American governments to shift Shining Path and Colombia's M-19. The consisted of only small numbers of peo­ peasant support from the cartels by cartels supply the guerrillas with ple and sporadic operations, such as the crop substitution programs. Govern­ money and weapons; the ments, with U.S. foreign aid, pay peas­ guerrillas practice terror­ ants to raise alternative crops to coca ism against their mutual (one of the substitutes is, ironically, to­ enemies. Backed up by bacco).16 However, these substitution mass peasant support they programs fail because the peasants can have emerged as a politi­ make more money by planting coca. cal and military danger to Often, they will take the government the entire region. 19 funds and then plant coca elsewhere. Police find themselves (2) A lack of ongoing operations: Drug faced with ambushes, land enforcement has no permanent presence mines and attacks on po­ in the countryside. Spectacular raids do lice posts by guerrillas. The destroy coca fields, but when the drug cartels have killed several enforcers go back to their base camps hundred judicial and law Liberty 23 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 celebrated "French Connection," today United States for drugs; use of "drug Congressional testimony, then Secretary the cartels have grown to the point profiles" to identify potential drug cou­ of Defense Frank Carlucci stated, that where they outnumber law enforcement riers; and mandatory drug testing. 24 the primary role of the military is to de­ personnel. 23 While drug enforcement There are also increased federal penal­ fend the country from armed aggression. personnel like to proclaim "victories" in ties for use of drugs. Some of these are Drug enforcement is a law enforcement, the war on drugs, the fact that the Co­ civil penalties, such as fines for use of not military, problem. For the military lombian government has found it in­ marijuana. More extreme yet are plans to get involved would be a violation of creasingly difficult to find anyone to to incarcerate first-time drug offenders the Posse Comitatus Act, which forbids take the post of Minister of Justice is an in detention camps where they will un­ the military from having law 'enforce­ indicator of who is really winning. dergo reeducation through ''boot camp" ment power unless there is a state of Moreover, the drug enforcers now find style training. emergency. 25 These policies are doomed to failure. The armed forces are not trained for They affect drug users only marginally. a law enforcement environment. The This conflict cannot be won Law enforcement simply does not have armed forces use firepower, not arrests, by one-shot measures or spec­ the manpower to find and apprehend to solve problems. The armed forces will every drug user in the country. In­ require extensive retraining if they are tacular single operations. creased prosecution of casual users can to be deployed effectively in the war on Bombing the drug fields would only clog the criuminal justice system. drugs. accomplish nothing in the long In any event, there are insufficient de­ More critically, there is no clear cut tention facilities to hold every last per­ mission for the military in the drug war. run simply because the cartels son convicted of drug crimes. So far, the U.S. has used its armed forces would move back into devas­ These policies also alienate people in a limited role, mostly providing mili­ tated areas and rebuild. There from the law enforcement establish­ tary units for border surveillance and ment. Drug users are not the only ones equipment and some training to support will be hundreds and even effected by these measures; in point of Latin American anti-drug efforts. But thousands of dead, wounded, fact, people who have never had any in­ these actions have been piecemeal and and missing Americans. volvement with drugs have had their have had no real impact. 26 cars confiscated because passengers pos­ Experience has demonstrated that in­ sessed drugs, their persons subjected to terdiction is incredibly difficult. The U.S. themselves the target of terrorism. Their arbitrary searches, and their bodies sub­ and its allies in Indochina could not stop status as law enforcement officers no jected to humiliating drug tests. the flow of men and material along the longer gives them immunity from Innocent people who have been vic­ Ho Chi Minh trail, a narrow land corri- attack. timized by the drug war will vent their Rather than trying to analyze the sit­ wrath against law enforcement in gener­ uation and then developing strategies to al, and some will tum to dubious and How will middle America win, the drug warriors simply call for self-defeating forms of activism. react when its sons and daugh­ more of the same. A case in point is in­ Another alarming trend is the use of ters coming back from Colom­ terdiction of U.S. borders. At present confiscated property by law enforce­ more than 90% of drugs get through. ment agencies. Law enforcement agen­ bia and Peru in body bags? What good will a few more aircraft and cies are allowed to keep for their own another thousand agents be to stem the use property seized from people in­ flow of drugs? The assumption is simi­ volved in the drug trade. This reduces dor, even though the United States lar to that of conventional military lead­ the police to the status of looters, mak­ threw the full weight of its air power ership when faced with unconventional ing arrests simply to gain access to the against it. insurgents: if a policy isn't working, houses, cars, helicopters, computers and What would it require to seal U.S. then do more of it and hope that some­ office furniture that belong to other borders against the drug flow? The De­ how victory awaits at the end of the people. partment of Defense did an analysis, tunnel. As a whole, these attacks against the which concluded that complete interdic­ Unable to deal with the situation, users are bad police procedure. While tion would require 96 infantry batta­ the drug enforcers thrash around, trying they may run up arrest statistics and lions, 53 helicopter companies, 210 to find solutions. The two solutions now "prove" police are doing something, patrol ships, and 110 surveillance air­ in vogue are attacking the users of they have little effect on the drug craft.27 The required military units ex­ drugs, and-when all else fails-<:alling infrastructure. ceed thase in the entire continental in the military. Deploying the military into the drug United States. Obviously, President Currently, there are several policies war seems at first a reasonable move. Bush's commitment of forces as outlined for attacking casual drug users: zero tol­ After all, one of the missions of· the in his September 5, 1989 speech will not erance (the confiscation of the property armed forces is defense of American work. of drug users, and that of people in borders, which drug smugglers routine­ whose vehicles drugs are found); de­ ly violate. The Department of Defense, A War Winning Strategy priving drug users of federal benefits; however, has been reluctant to commit What would it take to fight and win arbitrarily searching people entering the the armed forces to the war on drugs. in a real war on drugs? The answer is sim- 24 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 pIe: it would take the same measures (3) Interdiction of u.s. borders: u.s. all individuals entering the U.S. would necessary to fight and win against an in­ forces would have to track, stop and have to be searched. surgency. This would mean a national search all vehicles entering the United (4) Combat in drug producing countries: strategy containing the following States by land, sea and air. Additionally, U.S. forces would have to occupy drug elements. 28 (1) Clear national objectives: The Unit­ ed States' goals would be to eliminate all drug manufacture, importation, and use--not just reduce the flow, not just u.s. Imports Criminals to make drugs more expensive, but virtual­ ly eliminate them. This would require a centralized direction of all operations Fill Domestic Shortage against drugs, with the federal govern­ ment in charge. by Adam Starchild (2) A mobilization of the armed forces: Many commercial airline flights be­ Sentencing Commission. The judge The United States would have to expand tween Latin America and Europe make gave the extra time because he wanted its armed forces to the level where they unscheduled and unannounced refuel­ to deter future smugglers-a wholly ri­ can be properly deployed for interdic­ ing stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico. diculous notion since Aguilar wasn't tion and other anti-drug operations. Normally when this happens in inter­ even trying to come to the U.S., much There would have to be a return to con­ national aviation-and it is a routine less smuggle here. scription, with the government drafting event in all countries-the passengers Aguilar's case will cost the U.S. tax­ sufficient man- (and woman-) power to either stay on board, or are taken to a payers at least $100,000. For this raise forces. secure transit lounge adjoining the $100,000 a few agents at Customs and (The government could put out a call plane. the DEA got to phony up their statis­ for volunteers: I am sure those people But the U.S. Customs and the tics and help make it look like San Juan now clamoring for a war on drugs Drug Enforcement Administration are is a hotbed of the international narcot­ would be more than willing to spend using this opportunity to search the ics trade, thus justifying more money the next several years of their lives as in­ passengers and baggage. Not surpris­ to that field office's budget. fantrymen patrolling the jungles of ingly, they often find cocaine. The pas­ For no tax money at all, Aguilar South America in armed combat with senger is then taken off the plane, could have been left on the plane un­ guerrillas ... ) charged with drug smuggling, and in­ searched and the German or Swiss au­ The United States would also have variably receives a long federal prison thorities could have dealt with their to call up the National Guard and Re­ sentence-often twelve or fifteen own problems at their own expense if serves. The National Guard contains years. The new prisoner is then flown they cared to be bothered. Multiply some fifty per cent of the armed forces' to a federal prison in the United Aguilar by many arrests every week combat units, and would be vital in sup­ States, since there are no federal pris­ and you have an idea of the endless plementing active duty manpower. The ons in Puerto Rico. This costs the U. S. cost to the taxpayers. There are about Reserves would have to be activated, be­ taxpayer approximately $20,000 per 40 similar cases at Sandstone; about 5% cause most of the logistic support units year for the imprisonment, plus the of that prison's population. There is no needed for sustained military operations cost of the trial which could be in the reason for the American taxpayers to (such as petroleum supply, medical, and tens of thousands of dollars, and keep Europe drug-free. maintenance) are in the Reserves. The much more if the accused puts up a Apart from the dollar cost to the U.S. would have to endure the disrup­ real fight. Later there is the cost of im­ American taxpayer, there is a cost to tion of the civilian economy caused by migration detention after the prison our fundamental concepts of law and this activation, since it would mean re­ sentence, an immigration hearing or justice. One of the basic principles of moving hundreds of thousands of civil­ two, and the cost of deportation, in­ American law is that there must be the ians from their jobs. cluding airfare back to the country of intent to commit a crime before a per­ There would have to be a massive re­ origin. son can be convicted of a crime. How training program so that the military The case of Jorge Aguilar-Pena, a can a person who never expected to be could operate in a law enforcement 30-year old Colombian prisoner at the in the United States possibly have the mode. Troops would have to be trained Sandstone federal prison in Minnesota, intent to commit a crime here? in arrest procedure, surveillance, intelli­ well illustrates the point. Aguilar was They might have intended to com­ gence gathering, and search and seizure. on board a Lufthansa German Airlines mit one in Europe, but that isn't the Training in the use of complex weapons . flight from Bogota to Zurich, with a same thing, nor is it an American prob­ systems would have to be abandoned stop at Frankfurt. There was no men­ lem. This type of activity by the gov­ inasmuch as they are useless in this tion of a stop at San Juan. When the ernment slowly erodes the legal form of war. plane landed at San Juan, a few ounces structure on which America was built. There would also have to be a crash of cocaine were found in the toes of What happens when other coun­ building program of patrol aircraft and Aguilar's shoes. He received a four­ tries start kidnapping American citi­ ships. This would require additional tax­ year prison sentence, almost double zens who happen to be flying through ation, or more deficit spending. the sentence recommended by the U.S. their airspace? 0 Liberty 25 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 producing countries and then conduct increase support for the enemy. of popular support the cartels now anti-drug operations. These operations This conflict cannot be won by one­ enjoy. Cartel agents must be isolated would be directed against drug crops shot measures or spectacular single op­ from the people so that they lose their and factories. The U.S. would have to erations. Aerial bombing of drug fields source of recruits, intelligence, sanctu­ occupy drug producing regions perma­ accomplishes nothing in the long run ary, etc. The U.S. must turn the popular nently in order to prevent a resurgence simply because the cartels can move support it gains into recruits and of the cartels. back into devastated areas and rebuild. intelligence information for the war on U.S. forces would have to be em­ U.S. troops must be on the ground to drugs. ployed because most countries simply consolidate any victory. cannot deal with the armed opposition This type of fighting will mean casu­ from the cartels and their allied guerril­ alties. There will be hundreds and even The armed forces know very las. Already, Latin American countries thousands of dead, wounded, and miss­ have lost control of drug producing re­ ing Americans, both military and civil­ well that the same Congress­ gions. U.S. forces would have to clear ian. And, of course, there will be tens of men who are today calling for these regions of cartel security forces thousands of casualties among the peo­ the use of the military in the and communist guerrillas. ple of countries in which the drug war is In the wake of President Bush's to be fought. war on drugs will be the first drug policy statement, the cartels (5) Neutralization of the drug infra­ to scream "Who got us into launched a campaign of terrorism structure: The U.S. would have to con­ this mess?" when the dead and against the Colombian government and duct a systematic intelligence effort to the anti-drug forces. If the war is esca­ identify the cartel members and render wounded start coming back. lated, we can expect the use of terrorism their organizations ineffective. The en­ to increase as well. So the task of the tire infrastructure-not just the people military would complicated by its need at the top-would have to be targeted. The U.S. and its allies would have to to provide security for foreign govern­ This means knocking out the people call a halt to those anti-drug operations ments as well as U.S. citizens living in who direct routine operations; the en­ that alienate the peasantry. effected areas. forcers, the informers, the recruiters, the The U.S. would have to convince the In this struggle, the U.S. would not couriers, the corruptors--every level. In­ peasants and urban poor that it is in be able to exploit its technological super­ telligence operations must also separate their best interests to support the drug iority in the war on drugs because drug the cartel members from civilians so war. This can only-be done through cartels will not present any mass target they can be attacked without collateral massive social reform programs that for American artillery and air power. damage. rally the people to the government's Experience in low intensity conflict (6) The U.S. must gain popular support: side. The U.S. would have to work with shows that guerrillas and terrorists can It is a cardinal rule that you cannot win host nations to set up employment, only be dealt with by small unit infantry a counter-insurgency campaign unless medical, and educational programs to operations such as patrols, raids, and the peasants support your side. bring in the peasantry and poor. The ambushes. Moreover, indiscriminate use The populace of drug producing re­ U.S. would have to set up a realistic of firepower would only lead to non­ gions would have to be rallied to the crop substitution program. This could combatant casualties that in turn would anti-drug campaign to destroy the base be done only by massive agricultural subsidies that buy peasant crops at pric­ •• Drug Czar Bennett etUdtes ~atest drug_s...~_rve--e._••• .__..... es higher than those that could be gained from selling coca, marijuana or 7; WHItr ABOuT '1HE MJMBERa: ·5 CZAR BENNETt.:: SA~ CA5UAL ~UQ SER\OUS USERS-iHli ONES opium. .5 USE 1.6 t>OWN 33%. HE'S CALl..lNG IT N ~o HA\t1:.it> STEAL.l DEAl.:.: In order to maintain rural security, ~'. A'~RJUMPH OFCHANGEJ)~I>ES. p~UGsr OR PEEL:ro euv the U.S. would have to organize the peasants into paramilitary units to de­ i f1J~ ~ ~~ fend villages and fields from counterat­ €i tacks by guerrillas and the cartels. U.S. ~ .~ forces would have to be stationed . throughout the countryside to bolster these paramilitary forces. Anti-drug operations would have to minimize civilian casualties. The U.S. and its allies cannot make indiscrimi­ nate attacks on or arrests of the peasant­ ry, doing so pushes the people further into the arms of the cartels. Minimiza­ tion of civilian casualties is also impor­ tant because the communists would be sure to exploit such casualties in their propaganda to IIprovell that the U.S. 26 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 was really conducting a war against in­ failure in the past. They either do not af­ basis. The government would act as a nocent peasants and workers. fect drug use, or actually encourage it. labor police, ensuring a drug free work­ The U.S. would have to be prepared 30 There would, instead, have to be a place; in return, business would deny to fight for years and to an army of oc­ massive internal propaganda campaign, employment to anyone who uses drugs. cupation in a hostile territory for an in­ with mandatory viewing of anti-drug Other programs that are now incipi­ definite period of time. In a counter­ programming, attendance at mass anti­ ent could be expanded. The govern­ insurgency war, there are no quick vic­ drug rallies, and other actions to create a ment can promote the use of children tories. It takes years to identify and neu­ mass anti-drug spirit throughout the as informers against drug-using par­ tralize an underground infrastructure, land. ents. Such children could be turned to build up peasant support, to hunt There could be mandatory testing of into national heroes, being awarded down and destroy guerrilla bands. The all Americans for drugs. Conceivably, medals in public ceremonies. If the gov­ war on. drugs could not be won in time this could be done at the same time peo­ ernment needs advice on the technical to bring the boys home for Christmas, or ple apply for their drivers' licenses, or details of implementing this program, it before the next election. on similar occasions. People who are could request assistance from the Soviet The U.S. would also have to face found to have used drugs could be de­ Union, since the Bolsheviks pioneered other problems. Latin American com­ prived of all government benefits. similar techniques for controlling the munists would be sure to exploit a mas­ Perhaps a lesson can be learned from citizenry. sive military intervention as an exampIe the Ginsburg incident. If Judge Gins­ of "U.S. imperialism." They would rally burg could be deprived of the opportu­ The Reason Why noncommunist nationalists who would nity to serve as a Supreme Court judge This is what a real war on drugs be outraged at U.S. infringements because he smoked marijuana years ago, would be like. Not a rhetorical sop for against the sovereignty of their coun·­ then why not deprive drug users of politicians, but a real conflict with real tries. In reaction to the extradition of their right to run·for public office? This fighting and real deaths, with suspen­ drug lords to U.S., Colombian students can be taken further, and deprive the sion of civil liberties and intrusion of the rioted against U.S. interference in the in-· drug user of his right to vote. government into every last aspect of ternal affairs of their country. The U.S" Candidates for public office can be American life. It would mean the total could easily find itself at war with most made to take public urinalysis tests, a disruption of peoples' lives, with a re­ of Latin America. sort of act of faith to prove good turn to the draft, higher taxes, and The War at Home citizenship. inflation. The government could enter into al­ A war on drugs would become a vir­ The war on drugs would also have liance with business. Together, they tual civil war, with Americans divided to be fought domestically. The situation could test all employees on a regular into those who tolerate of drug use and in many American cities resembles urban guerrilla warfare. The gangs, using funds made from the sale of illicit drugs, have gained increasing control of urban areas and law enforcement has proven itself ncapable of dealing with Make Friends with them. The armed forces would have to an Employee of be deployed to U.S. cities to patrol the streets. The government would have to the IRS. embark on massive domestic intelli­ gence operations to gain sufficient evi­ dence to convict all members of the gang infrastructure. There would also have to be a massive program of build­ ing detention facilities to confine people convicted ofdrug offenses. Ifyou are a Citizen ofone ofthe 49 states, the territories There would also have to be opera-· or the District ofColumbia you may get letters from the IRS tions against the drug users themselves, with "your" Social Security number advising you to come in since the users are the ones who ulti­ and talk with them. mately support the entire illegal drug in­ Their invitation to talk gives you an excellent opportunity dustry. Obviously, it is ridiculous to to write educational letters. For $1.00 cash, check, or think that all drug users can be convict­ money order the Civil Disobedience Ministry will supply ed and sent to jail. There are, by various you with stationary to educate the IRS and your estimates, 23 million regular users of Congressmen. drugs in the U.S., plus tens of millions more of casual users. 29 Contact: THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE LIBRARY These people would have to be con­ Suite 539A vinced to stop using drugs. Drug educa­ 1026 W. Norton Rd. tion programs have proven to be a Springfield, Mo. 65803 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 those who do not. It would mean the After all, both alcohol, and tobacco, has always had a close relationship with creation of a permanent underc1ass. are legal in the United States, and these the U.S. Those Americans who use, or who have are the two most prevalent drugs of all. At home, the cities are rapidly com­ ever used, drugs would become second­ They cause more health problems than ing under the control of criminal gangs class citizens. all illegal drugs put together. Alcohol who base their power on the sale of ille­ While it is fashionable now for peo­ and tobacco cause 400,000 deaths a year gal drugs. Millions of Americans who ple to demand that the government do in America, compared to an estimated have never used drugs find themselves something to win the war on drugs, 10,000 deaths from illegal drugs. Yet, victimized by arbitrary searches, sei­ one wonders: How many people would there is no call for a war on either of zures, and drug tests. be willing to volunteer for combat these drugs. Instead, they are treated as Given the course of events, the car­ units? How will middle America react a public health problem. As a result, al­ tels and gangs will only become more cohol and tobacco use has been reduced powerful. Law enforcement has demon­ in the last several years. strated its inability to deal with the The types of arguments once used to situation. The drug warriors have ac­ oppose drugs-that drug use leads to The United States must act decisive­ complished what the commu­ addiction, a life of crime, and early ly to terminate this war: the only alter­ nists working alone found death-have been discredited. People natives are to mobilize the nation for a have had too much experience; they real war, or to legalize drugs. Since the impossible; as a result of drug know that most people who use illegal costs and risks of mobilization for real enforcement policies, there has substances do so without substantial war are too high for politicians to bear, been created in Latin America harm to themselves or to others. it is increasingly evident that legaliza­ Unable to formulate a rational argu­ tion will eventually occur. a popular front of peasants, ment, the opponents of drugs invent the What will happen to drug cartels if guerrillas and nationalists, all mythology of the drug war: they tell us drugs are legalized? They have become united in opposition to the that drugs are "invading" the United so entrenched they will not disappear States, that the cartels are poisoning chil­ overnight. They have the manpower u.s. dren, and that we have to fight. This jus­ and resources to continue their activi­ tifies a paternalistic government coming ties, and can be expected to attack legiti­ in and telling the average American mate sources of drugs in order to when its sons and daughters coming which substances he can introduce into eliminate the competition. back from Colombia and Peru in body his bloodstream. So the government would still have to conduct enforcement activities bags? Victory This is why the military is reluctant against the cartels. But now the advan­ to get involved. Military men remember There is no politician who is willing tages will accrue to the government. It is the last time the U.s. went to war with­ to take the case for a full-scale prosecu­ the huge profits of the cartels that fi­ out first considering the human costs. tion of the war on drugs to the American nance their political activities. The car­ Having fought and lost one no-win war people politicians know that if they told tels make their enormous profits in Vietnam, the military is smart their constituents what it would really because they have a near-monopoly on enough to avoid another. The armed take to win, they would be thrown out scarce goods in high demand. forces know very well that the same of office! So the politicians are satisfied The cartels' fantastic profits from Congressmen who are today calling for with a few publicity-oriented moves-a sale of illegal drugs will disappear as the use of the military in the war on spectacular bust here, a record breaking soon as people can buy drugs from legit­ drugs will be the first to scream "Who seizure there, urinalysis in the imate sources. Moreover, the cartels will got us into this mess?" when the dead workplace. not be able to compete with legitimate and wounded start coming back. Con­ The politicians assume that some­ drug sources because they will not be gress can talk a good fight, but is not how the country can struggle on with a able to maintain competitive prices. going to provide the resources or the no-win war on drugs. But the U.S. is Drug prices are now artificially inflated national resolve to fight and win the only digging itself deeper into disaster. because of the illegality of drugs; the drug war. There is nothing more criminal than for prices reflect the costs involved in brib­ a country to enter a war it knows it can­ ery, protection, and legal defense as well The Costs of a No-Win War not win. The drug warriors have accom­ as the costs of producing and distribut­ Why fight a war on drugs in the first plished what the communists working ing the drugs. As their sources of in­ place? If you ask the drug enforcers, alone found impossible; as a result of come dry up, the cartels will be less able they will tell you that the illegal drug drug enforcement policies, there has to continue operations and recruit new trade provides money to support crimi­ been created in Latin America a popular personnel. nal gangs and the cartels. But the gangs front of peasants, guerrillas and nation­ Politically, drug legalization would and cartels exist because drugs are ille­ alists, all united in opposition to the U.S. give countries the opportunity to rally gal in the first place. Ifdrugs were legal, Similarly, the dictates of the drug war the people to the side of the law. People most of the criminal, social and health have placed the United States in a virtu­ would turn to the government and to le­ problems associated with drugs would al state of war with Panama, a country gitimate drug industry for what the car- be reduced to manageable levels. of immense strategic importance that continued 011 page 58 28 Liberty Politics

Loathing the Fear in Nevv York, Nevv York by Murray N. Rothbard

Corruption, greed, lies, mudslinging, racism, the threat of success, the fear of failure-in other words: politics as usual in the America's Metropolis.

One of the joys of spending summers in New York is being plunged once again into the glorious if fetid pool of New York City politics. This year's melee is particularly juicy, since the mayoralty race is for once not cut and dried. Three-term mayor Ed Koch, a centrist Democrat, was no longer invincible, since his last term was shot through with a remarkable, pervasive scandal of corruption and deed, Ed Koch is the last of the great orating housing stock, punctuated by sleaze. The scandal was touched off by Jewish tummlers who, in the early days grand new, expensive and subsidized the dramatic suicide of near-indicted of Borscht Belt resort hotels (before buildings; its crumbling bridges and Don Manes, long-time pal of Koch and they swelled to giant palaces), were highways-is falling apart. At least, head of the Queens Democracy. A large hired as permanent entertainers to play New Yorkers feel, Koch will talk tough number of top New York Democrats pinochle with the guests by the pool, even if there is no action. eventually wound up in jail. Koch's crack jokes, insult the customers, and And so, since none of the candidates standing was plunged even lower in generally fill in the time entertainingly is prepared to make changes, they at- last year's presidential campaign, be­ until the next gigantic meal. cause of his hysterical tirade against: But why did New Yorkers warm to Jesse Jackson, which embarrassed even Koch despite the corruption of his reign Ed Koch is the last of the his staunchest supporters. and the continuing rapid and grisly de­ great tummlers who, in the Koch began this summer's cam-· cline in the city's quality of life? Be­ paign almost invisible at the polls, but: cause New Yorkers, quite properly, early days of Borscht Belt resort the old campaigner, always effective in realize in their heart that none of the hotels were hired as permanent TV comments and debates, managed a other clowns in the race would make entertainers to play pinochle remarkable comeback; by mid-August: any difference, so if you're going down he was tied for first in the polls for the the tubes anyway you may as well have with the guests by the pool, September 12 Democratic primary. fun along the way. crack jokes, insult the custom­ Koch's comeback was no great surprise; The only thing that would help ers, and generally fill in the for many years, he has been "Mr. New' New York now is radical surgery, and time entertainingly until the York," in whom New Yorkers see them-· none of the candidates are prepared to selves, their friends and neighbors writ do much of anything. The city is over­ next gigantic meal. large. Narcissistic to the point of ego-· whelmed not only by violent crime, but mania, New York accent to the hilt, by more so by the new plague of aggres­ turns whiny, nasty, witty, cranky, and sive "bums," as New Yorkers are wont tack each other for sleaze, and they all hypochondriacal, and always larger-· to call them, and to hell with the official take determined if scarcely courageous than-life, Koch can be relied on to put: designation of "the homeless." Plus the stands on foreign policy (frenetically on a good show. In campaigns he rises fact that the city's "infrastructure"-its pro-Israe1), abortion (pro-choice, even to his best, fighting for the political post filthy and pitted streets, worst in the Catholics-after some fast footwork), that has come to define his very life. In-· country; its horrific subways; its deteri- religion (very ecumenical and loving) Liberty 29 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 and other issues that a mayor can do question: sick of street crime and ag­ The non-New Yorker might well ask nothing about. gressive bums, sick of welfare pay­ why it is that, aside from Dinkins, the Neck and neck with Koch, and clear ments, of affirmative-action quotas, and other three mayoral candidates among front-runner until August, was David all the rest. The potential for race war in the Democrats were all Jewish. The an­ Dinkins, Borough President of Manhat­ New York and other cities across the swer is that New York politics is almost tan, and the black candidate. Dinkins is country is getting increasingly explosive all ethnic. What is hard for heartland the only type of black candidate who and politicians-their heads placed Americans to realize is that WASPs in could ever possibly win as Mayor. Not firmly in the sand-can only come up New York City are virtually non­ "conservative"-his views are the usual with more of the same left-liberal poli­ existent, except for Park Avenue corpo­ left-liberal claptrap, akin to Jesse Jack­ cies that got us there. rate and Rockefeller types. Most New son's. No-it's his style that sets him off Jesse, in short, could not get a white Yorkers view WASPs as a small group dramatically from Jesse. For Dinkins is vote in New York if he tried. (Koch's at­ of wealthy Park Avenue residents who soft-spoken, elderly, courteous, even el­ tack on Jesse was considered too frenet­ go to Choate and Yale or Harvard. And, egant, the opposite of charismatic-in ic as well as-wonder of wonders!-too indeed, virtually the only middle-class personality very much akin to the Pull­ blatantly oriented toward Israel.) But or working-class WASPs reside in small man porter of days gone by. In brief: un­ Dinkins can, and did end up winning pockets in the outer boroughs, far from threatening. For the unpublicizedbut the primary. He was assured not only the subway lines that are the city's com­ the entire black vote, but also that of munication and transportation hub: in Jewish liberals, including most of the obscure places like Ridgewood, on th~ Dinkins is the only type of union leadership in New York City. . border of Brooklyn and Queens, popu­ The other two Democratic candi­ lated by German Lutherans; and a few black candidate who could ever dates were, despite their best efforts, so WASPS in Woodlawn, in extreme north­ possibly win as Mayor-soft­ far behind as to be totally out of it. The ern Bronx hugging the Westchester best they hoped to do was to throw the County border. spoken, elderly, courteous, even That leaves Jews, who are still al­ elegant, the opposite of charis­ primary into a runoff. Harrison Goldin, the bald-headed longtime Comptroller most all Democrats; Italians, who large:­ matic-in personality very of New York, is a bitter enemy of Koch, ly vote Republican; blacks, who are all much akin to the Pullman port­ and once in a while has some tough Democrats, and Hispanics (in New er of days gone by. In brief: un­ things to say about crime and the home­ less. Richard Ravitch, the independently The New Yorker is deeply threatening. wealthy former head of the disastrous Metropolitan Transit Authority (an "in­ convinced that slow speech vital fact about New York is the tremen­ dependent" governmental authority means a slow mind. At one dous rage and hatred felt by the whites that is responsible for the subways and point in the classic Cuomo v. against the black population. And that bridges), never made it out of last place. Lehrman campaign for govern­ means virtually all whites-including He's got two problems. First, Ravitch what used to be the last bastion of pro­ has to explain why he spent several or, Lehrman denounced Cuomo black sentiment in New York: liberal years as a lapdog of Koch in city gov­ as Na fast-talking lawyer." Jewish intellectuals, who are mainly ernment, and why he is not almost as Cuomo's riposte won the hearts responsible as the Mayor for the sad clustered in the West Side of Manhat­ of New Yorkers: NAll right, tan. (A straw in the wind: an old friend state of city transportation. Second, his of mine, a distinguished Marxist aca­ voice is slow and gravelly. Gravelly, of from now on, ['II talk v-e-r-y demic who is the diametric opposite of course, is OK-indeed is in the great s-l-o-w-I-y so that he will be anyone who could be considered a "red­ Northeast urban tradition, popularized able to understand." neck." Recently one of the seemingly by Marlon Brando in The Godfather endless series of governmental commis­ (Hey, do these guys go to school to learn sions studying the state of blacks in how to talk gravelly?) But slow is bad, New York City issued the usual kind of since the· New Yorker is deeply con­ York, mainly Puerto Rican) who are report: calling for more welfare, more vinced that slow speech means a slow Democrats as well. That leaves only the teachers, more social workers-the mind. (One of the fun demonstrations of Irish, who have made a large sea change usual left-liberal litany of demands on this truth came in the classic Cuomo v. in recent decades. Once the great stal­ taxpayer money, to solve the black Lehrman campaign for governor in warts of the Democratic Party machines problem. The response of our Marxist which Mario made his blazing entry in New York and other large Northeast­ academic: "The only solution to the into national politics. At one point, ern cities, the Irish have now mainly black problem is to lock up all male Lehrman unwisely denounced Cuomo moved to the suburbs, and vote mostly black teenagers until they're thirty,") as "a fast-talking lawyer." Cuomo's Republican. Which left a power vacuum The bottom line is that one-hundred­ witty riposte won the hearts of New for other ethnic groups to fill as the Irish and-thirty years after the end of slavery, Yorkers: "All right, from now on, I'll moved out and away from their old twenty years after civil rights laws, the talk v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-I-y so that he will be power base. white masses are sick of the whole black able to understand.") It will have become evident to the 30 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 reader that, with WASPs almost non­ But why a Liberal party in a city cessfully to dictate the choice of his suc­ existent, this leaves very little room for where almost everyone is liberal? The cessor, thereby overriding the tradition­ the Republican party; indeed, there are Liberal Party was born at the beginning al de facto appointive power of the usually only one or two Republicans of the Cold War, when the Communist­ Republican Senator. There are murmur­ elected to the City Council-hailing dominated American Labor Party (ALP) ings, however, that D'Amato doesn't from Italian enclaves in Brooklyn or was a strong third force in New York want anyone challenging his high post Staten Island. Furthermore, within the politics, controlled largely by the then as capo de tutti capi of Republican Ital­ Democratic Party, Jews are dispropor­ pro-Communist men's clothing workers ians in New York State. tionately powerful, because the Jewish union (headed by Sidney Hillman). The And so D'Amato looked around to turnout rate, for primaries as well as Liberal Party was a split off from the find someone to help him break the Giu­ general elections, is traditionally very ALP, engineered by the Social Democrat liani boom; he found a willing candi­ high, whereas the black and Hispanic (Menshevik) oriented ladies garment date in the extremely wealthy Ron turnout rate, especially for primaries, is workers' union, controlled by David Lauder, scion of the Estee Lauder cos­ very low. What of the Hispanics? Aside Dubinsky, and the hat workers union, metic fortune. Lauder may not be the from their low turnout, the Hispanic headed by Alex Rose, who soon became vote is an enigma, since there has long the maximum leader and straw boss of been political hostility in New York be­ the Liberals. The Liberals lingered on Former Federal Attorney Ru­ tween the blacks and Hispanics­ long past the demise of the ALP as a dolph Giuliani/ the conductor of sparked a few years ago when the patronage force and another line on the blacks refused to support the mayoral ballot. Ethnically, the Liberals have been the reign of terror against insid­ race of the Puerto Ricans' beloved lead­ almost completely Jewish. Since the er trading on Wall Street, tried er, Herman Badillo. death of Rose, the Liberal Party has to put together a Republican­ The race is further complicated this been controlled by a fat, cigar-chomping Liberal-Conservative coalition, year by a Republican resurgence, or Boss in the old tradition, Raymond rather by the mayoral race of the young Harding, who made the deal with Giuli­ but it proved ideologically im­ Halo-American Savanarola, former Fed­ ani to put him on the Liberal line. possible for Conservatives and eral Attorney Rudolph Giuliani, the con­ The defeated anti-Harding faction of Liberals to support the same ductor of the reign of terror against the Liberals, however, protested the insider trading on Wall Street. Since Re­ choice of Giuliani, and decided to run candidate (even in this age of publicans cannot win on their own in the venerable Reverend Donald Har­ bland compromise). So Giulia­ the city, the politically ambitious Giulia­ rington against Giuliani in the Liberal ni is running as a "Republican­ ni, who proved a master of publicity primary. Harrington, the leader of the Liberal"-tough on crime as be­ when he was Federal Attorney, set out Liberals before being ousted by Harding to conduct a "fusion" race of all anti­ in a bitter struggle, is beloved as an old­ fits an allegedly heroic prosecu­ Democrat forces in the style of the time left-liberal activist organizer, and tor/ but left-liberal on all other much-beloved, clownish Italo-American head of the Community Church in Man­ Issues. leftist, Fiorello ("Little Flower") LaGuar-· hattan. Harrington, a Unitarian minis­ dia, who ran a Republican-"Fusion" ter, has also been valuable to the ticket. Giuliani tried to put together a. Liberals as one of the few authentic gen­ wealthiest candidate in the history of Republican-Liberal-Conservative coali·· tiles in the Party. Unfortunately, Har­ American politics, but he is certainly tion, but it proved ideologically impos·· rington now lives in Long Island, willing to spend more personal money sible for Conservatives and Liberals to outside the city limits. More important, than anyone else. Spurning public fund­ support the same candidate (even in since Harrington would undoubtedly ing, he spent $13 million of his own this age of bland compromise). So Giuli·· have won a genuine Liberal primary money on the RepUblican primary race ani is running as a "Republican-Liberal" and thus ruined Giuliani's fusion image, against Giuliani, and this was only the tough on crime as befits an allegedly he­ Harding was able to decree an "open" beginning~ . roic prosecutor, but left-liberal on all primary for the Liberals and make it Lauder has a big problem, in addi­ other issues. stick in court, meaning that Republicans tion to his initial lack of name recogni­ New York is the only state where could invade the primary and vote for tion. Tall and gawky, he not only seems Conservative and Liberal parties have Giuliani. End of Harrington, and end of dumb (like the unfortunate Ravitch); he managed to exist as independent, con­ the Liberal primary. is dumb. His being Jewish scarcely tinuing entities. The Conservative Party The Giuliani candidacy was met helps him in a party almost devoid of was launched by Bill Buckley and asso­ with less than warmth by the most pow­ Jews. Also, the Lauder cause has hardly ciates to use as a hammer against Rocke­ erful Italian Republican politician in the been aided by the breaking of the Felix feller Republicanism. Since the rise of state, Senator Alfonse D'Amato, a prod­ Bloch spy scandal, which occurred Reaganism, the Conservative Party has uct of the corrupt RepUblican machine under Lauder's nose when he was Am­ been functioning as an appendage of in Nassau County on Long Island. Fric­ bassador to Austria. Lauder had no Reagan Republicanism, with top offi­ tion between them supposedly began chance even to come close to Giuliani in cials getting cushy jobs in Republican when Giuliani, preparing his resigna­ the Republican primary, but still the Administrations. tion as Federal Attorney, tried unsuc- Lauder forces, masterminded by Liberty 31 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 0'Amato ally Art Finkelstein, have run righteousness, Giuliani clearly did not got off to a shaky start, as an over­ a brilliant negative campaign, slamming understand the political process. Hit by whelmingly black Dinkins headquarters hard again and again at Giuliani, and round after round of personal attacks, crowd cheered Jesse Jackson to the raft­ successfully destroying Giuliani's shiny Giuliani was bewildered by the sudden ers while lustily booing Dinkins' warm armor as the new White Knight of puri­ demise of his love affair with the world supporter State Attorney-General Rob­ ty and integrity. Indeed, so negative has and reacted bitterly and defensively at ert Abrams (because of Abrams' "\'Vell­ the Lauder campaign been that it was the enormity and grave sin of anyone founded skepticism toward the even too much for Roger Ailes, the daring to attack Saint Rudy. Giuliani trumped-up rape story of Tawana famed architect of the Willie Horton also has a deep corollary problem with Brawley last summer) as well as booing and other negative thrusts of the Bush the Italian masses, who one might think Ed Koch's uncharacteristically gracious would embrace him with enthusiasm. concession speech. Dinkins acted quick­ For while the great bulk of Italian­ ly to cut off his troops. "No, no," he The New York masses began Americans hail from the Mezzogiorno wagged his finger sternly at his sup­ the campaign in love with Giu­ (southern Italy and Sicily), and share porters. "We're all together now. I'm the general love of life and enjoyment of the fella who's going to bring everyone liani, sure that he would end that culture, Rudy Giuliani stems from together, remember?" Whether or not corruption and all the other northern Italy,and his grim, puritanical New York suffers under a dour Torque­ problems of the city. But the style and air of self-righteousness-the mada for the next four years depends Lauder campaign exposed Giu­ style of the hated northern occupiers on the ability of the courtly Dinkins to and colonizers of the Mezzogiorno­ tame his own militants. Look for lots of liani as just another waffling scarcely wear well with the Italian mass­ pictures coming out of New York with and confused liberal on all the es of New York. The Italians do not find Dinkins going in and out of synagogues controversial issues-and fur­ Giuliani simpatico, and so his popularity during the Jewish High Holy Days turned out to be only skin deep. wearing the obligatory yarmulke. thermore as someone who The unfortunate Italians of New It looks, then, like Rudy Giulani will would be tough on victimless York have had many crosses to bear in be brought down, and no relentless stat­ crime but no tougher than any­ their long struggle to make it in poli­ ist has ever deserved it more. To ensure tics. For many years, the Italians whom this fate, Ron Lauder has gained the one else on real crime. the Establishment (e.g. the New York Times) dubbed as wise Italian-American campaign for the presidency. Originally statesmen, were not considered by the masses as real Italians. Fiorello LaGuar­ Whether or not New York hired as the No. 2 Man to Finkelstein, suffers under a dour Torquema­ Ailes resigned, denouncing the Lauder dia Was half-Jewish and an Episcopali­ campaign as too negative, and then an (I), Ferdinand Pecora was a northern da for the next four years de­ shifting to work for the Giuliani forces. Italian and an Episcopalian, Edward pends on the ability of the Rudolph Giuliani started the mayo­ Corsi was an Episcopalian (these three courtly Dinkins to tame his ral campaign far ahead of either Koch or must have constituted the entire con­ Dinkins in the polls; as the primary ap­ gregation of Italian Episcopalians in the own militants, aided by Lauder proached he badly trailed both of them. U.S!) and State Senator John Marchi is a continuing to pour millions The cause is the constant hammering by dour northern Italian. Hence, the great into his Conservative cam­ Lauder, aided by attacks from the other importance of Cuomo and D'Amato candidates, including the formidable (who, by the way, though of different paign. Look for lots of pictures Koch. The New York masses began the parties are good friends): the first major coming out of New York with campaign in love with Giuliani, sure Italian leaders from New York who are Dinkins going in and out of that he would end corruption and all the what their constituents think of as real synagogues during the Jewish other problems of the city-precisely be­ Italians: Catholics from southern Italy. cause they knew nothing about his stand Despite Koch's final surge, David high holy days. on any of the issues. The Lauder cam­ Dinkins won the September primary by paign has exposed Giuliani as just an­ nine percentage points (52 to 43), with other waffling and confused liberal on the other two candidates scarcely regis­ Conservative nomination, and is pre­ all the controversial issues-and further­ tering in the race. An estimated 29 per­ pared to' keep slugging it out against more as someone who would be tough cent of whites voted for Dinkins (26 Rudy until the general elections in No­ on victimless crime but no tougher than percent of Jews) while Dinkins corraled vember, thereby taking away enough anyone else on real crime. Also, various 93 percent of the black vote. Lauder got conservative and "real RepUblican" sleazy peccadilloes of Giuliani himself a surprising one-third of the Republican votes from the ticket to assure Giuliani's were uncovered. vote against Giuliani, about twice as defeat and a Democratic victory. Well, Furthermore, under pressure Giulia­ much as expected. thank goodness for small blessings; ni did not handle himself well. Used to The crucial question is whether Din­ New York may not be saved by the next the universal adulation of the media, a kins keeps the Jewish liberals happy mayor, but at least we will be spared man armored in arrogance and self- until November. On primary night, he the scourge of Puritan despotism. 0 32 Liberty ./ Polemic

Against a Capital Gains Cut by Michael S. Christian

Libertarians usually can be counted on to oppose any tax rise, and advocate any tax cut-but Michael Christian argues not only that some cuts are better than others, but that certaiIl ones do more harm than good.

Even after the Tax Ref()rm Act of 1986, which eliminated the special low rate for capital gains, capital assets offer enormous advantages to taxpayers (usually wealthy) who can afford them. When an investor buys a capital asset, such as land, that goes up in value but does not produce income, he does not have to pay taxes on the gain until he disposes of the asset. This means that, year after year, as calls "capital assets" have little to do But grant, for the sake of argument, he makes money on his investment, he with capital investment. The expression that a capital gains tax cut will encour­ pays no taxes on it. Later, he may elect '~capital investment" implies putting re­ age investment. The conclusion that it when to pay tax on his gains simply by sources or savings into productive as­ should be used to do so does not follow. disposing of the asset. sets such as machinery and equipment. Such a conclusion assumes that the gov­ President Bush says we need to pro­ But machinery, equipment, and most ernment should encourage investment mote capital investment further by low,­ other productive assets used in busi­ and that it should do so through tax in­ ering the tax rate on capital gains from a nesses are depreciable assets. Their centives. The first assumption collides top rate of 28% to a top rate of 15%. A. value decreases with time, so a cut in with the theory that a free market, un­ chorus of investors-and libertarians-­ the capital gains rate will not encourage perverted by government interference approves. Advocates of a lower capital direct investment in them. or incentives, produces the most effi­ gains rate assert that the lower rate will: The biggest class of capital assets is cient allocation of economic resources 1. encourage investment in produc­ corporate stock. If the tax code favors and the notion that freedom from gov­ tive, taxable enterprises (libertarian gains from the sale of stock, then inves­ ernment meddling is in itself a worthy advocates, of course, buy the first tors in stock may be satisfied with lower end. The second assumption rests weak­ returns; the cost of capital to corpora­ lyon political expediency. Tax cuts may adjective and throw out the second tions that want to expand their produc­ be used when the body politic won't one), and tive capacity may therefore become swallow direct expenditures. 2. encourage efficient exchanges of lower. But in this case, the bull's-eye is The President believes that cutting capital assets and foreign invest­ being hit with a shotgun. A cut in capi­ the top tax rate on capital gains to 15% ment in the United States, while tal gains taxes would reduce the tax on will raise $4.8 billion annually. Whenev­ discouraging the flight of domestic all kinds of gains from trading in corpo­ er someone says he will raise revenues capital to foreign markets. rate stock that provide not one single by lowering taxes, we should be suspi­ What little truth these assertions dollar to corporations for investment in cious. We should demand historical evi­ hold is outweighed by the inefficiency, productive assets. In the strictest sense, dence. We should demand accurate unfairness, and oppressiveness of a only the initial purchases of stock from econometric projections. In the present lower capital gains tax rate. an issuing corporation provide money case, no credible economic history has A lower tax rate on capital gains that can be used for productive purpos­ been brought to bear, and the most fa­ may encourage investment but only in es. Subsequent purchases and sales only vorable economic projections rely on the those assets that, when sold, yield long­ shift ownership interests. Therefore, one-time jump in taxpayers' realization term capital gain as defined in the Inter­ much of the reduction in taxpayers' an­ of capital gains from the sale of assets nal Revenue Code. Only long-term capi­ nual bills will encourage neither direct that they have been holding onto in tal gains benefit from the capital gains nor indirect investment in productive order to avoid the tax on a large gain ac­ deduction. Gains from what the Code assets. cumulated over a long period of time. Liberty 33 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 The Joint Committee on Taxation re­ taxes on unrealized appreciation of such American assets was booming. After the cently estimated that the capital gains assets. Everyone agrees that reducing the elimination of the capital gains deduc­ proposal included in the President's fis­ tax rate on capital gains reduces the tion and the lowering of income tax rates cal 1990 budget would lose more than lock-in effect and, therefore, increases across the board, resulting in an effective $24 billion over a six-year period (with the frequency with which taxpayers will capital gains tax rate of 28%, foreign in­ initial increases in revenue in fiscal years dispose of their capital assets and pay in­ vestment in American assets continued 1989 and 1990 and progressively greater come taxes on appreciation. to boom and now shows no sign of slow­ losses in revenue in fiscal years 1991 However, only a large, sustained in­ ing. In fact, under present law, income through 1994) On the other hand, appar­ crease in realizations will offset the loss­ from many assets (such as certificates of ently under pressure from the adminis­ es in revenue from the reduced tax rate. deposit) in which we should encourage tration, the Treasury Department If the ratio of the percentage increase in foreign investment is taxed at a lower estimated that Bush's proposal to cut the realizations to the percentage decrease in rate than it was before the elimination of capital gains rate would raise about $9.3 the tax rate on realized gains (the "tax­ the capital gains deduction, because rate elasticity of realizations") is greater such assets produce ordinary income than 1, then lowering the capital gains (previously taxed at rates as high as Even granting for the sake of rate will increase revenue. Not surpris­ 50%), not capital gains. These, low taxes ingly, the Treasury study found that, in general, not necessarily special deduc­ argument that a capital gains when tax rates are high, as they were in tions for capital gains, are the best invita­ tax cut will encourage invest­ 1978, a big cut in the capital gains rate tion to foreign investment. ment, the conclusion that it encourages the realization of a lot of Special tax benefits resulting in losses locked-in capital gains immediately fol­ of revenue can be economically disas­ should be used to do so does lowing enactment of the cut. Soon, how­ trous, not only because of the problem of not follow. Such a conclusion ever, the tax-rate elasticity of realizations deficit spending, but also because of the drops to a lower level and revenue is risk that higher income tax rates will. be assumes that the government lost. imposed on ordinary income to compen­ should encourage investment The Treasury study also found other sate for the revenue loss. Parading as tax and that it should do so revenue effects of a capital gains cut, cuts, tax benefits are the economic equiv­ such as income shifting or the "portfolio alent of unfunded government expendi­ through tax incentives. effect." The portfolio effect occurs when tures. Higher marginal rates and new tax investors who hold assets that produce loopholes are a giant step back from the ordinary income (such as a money mar­ best parts of the 1986 tax reforms. The billion in fiscal years 1989 through 1994. ket fund or certificates of deposit) shift However, even the Treasury's estimates their investments to assets (such as pub­ show revenue gains decreasing through­ licly traded stock) that satisfy the tax­ If you don't mind distort­ out the estimate period and becoming code definition of capital assets and losses in 1994. enjoy a more favorable tax treatment. ing the economy by having In the Revenue Act of 1978, Congress This produces an increase in taxable cap­ government encourage certain required the Treasury to study the eco­ ital gains, but also a more than compen­ investments rather than oth­ nomic and revenue consequences of the sating decrease in interest income that enormous capital gains tax cuts that it would have been taxable at a higher rate. ers, you may be able to use enacted in the same year. The resulting The carefully studied results of the capital gains cuts instead of report, published in 1985, concluded that 1978 cuts show that a reduction in the lower rates across the board to capital gains cuts may very well raise capital gains tax rate will produce an ini­ revenue in the short run but that they tial spate of taxable dispositions of capi­ decrease the amount of money lose revenue in the long run. So, if you tal assets followed by a much lower rate the government takes in. don't mind the threat of larger deficits, of such dispositions and by a shift away and you don't mind distorting the econo­ from ordinary income producing assets my by having government encourage to "capital assets." Any cautious estima­ higher the rates, the greater the pressure certain investments rather than others, tor would conclude that a capital gains from special interest groups for tax loop­ you may be able to use capital gains cuts cut will result, in the long run, in a sig­ holes; the more loopholes, the greater the instead of lower rates across the board to nificant loss of revenue. Presumably, revenue loss; the greater the revenue decrease the amount of money the gov­ politicians advocating a capital gains cut loss, the higher the top marginal rates to ernment takes in. hope that voters will not expend the ef­ make up for the loss. In their revenue estimates, advocates fort required to assess its effects. The result of this vicious spiral could of lower capital gains taxes rely heavily Before the Tax Reform Act of 1986, be an economy that is largely and ineffi­ on the reduction of the lock-in effect and investors only had to pay income tax on ciently driven by tax considerations rath­ the resulting realizations of gains held in 40% of their capital gains in a given year. er than an economy inspired by non-tax the form of appreciated assets. The lock­ On the other hand, income tax rates economic considerations. A cut in the in effect of capital gains taxes is simply were high (as high as 50%), resulting in capital gains rate will remove some of the tendency of taxpayers to hold onto an effective tax on capital gains of 20%. our liberty to make our own economic their assets rather than selling or trading In the period preceding the effective date decisions, while encouraging further them in order to defer federal income of the '86 Act, foreign investment in steps down the same path. 0 34 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 Dispute Avant-Garde Redux?

to be sure: the ones whose work has not Libertarianism vs. dard avant-garde line-tradition must be overthrown, one must learn not to been accepted by the current incrowd. the Avant-Garde judge but to "accept," opposition to But their struggle, for the most part, is to William Clark avant-garde art proves that one's senses become part of the establishment, not to are encrusted by convention-all these fight against it. They want what the in­ Libertarians and avant-garde artists, "visionary" doctrines were already be­ crowd has: an NEA grant or, better yet, according to Richard Kostelanetz ing spouted by the Italian futurists more a tenure-track position in academia. ("Indefining the Future," September than seventy years ago: could we leave The result of this academic isolation, 1989), belong together. Both, he claims, an unfettered liberty of understanding of course, is a wide gulf between the are "advanced" and "visionary." to the public which always sees, as it avant-garde artist and the public. Further, they share an anti-authoritarian has been taught to see, through eyes Occasionally, an artist will take time out mentality: the libertarian stands against warped by routine?"l "The public must to bemoan this state of affairs, always coercive political authority; the avant­ also be convinced that in order to un­ concluding that the public is in need of garde artist stands against the authority derstand aesthetic sensations to which education: it must learn to be less "judg­ of an entrenched artistic establishment. mental," more "accepting," of the unfa- The opponents of avant-garde art, one is not accustomed, it is necessary to forget entirely one's intellectual culture, according to Kostelanetz, are "the guar­ not in order to assimilate the work of dians of culture," "cultural bureau­ The only person who has crats," and "established artists" and art, but to deliver one's self up to it they oppose it because they feel heart and soul.,,2 These comments were any reason to fear the avant­ "threatened." not made last week, but in 1912. Two years later, the futurists were proclaim­ garde is the avant-garde artist Let's take this last claim first. Avant­ whose work is currently "in": garde art often evokes violently nega­ ing that "[b]eauty has nothing to do with tive reactions from audiences, and art"3 and that "the artist will be permit­ his professional status and his avant-garde artists are quick to interpret ted all forms of eccentricity, lunacy or likelihood of receiving grant any such reaction as motivated by illogicality.,,4 0 fear-typically, they call it fear of the The avant-garde has been singing money are sure to be impaired "unknown" or "unfamiliar." But what is these same old tunes ever since. The only by the next upstart who IItran­ there to be afraid of? Avant-garde art, difference, now, is in the tone of voice: scends" his IIconventions." Kostelanetz tells us, is characterized by the frantic screaming of the futurists is its continual transcendence of "current no longer necessary; their doctrines have 5 conventions"; so we can be sure that become 0Id-hat. miliar. But sometimes an artist will what's "in" today will be "out" tomor­ Kostelanetz would have us accept his come right out and say that things are row. If there's anything to be frightened picture of the typical avant-garde artist really pretty much the way they ought of, we know that it will go away. as a fiercely independent creative spirit, to be-that the artist owes nothing to Indeed, the only person who has any struggling against the oppressive author­ the public, but that the public owes him reason to fear the avant-garde is the ity of a myopic artistic establishment. a living. Milton Babbitt, one of the "vi­ avant-garde artist whose work is cur­ Presumably, it is this image that is sup­ sionaries" admired by Kostelanetz, rently "in": his professional status and posed to enlist our libertarian sympa­ spelled this out in an article entitled his likelihood of receiving grant money thies. But the truth is very different. The "Who Cares if You Listen?,,6 From his are sure to be impaired by the next up­ avant-garde is the new orthodoxy. Its comfortable post at Princeton, Babbitt start who "transcends" his "con­ natural habitat is the university, where it argued that if the public is willing to ventions." thrives in the care of professors who in­ fund advanced work in theoretical phys­ What of the claim that avant-garde vent their new artistic gimmicks and ics which it cannot hope to understand artists are "advanced" and "visionary"? happily show them off to one another in or evaluate, why shouldn't it be willing On the contrary, their moldy rhetoric blissful isolation from the real world. to fund similarly "advanced" music? has been around for decades. The stan- Independent avant-garde artists do exist, And if the public doesn't understand or Liberty 35 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989

enjoy this music, why should it matter? to be admitted to a university? Do you vations were theirs alone. For example, they be­ Babbitt advocated that he and his fellow say that you propose to further a tradi­ lieved that art should glorify war, "the world's only composers engage in a "total, resolute, tion, whether that tradition flourished a hygiene." And they subscribed to a kind of labor theory of aesthetic value-they believed that art is a and voluntary withdrawal from this hundred years ago or was born last "cerebral secretion capable of exact calibration," and public world to one of private perfor­ weekend? Or do you say that you want that the monetary value of a work of art is precisely mance." This would "serve to secure the to "break new ground," "explore new di­ determined by "the quantity of cerebral energy" means of survival for the composer and rections," and "overcome conventional needed to produce it, and by its "natural rarity." his music" because "after all such a pri­ limitations"? The former approach will Artists who sold their work for more than this pre­ cisely"calibrated" amount (as popular artists, in par­ vate life is what the university provides send your application to the bottom of ticular, often did) should be "put on trial for fraud the scholar and the scientist." So this is the pile or to the wastebasket. Academia and fined or sent to prison." our ideal libertarian artist: producing is committed to "avant-garde-ism," so it 6. Milton Babbitt, 'Who Cares if You Listen?," High his arcane works solely for the edifica- is always in the market for new gim­ Fidelity, VIII/2 (February, 1958), 38-40, 126-27. micks with which to "transcend" the Reprinted in Elliott Schwartz and Barney Childs, eds., Contemporary Composers on Contemporary Music gimmicks of yesterday. (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1967),243­ If there is any authoritarianism in art, 250. The avant-garde offers no it is on the side of the avant-garde. standards by which its work Notice the attempt at intimidation when Kostelanetz chides libertarians for being can be judged (and if it did, "so dumb about advanced art." This is a Contra Clark those standards would be well-worn tactic in avant-garde apolo­ Richard Kostelanetz "transcended" the next day). getics: call your art "advanced," and it follows immediately that your oppo­ While William Clark sometimes In the absence of standards, nents are reactionary simpletons. But seems to understand what I'm saying, he the artist can set himself up as Kostelanetz himself admits that only a is other times way off-base. Take, for in­ "future cultural public" can be the ulti­ stance, the issue of "academic," which I the ultimate authority on the mate judge of today's art, and that all we explicitly contrast with avant-garde. He value of his work: anyone who can do, for now, is to "try to posit tenta­ replies, "The avant-garde is the new or­ dislikes it is obviously the pris­ tive estimates." But then how does he thodoxy. Its natural habitat is the univer­ know which reaction is "dumb" and sity, where it thrives in the care of oner of outmoded conventions. which is enlightened? Why do only neg­ professors who invent their new artistic ative reactions count as "dumb"? The gimmicks and happily show them off to avant-garde offers no standards by one another in blissful isolation from the tion of his fellow "specialists," all the which its work can be judged (and if it real world." Clark's proof consists of one while expressing his disdain for the ig­ did, those standards would be "tran­ example, Milton Babbitt, who, as a norant philistines who must be coerced scended" the next day). In the absence of Princeton professor, finds in liberal arts into providing the "sole substantial standards, the artist can set himself up as universities (not music conservatories) means of survival" for his art. the ultimate authority on the value of his his most likely audience. However, The idea that the avant-garde artist work: anyone who dislikes it is obvious­ Babbitt is almost unique. Otherwise, the must fight against an antagonistic artis­ ly the prisoner of outmoded artists fulfilling my model are mostly in­ tic establishment is laughable. What conventions. dependent, just as most libertarians are kind of language do you use, these days, If libertarianism as such implies any­ independent of academia, for precisely if you want to be approved for a grant, thing about aesthetics, surely it implies the same reason-their work/thinking is or to obtain a teaching position, or even the rejection of such a transparent at­ simply too far away from the pieties ac­ tempt to insulate the art­ cepted in the academy. (The university ist from the evaluations chair in Avant-Garde Art is no more like­ of those who provide ly than that in Libertarian Politics.) The him his livelihood. 0 professors portrayed in Clark's charac­ terization are generally stealing from Notes avant-gardes. Because their work could 1. Quoted in Umberto not compete in the art-world free­ Apollonio, ed., Futurist Manifestos

that failed attempts to construct apriori Besides finding fault with the arro­ Intimidation by Argument theories exist. But so what? This only re­ gance of someone writing a book that -Once Again flects on those particular theories. presents a praxeologically meaningful Hans-Hermann Hoppe Moreover, it actually presupposes the ex­ and easily understandable thesis concern­ istence of apriori reasoning in that the ref­ ing the central problems of political phi­ Loren Lomasky was intimidated and utation of an apriori theory must itself be losophy and economy, and that angered by my book A Theory of Socialism a proof. For Lomasky, however, nothing vigorously defends it to the point of ex­ and Capitalism. The book is more ambi­ but intellectual hyperbole can possibly be cluding all' other answers as false, tious than its title indicates. "It is," he la­ responsible for "eschewing the low road Lomasky also has some specific nits to ments, "no less than a manifesto for of empiricism, soaring instead with Kant pick. As might be expected from an in­ untrammeled anarchism." So be it. But and von Mises through the realm of a pri­ timidated low roader, they are either un­ so what? As explained in my book-but ori necessities." systematic cheap shots, or they display a conveniently left unmentioned by A book on political philosophy or Lomasky-untrammeled anarchism is economy, then, should never come up nothing but the name for a social order with unambiguous conclusions as to Arguing is an activity and of untrammeled private property rights; what to do, what rules to follow. of the absolute right of self-ownership, Everything should be left vague and at a requires a person's exclusive the absolute right to homestead un­ non-operational stage of conceptual de­ control over scarce resources owned resources, of employing them for velopment. And no one should ever try (one's brain, vocal chords etc.). whatever purpose one sees fit so long as to prove anything, but instead follow the this does not affect the physical integrity forever open-minded empiricist approach As long as there is argumenta­ of others' likewise appropriated resourc­ of trial and error, of tentative conjectures, tion, there is a mutual recogni­ es, and of entering into any contractual refutations and confirmations. Such, for tion of each other's exclusive agreement with other property owners Lomasky, is the proper path, the low and that is deemed mutually beneficial. What humble road along which one is to travel. control over such resources. is so horrifying about this idea? And sure enough, most contemporary Empirically speaking, this property theo­ political philosophers seem to have complete lack of comprehension of the ry constitutes the hard core of most peo­ wholeheartedly followed this advice. problem. pie's intuitive sense of justice and so can Taking the high road instead, I present I am criticized for not paying enough hardly be called revolutionary. Only an unambiguous thesis, stated in opera­ attention to Quine, Nozick, and entire someone advocating the trammeling of tional terms, and attempt to prove it by bodies of philosophic thought. Maybe so private property rights would take of­ axiomatic-deductive arguments. If this (though Nozick is actually systematically fense, as does Lomasky, with my attempt makes my book the ultimate insult in refuted, if only in a footnote-as to justify a pure private-property some philosophical circles, so much the Lomasky indignantly notes), but why economy. better. Apart from other advantages­ should that make a difference for my Lomasky is not only enraged at my that this might actually be the only ap­ argument? conclusions, however. His anger is fur­ propriate method of inquiry, for in­ I am criticized for misinterpreting ther aggravated because I do not merely stance-it at least forces try to provide empirical evidence for one to say something them, but a rigorous proof "validated by specific, and to open one­ pure reason and uncontaminated by any self up wide to rigorous merely empirical likelihoods." It is not logical-praxeological crit­ surprising that an opponent of untram­ icism instead of produc­ meled private property rights, such as ing, as Lomasky and his Lomasky, should find this undertaking fellow low roaders have doubly offensive. Yet what is wrong produced, meaningless with the idea of apriori-theorizing in eco­ talk and non-operational nomics and ethics? Lomasky points out distinctions. "Here comes Socrates - get ready for a long boring dialogue!" Liberty 37 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989

Locke by not mentioning his famous Lomasky's reconstruction of my central person's exclusive control over scarce re­ "proviso." But I am not engaged in an in­ argument, which revealingly employs no sources (one's brain, vocal chords etc.). terpretation of Locke. I construct a posi­ direct quotes, no one would grasp its More specifically, as long as there is argu­ tive theory and in so doing employ main thrust and structure: Without scar­ mentation, there is a mutual recognition Lockean ideas; and assuming my theory city there can be no interpersonal conflict of each other's exclusive control over correct for the sake of argument, there and hence no ethical questions. Conflicts such resources. It is this which explains can be no doubt as to my verdict on the are the result of incompatible claims re­ the unique feature of communication: proviso. It is false; and it is incompatible garding scarce resources; and there is but that while one may disagree about what with the homesteading principle as the one possible way out of such predica­ has been said, it is still possible to inde­ central pillar of Locke's theory. Lomasky ments then: through the formulation of pendently agree at least on the fact that does not demonstrate that it is not so. rules that assign mutually exclusive own­ there is disagreement. (Lomasky does not He is annoyed at my dissolution of ership titles regarding scarce, physical re­ seem to dispute this. He claims, however, the public goods problem as a pseudo­ sources, so as to make it possible for that it merely proves the fact of mutually problem without so much as mentioning different actors to act simultaneously exclusive domains of control, not the my central contention regarding the without thereby generating conflict. (Like right of self-ownership. He errs: matter-that the notion ofobjectively dis­ most contemporary philosophers, Whatever must be presupposed-such as tinct classes of private vs. public goods is Lomasky gives no indication that he has the law of contradiction, for instance;­ incompatible with subjectivist economics grasped this elementary, fundamental insofar as one argues, cannot be meaning­ and so must fall by the wayside along point; any political philosophy that is not fully disputed, because it is the very pre­ with all distinctions based on it. He finds construed as a theory of property rights condition of meaningful doubt, and my arguments in support of the thesis of fails entirely in its own objective and thus hence must be regarded as indisputable, the ever-optimality of free markets want­ must be discarded from the outset as or apriori valid. In the same vein, the fact ing, because they must rely on the as­ praxeologically meaningless.) of self-ownership is a praxeological pre­ sumption of "the universal optimality of Yet scarcity, and the possibility of condition of argumentation. Anyone try­ voluntary transactions." They must in­ conflicts, is not sufficient for the emer­ ing to prove or disprove anything must deed. I never claimed anything else. Yet gence of ethical problems. For obviously, in fact be a self-owner. It is a self­ this assumption happens to be true-in one could have conflicts regarding scarce contradictory absurdity then to ask for fact, as I argue, indisputably true. So resources with an animal, and yet one any further-reaching justification for this what then? Or is Lomasky willing to take would not consider it possible to resolve fact. Required, of necessity, by all mean­ on the task of proving it to be false?! these conflicts by means of proposing ingful argumentation, self-ownership is How dare I-in a footnote---eriticize property norms. In such cases, the avoid­ an absolutely and ultimately justified Buchanan and Tullock for Orwellian ance of conflicts is merely a technical, not fact.) double talk, Lomasky complains. Only an ethical problem. For it to become an Finally, if actors were not entitled to he forgets to mention that I give rather ethical problem, it is also necessary that own physical resources other than their specific reasons for this characterization: the conflicting actors be capable, in prin­ bodies, and ifthey-as moral agents, cat­ among others, the use of the notion of ciple, of argumentation. (Lomasky's mos­ egorically different from Lomasky's mos­ "conceptual" agreements and contracts quito example is thus merely silly: quitoes-were to follow this prescription, in their attempt to justify a state, when Animals are not moral agents, because they would be dead and no problem according to ordinary speech such agree­ they are incapable of argumentation; and whatsoever would exist. For ethical prob­ ments and contracts are non-agreements my theory of justi~e explicitly denies its lems to exist, then, ownership in other and non-eontracts-non-eontracting applicability to animals [po 212] and, in things must be justified. Further, if one means contracting! Similarly for my oh­ fact, implies that they have no rights!) were not allowed to appropriate other re­ so-disrespectful remarks regarding Further, that there can be no problem sources through homesteading action­ Chicago-style property theories: I give of ethics without argumentation is indis­ by putting them to use before anybody reasons (their assumption of the measur­ putable. Not only have I been engaged in else does-or if the range of objects to be ability of utility, for instance), which argumentation all along, but it is impossi­ homesteaded were somehow limited, this Lomasky simply suppresses. ble, without falling into a contradiction, would only be possible if ownership In a true intellectual marvel Lomasky to deny that whether or not one has any could be acquired by mere decree instead gets me implicated even in eugenics by rights and, if any, which ones, must be of by action. However, this does not qual­ quoting an argument that is actually pre­ decided in the course of an argumenta­ ify as a solution to the problem of eth­ sented in the entirely different context of tion. Thus, there can be no ethical justifi­ ics-of conflict-avoidance-even on illustrating the economic effects of all re­ cation of anything, except insofar as it is purely technical grounds, for it would distributive measures, including intelli­ an argumentative one. This has been not allow one to decide what to do if such gence-based ones; and he then called "the apriori of argumentation." declarative claims happened to be incom­ ingeniously faults me for not offering sta­ (Insofar as Lomasky has at all understood patible ones. More decisive still, it would tistical evidence for a thesis which is this, he most definitely appears to be una­ be incompatible with the already justified framed as a deductive argument and so ware of the axiomatic status of this prop­ self-ownership. For if one could appropri­ requires no such evidence for its osition-Le., of the fact that the apriori of ate resources by decree, this would imply validation. argumentation provides an absolute start­ that one could also declare another per­ The rest, regarding my theory of jus­ ing point, neither capable of, nor requir­ son's body to be one's own. tice, is either miscomprehension or delib­ ing, any further justification!). Thus, anyone denying the validity of erate misrepresentation. From reading Arguing is an activity and requires a the homesteading principle-whose rec- 38 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989

ognition is already implicit, then, in ar­ casionally drop a name in passing, espe­ Hoppe offers; it is the egregious level of guing persons' mutual respect for each cially when (as a gracious display of no­ argumentation and shrill tone of his book other's exclusive control over one's blesse oblige) you can credit a predecessor that I find objectionable. Indeed, were I body-would contradict the content of with haVing spied some glimmer of the not a libertarian, I would applaud the his proposition through his very act of truth you have now revealed in its entire­ publication of A Theory of Socialism and proposition making. (For one thing, ty. But you certainly need feel under no Capitalism. It confirms in spades the oppo­ Lomasky, in a stroke of genius, finds obligation to spell out their arguments in sition's stereotype of libertarians: disdain­ fault with the fact that the first part of careful detail or to consider qualms they ful of empirical data, slipshod in this argument provides no justification held concerning your own unassailable scholarship, long on hyperbolic flourishes for unlimited homesteading. True. But positions. but short on careful analysis, cavalier, then it also does not claim to do any such Second, you would realize that con­ boorish, and stylistically maladroit. No, it thing. The second part-the argumen-· temporary critics must be thoroughly dis­ is precisely because I wish libertarian ide~ tum a contrario-does. And regarding my reputable characters. Most likely they argument in its entirety Lomasky claims hold some animus against you or the that I have only shown the validity of the conclusions you advocate. Just possibly Hoppe confirms in spades the non-aggression principle for "the act of they have been unable to follow your ar­ opposition's stereotype of liber­ argument itself and not beyond ... it: guments, but given the extraordinary tarians: disdainful of empirical does not extend to the object of discus-­ clarity and power of the latter, that alter­ sion." At best, this objection indicates a native isn't very probable. No, it's far data, slipshod in scholarship, total failure to grasp the nature of perfor­ more likely that they are cravenly pro­ long on hyperbolic flourishes but mative contradictions: If justification of tecting some immoral vested interest in short on careful analysis, cava­ anything is argumentative justification, the status quo. and ifwhat must be presupposed by any Third, the objections they offer de­ lier, boorish, and stylistically argumentation whatsoever must be con·· serve to be dismissed out of hand. By sidered ultimately justified, then any va·· maladroit. pure logic alone, one knows that there lidity claiming proposition whos€~ can be no creditable criticism of a demon­ content is incompatible with such ulti­ as to flourish and spread to wider audi­ stration known to be impeccable. Out of mately justified facts is ultimately falsi·· ences that I regret the publication of this human compassion, though, you might fied as involving a performative manuscript. show them undeserved favor by continu­ contradiction. And that is that.) Despite the above, Hoppe is not with­ ally repeating yourself in an ever louder Philosophic and economic theorizing out philosophical talent. His central argu­ voice; maybe they will eventually catch is indeed serious work, as Lomasky ment, given more perspicuous on. notes. His reaction to my book, however" presentation, would deserve some atten­ demonstrates that he is not up to such a Thus, by purely a priori reasoning, tion. Unfortunately, its merits are entirely task. Following the style of controversy we have now assembled a logico­ swamped by the author's fustian incivility precedented by him, one might say that deductive simulacrum of Professor and inability to develop a clear train of while the clearing of one's throat may Hoppe. Unaccountably, some puzzles re­ thought. Because Hoppe possesses some complete the job for his co-acronymous main. Chief among them is the curious core philosophical ability, I resist the im­ Linda Lovelace, in the case of Mr. Loren circumstance that the man so represented pulse to invite him to don the mantle of Lomasky it won't quite do. 01 professes to be a philosopher/economist. imam or televangelist. Instead, and in all Usually-but this is to take the low road sincerity, I advise him to resist the inclina­ His Own Worst Enemy of empiricism-such overflowing self­ tion to classify forthwith as an enemy any­ Loren E. Lomasky confidence and rectitude attaches to a one and everyone who holds views clerical calling: the lugubrious Jim different than his own; to recognize that How are we to understand Professor Bakker and the late Mr. Khomeini spring he might actually have something to learn Hoppe's protestations? Try this: suppose to mind.' from scholars other than the two he re­ that you had discovered a line of argu­ Equally puzzling .is the fact that peatedly and slavishly praises; to be open ment that conclusively and decisively re­ Hoppe seems to have stumbled in his to the possibility that critics are not uni­ solves the major extant questions of derivation of my own motivations. formly a herd of ignoramuses or totalitari­ ethics, politics, and economics. Suppose Perhaps I suffer from false consciousness, an manques; and to ponder why his further that you know your argument to but I have never considered myself quite arguments are so persistently "misunder­ be of pellucid clarity and inescapable rig­ that fiendish an enemy of free institu­ stood" even-or especially-by fellow li­ or. How would you be disposed toward tions. Moreover, a priori reflection sug­ bertarians. There is hope that, through philosophical forebears and contempo­ gests the unlikelihood of the editors of persistent work, he might yet develop the rary critics? Liberty inviting reviews from one eager to knack of presenting persuasive and intelli­ First, you would regard it as entirely defend the welfare state in all its unlove­ gible philosophical arguments. But since I unnecessary to paint an accurate picture liness, one who grows faint at the mere seem to be in the advice-giving mode, one of the scholarly literature that preceded mention of anarchism. (In fairness to concluding lagniappe: Hoppe would do your own efforts. Riddled with mistakes Hoppe, it is possible that some crypto­ well to steer away from any further temp­ that have now been thoroughly socialists have crept into those editorial tations to display humor or wit; that, to cleansed, it is utterly dispensable. Error chairs.) Quite the contrary: I embrace the put it gently, is not where his comparative has no rights! To be sure, you might oc- majority of the policy prescriptions that advantage lies. 0 Liberty 39 Report

The Philadelphia Story by Chester Alan Arthur

"We open in Philadelphia tomorrow night." "Philadelphia?" "Philadelphia, P.A." "Yeah, and on Sunday's it's p.u." "You do mean Atlantic City, don't you?" "I mean Philadelphia." IIBut I ... I don't want to go to Philadelphia." "'Who does?" - "42nd Street" (Warner Brothers, 1932)

ibertarian Party members met in was the presence of C-Span, the public Philadelphia for their biennial affairs cable network. Delegates were The major contest was for Party L convention on August 31, al­ thrilled to receive national coverage Chairperson. Longtime activist Matt though the convention itself could not and made constant attempts to present Monroe announced his candidacy in actually begin business until the follow­ a good face to the viewing public. From January. For the first 7 months of his ing day, thanks to the failure of man­ time-to-time, someone from the conven­ campaign, he had no announced oppo­ agement to notify affiliates of the tion floor would go to the exhibit area, sition, but it was widely understood convention in a timely manner. This where many delegates were talking that Dave Walter, who assumed the faux pas was hardly noticed, thanks to with each other or with hucksters, and chair when Jim Turney resigned with some fancy footwork by convention or­ shout, "They're aren't very many dele­ his feet to the fire last December, would ganizers, who scheduled speeches and gates on the floor. This doesn't look too run for a term in his own right. But "presentations" by the Platform good on C-Span." A flurry of delegates Walter postponed announcing his can­ Committee and the By-Laws committee would move onto the floor. didacy until the last minute. Skeptics for the first day; the official "Reports" Also, from time to time, a speaker at from the Monroe campaign suspected of the committees that the announce­ had to wait until Here at last Libertarians could experience winning an election. ment of the decision the following day. to run was post- The Party mem- poned so that Wal- bers convened had three major tasks: the podium would turn self-consciously ter could better wage his unnan­ elect new officers and National Com­ to the camera and encourage television nounced campaign from the pages of mittee Members, amend the By-Laws, viewers to join the Libertarian Party. LP News and in correspondence to and make any needed changes in the Eventually it occurred to someone that members. Platform. Most of the attention of dele­ it would be a good idea to put an ad for Walter was not the only candidate gates was focused on the election of of­ the LP on the lectern. So a bumper stick­ to announce just before the convention. ficers: here at last Libertarians could er that featured the party's name and He was joined by Robert Murphy, a Na­ experience winning an election, rather telephone number was pasted on, cov­ tional Committee member from Okla­ than settling for 1% or so on the politi­ ering most of the hotel's logo. By the homa. Murphy had filed a complaint cal margin. end of the convention, it was reported against the Party's 1988 presidential that some 1300 people had called the candidate with the Federal Elections Perhaps*the biggest* single* difference Party's headquarters for further Commission in June. Since most Liber­ between this convention and past ones information. tarians believe that the FEC ought to be 40 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 abolished because it is engaged exclu­ But the Convention did go along ways and the air conditioning in the sively in enforcement of unjust laws, with the committee recommendation to room was hopelessly inadequate. "So Murphy was denounced by many as a reduce the size of the National Commit­ nice to see you," Matt Monroe said to a criminal. As the convention began, there tee to 19 members. This was still too hundred different guests, drawn by the was widespread speculation that he many to satisfy Matt Monroe, who had free victuals and the chance to talk poli­ would receive as few as 5 votes. called for a reduction to 15 members. tics late into the night. Monroe, who had been critical of the But there was a strong consensus that it Other hospitality suites were a bit bloated and inefficient administration of was a good move. more spartan. Murphy chose an $85 per the Party, ran on a platform of redueing day guest room for his nightly parties. the size of the National Committee and The Platform* Committee* * proposed The Ballot Access Committee held its re­ the role of the national office. "The LP three new planks. The first re-affirmed ception in a meeting room. I arrived two has four employees and annual revenue in more strenuous terms than those of hours after it had begun, just as the of about $300,000. It's not even the size the current provision the LP's support booze ran out. of most family businesses," he said. "Yet of a woman's right to abortion; the sec­ The Walter forces, buoyed by the it is run by a National Committee of 29 ond acknowledged that parents have an confidence that only a detailed file on members." obligation to support their children, the each delegate could give, at first felt no Walter adopted the essential ele­ third stated the Party's opposition to the need to compete with Monroe in the ments of Monroe's program a fe'N War on Drugs. The Abortion Rights partying department. Perhaps spurred months before the Convention, thereby plank was by far the most controversial. by the Monroe largesse, they decided at removing from the campaign its only po­ As usual, anti-abortionists were a vocal the last minute to spring for a suite on tentially serious issue. Walter's support but very small minority. After arcane Saturday night. I arrived at the suite two for a smaller, more effective National parliamentary wrangling that left many hours after it opened; it was out of Committee, combined with the general delegates confused, the new plank was booze. But reliable witnesses told me perception that the party needed stable voted down. The parental obligation that it had served champagne-a pleas­ leadership after the chaos of the Jim Tur­ plank, which had enjoyed near unani­ ant extravagance that surprised those ney years, left the Monroe campaign mous support in the Platform Commit­ accustomed to the "imitation wine cool­ with an uphill battle. tee, also died amidst the confusion of ers" that lubricated Walter-Ernsberger parliamentary maneuvers. The plank hospitality suites at past conventions. Are we becoming* *our parents?* Was it condemning the War on Drugs passed The Monroe hospitality never ran just me, or has the LP become Establish­ easily. out, although it remained in operation ment? During the entire convention, I until about 3 A.M. each morning. If elec­ noticed only two women wearing. jeans. The first*showdown* between* Walter tions were won by hospitality suites, Most of the rest were wearing dresses, for and Monroe forces came on Friday Matt Monroe would have been elected Chrissakes. And a remarkably high per­ morning. The schedule, written by the in a landslide. centage of the men wore suits and ties. firm that contracted to run the conven­ A quick round of the hospitality suites tion, called for only one debate, to last "Were you* at *the Seattle* conven- revealed one fewer brand of hospitality 50 minutes, just prior to the banquet Sat­ tion?" the delegate asked me. "Do you than had been customary: no marijuana. urday evening. Realizing that it faced an remember the boat ride on Puget If I didn't know better, I would think uphill fight, the Monroe campaign insti­ Sound?" I remembered only too well the I had stumbled into a Republican con­ gated a motion to recess the Convention overcrowded boat, the waiting in long vention by mistake. so that the candidates could debate that lines to get into the bathrooms, the long afternoon at 1:00. The motion passed wait for food that began to run out ~ easily, but the Monroe forces had mis­ when only half were served, the short­ A number of significant* * changes in calculated: Walter simply refused to at­ age of tables and chairs, the universal re­ the By-Laws were reported out of com­ tend the debate. lief upon return to port ... "I didn't go mittee. Perhaps the most important was on the boat, " he said. "All I could think a measure to require that all individuals * * * about was, what would happen to the li­ seeking the LP presidential nomination "It used to be easy to get laid at an bertarian movement if the boat sank first agree to a contract with the National LP convention," a delegate told me. with the entire libertarian leadership Committee. The stated intention of the "But things have changed. All the aboard?" measure was to get agreement on mat­ women have gotten either married or ters of fundraising and finance between fat." He made no mention of changes in * * * the party and its candidates, but the way his own avoirdupois. The star of the debate Saturday was the measure was drafted would give the clearly Robert Murphy, the only candi­ National Committee discretion to sign or The Monroe* for* Chair* campaign date with a personality. He charmed the not sign contracts with anyone it rented a $300-a-day suite for all three audience with his wit and got back into pleased, thereby giving it virtual control days of the convention and hauled in the good graces of many by apologizing over the nominating process. Needless to truckloads of booze and food. Each day for his FEC complaint as the product of say, the Convention was not happy they filled the bathtub with ice, jugs of his "Irish temper." Monroe used the de­ about this idea, and voted the measure wine, cans of Coors and Sam Adams bate to detail his program for reducing down. beer. The crowd spilled down the hall- the size of NatCom and improving the Liberty 41 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 Party's effectiveness, but his own effec­ hind him. With the air conditioning off, the LP's founders. Monroe was nomi­ tiveness in the debate was limited by his it didn't take long for the bus to get nox­ nated by 1988 Presidential nominee Ron rather dry speaking style and his accent. iously hot, and after about a quarter Paul, and seconded by former National (English is Monroe's third language, hour, some of the assembled Libertari­ Chair Alicia Clark and libertarian phi­ after Polish and Russian.) ans began to complain. Eventually, the losopher Murray Rothbard. Two of the Walter's style is duller than even assembled revolutionaries took up the seconding speeches struck me as very Monroe's. But it was plain that he didn't chant, "Free the Libertarians!" This ap­ odd. Karl Hess explained that he had figure that the debates counted for parently had some effect, since they hoped that the LP News would not be­ much. In his conclusion, after the other were released within another quarter come an issue, but that it had, so he was candidates had spoken their piece, Wal­ hour with instructions to enter the casi­ forced to second the nomination of ter hardly bothered to mention the race no where they would be given $10 in David Walter. The only mention that I for chair, spending over half his allotted quarters. could recall of the News came from Mon­ time explaining to the assembled dele­ The Libertarians herded across the roe, who called for changing it to a gates which candidates for other LP po­ street but the casino had more than one monthly and re-iterated his support of sitions they should elect. door; which should they choose? Even­ Hess as editor. tually one hero opened a door and the Murray Rothbard's seconding was Independence* Hall* and* the Liberty others followed. Once inside Bally's even stranger: his argument for Monroe Bell were within walking distance of the Grand the herd was again at loose ends. seemed to consist of the fact that the convention hotel, as were a few interest­ By and by a brave figure asked a croupi­ convention organizers hadn't invited ing museums and decent restaurants er where the Libertarians could get their him, Murray Rothbard, to speak. At the and pizza joints. The hotel was adequate, free quarters, and led the herd up an es­ conclusion of his speech, the chair im­ though it seemed more like a Holiday calator. Upon reaching the next floor, mediately recognized Don Ernsberger Inn than a metropolitan hotel. Neither they learnt that they had erred, and im­ (Walter's campaign manager) for two the guest rooms nor the convention faci­ mediately got on the down ecalator. For minutes. Ernsberger read a letter written lites compared with those at the 1987 LP several minutes, confused Libertarians in March in which Rothbard had ex­ Convention in Seattle. had total control of Bally's escalator. It plained that he would not be able to Those who signed on the full, $279.95 was the LP Convention in miniature: speak at the convention because of package of convention activities got dou­ they didn't know where they are going, teaching commitments. Rothbard, given ble-barreled entertainment Thursday but they formed factions that move in one minute to respond, tried to explain evening. The first barrel was "The Phila­ opposite directions nonetheless. that his schedule had subsequently delphia Food Experience," which was Eventually, they got their free quar­ changed and that he had volunteered to heralded as gigantic Philadelphia pret­ ters and stampeded to the slot speak, but that campaign organizers had zels, Philadelphia cheese steaks, and machines. not responded. south Philadelphia hoagy sandwiches. The confidence that the Walter cam­ paign had exuded throughout the con­ The pretzels, hauled to the hotel that There was one sign that the LP still * * * vention proved to be well-founded: morning by convention organizer Don has a way to go before it enters the real Walter was elected easily on the first Ernsberger in a steam-filled car, were a world: the convention was owned and ballot, with 149 votes. Monroe was a bit stale, and the Philadelphia cheese operated by a profit-making firm owned distant second with 64 votes. Murphy steaks and south Philadelphia hoagy by Dave Walter, the party's chairman received 49 votes-far more than any­ sandwiches were no-shows, according to and candidate for re-election; Don Erns­ one had anticipated when the conven­ an eyewitness. But the organizers com­ berger, Walter's campaign manager; and tion began. The party's perennial dark pensated with Philadelphia mustard for another Pennsylvania party member. horse favorite, NOTA (None Of The the pretzels and a mummers' band, gar­ In the past, the franchise to run the ishly decked out in red, white and blue Above) received 34 votes. Monroe and convention has been worth tens of thou­ Murphy made traditional concession sequins. sands of dollars in profits. The relation­ The second barrel was a trip to Atlan­ speeches congratulating Walter and vol­ ship between the Party and the firm that tic City for an evening of sybaritic pl~as­ unteering to work with him to help the ran the 1987 convention was conducted ure at the gaming tables and slot party in any way they could. Walter at arm's length without any signs of machines. "After your big score at the ta­ broke with tradition: rather than wel­ conflict of interest. But can how one ex­ bles," the advertising for the convention coming the help of the defeated, he re­ pect Dave Walter, as Chief Executive of promised, "there will even be time to flected about how nice it was to get the Party, to negotiate at arm's length walk barefoot in the surf while the moon recognition from his peers for all the with Dave Walter, owner/operator of shines down on you and your honey." work he had done over the years. He the firm running the convention? Inci­ Alas, the conyention organizers failed to then opened the floor for nominations dentally, so far as I could tell, no one ob­ consult a calendar; there was no moon for Vice Chair. jected to this conflict of interest. that night. Neither was common sense in Walter's victory was complete: virtu­ evidence. ally all the other candidates he support­ When the bus arrived at Atlantic On Sunday* morning,* *Walter was ed were swept to victory. The newly­ City, the driver parked across the street nominated by 1988 VP nOIl1inee Andre elected National Committee had an unu­ from Bally's Grand Casino, turned off Marrou and seconded by LP News editor sually cordial meeting, and the dele- the engine, and left, shutting the door be- Karl Hess and by David Nolan, one of gates went home. 0 42 Liberty Memory Bank

Goodbye, Galactic ElUpire by J.R. Dunn

There is more to science fiction than ray guns and spaceships. Sometimes that "more" is very good" and sometimes it is horrid. The rise of libertarian writers in SF is helping ensure that the "more" is, at the very least, en,ough.

Throughout its sixty-year history modern science fiction has stood as one of the most American of literary genres. Fast-moving, heroic, technologically oriented, SF has often reflected the most admirable facets of the American character. So it comes as a sad irony that in politics SF has consistently leaned to­ ward authoritarianism. From the galac­ dard works. All the same, it is often But at the same time one work ap­ tic empires of the pulp era to the overlooked how far back libertarianism peared that took a very different stance. utopias of recent years SF writers have goes in the genre, how influential it has This was a novella by Eric Frank Rus­ not so much worked against ideas of ec­ been, and how it has begun to set the sell titled "... And Then There Were onomic and individual liberty as con­ standard for political writing in science None," a successful attempt to gut the sidered them irrelevant. Small, supl~r­ fiction today. galactic empire theme that had become powerful elites have been a feature of a cliche of the genre. Always an icono­ some of the most influential works in The Pioneers clastic writer, Russell had worked his the genre: the omniscient Psychohistori­ It was several decades before mod­ way toward libertarianism by instinct ans of Isaac Asimov's Foundation series, ern SF got around to dealing with poli­ rather than theory. the vicious Bene Gesserit of Frank Her­ tics. During the pulp era the genre The plot is simplicity itself. A giant, bert's Dune, the shadowy Chantry devoted itself for the most part to ad­ heavily armed spaceship lands on a for­ Guild of Gordon R. Dickson's Childe venture stories of little sophistication gotten colony world to give it the bene­ Cycle. In these books-and count14~ss and less social content. As SF fumbled fits of imperial government. The crew others-the "masses" are treated at best toward maturity in the 1940s some at­ has orders to bring the planet into the as childlike beings to be manipulated tempts at political writing were made­ empire using all means necessary, and for their own good, at worst as pawns notably L. Ron Hubbard's Final Blackout in light of the primitive society that to be used and discarded at the pleas­ and the early installments of the Foun­ they find they expect no problems. But, ure of their masters. dation series-but most writers chose to as often happens in Russell's stories, If this was all there was to it there stick with technology and let politics their troubles begin immediately. The would be little more to say. But science ride (an exception was Robert A. Hein­ natives show a complete lack of inter­ fiction is a wide field and there have al­ lein, who will be dealt with later). est, answering every question with a ways been writers who have taken a It was in the 1950s that SF began to curt "MYOB" (which turns out to mean i more humanistic course in depicting fu­ confront political questions in a big "mind.your own business"). The galac­ ture societies. way, and' it is from thts period that we tics are stymied, even when attempting It will come as no surprise that a get the standard SF ideological slant: to use force: the natives, unimpressed, large number of these writers have been statism (often benignly liberal), elitism, simply ignore them. It gradually dawns libertarian. SF's role in providing a plat­ anti-eapitalism, and a cynical attitude on the crew that there is in fact no gov­ form for libertarianism has been recog­ toward society that would have been ernment to be contacted, no leaders to nized for years, and some libertarian SF unbearable if it hadn't been treated so be overawed, that each citizen is his novels have gone on to become stan- lightly. own master and must be dealt with Liberty 43 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 individually. This proves so attractive in and anti-market to the core. easy-going nature of his society. contrast to the strictly regimented em­ Thus it's ironic that it was Kornbluth Not surprisingly, Syndic has been ne~ pire that they begin to drift off, one by who took the major step of using liber­ glected by critics (it remained out of one ... The title explains the rest. tarian themes in book length with his print for years) who preferred to think The case for individual freedom has first solo novel, The· Syndic. At first of the architect of the mad capitalism never been put more succinctly, even in glance Syndic seems yet another slap­ novel as the "real" Kornbluth, a notion Ayn Rand's Anthem (itself a borderline dash attempt at satire: after civilization with little merit. In fact, as the decade SF novel). Russell took some of the basic collapses the syndicate and its associates wore on Kornbluth moved further from symbols of the genre (empires, giant take over the United States. On closer the liberal mainstream: his last novel, spaceships, granite-jawed heroes) and reading, however, it becomes apparent Not This August, was an early example turned them on their heads, managing that Kornbluth had changed his tune: in of the Soviet conquest story, and one of to paint a hopeful picture of the future a groping way he was working toward the best. He died a short time later, still something not a very young man. unlike what is Most other writers of the decade " No man is superior to another. No man has a now called who touched on politics chose to contin­ libertarianism. ue down the trail blazed earlier. Typical­ right to define another man's duties ... If any­ Though not ly their stories followed the framework one on terra exercises such idiotic power, it worked out in of the mad capitalism novel with the ro­ is only because idiots permit him.They fear full detail, the manticism of pulp SF thrown in: the freedom. They prefer to be told. They like society in Syn­ hero, opposing a repressive system after being ordered around. What men! " dic is presented many adventures works his way to the as operating on top until the puppet strings are in his ... And Then There Were None pure free­ hands-but it's okay now, becauSe he's Eric Frank Russell market princi­ a good guy and we're sure he'll do the ples. The gangs right thing. The message was clear: the at the same time. In essence ". .. And are now thoroughly respectable; the superstate is here to stay, the masses Then There Were None" is a fable, "rackets"-whatever businesses they exist to be exploited, the individual is a though far more powerful than many concern themselves with-are run with­ thing of the past. "serious" works of the time. out violence or coercion. Taxes are The major exception to this sorry Russell later· misguidedly expanded bluntly called "protection money," and trend was a middle-aged ex-navy officer the story and published .it as a novel buy exactly that. Everything else, wheth­ named Robert A. Heinlein. Among the under the irrelevant title The Great Explo­ er in the economic, social or political most politically savvy of SF writers (he sion. Nonetheless, the original story spheres, is left to the wishes of the popu­ was one of the few with actual experi­ lived on: two· decades later it was cho­ lace, making for a just and happy socie­ ence in grassroots politics), Heinlein sen by the Science Fiction Writers of ty. Through a satirical device meant to was concerned with the future of mass America as one of the best short SF show that all governments are at base democracy and what could be done to works of all time. criminal gangs Kornbluth managed to perfect it. Much more typical of the period create something very close to a utopia. He began in the 1940s with a mas­ were the novels of C.M. Kornbluth and The novel itself is not first-rate. After sive work called the Future History, a Frederik Pohl, The Space Merchants and a short introduction to syndic society series of novels and stories giving a de­ Gladiator-at-Law, which kicked off a sub­ Kornbluth gives in to the temptations of tailed picture of the United States over genre that has been called the "mad cap­ pulp and sends his hero off on adven­ the coming two centuries. Not meant to italism" story. The formula of these tales tures involving a resurgent federal gov­ be actually predictive, the Future Histo­ had a single industry in the near future ernment bent on retaking the country, ry nonetheless contained an astonishing (advertising in Merchants, real estate in abandoning his theme in the process. number of accurate social prophecies: Gladiator, insurance and defense in later But he nearly does redeem himself in the growing power of unions, the cultu­ versions) metastasize and take over the the final chapters, where the syndicate ral revolution of the 1960s, problems entire economy, manipulating it to max­ leader refuses to meet the crisis by re­ with nuclear energy, a hiatus in space imize profits at the expense of every­ turning to thing else. The protagonist, always the evils of introduced as a conformist nerd, comes the nation­ into conflict with the system and must state. Instead avoid being snuffed out as a debit on of mobiliz­ the ledger while it slowly dawns on him ing the pop­ that Things Are Not The Way They ulation he Should Be. chooses to These novels were immediate suc­ rely on a vol­ cesses, and Space Merchants is consid­ unteer citi­ ered to be a classic. Both Pohl and zen's militia, Kornbluth were excellent writers and in keeping their work was sophisticated, exciting with the "Remember ... Lift from the hips."

44 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 exploration, the appearance of the relig­ self-responsible individuals. He be­ nomic and political freedoms. In these ious right, the return to free-market eco­ lieves that it is impossible to shift stories the invisible hand has a galactic nomics in the 1980s. blame, share blame, distribute blame ... reach. After completing the Future Historv as blame, guilt, responsibility are mat­ Elsewhere, in such stories as "No Heinlein continued to delve into politic~5 ters taking place inside human beings Truce With Kings," "Marius," and "The singly and nowhere else. in novels that were as popular as they Sky :eople" Anderson dealt with the ag­ But Mistress is not simply a didactic were controversial. In Double Star ail onIZIng nature of political decisions. Ed­ novel: far from it. Tales of revolution out-oE-work actor replaces a political mund Burke's idea that society is a pact have always been popUlar in science fic­ leader in order to assure the humanistic between the dead, the living and the yet tion and Heinlein had written a number nature of a future parliamentary democ­ unborn often played a large role in these himself, but never with the elan and ex­ racy. The novel was dismissed as behav­ stories: a decision taken only in light of citement present here. Although many ioristic fantasy; it is, in fact, a hymn to today's problems may prove a betrayal have tried to top it, Mistress remains the t~e common man. Starship Troopers out­ ~f premier SF revolutionary novel, as well past ideals or a tragedy for genera­ lIned a meritocracy in which the vote tIons to come. At the heart of Ander­ as a model for the fictional treatment of must be earned through public service; son's work is the conviction that human political ideas. Heinlein himself earned the labels of nature does not change, even over light­ Heinlein's influence on the genre is "fascist" and "reactionary" by critics years and millennia of time, and that difficult to overrate, even among such who concentrated on the military narra­ this must stand as the basis of any work­ writers as Spider Robinson and Joe tive, ign~ring the larger social portrait. able political system. Haldeman who disagreed completely Stranger In a Strange Land examined the with his politics. Writers of the libertari­ role of religion in society through the an school were particularly influenced The Moderns eyes of a man who really has miraculous by his work, among them J. Neil Schul­ . As the 1970s dawned SF dropped powers (as well as predicting the carni­ man, Melinda Snodgrass, L. Neil Smith Into the creative doldrums. The previ­ val-like use of the media by the likes of and Jerry Pournelle. ous decade had seen a shake-up of the Tammy, Jimmy and Oral). The opinions An earlier writer showing Heinlein's genre sparked by the New Wave, a tech­ of this character were taken as influence was Poul Anderson. One of nophobic and anti-American movement Heinlein's own and presented as evi­ the most prolific writers in a genre attempting to turn SF into a politically­ dence of insanity (the fact that Charles noted for them, Anderson was typed correct "literature of the streets." What Manson adopted the novel as scripture early on as a hack given to churning out followed was a period of retrenchment didn't help matters much). standard adventure stories. It was years ~ith the n:~jority of writers choosing t~ One of the most engaging of his nov­ before he began to be recognized for Ignore polItIcal matters in favor of a re­ els during this period was The Door Into writing some of the deepest political fic­ turn to the romantic style of earlier Sum~r, a gentle time travel fantasy. tion in the field. The fust part of the book told of an engi­ Anderson was neer who builds a successful household a believer in cycli­ " You think the fate of civilization hinges on robot out of off-the-shelf parts. This was cal historical theo­ dismissed as romanticism: everyone you. You're right, of course. The fate of ries, and like knew that the day of the backyard in­ civilization hinges on everyone of us Heinlein was con­ ventor was over. In fact, the book could at any given moment. We are all cerned about the have been a primer for the founders of components in the two- prospects of de­ Apple Computers, not to mention thou­ mocracy, which he billion-body problem. " sands of other hackers. saw as comprising The Syndic But Heinlein's major political work only a short inter- C. M. Kornbluth - _ was to come in the 1960s with The Moon lude in the ad­ is a Harsh Mistress. Probably his most vance of the authoritarian state. To days. What political writing did appear popular novel, Mistress depicted a revo­ some extent Anderson considered this was almost exclusively left-wing: radical lution on the moon in the 21st century to be inevitable, and much of his work feminist utopias (such as The Female Man and can be said to be Heinlein's political is "warning" fiction, dealing with the b~ Joanna Russ, Woman at the Edge of testament. In it he deals fully with all tragedy of the demise of liberty both in Tlme by Marge Piercy and "Houston, the problems that had concerned him in near-future and interstellar societies. Houston Do You Read?" by James Tip­ earlier years: the shortcomings of mass But Anderson was by no means lim­ tree Jr.), environmental catastrophism democracy, the individual's duty to so­ ited to gloom-and-doom scenarios. His (The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner, The ciety, the difficulties of dealing with Polesotechnic League series, consisting Castle Keeps by Andrew Offutt) and the technological change. Heinlein's answer of dozens of short stories and the novels kind of self-righteous pacifism that to these problems was libertarian, in the The Man Who Counts, Satan's World, and holds the U.S. responsible for every­ form of a system he calls rational Mirkhe~m, is a far-ranging future history thing wrong in the world (The Forever anarchy: explodIng with wild incident, odd socie­ War and All My Sins Remembered by Joe Haldeman, Armed Camps by Kit Reed A rational anarchist believes that con­ ties and colorful characters. Through his cepts such as "state" and "society" and. scheming, self-centered interstellar trad­ and The Wild Shore by Kim Stanley "government" have no existence saVle ers Anderson was virtually unique in Robinson). as physically exemplified in the acts of making the connection between eco- Few voices were raised against this. Liberty 45 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 Heinlein, plagued by ill health, was in ism of libertarianism, often enough ing-if probably unworkable-political semi-retirement. Anderson continued Pournelle adapted libertarian ideas in system. writing prolifically but his work grew his own work. But despite his achievements as a more bleak as he saw what he feared to Poumelle had started out in the sub­ novelist it is as an editor that Pournelle be the great decline coming to pass. genre of military SF with a controversial has made his greatest contribution. Be­ In the midst of all this appeared F. series about a star-spanning mercenary ginning in mid-decade he edited a num­ Paul Wilson. Well-known today for his force but soon moved on to wider top­ ber of anthologies that introduced many best-selling horror novels such as The ics. A supporter of space exploitation, new writers and provided a platform for Keep, Wilson had started out with a se­ much of his work has dealt with this views which might otherwise have gone ries of stories, .later expanded into nov­ theme, usually written from the stance unheard. Among these was The Survival els, about an interstellar society based that private enterprise is the best chan­ of Freedom, a collection addressing what on principles of the free market and pro­ nel for opening up space-an idea that Pournelle saw as one of the paramount tection of individual rights-a far cry the deterioration of NASA has made far questions of our era: whether the West­ from the galactic empire so beloved by more plausible than it appeared at the ern democracies could prevail over the earlier writers. An Enemy of the State told time. total states that seemed to be the typical of the founding of the confederation Later Pournelle b!2gan to collaborate form of government in the twentieth through the actions of a man in lonely with veteran writer Larry Niven on a se­ century. Remarkably wide-ranging, the revolt against an authoritarian system. ries of blockbusters that achieved im­ book included such libertarian writers Wheels Within Wheels dealt with an at­ mense popularity, among them The Mote as Heinlein, Wilson, and David tempt by the Restructurists, a statist in God's Eye and Lucifer's Hammer. The Friedman. group patterned on today's liberals, to most interesting of these from a political Pournelle went on to edit a paper­ take over in the name of benign inter­ point of view is Oath of Fealty, which back quarterly, Destinies, which after ventionism. In Healer the latter days of dealt with the concept of arcologies­ several name changes is still being pub­ the confederation are seen through the massive buildings comprising whole cit­ lished. Though not the most influential eyes of an immortal character who must ies-paying close attention to the politi­ magazine in the field, Destinies has more intervene to save a decadent society by cal as well as technical aspects. often than not published fiction well ad­ restoring its early values. The arcology Todos Santos is a self­ vp.nced in concept and execution be­ Wilson is a solid writer, low-key in governing entity built on the ruins of yond what has appeared in the more his approach, reasonable in his political central Los Angeles. Its political system widely known magazines. vision (although he has a tendency to is a strange yet compelling blend of li- As the seventies ended the great lib­ bertarian and eral experiment collapsed amid stagfla­ feudal con­ tion, growing crime rates and savage " Mighty little force is needed to control a man cepts: the citi­ humiliation of the United States over­ whose mind has been hoodwinked; contrari­ zenry are asked seas. Libertarianism gained new con­ wise, no amount of force can control a free to give up cer­ verts as the public grew tired of the man, a man whose mind is free. No, not the tain carefully incompetence of both major political rack, not fission bombs, not anything- delineated por­ parties, dedicated as they were to statist tions of their panaceas no matter what their rhetoric. you can't conquer a free man; the most rights of priva­ The time seemed ripe for a great liber­ you can do is kill him. " cy and self­ tarian novel to appear, and so it did. ... If This Goes On defense in re­ The novel was Alongside Night, by an Robert A. Heinlein turn for securi­ unknown writer named J. Neil Schul­ ty and guar­ man. Night was a straightforward exam­ slip into the visit-to-the-cooperative­ anteed freedom in all other aspects of ple of fictional extrapolation, moving balloon-works lecturing of early utopian life. the follies of the 1970s ahead a few dec­ fiction in describing his societies). This Oath tells of a crisis sparked by envi­ ades to show a society in a state of col­ was exactly what was needed at the ronmentalist fanatics who wish to see lapse, a picture few would have argued time; not a voice howling in the wilder­ the arcology destroyed as a symbol of with at the time and which could still ness but a figure capable of putting the technology. Local politicians demand befall us. The question, as ever, was case for individual liberty forward in a that Todos Santos give up its whether such an outcome was inevitable calm, intelligent manner. Wilson fit the independence and integrate itself into and, if not, what steps could be taken to role perfectly. the city government; it is left to the pro­ avoid it. But the standard-bearer of the dec­ tagonists to choose between giving in to Schulman's solution was libertarian­ ade was Jerry Pournelle. Although a political pressure, negotiating a compro­ ism-"agorism," to be precise-which is self-described conservative, Poumelle mise or cutting the arcology off presented as the ground state of any po­ was far from the one-dimensional reac­ completely. litical economy, existing whether the tionary he was often painted as-he had Oath of Fealty is a satisfying novel, powers-that-be desire it or not. Schul­ once been a Communist Party member possibly the best that Niven and Pour­ man never makes a false move in work­ as well as a follower of Gary Davis's nelle have written together, with fine ing out his system; its operations are World Citizen movement. Although he characterization, realistic political in­ depicted in stunning and virtually irref­ has expressed impatience with the ideal- trigue and a look at a novel and interest- utable detail. One of his most brilliant

46 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 touches (which was borrowed, along cated approach than utopian writing hulking in some deep bunker, toying with other ideas, from Heinlein) was the and in many ways requiring greater with humanity in the name of logic or portrayal of the agorist rebels as de·· skill. sinister fun. scending from today's underground MelindaM. Snodgrass was the· first By the time the 80s had rolled economy. female writer of the libertarian school. around this notion had run its lame Alongside Night was unusual in being SF has long been known (quite inaccu­ course and SF was ready for a new tack. hailed far beyond the confines of SF and rately) as a male bastion, but in recent Vinge provided this in spades with The libertarianism. Milton Friedman was years many female SF writers have Peace War. The Peace War was written highly impressed (not surprisingly-he gained fame by working within a femi­ from H.G. Wells's classic formulation of was the basis for the book's rogue econ­ nist framework, with all the left-wing introducing one new factor into the pic­ omist Martin Vreeland), and no less a baggage that comes with it. Snodgrass ture and following it to its logical con­ figure than Anthony Burgess bemoaned chose another course, and her "Circuit" clusion. Here the factor is "bobbles," the fact that he hadn't thought of the trilogy (Circuit, Circuit Breaker, Final impenetrable force fields controlled by a idea first. Alongside Night is a didactic Circuit) is evidence that this choice paid small cabal of scientists who enclose novel that does not lecture, a revolution­ off. ary novel that avoids empty heroics. Be-­ "Circuit" ex­ yond that it is a book that had to be amines the ro­ " It's strange, governments are able to endure written, and we are indeed lucky that it mantic notion was written so well. held by many any amount of vice and corruption on the Schulman's second novel was The space enthusiasts part of their citizens, but there's one Rainbow Cadenza. Here he took another that the opening thing they can't abide, and that's to be course, creating a 21 st century society of the solar sys­ ignored. People who ask to be left gone rotten, with an expendable seg­ tem will repre­ alone are viewed as the most ment of the populace-called "Toucha­ sent unalloyed dangerous radicals. " bles"-hunted for the fun of it, women benefits for man- Final Circuit drafted for sexual purposes and a gov­ kind. In Snod- Melinda M. Snodgrass ernment with no more regard for its citi­ grass's fictional zenry than that usually shown the world space has, population of an anthill. Rainbow is·a to the contrary, become the 'arena of vi­ everything that, in their view, threatens complex, intricate work, with a numbe~r cious power politics, with the U.S., the world peace. of fascinating touches, particularly its Soviet Union and lesser nations jockey­ What follows is a century of stag­ depiction of laser imagery as a major ing for supremacy while the actual pio­ nant, "compassionate" dictatorship, artform. Many consider it Schulmanl's neers are subject to long-distance marked by the embobblement of any­ best novel. However, its reception did bureaucratic control. The use of an inter­ thing opposing the scientists' hegemo­ not match that of Alongside Night, per­ planetary circuit judge as protagonist al­ ny. A resistance movement arises, based haps because it lacked the first book"s lows Snodgrass to look into such things on a cottage electronics industry that narrative drive and was too similar to as constitutional law and the legal basis alone can avoid surveillance by the rul­ the standard "decadent society" novel. of individual rights often neglected in ing elite. The opposition looks forward With the eighties libertarianism in SF the genre. The background is realistic, a to decades of quiet preparation before a came into its own. Although a number convincing extrapolation of the current move can be made. Then the bobbles, of earlier proto-libertarian writers were status quo. Add to this a maturity of supposedly eternal, begin to vanish ... major figures, libertarianism had stood tone unusual in a young writer and it is Vinge followed The Peace War with in relation to the genre much as it did to surprising that Snodgrass is not better "The Ungoverned," a novelette depict­ the political structure of society itself: a known. ing the libertarian society that arises small-scale movement, interesting, per­ Vernor Vinge's theme is cybernetics, after the revolution, based on the protec­ haps of value, by no means big league. in particular the idea that, far from tive association that has long been one But now this changed: more writers pro­ being an instrument of tyranny, the of the core concepts of libertarian fessing libertarian values than ever be­ computer will develop into a powerful thought. The last installment of these­ fore appeared, and libertarianism not guarantor of freedom, eventually lead­ ries was Marooned in Realtime, which ex­ only entered the political mainstream of ing to an unimaginable leap in man's ev­ pands the concept of bobbles to include the genre, it was in the process of be­ olutionary status. Vinge began writing a form of one-way time travel. The use coming the mainstream. in the late sixties with a handful of sto­ of computers in this novel, in which The new writers were not interested ries, including his first use of this idea each individual is empowered to the in reinventing the wheel. Far from sim­ (the marvelous "Bookworm, Run!") but point.of equivalency with the modern ply reworking old ideas they instead then left the field for over a decade. nation-state, is as jolting a concept as concentrated on themes such as com­ In general, SF's view of computers has ever appeared in science fiction. puters and the new political and social has differed little from that of the world Aside from collections of previously realities of the late 20th century. Often at large: a network of government ma­ published work not much has been they worked in the dystopian mode, chines keeping tabs on every breath the heard from Vinge lately. It is to be portraying societies in which freedom citizenry takes or the more apocalyptic hoped that he is working on something has been swept aside, a more sophisti- vision of a godlike, malevolent device to match the Peace War series, rather than

Liberty 47 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989

taking another ten years off. t kanized and on the ropes. On the horizon ism has begun to set the terms of political One of the biggest fads 6f the eighties the hurricane of another war is gathering debate in the genre. In SF as in society at was "Cyberpunk," an attempt to merge force. large the left-liberal statist ideologies have punk nihilism with such concepts as cy­ Against this background we are told proven bankrupt, and this, along with the bernetics and biotechnology. Like the the story of the last independent Japanese devotion of many writers to faddish New Wave, Cyberpunk was designed to corporation, which has created an artifi­ cliques such as Cyberpunk, has left the sweep aside all that had come before it cial intelligence (named TOKUGAWA field of intelligent political writing open. and redline SF into a new era. It failed in after the 17th century shogun) and must The libertarians have moved in to fill the this and is now a memory. protect itself against the bureaucratic gap. The Cyberpunks concentrated on a monster that the government has become. As yet there has been little critical rec­ limited number of themes: burnt-out an­ The story is fascinating, with a sense of ognition of this fact, but this is unimpor­ tiheroes, the cultural and economic things lost unusual in SF. The actions, tant: in SF the readers are the last court of superiority of Japan, the threat of the multinational corporation. These obses­ sions were in large part the cause of " AI's Protection Racket operated out of Manhattan, Kansas. their decline: it seemed that if you'd read one Cyberpunk story you'd read 'em all, Despite its name, it was a small, insurance oriented police and most readers read one and let the service with about 20,000 customers ... But appar­ rest go. ently I AI' was some kind of humorist: his ads At first glance Victor Milan's The Cy­ had the gangster motif with his cops dressed bernetic Samurai would appear to fit the like 20th century hoodlums.... it was all mold: it takes place in Japan, involves part of the nostalgia thing. " breakthroughs in computer science and features much corporate intrigue-but to The Ungoverned place Milan in the Cyberpunk camp (as Vernor Vinge did many, myself included) would be a mistake. emotions and fates of the characters-not appeal, and despite critical indifference li­ Unlike the Cyberpunks, who often the least the conscious computer-are rea­ bertarian science fiction is widely read. In worked in dismal ignorance of their sub­ listically and convincingly depicted. addition the libertarians have taken the ject matter, Milan writes with vast knowl­ Milan has managed to humanize his com­ matter of recognition into their own edge of his material. More importantly, puter to the point where its final decision hands: the Prometheus Award is present­ his characters are adults dealing with between the possibility of human freedom ed annually to the best libertarian novel­ adult problems rather than the superan­ and a millennia of feudalism and vio­ an award certainly unique in the literary nuated adolescents of the movement writ­ lence-a decision that involves its own world. ers. Finally, Milan's politics are libertarian survival-is genuinely moving. As it stands, science fiction remains as opposed to the masked leftism of the Samurai may not be a great novel-it the one literary genre taking libertarian Cyberpunks (who have been called "Cy_ is too crowded with characters and the ideas seriously. This may be of more sig­ bernistas" by some). haunting of TOKUGAWA by the spirit of nificance than it seems: today SF is under­ Like Snodgrass, Milan chose to por­ its creator is inadequately explained and going an unparalleled boom, with novels tray a future in which liberty is under comes to nothing-but it is an impressive appearing on bestseller lists and an ever­ work nonetheless, particularly coming siege, although his worldview is if any­ growing body of readers. As the influence from a man whose only previous creden­ thing more bleak. World War III has oc­ of SF grows, it's inevitable that its politi­ curred, killing its billions and leaving tials were a neverending series of sword cal element will achieve greater impor­ Japan the strongest power in the world. and sorcery novels. tance-and it is likely that this element The other industrialized nations are Bal- These three writers are not alone in will be libertarian. using libertarian ideas. Victor Koman has Recent days have seen the publication as yet written no major works although of what may well be Victor Koman's his reputation continues to build. The breakthrough novel, Solomon's Knife. F. Internship amazingly prolific L. Neil Smith, active in libertarian politics outside the genre, has Paul Wilson has published two novels, proven himself the master of the comic Black Wind, an almost mainstream war Available space opera through a massive series (in­ story, and Dydeetown World, an SF novel. Liberty Publishing offers cluding The Probability Broach, Tom Paine Victor Milan is reported to be finishing up full-time internships to students Maru, The Nagasaki Vector and Their Majes­ a sequel to Samurai. L. Neil Smith contin­ of all majors interested in jour­ ties' Bucketeers, to mention only a few) ues outwriting everyone else around and nalism, writing, political philos­ which features a wild inventiveness and Jerry Pournelle remains as iconoclastic as ophy or public policy. Positions satirical bite not seen in SF in years. Brad ever. Beyond that, there are no doubt are open at all times of the year. Lineaweaver caused a stir recently with young writers still to be heard from, to For further information Moon of Ice, a fine alternate history novel carry on the work begun by a handful of write: R.W. Bradford, Liberty in which a libertarian United States faces pioneers holding out for ideals of human Publishing, PO Box 1167, Port a victorious Nazi Germany. freedom when the ideologies of arbitrary Townsend, WA 98368. In fact, it can be said that libertarian- power reigned supreme. 0 Memoir

Ayn Rand and I by Tibor Machan

Ayn Rand's ideas inspired Tibor Machan to get his G.E.D., to go to college, to get a Ph.D., and to pursue a career as a professional philosopher, ancl Rand gra­ ciously offered him help and advice. Unfortunately, none of this prepared him for meeting her colleagues.

Ayn Rand helped me to understand the world and to identify myself. She helped me through many of life's uncertainties. I shall always be grateful to her for this. I have tried to live the kind of life that someone who takes Objectivism very seriously would and should live-give or take a few detours, confusions, failings, modifications and improvements. Had I not encountered Rand's novels and phi-, ary communist songs; I was called on Reading Rand losophy, my life would be vastly differ-· the carpet several times for refusing to In 1960 I \-vas in the United States ent-and much poorer spiritually. sing on stages in Budapest where I was Air Force, stationed at Andrews Air I knew her briefly, many years ago, conscripted to perform because I had Force Base, near Washington, D.C. I before being black-balled from her something of a voice. 1 hated the mass was 21 years old and a high school movement. And I remain one of her marches we were forced to go on to flunkout. The Kennedy-Nixon debates most ardent philosophical supporters. I honor /Iour dear father Stalin./I They that year stimulated my interest in poli­ think I have managed to present her to were horrible-but if you didn't show tics, and I got more intensely interested the philosophical community more ef·· for them, your grades would be when I read an article by William F. fectively than almost everyone else who lowered. Buckley, Jr., in Esquire magazine, enti­ had the good fortune to have been im·· So 1was happy to leave Hungary in tled "Why Don't We Complain." Buck­ pressed with her ideas, whether an "au·· 1953. My father hired a smuggler to ley argued that the reason violent thorized" spokesperson or a lowly take me W~st. Unfortunately, while I protests occur in relatively free societies expellee such as me. did escape communism, I fell under the is that people suppress their dissatisfac­ rule of my father, who was a Nazi and a tions until they cannot be contained and Escape to Freedom sports fanatic. His virulent anti-semitic have to explode. The notion that com­ I have always been an individualist. views repelled me from the outset. plaining is an honorable undertaking Even as a child, I was notoriously diso·· Once he assaulted me for praising a pia­ suited me very well. I wrote to Buckley bedient both to my parents and to the nist who happened to be Jewish! And and he answered with a very friendly state. By age seven, I discovered the he never made me into a rowing cham­ note. novels of Zane Gray, Max Brand, Mark pion, despite beating me and forcing I soon subscribed to National Review, Twain and, especially, Earle Stanley me to endure athletic training for the where one day I saw an ad for Classic Gardner. They gave me a vision of life entire three years I was in his custody Books Club. 1 subscribed and obtained far removed from-and far more salu­ after I escaped Hungary. a set of fairly good editions and selec­ brious than-my middle class life in Six months after I set foot in Ameri­ tions of works from Plato, Cicero, Aris­ Stalinist Hungary. By the time I was ca, 1 ran away from him. I never totle, Montaigne, Locke, and so on. I nine, I was Americanized. At age ten, I returned. read them and resolved to finish high was a black-market trader in American So my fiercely individualist­ school. (I had flunked out because I just novels among my friends in Buda. perhaps even rebellious-nature had a wasn't linguistically equipped to tackle It was virtually impossible for me to good start before 1 ran across Ayn chemistry and business law during my stand at attention and sing revolution- Rand's ideas. first year in the United States.) Liberty 49 Volume 3, Number 2 I November 1989 In the fall of 1960 the ,little theater long found it difficult to make sense of Shrugged. I read it in two sleepless group I had joined at the base put on the idea of God. And the Catholic atti­ days. It was filled with great ideas and The Night of January 16th, Rand's popu­ tude toward sex angered me. I had a was an exciting story. Its simple mys­ lar courtroom melodrama. As I recall, I friend who was getting divorced. He tery-"Who is John Galt?"-was no played a character who jumps up dur­ and his wife believed divorce was the mystery for me: I recognized him when ing the trial and confesses to murder, in best solution to their failed marriage, he was first introduced. The larger order to save the accused heroine. Each and it appeared to me that they were mystery-what role does the human night, a jury selected from the audience" right. Yet my religion required me to op­ mind play in the affairs of the world?­ issued a verdict; after the play, the cast pose their divorce. I wrote about it to a did not unfold quite so easily for me. adjourned to a bar to debate it. I found friend of mine, a priest. When I posed The first time through I skipped Galt's the issues intriguing. We could never my dilemma to him, he gave me very speech. I cut it out and made it into a decide simply on the basis of the facts bland answers-"God is putting you little book to study later. And indeed I but had to reveal our sympathies for the through some difficulties." Well, of did. moral traits of the characters. I didn't at course, but ... how about a solution to My friends and I began staying up this time become interested in Rand-I them? night after night-sometimes spending When I came to the passage in The uninterrupted weekends at an all-night Fountainhead where its hero says, "God terminal on Andrews-critically exam­ I was happy to leave Hun­ is an insult·to my intelligence," it gave ining Galt's speech, searching for possi­ gary in 1953. My father hired me great pause, stimulating my doubts ble logical problems. We scrutinized his about my religion. But I hadn't yet made discussion of the purpose of morality, a smuggler to take me West. up my mind and wanted to hear the about original sin, free will, axioms ... Unfortunately, although I did other side of the story. I called the priest, We were not able to find anything dras­ escape communism, I fell who was pretty vague. I then went out tically wrong, based on our admittedly on one of Andrews AFB's abandoned meager education. We started conjuring under the rule of my father, runways and walked all night long pon­ up possible reasons why Rand might who was a Nazi and a sports dering the God issue. not be trusted. We hypothesized that fanatic. Finally I looked up, my hands she was sent by the Soviet Union to dis­ clasped as in prayer, and said, "God for­ credit capitalism by associating it with give me but I cannot believe in you." I atheism, and conjured up bizarre psy­ recall exactly the chain of thought that chological explanations. We tried what didn't know she had written anything led initially to ambivalence, then agnos­ we could. Our efforts fell short, leaVing other than the play. I was almost illiter­ ticism, then atheism. I thought, if God us with a growing belief that this ate, trying hard to get my high school created me and gave me a mind with woman had ideas we ought to study equivalency certificate in preparation which to figure out the world and my­ further. for night college. Then in 1961 I became acquainted self, and my mind gave me no evidence We found out that the Nathaniel with two other airmen who had ex­ or cogent argument for His existence, Branden Institute offered lectures on pressed enthusiasm for Rand's works. then it would be an insult to God for me Rand's philosophy (which she called The first time I saw them after reading to believe that He existed. But no sooner Objectivism) in the Washington area. I even~ Gore Vidal's review of Rand's For the had I realized this than I dropped the sampled several NBI lectures, and New Intellectual in Esquire (Vidal had conditional nature of the argument and tually enrolled in some lecture series. I panned the book for its explicit egoism) said, "My mind simply gives me no met Branden, who seemed terribly aloof I marched up to them and said, "Your ground for believing in God, so I disbe­ and snide. But what he said made good hero was sure creamed by Gore Vidal." lieve in God. I am an atheist." sense. One of them looked at me quizzically Of course for months thereafter I I went to New York to attend a lec­ and asked, "Have you read any Rand?" was struggling with this problem, both ture and had the chance to ask Branden I said, ''No.'' "Well," he replied, "don't intellectually and emotionally. It was some questions. I noticed that these you think it would be best to read her difficult to rid myself of the habit of were not exactly welcome. This was before you decide that Vidal has the crossing myself when walking by a puzzling: what especially appealed to drop on her?" This, I recall, stopped me Roman Catholic church. I also felt I had me about Objectivism was its idea of the cold. It seemed to square with my sense to purge myself of all associations taint­ importance of the independent mind, of of justice. So I borrowed The Fountain­ ed by religion, even to the extent of be­ the individual trying to answer ques­ head and read it. coming estranged from my family. tions or solve problems to his own ra­ The book was an extraordinary and All this happened before I ever en­ tional satisfaction. But who can tell exhilarating experience, a kind of libera­ gaged anyone in discussion about my about people-they have free will and tion. Rand said emphatically and stark­ new ideas. But that came, too, because can have bad days-so I didn't get too ly the things I had known should be after I read The Fountainhead, I ap­ upset by Branden's hostility toward said, things I had hoped someone proached the Randian-oriented airmen I questions. would eventually say in a penetrating had met and told them how much I I did find peculiar the clannishness way. liked it and that I found its ideas very of the people who attended the taped I had been struggling with my persuasive. lectures, but I reasoned that they were a Roman Catholicism for some time. I had Next came the reading of Atlas group with very unusual views; no 50 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 wonder they were uptight. And it did tation of Christ. One of its ideas is that cant details? Bowignorant can a person disturb me that few of them managed to the human effort to know is an insult be? Etc., etc. laugh heartily or comfortably. Most of to God, a sign of pride. I exclaimed my What stands out in my mind about the laughs were snide, derisive, caddish. frustration with this message-after all, the event is that when at the conclusion But, again, I thought, this bunch must my every effort was to know, to learn, of the lecture I tried to speak to Branden feel very strange, just as I often do, hav­ and now Kempis was telling me that as he was leaving the hall, he brushed ing come up with ideas that disagree this was sinful. I wanted help, but I with all the socially acceptable ones. didn't want another story about the evil of searching for knowledge. Branden listened to my Encounters and Expulsion Rand wrote me a wonderful letter. question and then started in In 1962, my application for enroll­ She noted that ment at Claremont Men's College was The most terrifying indictment of re­ on me with utter disdain and accepted. Before I went west to Clare­ ligious morality is contained in the fol­ derision. This was puzzling: mont, I travelled to New York, hoping lowing lines of yours: 'The trouble is to meet Rand. I had called her office that I am always asking for the logic. what especially appealed to me from Washington, and I called Branden And the more I will know the more I about Objectivism was its idea in New York. My persistence paid off: I will want to know. What should I do to was told that Rand would meet with stop wanting to know?" I hope that of the importance of the inde­ me. And so, one Sunday-I don't recall you realize fully to what extent you pendent mind, of the individu­ which-I visited Ayn Rand. were on the premise which I call lithe al trying to answer questions I found it a wonderful experience, sanction of the victim." You were ac­ but not an overwhelming or "religious" cepting as a sin the thing which was or solve problems to his own experience. Indeed, what stuck in my your greatest virtue and the greatest of rational satisfaction. all human virtues, your rationality, the mind afterward was how warm, calm­ desire to know and to understand.... I ing, sensible and friendly she was. One want to stress, as the most important me aside---but Barbara Branden, to my exchange I remember followed from my advice I can give you, that no matter surprise (the Ice Lady!), took a moment saying that perhaps I liked her work be-· what intellectual errors you may make cause I too was a refugee from the 50-' to speak to me and show some sympa­ in the future, do not ever accept the thy for my embarrassment. Her small idea that rationality is evil or that it can gesture of benevolence stayed with me ever be proper to discard your mind. One Sunday-I don't recall So long as you hold this as an absolute, and was recalled when I later met her in connection with her research on The Pas­ which-I visited Ayn Rand. J you will be safe, no matter what errors you make. sion of Ayn Rand. found it a wonderful experi-· The letter was a very sensible piece After I had been at Claremont for a ence, but not an overwhelminf/; of advice to a young man who was try­ while, I began writing columns for the ing to cope with the challenges of his student paper in which I promulgated or "religious" experience. In-· rather baffling and uprooted life. Of as best I could the ideas I had picked up deed, what stuck in my mind course, since I found Objectivism a from Rand and found sensible. A few of afterward was how warm}' sound viewpoint, I thought her advice us on campus cooked up the idea that extremely sound and tried my best to we should start a student newspaper calming, and friendly she was .. adhere to it. filled with diverse ideas. We set to She was like that sensible Shortly after I went to the West work. I designed the logo and we called grandmother or aunt I wished Coast, I attended a live performance by the paper Contrast. Nathaniel Branden of the opening lec­ The first job I was assigned was to for but never had. ture of his Basic Principles of Objectivism contact Rand and ask her to write some­ series. Someone at CMC had suggested thing for the paper. I was eager to com­ ply because I was convinced that her viet bloc. She told me that she hoped that I ask Branden why Dagny in Atlas Shrugged could be so sexually promiscu­ ideas would win readers for her works. I that wasn't so because her ideas were wrote several times, as I recall. But I re­ meant to have universal significance. ous and without any apparent concern ceived no reply to my letters They were not just for those who shared about the risk of pregnancy. I suppose it was a stupid question, but as an ex­ Eventually I wrote asking that she at her personal experiences. And she said least let me know why she wouldn't this without badgering me, without Roman Catholic I still had some sympa­ thies for that kind of concern. Well, grant my request. Finally I received a wagging her finger. She was like that letter from her. Here is its full text: sensible grandmother or aunt I wished Branden listened to my question­ This is in reply to your letter of De­ for but never had. asked from near the front of an audi­ cember 20, 1962. It requires no philo­ I promised to send her a particular­ ence of around 500 people---and then started in on me with utter disdain and sophical knowledge, only common ly wrenching letter I had written to my sense ethics and etiquette to know that priest friend during my struggles about derision. Didn't I know about contem­ one does not ask for the free profession­ my friend's divorce. When I got back to porary birth control measures? Didn't I al services of any profession, whether Washington I sent it. In that letter, I ex­ know that a novelist such as Ayn Rand, doctors, lawyers or writers. If one per­ pressed chagrin about a book the priest whose objective is to focus on essen­ mits oneself the breach of asking it, one had given me, Thomas a Kempis's Imi- tials, need not bother about insignifi- has, at least, the decency to know that Liberty 51 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 one is asking a favor-and one does written the priest and his response. ogized for the nastier segments of the not pretend that one is offering a value ... Miss Rand, may I remind you that 1963 letter to Rand that precipitated the in return. And when one is refused, when one receives a favor from a per­ excommunication.] As the situation one does not demand to know the son, one has the decency to acknowl­ stands now, there is no way for anyone reason. edge such a favor, especially when this of us to know when you will choose to I was hurt and angry. Why, I won­ favor involves a very private matter, lose your head again. dered, does this person find it so diffi­ communicable only to those whom the cult to see the good will behind my person holds in great trust. One might approach to her work and ideas? also remember that, upon seeing that But I persevered. I wrote Rand said letter is an original one, one might In 1971 I briefly went to several letters apologizing for not have the decency to return it upon hav­ group therapy with Branden ing finished reading it. Your neglect to making myself clear, explaining that but found that I had little in she must have misunderstood me be­ do this indicates to me a terrible una­ cause I certainly meant to do only one wareness of "common sense ethics and common with his other clients. etiquette." And if one permits oneself thing, to get her ideas before student the breach of this etiquette, one should They were concerned about a readers. No response came to any of at least have the decency to refrain .lack of motivation to do any­ these efforts. from accusing the person who did this One night around 2 A.M. my suite­ favor for one of "pretense," "indecen­ thing worthwhile; my prob­ mate, an outspoken leftist and a fellow­ cy," and an act of unrighteous lems had to do with my member of the staff of Contrast, asked demanding.... me to report my progress with Rand. I Not long after I sent off this tirade a feelings of isolation and my re­ letter arrived from Nathaniel Branden. lationships with women! Here is its text: The ranks of the blackballed At Miss Rand's request, all mail that were growing steadily. I hoped comes to this office addressed to her is By this time, I had learned of some read by me. In the event that she re­ of the acrimony within the circles of Ob­ Plato and Aristotle and all the ceives crank and/or obscene letters, jectivism, exemplified by John Hospers's other innovative philosophers she has asked that these not be for­ expulsion because he dared criticize warded to her. As your letter is in the didn't have to go through th~ Rand when she addressed his same moral category, it has not been philosophy seminar, on Objectivist kind of isolation Rand forwarded to her. I have, however, con­ sulted her attorney about the matter of aesthetics.* experienced. your reprinting her letter to you. Her In 1965 I learned that a Leonard attorney made it quite clear that you Peikoff was teaching a philosophy have no legal right to do so, that such course at the University of Denver. At explained that I hadn't gotten anywhere. publication would constitute a clear-cut this time, I was writing my senior thesis invasion of privacy, and that should Thereupon he started to poke fun at on the subject of free will. I wrote to him you publish it without Miss Rand's me-"How do you like your rational and we corresponded a bit about some permission, you would be liable to liti­ aspects of volition and of voluntary hero now?" After he left, laughing as he gation. I have summarized the content walked over to his room, I jumped to my behavior. I asked whether I could meet of your letter to Miss Rand-and you with him during my spring break to typewriter and wrote a scathingly hos­ emphatically do not have her permis­ tile letter to Rand. A typical passage sion. I will speak to Miss Rand about discuss my paper, and he agreed. So went like this: the letter to the priest and request that when spring break rolled around I it be returned to you. [lt never was, nor drove to Denver to meet him. I was ac­ While you proceed to call all your companied by another student who "straw man" and real enemies all sorts his answer.] Please do not write to this of names, criticize the world and its in­ office again. We do not wish to hear asked to ride along, though I knew him habitants of wholesale irrationality (as from you. I have instructed Mr. Peter true as this may be), you continue to Crosby, my Los Angeles representa­ ... I had contacted Hospers as early as 1964, practice identical methods in dealing tive, that you are not to be admitted to when he left Brooklyn College to join the School of Philosophy at the University of with those who address you, who seek any lectures, should you attempt to attend. Southern California. Hospers has been the your advice or who wish to clarify most supportive of the very few philoso­ some points with you. This approach phers who have taken Rand's views serious­ draws no distinction between those Unrequited Comradery ly-he published my first philosophy who consider your philosophy­ In the following year, 1964, I tried to paper, "Justice and the Welfare State," in Objectivism-GOOD, and RIGHT, and re-establish some kind of intellectual The Personalist, a journal he edited at USC. rapport but it was rebuffed, this time in (Interestingly, at a Liberty Fund conference those who are approaching it skeptical­ held at Oaremont Men's College in the Iy or antagonistically. You are making it a letter from Robert Hessen. It said, in Summer of 1970, three young loyalist Objec­ quite difficult for the first group to part, tivists tried to persuade me, without suc­ create a better world for themselves. Nothing in the nature of your subse­ cess, to withdraw my paper from The Personalist on the ground that Hospers had For this I must sarcastically thank you. quent letters to Miss Rand or the Bran­ I went on in this rather belligerent the temerity to publish an essay by Nathan­ dens has been such as to provide them iel Branden shortly after the Rand/Branden and nasty way, unloading pent-up with objective evidence that your psy­ split. This supposedly tainted the journal so anger, acting childish and hurt. I asked chology has significantly changed. A badly that no moral human being knowing Rand to return a copy of the letter I had simple apology won't do it. [I had apol- of the split could publish in it.) 52 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 only slightly. contact with Rand and her circle. But he figure things out by myself. 1 called Peikoff when we got to Den­ lashed out at me after I offered some In 1975, my book Human Rights and ver. He told me he would not see me be­ ideas on possible problems with Rand's Human Liberties was published. Douglas cause I deceived him by not telling him belittling of Wittgenstein in The Rasmussen, an Objectivist-oriented that 1 was persona non grata with NBI. (I Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology. philosopher, reviewed it favorably in still didn't know about the inner circle He told me that I just wasn't thinking, Law and Liberty. Harry Binswanger, my or his membership in it. I had thought of period. former philosophical correspondent, NBI as a private school, modelled on the Much later, in 1967, when I was wrote a nasty letter to the editor, de­ Lyceum or Plato's academy.) He also studying for my Ph.D. at the University nouncing it as pure mush. Later, when I said that clearly I was trying to pull an of California at Santa Barbara, I wrote to heard that David Kelley was studying at altruistic blackmail on him-the one Branden asking whether I might quote Princeton, I wrote him asking whether that goes: "But 1 drove 1100 miles, so Rand or Branden in some essay 1 was he was forbidden to communicate with you must see me." I had an image of writing. (I had not yet become adept at me, and he replied that we had better Peikoff calling Branden about this inter­ the game of scholarship and 1 was also esting young man in California who was too literal about the idea of intellectual coming to see him to discuss philoso­ ownership.) This letter came back: I don't think any other li­ phy, and Branden exploding when Peik­ Please try to understand, once and for off mentioned my name, calling Peikoff all, that I dislike and disapprove of bertarians have matched afool for not checking me out earlier to everything I know about you, I have no Rand's achievement, no matter see if I was on the NBI shit list. Poor interest in your thoughts whatever, and Peikoff, what a loss of face! I sincerely wish that you would stop how much sharper their 1 was stunned and couldn't think of sending me letters. With regard to the tongues or how much more an effective protest. 1 asked whether the announcement you received on NBI's erudite their scholarship. student who rode with me could go to course on Ancient Philosophy, this was one of Peikoff's classes. He said 1 would caused by a computer slip-up. I trust this will not occur again, but if it does, Le., if you ever do receive any NBI or not talk. Objectivist announcements, you may I met Branden not long after Rand assume that this was the result of a me­ Branden was a brilliant and chanical error, and save yourself the ex­ split with him. He was not very eager colorful therapist but I never pense of a long distance call. In answer to talk about the past, or about ideas, to your letter of June 17, permission to and he was without personal warmth. obtained the feeling that he quote from Miss Rand or myself is un­ In 1971 I briefly went to group therapy cared about me individually, reserved!y denied. with him but found that I had little in or even about my problems as Obviously, I was getting on Bran­ common with his other clients. They den's nerves. were concerned about a lack of motiva­ my problems, as distinct from The ranks of the blackballed were tion to do anything worthwhile; my his challenges. growing steadily. I hoped Plato and problems had to do with my feelings of Aristotle and all the other innovative isolation and my relationships with philosophers didn't have to go through women! Both were largely of my mak- have to clear this with Branden! 1 called the kind of isolation Rand experienced. 1 Branden and he called Peikoff clearing recall an observation I heard attributed the fellow. When the guy returned from to Nietzsche that "One must forgive the lecture, he reported that Peikoff told every great genius his first disciples." him that he tried to call me in Claremont 1 never had a desire to fraternize but my phone would not answer, and I with the inner circle. 1 wished I had must have stayed away from the phone been treated in a friendlier fashion, but on purpose, so 1 could try the altruistic the idea of being "in" with them simply blackmail on him and get to see him. Of hadn't occurred to me. I knew these course, I had no such designs, and it people only slightly from having seen puzzled me how Peikoff could argue them at early NBI lectures, and the little that he knew that I wanted to deceive I knew of their rather stern style did not and blackmail him. recommend them to me as pals. 1 have In 1965 or 1966 1 established a philo­ always been a cheery sort of person, sophical correspondence with Harry who enjoys joshing around, joking, fun, Binswanger, who published IREC Re­ and laughs. I saw none of this at NBI view, a student journal devoted to Objec­ gatherings or in the tone of Rand's and tivist ideas. We exchanged a few cordial Branden's writings. letters even after 1 explained to him about my troubles with Rand, Branden Letting it Be Dr. Robert B. Clarkson and Peikoff. Some of his letters were Gradually I gave up on the idea of 515 Concord Avenue quite supportive and filled with advice getting together with these "experts" Anderson, SC 29621 about how I might come to re-establish and went about the business of trying to (803) 225-3061 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 ing-after all, I escaped from my mother not really heroic, life. that considered alternative explanations with full consciousness that I was doing and compared them to his own, thereby something rather drastic. Branden was a "Who am I Speaking To?" demonstrating the superiority -of his brilliant and colorful therapist but one I had a final word with Ayn Rand on thesis. from whom I could never obtain the July 4, 1976. I called her to express my I had hoped that the book would fi­ feeling that he cared about me thanks for her being the most crucial con­ nally show the philosophical communi­ individually, or even about my prob­ temporary thinker to stand behind and ty that there is real substance to lems as my problems, as distinct from his strengthen the meaning of the Bicenten­ Objectivism; Rand's essays (even her In­ challenges. nial. Her husband Frank answered, and I troduction to Objectivist Epistemology) had He and I still know each other and asked for Miss Rand, and she came on been too polemical to qualify as scholar­ the line. Here is our conversation: ship. Rand herself urged those who "This is Ayn Rand. Who am I found her views sound to get out there I am very glad that I was speaking to?" and become "new intellectuals." But blackballed from the Objectivist "Miss Rand, I am a long time ad­ "new intellectuals" who cannot talk to mirer and wish to simply thank the old intellectuals quickly become in­ movement. you on this day for what you have tellectually and academically isolated, done to keep the American revolu­ ineffective as advocates of ideas. tion's ideas alive." I had learned too much from Bran­ meet now and then. He was generous den and from Rand to hold a grudge "Who is this?" enough to send me a "fan" letter upon against either of them. I think the Objec­ the publication of my first essay about "My name is Tibor Machan." tivist movement has made some original epistemology, in the journal Educational "Good bye." contributions-such as the linking of Theory, in 1970. He said he thought it a epistemology with morality, the recon­ very good piece. He has often asked me Who Are They Speaking To? ciliation of modern science with ethics, to send him works I have written dealing In 1982, Leonard Peikoff-by now the demonstration that individual rights with the ideas he helped to promulgate. Ayn Rand's designated material and "in­ rest on a classical egoist or individualist He has always received or returned calls tellectual" heir-finally came out with ethics rather than on hedonism or ato­ I made to him concerning Reason maga­ his long-awaited and long-germinating mistic individualism, etc. One can argue zine, conferences, and other business or book, The Ominous Parallels. In it Peikoff that bits and pieces of Objectivism had intellectual concerns. compared the German and American tra­ been around for a long time before But I never quite managed to cast ditions of philosophy and politics, and Rand, but not that they had been inte­ out of my mind what I perceived to be argued that Americans were setting grated with one another and introduced his letters of gleeful rebuff. I never did themselves up for a totalitarian future to a large audience. The complete edifice figure out whether my ambivalent fully parallel to Naziism. It had been is quite an accomplishment, whatever feelings about him were simply a matter hyped for more than a decade, and por­ the flaws of the personalities responsible of my own sour grapes or some actual tions of it had been presented as lectures for it. I don't think any other libertarians shortcoming of his. He amuses me a bit before the Branden-Rand split. The joke have matched Rand's achievement, no with his enormous signature, one that had been that, just as parallel lines never matter how much sharper their tongues seems to announce, "I want you to know meet, so this book will never be pub­ or how much more erudite their I think a lot of myself." And I am not lished. I wanted it reviewed in Reason scholarship. sure he has a fully accurate perception but my editorial influence had waned to But the closed nature of Official Ob­ of the drama of his own life-though I the point where I could only get a very jectivism remains a problem. I am very see nothing wrong with him treating it brief review scheduled. I asked several glad that I was blackballed from it. I dramatically; I share this predilection people with good qualifications but all might have become a dependent like so myself. But compared with such histori­ warned me they would pan it after read­ many others. And I am glad, too, that cal figures as Aristotle, Curie, Einstein, ing it. I finally wrote the brief review my­ my expulsion was not so devastating a Jefferson, or even Oliver North, Branden self, chiding Peikoff for missing the blow that it led me to renounce all the has had a colorful and trouble-filled, but chance to produce a truly scholarly work good ideas in Objectivism. 0

"The Sociology of the Ayn Rand Cult" by Murray N. Rothbard Moving? Be sure to leave a Paper Trail... Though Prof. Rothbard wrote this provocative monograph years ago, it has only recently been published. For your copy, Please notify us at least 4 weeks in advance. Be sure to in­ please send $4.00 to: clude both your old address (a copy of your mailing label would be appeciated) and your new address, including Liberty Publishing your zip code. POBox 1167 Send address changes to: Port Townsend, WA 98368 Liberty, Circulation Department, (Please use separate checks ifalso ordering back issues or subscriptions.) PO Box 1167, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Thank you. 54 Liberty Travel

A Rustic in NeW" York by R. W. Bradford

It's 2,420 miles from Port Townsend, Washington to New York. There are other, bigger differences, as l·t W. Bradford found out during his recent visit.

New York. The Big Apple. A nice place to visit but you wouldn't want to live there. The center of American finance and. culture-let's face it, of the world's finance and culture. Etc. I'd seen it in a million movies. As a young man infatuated with Ayn Rand's city worship I decorated my apartment with a huge poster of the rvfanhattan skyline. I'd always planned to spend some time there, perhaps even live there. But, somehow, at an age when I catch our plane, my wife .and I had to glorying in the metropolitan atmos­ would be called a "grizzled veteran" if drive to the airport at 6am. I am a night phere. I were a baseball player, I had never set person: 6am is normally the time I go foot in Manhattan. It's not that I'TIl to bed, not the time I arise. I dragged Ten Observations poorly traveled. At one time or anoth­ myself from bed at that ungodly hour, For a week we sampled the pleas­ er, I've visited nearly every major city drove to the airport, and spent the next ures of the Greatest City in the World. in America. But somehow, New York 12 hours in the custody of airports, air­ We wandered its streets, rode its taxis, seemed like too much hassle, too ex­ lines, trains, and taxicabs. subways and busses. We drank in its pensive, too crime ridden, too self­ Despite my exhaustion and the in­ bars and ate in restaurants refined and absorbed. dignities inherent to these rude modes crude. We shopped its shops and So it was with considerable antici­ of travel, I arrived in the City in high watched an off-Broadway Play. We pation that my wife and I planned our spirits. I was in New York! The first ad­ went to the top of the Empire State visit this past summer. We prepared venture was the cab ride to our hotel. Building and the World Trade Center; carefully. My wife studied tour books, Having been warned about crime infes­ we hiked across the Brooklyn Bridge and decided we should travel light. tation of the area around Penn Station, and rode the Staten Island ferry. We Since street crime is omnipresent (ac­ my wife and I carefully shepherded our went to Harlem to see poverty, Yankee cording to both the travel books and bags, and looked for a person to hire to Stadium to see a ball game, the Metro­ our friends who had visited), she left hail a cab for us (a preposterous idea politan Museum to see art and the Mu­ her watch at home, lest some drug­ recommended by our guide books). seum of Natural History to see crazed New Yorker snatch it from her Alas, there were no professional dinosaur bones. In short, we did all the wrist. We bought lots of travelers' cab-hailers available, so I did the dirty things tourists from the hinterlands do checks, packed a light wardrobe and a deed myself. We had been warned when they visit the City. list of friendly natives, reserved rooms about the ethics, linguistic talents, and For a rustic like me, the move from a at two "bargain" hotels-in Manhattan manners of New York City cab drivers, town of 6,000 to a city of 16 million had this means no more than $125 per so we were surprised to discover: 1) many surprises. Here is a partial list: day-and lit out on our adventure. our cab driver spoke English; 2) he 1) On a clear day, you can see the One of the inconveniences of living drove us directly to our hotel; and 3) he air. There is no horizon: just a yellow­ in the most beautiful place in America was polite and even pleasant. Even brown haze. Almost everything in New (the Olympic Peninsula) is that you are more astonishing was the tariff-only York City is dirty and grubby. The sole stuck away in the corner of the county, $7 including tip. We checked into our exceptions were in front of tony stores, a two-hour drive from an airport. To hotel and immediately hit the streets, whose employees sweep and wash the Liberty 55 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 sidewalks daily. they are usually the fastest and cheapest a little walk. I found myself heading to­ 2) No street (or other) crime was evi­ way of getting anyplace in the City. ward Times Square, thanks to my typi­ dent. In a week in New York spent New Yorkers are fond of observing cally rustic voyeuristic interest in mostly walking the streets and riding how wonderful it is that you don't need decadent city life. I figured that if the sit­ subways, we witnessed no armed rob­ a car to live in the city. I wondered if uation ahead looked as if I needed a beries, no purse snatchings, no mug­ there is a connection between the ab­ heavily armed murderer like Bronson or gings, no nothing. Okay, we did see sence of personal cars and the abun­ Norris, I could always beat a hasty someone offering baggies of green vege­ dance of podiatrist advertising. I walk a retreat. table matter for sale in Washington lot when I am at home, and I was sur­ I walked up 3rd Avenue to 42nd Square, but he was in full view of prised at how much more tiring I got Street: it was well-lit, had a few gaudily mounted police who did nothing. And walking around the City. Perhaps the flashing signs and a few pedestrians, we saw a guy trying to scalp tickets at reason is that much of my walking at but looked to me like no firepower Yankee Stadium-but the only differ­ home is on mountain trails of dirt, while would be needed. Things got livelier at ence between scalping here and at any every square foot of New York is paved. Times Square. The streets teemed with other major sporting event was that the New Yorkers are quick to point out people, as in the daytime, but with a dif­ scalper was hassled by the police. their fabulous parks. I suppose they are ference: the people were partying. Most When I observed this curious pauci- fabulous to someone who has never businesses were closed, but there were seen a real tree. The walkways in the even more vendors than during the day, parks are paved and lined with park their cheap watches, remaindered benches; the grass is fenced in to keep books, fake Louis Vuitton luggage and How dare I say that other people off, and the benches face other electric teddy bears lined both the curb cities had more bums! Why, park benches. The trees are scrubby lit­ and the fronts of buildings. New York has the most bums tle sycamores, beloved in cities because The whole scene was reminiscent of they tolerate pollution well. a small town county fair: people milling and the lowest low-life! Every­ 5) There are almost no police in New around, many of them a bit drunk (or body knows that! York. Except for the mounted cops in "crazed" on crack, for all I know). Occa­ Washington Square and some foot cops sionally one was rowdy, but most were on crowd control at Yankee Stadium, we talking, laughing and having a good hardly saw a cop in a week on the time, drinking soda or beer or wine ty of crime to natives of the City, with­ streets of the City. from containers in paper bags, snacking out exception they advised me that we 6) Street vendors are everywhere on food from vendors, some entering or were either blind or unbelievably lucky people are; which is to say everywhere. leaving restaurants or bars, some of and proceeded to tell horrifying. stories For those in the market for cheap junk which advertised nude entertainment. It about crimes they had witnessed, or or bad food, the streets of Manhattan are was decadent, I suppose, but the deca­ nearly witnessed, or read about in the dence of a county fair with its hoochy Post or had heard about somewhere. a shoppers' paradise. koochy girls, not the decadence the 3) We were panhandled occasional­ 7) It is nearly impossible to get a guide book warned about. ly, I saw bums sleeping in doorways glass of water in a good New York res­ 9) You need a lot of cash, preferably when I went out for late-night walks, taurant. The customary beverage is soda in small bills, to get along in New York. and some subway stations had a faint water imported from Europe. On our The minimum amount for charge pur­ odor of urine. But contrary to the media last day in the city, our host earned our chase is always about $5 more than hoopla to the effect that the City is inun­ eternal gratitude by ordering plain what you want to buy. No one except dated with street people, we saw fewer water, and insisting that if no bottled your hotel will cash anything bigger than in such laid-back cities as San Fran­ still water were available we would take than a $20, and most places won't take cisco and Seattle. In New York, we tap water. anything bigger than a $10. Taxicabs, never encountered entire parks that 8) Like its reputation for crime, New snacks and other sundry purchases all reeked of urine and we never came to York City's reputation for sin is must be made with small bills. Keeping stretches of sidewalk totally occupied exaggerated. enough small change is a constant by sleeping bums in daylight hours as My guidebook sternly warned, nuisance. we have·encountered in Seattle and San "Ugh! You want to talk about urban 10) Noise is omnipresent. Even in Francisco. And, unlike West Coast blight? Still no self-respecting tourist our hotel room, with the windows bums, New York bums don't have dogs. should miss this bit of Americana ... closed and the air-conditioning on, we Maybe it's the pooper-scooper law. Stand on 42nd Street and Broadway and could hear the rumble of traffic 27 sto­ When I made this observation to look uptown ... Hang onto your purse ries below us in the middle of the night. New Yorkers, the response was incredu­ or wallet while you're looking and then A city is its people, and I have to say lous. How dare I say that other cities head north. Do not head up 42nd Street that New Yorkers earned my respect. had more bums! Why, New York has unless you happen to be with Charles the most bums and the lowest low-life! Bronson and Chuck Norris. What used Personal automobiles, clean air, arid de­ Everybody knows that! to be naughty is now seedy and very cent water are not the only amenities of 4) The subway stations are filthy sad. There are no thrills left on 42nd civilization that New Yorkers must give and (in August) suffocatingly hot. But Street." up for the privilege of living in the most trains are air-conditioned, and On Saturday night, I left my hotel for continued on page 58 56 Liberty ;~,; SIL. AND Ll. MERGE

INTERNA TIONAL SOCIETYFOR INDIVIDUAL LIBERTYCREA TED!

A new world libertarian organization, the INTERNA TIONAL SOCIETYFOR INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY, was inaugurated on August 30th at the "20th Anniversary of the Movement" banquet in Philadelphia -- the night before the opening of the US Libertarian Party National Convention. The announcement, which came as a complete surprise to everyone, was made by Karl Hess

ISIL is the resullt of a merger of the Society for Individual Liberty, founded in 1969 by Don Ernsberger, Dave Walter and Jarret Wollstein, and Libertarian International, founded in 1980 by Vince Miller. S.I.L. was the first large-scale libertarian activist and support organization in the U.S. and over the years has developed an extensive library of educational materials. It has also become well known for its devotion to campus activism. 1...1. has built a very powerful worldwide network of libertarians in over 50 countries, and is best known for its series of international conferences.

ISIL will continue to emphasize networking and support of movement organizations. Former SIL members will now receive the FREEDOM NETWORK NEWS bi-monthly newsletter (which will incorporate INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY), and the "Index on Liberty" world freedom directory. Updated editio~s of the SIL position papers are now under development. (Sn.. will continue with its international conferences, with the next one to be held in San Francisco in August 1990. ISn. will also playa major role in the revival of the libertarian campus movement -- both in America and internationally.

It was also announced that ISK. has been incorporated as a SOl(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation. Contributions to ISIL are tax-deductible in the USA.

The new ISIL Executive Board includes Vincent H. Miller, James R. Elwood, Donald Ernsberger, David Walter, Bruce Evoy (Canada) and Hubert Jongen (Holland). The new Board of Freedom Consultants includes: James L. Johnston, Leonard Liggio, Leon Louw, Robert Poole Jr., and Ken Schoolland.

For membership information, plus a complimentary newsletter and a selection of position papers, write:

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETYFOR INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY 9308 Farmington l'Jrive, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23229. Phone: (804) 740-6932. Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989

Bradford, IIA Rustic in New York," continued from page 56 Center of the Universe. They also forego nite's feeling about his own island. • They haven't an inkling of what privacy, pay twice as much for every­ There are other parallels between the rest of America is like. New York­ thing they buy, and pay the highest New Yorkers and Mauians, to wit: ers are convinced that everything taxes in the country for the privilege of • They talk funny. In Maui, the local worth seeing in America can be seen enduring the worst government, and patois is a mixture of English, Hawaiian, there. A New York friend was incredu­ God knows what other indignities. And Iloco, Tagalog, Chinese, Samoan, Japa­ lous and aghast to learn that a certain even with frequent visits to podiatrists, nese and pidgin. To get along one must exhibit of Chinese art had been shown hoofing it on the hard pavement on a understand a wide variety of accents in Chicago and Seattle but had not long term basis must be hell on their that often bewilder tourists from off­ come to New York. For New Yorkers, feet. island. In New York, the locals speak a there is simply no reason to leave the That they pay this awful price is evi­ variety of languages, all with liberal ad­ City, except perhaps for sunshine in dence of the stern stuff of which they mixtures of profanity. There is enough winter or seashore in summer, or to go are made. I stand in awe of them, even variety in the language of each island to to Europe where civilization is of a if they do exaggerate the street crime, give the visitor trouble. higher character. the problem of bums, and the cultural • They eat funny food. New York Mauians mostly would like to see a advantages of living in the Big Apple. likes to brag about its 25,000 restaurants, bit of the mainland, but the trip is ex­ offering an incredible array of meals, in­ pensive (as much as Europe from New The ominous parallels cluding many that are exotic. More than York) and the people there are so nu­ I noticed a number of ominous par­ once during my stay in New York I was merous and so foreign that a mainland allels between residents of the Island of served food that I could not recognize, trip is, well, maybe a little frightening. Manhattan and those of another island, although I sometimes recognized its So they see America on TV instead. some 5,000 miles to the west: Maui, as name. I can't really evaluate these items • The isolation and insularity ofboth in "Maui No Ka Oi." That slogan­ because I don't know what they are. groups of islanders breeds provincial­ printed on everything from T-shirts to In Maui, on the other hand, one can ism, self-conscious on Maui, uncon­ bumper stickers, as ubiquitous in Maui buy a "two scoop breakfast," consisting scious in Manhattan. Both Mauians and as is filth in New York-translates from of two scoops of rice with goop poured Manhattanites think everyone else in Hawaiian as "Maui is the best," a senti­ over. You don't want to know what's in America envies them. Who knows? ment reminiscent of every Manhatta- the goop. Take my word for it. They may be right. 0

Miranda, liThe Lost War on Drugs," continued from page 28

tels once provided ... employment, se­ 100-20, June 1988. 23. Robin Moore, The French Connection (Boston: Lit­ curity, and a place in society. Latin 3. Sir Robert Thompson, Revolutionary War in World tler Brown and Co., 1969). The "French Connec­ Strategy, (New York: Taplinger Publishing Co., tion" considered by law enforcement to be one American countries could use coca 1970). of the most important narcotics cases of the planting programs as a way of gaining 4. Eddy, p. 31. 1960s, actually consisted of only several support for the government. People 5. Review of International Narcotics Control Strategy mobsters. Report: Mid Year Update, Hearings Before the 24. Second Session, p. 42. would now have a vested interest in Commission on Foreign Affairs, House of Repre­ 25. Ibid., pp. 25, 270. supporting law enforcement. The cartels sentatives, First Session, October 7, 1987, p. 75. 26. Ibid., p. 24. would find themselves increasingly iso­ 6. David Kline, "How to Lose the Coke War," Atlan­ 27. Ibid., p. 339. lated from their popular base. Deprived tic, May 1987, p. 25. 28. Thompson. 7. National Drug Policy Board Strategy Plans, Hear­ 29. Second Session, p. 76. of recruits, money, intelligence and ings Before the Select Committee on Narcotics 30. Ibid., p. 37. sanctuary they would be easy targets for Abuse and Control, House of Representatives, law enforcement. April 14, 1988, p. 2. 8. Scott French, "Bum Trip in Bolivia," Soldier ofFor­ Without the hyperbole of a "drug tune, August 1988, pp. 28-35. war," the United States could realistical­ 9. Eddy, p. 50. ly deal with individuals who have drug 10. Eddy, p. 31. problems. 11. National Drug Policy Board Strategy Plans, p. 7. But is the United States willing to le­ 12. Kline, p. 22. 13. Review of the International Narcotics Control Strate- galize drugs? Or will it continue the gy Report: Mid Year Update, Second Session, 24. failed policies of the past, policies that 14. Ibid., p. 2. are placing the United States at war 15. National Drug Policy Board Strategy Plans, p. 23. 16. Eddy, p. 39. with much of the world, as well as its 17. Review of the International Narcotics Control Strate­ own citizenry? This is a question no one gy Report: Mid Year Update, p. 51. in government is Willing to face. 0 18. National Drug Policy Board Strategy Plans, p. 2. 19. Review of the International Narcotics Control Strate- Notes gy: Report, p. 48. 1. Paul Eddy, Hugo Sabogal, Sara Walden, Cocaine 20. Ibid., p. 5. Br"ID' Wars (New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1988), 21. Ibid., p. 12. p.20. 22. Walt James, "Emerald Triangle," Soldier of For­ "Couldn't we just let the free market 2. U.S. Army, Low Intensity Conflict, Field Manual tune, November 1987, pp. 52-57. take care of this sort of thing?" 58 Liberty Report

Capitalislll and the Transforlllation of Poland by Krzysztof Ostaszewski

Though the "iron curtain" seems to be falling, the iron hand of statism in So­ viet bloc countries is a little more firmly in place than we might like to see ...

A popular Polish cartoonist, Andrzej Mleczko, drew a Pole lying on desert sand, ex-hausted, looking at the horizon, whispering desperately-"Capitalism, capitalism ..." In Warsaw today everybody agrees that Capitalism is what Poland needs, but nobody knows how to institute it. Recently it was written in the Wall Street Journal that in Warsaw today everybody speaks like Milton Fried­ Politics, Politics ... lar writer who refers to himself as a man. This, unfortunately, is not true­ What is the main opposition party social-cybernetician. (The Great Soviet though some people are speaking in the new political situation in Po­ Encyclopeadia, published in the early thus. land? The popular answer is-the fifties, defined. cybernetics as a "reac- The Cracow Industrial Society, a Communists. But Communists are center of pro-Capitalist ideas, has pre­ not in opposition. They hold three sented a plan for making Cracow into ministries in the new government. The Over two-thirds of saving a free-enterprise zone and has most popular party is Solidarity. But in Poland is in American dol­ supported development of similar so­ Solidarity rules with a coalition. The lars. Poles do not use zloty as cieties in other Polish cities. Mr. Ta­ Peasant's Party and the Democratic deusz Syryjczyk, a leading member of Party, which gave Solidarity support their money; they save in dol­ the Society, has recently become a needed to form a government, are also lars, calculate prices in member of the government of Mr. in the coalition. dollars. Mazowiecki. Who is not? Union for Realpolitik, In December 1988, in Gdansk, the a party advocating immediate estab­ first Congress of Polish liberals (in the lishment of Capitalism in Poland. It tionary capitalist pseudo-science.") European sense) was held. Groups has no representation in the Sejm, the from all over Poland were represent­ lower house of parliament, and one Korwin-Mikke usually dresses in a ed. They learned that during the last seat in the Senate. In the June election nineteenth-century-style tuxedo, five years over 800 private firms had it received only a small fraction of the speaks with a slight stutter, lives in the started in the Gdansk region. The sec-­ popular vote, roughly comparable to fastest of fast lanes, has six children, ond Congress was held successfully in the one given the Communists. It is runs a publishing house that prints 1989, after the election. led by Janusz Korwin-Mikke, a popu- works of Ayn Rand and Ludwig von Liberty 59 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 Mises, and has a specific program for Solidarity's ideal. Over ninety percent ment simply did not have to pay-it Poland: complete privatization of all in­ of industry is owned privately in Swe­ could lie, cheat, or inflate its way out of dustries, gradual elimination ofgovern­ den, so privatization is being consid­ promises. ment transfer payments, especially ered for Poland. Among parties, only Nothing was delivered by the com­ social benefits, independence of the ju­ Union for Realpolitik, however, propos­ munist government. The "great" egali­ dicial branch of the government from es capitalism because of its ideas. No­ tarian dream promised by the the executive and the legislature, an ob­ body in the ruling coalition seems to Communists is dead in Poland. Every­ jective monetary standard, replacement want to reduce excessive transfer pay­ body knows-and studies by Polish of income and other hidden taxes by ments. Most Poles think that the gov­ economists now openly confirm-that certain forms of at least partly volun­ ernment owes them medical and income and wealth differences within tary taxation and property taxes at the disability insurance, pension benefits, the society have been increasing at an local level, strong police and an army and child support payments. accelerating rate. under domestic control. It appears that people believe that The American media often present The ruling coalition, on the other the government made a deal with the news of hyperinflation in Poland hand, appears to be for capitalism (or them-they gave up full control over (and other countries). I suggest this is some parts of it) for practical reasons their own lives in return for the above­ misleading. In fact the word "inflation" only. The most popular model country mentioned services. But the services may be very inappropriate. The proper among the advisers of the prime minis­ were not delivered. Having concentrat­ description of the Polish economical sit­ ter Mazowiecki is ... Sweden. Such is ed all power in its hands, the govern- uation is: "depression coupled with a rejection of the local currency." The West seems to understand that low investment is a symptom of depres­ sion. But nobody appears to notice that Classified Advertisements the level of savings in Poland is actually very high, perhaps because-as estimat­ ed by scientists from the Central School Classified Advertising is available for 25~ per word, plus $1.00 per insertion. 10% off of Planning and Statistics in Warsaw­ for six or more insertions. Payment must accompany order. over two-thirds of saving in Poland is in American dollars., Poles do not use Books tons with picture of Williams, Postpaid: Each $2, zloty as their money; they save in dol­ 3/$5, 7/$10, 16/$20. Dept LI, 1239 Kenyon St lars, calculate prices in dollars. So-are Be Free! is new book to protect your freedom/ NW, Washington, DC 20010 (Please make checks assets/income against govemment through tax payable to: J. Brown.) prices rising or falling? The answer is haven trusts. Free information. Asset Haven As­ simple-if you want to buy a Coke for a sociation, PO Box 71, A-5027 Salzburg, Austria. Periodicals penny, go to Poland. This situation Directory of Libertarian Periodicals, 6th FBI Spying on Libertarians - and other presents a great opportunity: the new edition, lists 162 titles, all believed to be presently news about the libertarian movement that you government has a historic chance to sell publishing, all with addresses, much other infor­ just won't find anywhere else. Colorful, monthly mation. Includes alphabetical list of associated the state assets to Poles for those dol­ tabloid American Libertarian edited by Mike lars, and to payoff the external debt. At persons. $3 postpaid, $4 overseas. Jim Stumm, Holmes. $20 per year, $38 for two years for first Box 29-LB, Hiler Branch, Buffalo, NY 14223. class mail delivery (outside North America add the time when I am writing this, privati­ Attention Objectivist Writers: Publishing $5 per order). American Libertarian, Dept. L14 zation is seriously considered in house seeks manuscripts for anthology of Objec­ 21715 Park Brook Drive, Katy, TX 77450. Warsaw. tivist-oriented fiction, short stories, plays, or Freethought Today, newspaper for atheists, Unfortunately Solidarity is funda­ poetry. Send to Decca Press, 4808 SW 75th Ave­ agnostics. $20 annually or send $2.00 for sample nue, Miami, Florida 33155-4437. mentally a socialist party. But its lead­ copy. PO Box 750, Madison WI 53701. ers understand that before they Imagine Freedom from Govemments and Decriminalize Cigarette Smoking National Churches. stormy MON, editor. 10th Anniver­ Drivers Rights Forum, C. E. Windle, Chief Re­ liredistribute" income, they need to have sary, Revised Edition: illustrated, controversial. searcher, 7515 152nd Ave. NE, Redmond, Wash. some income. New money is needed. It 188 pp. $10, international $12 Libertarian Li­ 98052. can be provided by the private sector of brary, Box 24269-H, Denver, CO 80224. Panarchy: Government by choice, not chance. Poland, or by the West. The West is Literature People-oriented Government not govemment­ only beginning to understand that less oriented people. Idea whose time has come. money from the West will mean more Don't Procrastinate! The time to stop the Investigate a political system offering both anti-drug insanity is now! Send $5 for your per­ Freedom and security. Ultimate Libertarianism of a private sector in Poland. sonal freedom manual before it's too late! Newsletter. $8 year or $3 sampIe. Checks to Mr. Korwin-Mikke once mentioned, Meyer's-7 Box 166979, Irving, TX 75016-6979. LeGrand E. Day, Editor, Panarchy Dialectic, Box in one of his letters to me, that he had a Libertarian Anti..;Abortion arguments: $3.00. 353 Reseda, CA 91333. conversation with Dr. Murray Rothbard (Information only: SASE) Libertarians for Life, Publications in which they had concluded that when 13424 Hathaway Drive, #22, Wheaton, MD socialism collapses in Poland, that 20906. Special Price on back issues of Liberty! Volume country may become the laissez-faire 1, six issues-$22.00; Volume 2, six issues­ Merchandise $23.00; postpaid. Make check or money order center of the world. I hope this is the fu­ Walter Williams - Libertarian for Presi­ payable to Liberty, and send to PO Box 1167, Port ture of Poland. But it has not yet ar­ dent '92 - Quality Red, White, and Blue but- Townsend, WA 98368. rived. 0 60 Liberty The Examined Life: Philosophical Meditations, tracts his title, is the paradigmatic philos­ by Robert N ozick. Simon & Schuster, 1989, 303 pp., $21.95. opher. He is reported as declaring, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Only insofar as men pursue knowledge of that which is truly just, beautiful, and valuable do they elevate themselves be­ yond the bestial. But Socrates never claimed to have captUred his perpetual quarry; indeed an equally famous Beyond Philosophy Socratic dictum is his profession to know nothing except that he knows nothing. To be a philosopher, then, is to be a dev­ otee of wisdom, not its possessor. In keeping with that conception, Socrates Loren E. Lomasky marking of our human solidarity, and his would-be philosophical succes­ served by the fact that we do them to­ sors adopt a mode of rigorous question­ Babe Ruth was once a pitcher, gether in this official fashion. ing along with the disposition to be Ronald Reagan a Democrat, Christine For many potential readers, this sin­ skeptical concerning the adequacy of Jorgensen a boy. To these momentous gle passage will exhaust most of their in­ proffered answers. Philosophers are all transformations we must now add an­ terest in The Examined Life. Those who too aware of the enormous complexity of other: Robert Nozick was once a happen to be libertarians will duly ex­ the issues they address, the many subtle libertarian. press either regret or recrimination, and ways in which seemingly attractive argu­ Yes, the author of Anarchy, State, & their opponents will generate an endless ments might have gone awry, the exis­ Utopia is no longer one of us-although, parade of sentences beginning, "Even tence of equivalently attractive as will emerge, it is far from clear who Robert Nozick now concedes that liber­ arguments that yield incompatible con­ the them is to which he has joined him­ tarianism ..." Should they, however, clusions, and the general epistemic limits self. Nor is the event entirely unexpect­ read more widely in the book, both pro­ against which we bump up when we ed. Nozick's second book, Philosophical ponent and opponent will discover that philosophize. They do not, the occasion­ Explanations, gave fair warning that he the libertarian recantation is merely a al deconstructionist aside, adopt Pilate's was not a man inclined to plow anoth­ sideshow. For in this book Nozick soars contemptuous dismissal of truth, but er's furrow, nor even to revisit and fur­ beyond not only libertarianism but phi­ they are attuned to the difficulty of its at­ ther cultivate his own. And in libertarian losophy itself. tainment and thus the tentative character circles it had become a mark of some ''I want," he tells us in the introduc­ of even their best supported arguments. prestige to have been among the first to tion, "to think about living and what is (That may be why philosophers, unlike know of Nozick's forthcoming public important in life, to clarify my think­ economists, rarely receive 6-figure re­ apostasy. Now the secret is out in the ing-and also my life." This aspiration tainers to pronounce gravely on the Way open. The crucial pages are 286-7 where has historically been central to the philo­ Things Will Be.) he writes: sophical venture, though it has suffered Sages are different. While they may The libertarian position I once pro­ considerable eclipse with the ascendancy on occasion engage in argumentation, pounded now seems to me seriously in­ of analytical philosophy. (One of the that is neither necessary nor sufficient adequate, in part because it did not knit genuine merits of this book is that for being a sage. (In fact, many of the ar­ the humane considerations and joint Nozick attempts to revive philosophical guments left us by history's most illustri­ cooperative activities it left room for attentiveness to this goal-even if he ous sages will strike the philosophical more closely into its fabric. It neglected does not do so as a philosopher.) But it is reader as conspicuously bad.) Rather, the SYmbolic importance of an official not only philosophers who seek the im­ their pronouncements carry authority political concern with issues or prob­ portant in life; that is also the quest of because they possess authority. The sage lems, as a way of marking their impor­ holy men, of visionaries, of sages. And it is set off from the ordinary run of people tance or urgency, and hence of is as a sage rather than philosopher that in virtue of his privileged contact with a expressing, intensifying, channeling, en­ couraging, and validating our private Nozick spins out the 27 "meditations"­ reality that transcends the mundane. In actions and concerns toward them ... not chapters-of The Examined Life. many traditions this status is secured There are some things we choose to do Some words of clarification are in or­ through divine dispensation. (See, for ex­ together through government in solemn der. Socrates, from whom Nozick ex- ample, Paul's remarks to the Corinthians Liberty 61 Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 on the vocation and authority of an allusion to "a theory of proper names greatness, radiance, integrity, personali­ apostle.) In other traditions the sage is and a Kripkean view of names and es­ ty, loftiness, idealness, transcendence, one who has completed or is well along sence./I Indeed, Nozick routinely prefac­ growth, novelty, expansiveness, original­ on an arduous meditative path. Perhaps, es the book's few extended arguments ity, purity, simplicity, preciousness,· sig­ in addition, there is some genetic trait with a suggestion that the reader may nificance, vastness, profundity, conducive to sagehood. At any rate, the wish to skip over the next ten or so integration, harmony, flourishing, pow­ sage is not one who patiently unravels paragraphs. er, and destiny." Through several medi­ Gordian knots strand by strand or lem­ This may suggest that Nozick does tations he plays around with these ma by lemma; he slices through them. not wish to overburden unprepared characteristics, working his way up to That is why we treasure sages; they can readers. (But who then does he think the the construction of a 4 by 4 by 3 polyhe­ do for us what we cannot do for our- audience for The Examined Life will be?) I dron in n-dimensional reality space. This believe, however, that there is more to it is decidedly not a sequel to previous dis­ than that. In his first book, Nozick devel­ cussions of libertarianism. What one discovers as one oped theories, most notably the entitle­ Indeed, avoiding anything that re­ turns the pages of The ment theory of justice. A theory is the sembles a sequel is very much in the concerted and systematic attempt to as­ forefront of Nozick's consciousness. He Examined Life is that porten­ semble evidence in support of some ex­ tells us, "Having myself written a book tous declarations receive con­ planatorily powerful set of propositions. of political philosophy that marked out a In his second book, though, he deplores distinctive view ...I am especially siderably more play than the coercive character of philosophical aware of the difficulty of living down an argumentation, and that where argument in the service of theories, and intellectual past or es<;:aping it. Other Nozick does develop a complex offers in its place explanations. By an ex­ people in conversation often want me to planation he means an imaginative de­ continue to maintain that young man's argument it typically concerns piction of how things could be so as to 'libertarian' position, even though they some recherche technical exten­ render certain propositions true without, themselves reject it and probably prefer sion rather than a central however, the presentation of evidence that no one had ever maintained it at that things really are that way. Now, in al1./I Accordingly, he distances himself contention. the third book, he turns to meditations, from "that young man" as one might the soul's conversations with itself. from an unsavory panhandler on the selves. The decrees of the sage ring true There is some precedent for this ap­ street, distances himself as if that young because of their source. Had someone proach. The most renowned meditations man were someone other than ... Robert else uttered those same words, they in the philosophical literature are those Nozick! But he is also cognizant of effect­ would carry no such weight. Thus, the of Descartes, but their meditative quality ing a separation from the community of crucial question becomes not-Does this is clearly for effect: no philosophical philosophers. In another meditation he proposition validly follow from appro­ work ever written has been more intent writes, "The remainder of this section, I priately selected premises?-but rath­ on establishing the indubitable validity admit, contains strange and sometimes er-Is this person genuinely holy/ of a theory than Descartes' Meditations. bewildering pieces of theorizing, very enlightened/ wise? (6-figure retainers Nozick is truer to the essence of the gen­ much against the grain of contemporary for a sage would be a bargain.) re than is Descartes. Meditations about philosophy. Omitting it would save me What one discovers as one turns the life, he tells us, "present a portrait, not a pages of The Examined Life is that porten­ theory." In keeping with this conception, tous declarations receive considerably Nozick is eager to exhibit the portraits Those who were led to ap­ more play than does argumentation, but seems unconcerned to justify partic­ preciation of libertarianism by and that where Nozick does develop a ular brush strokes. complex argument it typically concerns What Nozick wishes to illumine is no the scintillating arguments of some recherche technical extension rather less than reality in its multifarious di­ the earlier Nozick need not, than a central contention. For example, mensions. By 'reality' he does not mean, therefore, fear their demolition Nozick declares that the traditional con­ though, simply whatever exists, but rath­ ception of God as the most perfect pos­ er all that is evaluatively significant. In by the New Nozick. sible being is defective; in its place he his own words-no one else could have substitutes four conditions such that written them (or wanted to?)-it incor­ any being who satisfies all four is God. porates, "value, meaning, importance, much grief from the current philosophi­ (Unaccountably, some fourteen medita­ weight, depth, amplitude, intensity, cal community." Note especially the ref­ tions later he seems to forget his previ­ height, vividness, richness, wholeness, erences to that which is contemporary, ous revisionary work and discusses beauty, truth, goodness, fulfillment, en­ current. The sage will often be without theological explanations as if the tradi­ ergy, autonomy, individuality, vitality, honor not only in his own house but in tional conception were adequate.) creativity, focus, purpose, development, his own time; it is to posterity he must Nozick tells us that these conditions are serenity, holiness, perfection, expressive­ look for an acknowledgment of his jointly sufficient (and I am persuaded ness, authenticity, freedom, infinitude, credentials. that he is correct), but the closest thing enduringness, eternity, wisdom, under­ The earlier Nozick won acclaim for to an argument in the text is a footnoted standing, life, nobility, play, grandeur, puzzling his way through the Lockean 62 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 proviso, compensation and risk, the log­ dined to "jointly and publicly affirm" ic of side constraints, and the like. These the values of the communities in which are now seen to partake of too straitened they resided. It would be grossly unfair a slice of reality. The later Nozick ad­ to charge Nozick with willfully feeding How to dresses himself to the big questions. For anti-Semitism; it is, however, legitimate example, we are told that the signifi­ to expect him to display some awareness Subscribe cance of the Holocaust is that "It now of the pedigree of this pernicious doc­ would not be a gpecialtragedy if human­ trine in ideas uncomfortably close to kind ended," and that "Whatever those he now earnestly espouses. to changed situation or possibility the cru­ Those who were led to (initial or en­ cifixion and resurrection were supposed hanced) appreciation of libertarianism to bring about has now ended; the by the scintillating arguments of the ear­ Liberty Holocaust has shut the door that Christ lier Nozick need not, therefore, fear their opened" (though, he avers, it might also demolition by his successor. That indi­ reveal the way in which the rift between vidual is now well beyond libertarian­ Liberty celebrates the Jews and Christians can be mended). I ism, beyond philosophy, even beyond diversity of libertarian do not mean to dismiss these as lunatic beyond. The few pages he devotes to poli­ thought! assertions; they are important claims tics neither say anything new nor say it Liberty tackles the tough problems. that deserve careful attention. But why better than have numerous others. A Every issue of Liberty presents es­ should we believe that they are true? man who takes political inquiry serious­ says studying current trends in po­ Only the most perfunctory attempts are ly would not have written them. Despite litical and social thought; made to anchor them to a worked-out his self-inflicted intellectual foot­ discussions of the strategy and tac­ philosophical or theological theory­ binding, though, Nozick remains one of tics .of social change; analyses of but, of course, theories are decidedly not the most intellectually gifted thinkers of current events and challenges to what Nozick aims to construct here. If our time. Although he now declines to popular beliefs. Liberty also offers we have reason to accept these claims, it apply his gifts to philosophy as stan­ lively book reviews, fiction and can only be because we perceive our­ dardly practiced, he is probably incapa­ humor. selves to be in the presence of someone ble of writing a book that does not You won't want to miss a single who has seen considerably further, display philosophical gems of a bril­ issue! deeper, and more profoundly than we liance that those of us less generously ourselves have done. It is not the prem­ endowed would kill to possess. In The Money-Back Guarantee ises but the person that matters. And Examined Life he offers riveting, if tantal­ At any time during your subscrip­ while arguments may travel well, the izingly underdeveloped, discussions of tion, we will guarantee a full pro­ force of the living presence does not; love, the emotions, and happiness. It rated refund for any unmailed is­ thus the later Nozick asks that "no read­ would be unfortunate if the general baf­ sues. No questions asked! er summarize this book's contents or flement within the philosophical com­ Act Today! present slogans or catchwords from it, munity that this book will predictably no school give examinations on the ma­ occasion should lead to their being over­ Liberty offers you the best in liber­ terial it contains." The earlier Nozick looked. Perhaps here too we shall have tarian thinking and writing. So would have called this chutzpah. to count on the good offices of posterity. don't hesitate. With our guarantee, So when the reader blessed with Socrates was identified in the ancient you have nothing to lose, and the staying power finally arrives at Nozick's world as the individual who ''brought fruits of Liberty to gain! recantation of libertarianism in philosophy down from the heavens." ... ------, Meditation 25, he is not surprised to What those who offered this characteri­ ,Please enter my subscription find it unaccompanied by any new, zation meant is that Socrates eschewed YeS. to Liberty immediately! powerful arguments that shear the fab­ those airy speculations of his predeces­ ric of liberalism. Rather, liberal neutrali­ sors that concerned matters far distant o One Full Year (6 issues) $19.50 ty is weighed in the balance and found from the reality in which our.lives are o Two Full years (12 issues) $35.00 wanting because it "would prevent the lived. Rather, through homey metaphor, majority from jointly and publicly af­ precise cross-examination, and persis­ firming its values." This objection, of tent unwillingness to accept conclusions name course, antedates by millennia the poli­ that could not be validated by reason, he address tics it is now trotted out to oppose. explored in the most forthright and Traditional societies have, from time im­ pointed manner possible what it is to city, state, zip o I enclose my check (payable to Liberty) memorial, denied civic standing to those live well. One of the few conclusions he o Charge my 0 VISA 0 Mastercard who refuse to affirm its values, as have seems to have wholeheartedly embraced this century's most virulent illiberal­ is that philosophical activity is itself a

isms. Nozick surely realizes that since (the?) splendid human calling. To be signature even before the destruction of the sure, Plato's Socrates urged philoso­ Second Temple, Jews were accorded a phers to become kings, but he himself account # expires pariah status precisely because they de- was sufficiently prudent never to volun- Send to: Liberty, Dept. L14, L !o~\:'~7.:.P~t.!o.:~e~,!~9!3~ ... Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 teer himself for such high office. Nozick, philosophy's round-trip ticket. For those something I did not say and do not be­ though, bids philosophers to become of us susceptible to acrophobia, howev­ lieve. In short, he opportunistically fabri­ sages-and is the first to enlist. er, the journey back to the heavens is ill­ cated evidence. When I was an Apparently, he now wishes to punch advised. 0 undergraduate, students caught fabricat­ ing evidence would be flunked automat­ ically. Yet, even when I exposed his Profscam: Professors and the Demise ofHigher Education, fabrication, there were no explanations by Charles J. Sykes. Regnery Gateway, 1988, 304pp., $18.95. and no apologies. My first thought was that the rumor must be true-standards at such Ivy League universities aren't what they used to be. My next thought was that this professor must be answer­ ing to a lower law, so to speak; than that Exposing the once imposed on students. A third incident happened to a very "College Teaching" Scam close friend of mine who recently heard his wife of long ago complain to a mutu­ al friend that he forced her to type his M. A. thesis. In fact, the thesis was written well after they had separated and was Richard Kostelanetz teaching loads university professors are the guys who don't know anything and typed for hire by someone else. What ac­ counts for this superficially innocuous The first disturbing incident occurred haven't learned anything new in years. fib was that the ex-wife, in the course of when I attended an academic conference. My suspicion is that to an increasing de­ switching from English Literature to As a fulltime independent, I don't often gree they devote most of their nonteach­ "Feminist Studies," needed to invent a attend academic conferences; but since ing time to posing as professors, to personal history of male abuse to "quali­ I'd written a book on the subject to be fulfilling the imagery of their trade, fy" herself for the new position (and in featured, I was invited to give one of the which is to say serving on university part to compensate for her own tardiness two major addresses. Perhaps because committees, throwing their weight in boarding an opportune academic I'd not had such an experience before, around, and behaving pompously before train). "You're better 'qualified,'" a the conference was a revelation. The pre­ impressionable audiences, all on the as­ friend explained, "if you can tell a story senters could be divided into two sumption that their academic titles will that is untrue. That shows your commit­ groups-professors and nonprofessors­ cover ineptitude and other sins. (Thus ment to the ideology, in this case to dis­ and in all eyes the fundamental differ­ does academia resemble another institu­ covering male exploitation." In a climate ence between us was that, to put it mild­ tion similarly organized into hierarchies like this, all notions of academics as dis­ ly, the professors didn't know as much whose titled rankings compensate for interested seekers of truth are about the featured subject as the other the gut incompetence of those on the inappropriate. participants did, or think as profoundly upper levels-the military!) One of the charms of Charles J. about his work. Their presentations A second disturbing incident fol- Sykes's illuminating Profscam is its abili­ tended to be simplistic equations of pet ty to explain these last two incidents to analytical ideas with an examination, me. Quite simply, the purported cursory at best, of the subject's work. College teachers nowadays principle of "academic freedom" has be­ Out of naivete (perhaps), I was shocked. comprise two classes, in the come a lever for professorial fibbing and Why were these professors invited? other intellectual abuse unavailable to Many were affiliated with the host insti­ Marxian sense-those who independents (let alone normal human tution, some were "big names" who had have tenure and cannot move beings). Since professors can get away passing personal contact with the sub­ with fibbing to students, who are be­ ject, a few were long-term colleagues of and those who, lacking tenure, holden to them for a grade, some let the organizer, which is to say that, with­ can only move. that bad habit deceive them into lying in the political requirements of the situa­ before general public. (Or thinking that tion, all three sets "could not be former students are still students; but excluded." Why did they participate? lowed the publication, in an avowedly since I no longer need a grade to gradu­ Damned if I know if there were reasons conservative magazine, of an article of ate, I am free to say that this emperor other than vanity, a few bucks, and per­ mine on literary granting. My critic hap­ has no clothes.) Not only does Sykes ex­ haps the opportunity to make further pose the severity of a morass that many pened to hold a chair at the same Ivy biz. None seemed embarrassed by what I take to be unexceptional, but his specific took to be the implicit theme of their per­ League university that awarded me a de­ analyses do what great social (or art) formances-that since they were gree (with ''honors''!) a quarter century criticism should-make the invisible Professors they didn't need to know ago. In the course of putatively rebutting visible. anything. me, this "Distinguished" professor at­ Sykes is correct in attributing many It seems that even with reduced tributed to me, in quotation marks, problems to the principle of tenure, by 64 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 which an aspiring professor is granted Or are graduate students being LIMITED TIME, ORDER 2 lifetime job security after a purported cynically taught that it is acceptable to SHIRTS, GET 3rd FREE! trial period. Because of the need two be "radical" about social problems far T-Shirts - $8 decades ago for college teachers to ser­ away, in Nicaragua and South Africa, Sweatshirts - $16 vice the post-War baby boom, many in­ but absolutely unacceptable, to the Bumperstickers ­ $2 each or 4 for $5· tellectually (and pedagogically) point of professional suicide, to protest Also Available: •I• insufficient people were granted tenure social inequities immediate to them? Capitalism • Who is rather easily. The guys and gals ten­ Can it be that by equating all attacks on John Galt? • John Galt for ured then now earn over fifty grand a tenure with McCarthyism and yahooism President • Escape the fog: Objectivism • I Think: Therefore I can't be a Socialist • year for no more than 7 1/2 hours a the professors have perpetrated one of Silk screened with top quality Materials week in the classroom. However, once the great intellectual deceits of our Sizes: M,L,XL Blue or Pink demand for college teachers declined in time? Please add $2.50 postage and handling for the 1970s, award of tenure became T-shirts and sweatshirts; 5()¢ for stickers However, if the elimination of tenure For more information and quantity price list, scarce; so that those who got their doc­ brings a decrease in unjustified, undesir­ send stamped, self addressed envelope to: torates too late, their ambitions initially able privilege and an elimination of insti­ Individual Concepts P.O. Box 40486, Redford, MI48240 fueled by the myth of academia as a tutionalized deadwood, along with Please allow 2 to 4 weeks for delivery. land of opportunity, became a sweated creating opportunities for the under­ class of part-time instructors, largely of class, it should be classified as a left posi­ beginning students, moving from job to tion that resolves the dialectic mentioned Buy an ~ job strictly according to the laws of before. It is also a libertarian position Enlargement ~ supply and demand, unable to compete that brings the values of a competitive ofyour favor- with the tenured professors who had free market-values that characterize ite Burons cartoon! already graduated, so to speak, from cultural life in general-to a backwater the free market. As a result, college that has declared itself institutionally ex­ As seen in Liberty; suitable for framing. teachers nowadays comprise two class­ empt from such reality. $5.00. Any two $7.50, three $10.00. Available es, in the Marxian sense--those who in shrink-wrapped matte frame, add $5.00 each. The people best positioned to attack When ordering, identify by punch line or subject have tenure and cannot move (commu­ tenure are not parents and students, as and issue of Liberty. Bob Ortin Baures, 2351 nities of intellectual stagnation), and Sykes argues in his conclusion, but ex­ China Gulch Road, Jacksonville, OR 97530. ploited underlings. Since teaching assist­ ants and the like comprise the shocktroops of college teaching, an effec­ I've been waiting for the tive national strike by these sometime EVERYONE Can sweated class to wise up and chumps would force the tenured profes­ Become a Millionaire concentrate its political ener­ sors to take over their classes. If such ba­ You will pay half a million dollars in sic university functions were not taxes over your lifetime. If you could gies on attacking the obstacle assumed, students would leave and uni­ simply keep this money in the bank, that keeps it chattel-tenure! versities would close down, eventually collecting interest YOU would earn declaring bankruptcy and thereby void­ the millions the government takes from you. Free markets will create ing all tenure contracts. Once reorga­ unprecedented wealth and oppor­ nized, such universities could create tunity for people of all backgrounds. those who, lacking tenure, can only wholly new, inevitably better faculties in The public will support the abolition move. a freer marketplace. It seems obvious of taxes when they understand all the It seems to me that the major social that the elimination of university tenure harm that government causes. legacy of the 1960s has been the revolt of would bring a more fluid professional THE PRAGMATIST has the vision, the underling, whether female, black, world and genuine academic freedom, and a practical strategy to achieve gay or whatever, who refuse to be sub­ along with a greater public accountabili­ this goal. Claim back your millions! servient any more. To this thought add ty and thus more human and intellectual o Yes, I want to explore the market society. the general parameters of this patently responsibility. Utterly obvious, I hear Here's $10 for six bimonthly issues, or dialectical, explosive academic situation, you say. $18 for 12 ($12/$20 outside U.S.) and you understand why I've been wait­ I should add that if university profes­ o I'd rather see a sample copy. Here's $3. ing for the sweated class to wise up and sors are to be truly professional, rather concentrate its political energies on at­ than, as now, grubby unionists, they Name tacking the obstacle that keeps it chat­ should introduce mechanisms for polic­ tel-tenure! ing abuses by colleagues. Professors Address The fact that this attack hasn't hap­ caught fabricating evidence (or purport­ pened, even though the untenured by edly reviewing books they patently now outnumber the tenured, makes me haven't read or completely ignoring wonder about the "radicalism" that their students) should be suspended conservatives say they find prevalent in without pay for a year, for much the American universities today. Is this same reason that professional athletes "radicalism" just a polemical invention? caught using illegal drugs are now sus- Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 pended-they set a bad example for chil­ shows, and what favorable responses to Constitution. Even a cursory examina­ dren while exploiting their positions of his book confirm, is that professors had tion of the literature, as recommended influence and jeopardizing the reputa­ better end their scam if universities are by the advocates of Original Intent, tions of their colleagues. What Sykes to survive. 0 shows how vacuous Original Intent real­ ly is. Through several choice examples, Macedo demonstrates that there was as much agreement about Constitutional in­ The New Right v. the Constitution, terpretation then as there is now. by Stephen Macedo. CATO Institute, 1986, 60pp., $7.95. Madison, for example, argued that "all new laws" were to be considered "ob­ scure and equivocal" until they had later been sorted out through the legal pro­ cess (p. 15). Along similar lines, Hamilton wrote that "[n]othing is more Right, Wrong, and common than for laws to express and ef­ fect more or less than was intended" (15). It is difficult to see how the champi­ Constitutional ons of Original Intent could argue against the Framers themselves. Macedo sees in the majoritarian im­ pulse of the right a preference for the po­ James S. Robbins and, coincidentally, used Bork as a pro­ litical power of the masses over totype of the sort of Justices who would individual rights. This, he says, forms In his eight years, Ronald Reagan ap­ be shaping American jurisprudence for the basis of the New Right's legal out­ pointed three Justices to the Supreme the coming decade. look. Advocates of this majoritarianism Court, elevated William Rehnquist to the Macedo isolates what he sees as four tend to look askance at the prerogatives post of Chief Justice, and filled seats in of the most distinct currents of thought of the Judiciary, even those clearly stated over half the lower Federal judgeships. among the justices of the New Right: a in Article II, as interference with the Despite claims to the contrary, most of reverence for the Founding Fathers and proper working of the Legislature or the judges were appointed with an eye the notion ofOriginal Intent; a democrat­ Executive. to their philosophical dispositions. ic impulse as the fundamental Yet, the Constitution was crafted as a "Liberal activists" were generally passed Constitutional value; recognition of the republican rather than democratic docu­ over in favor of "conservative strict con­ authority of text over abstract principles; ment, creating a government in which structivists." There was a good deal of and the concept of morality as a majori­ the various branches share certain pow­ self-righteous verbiage from the ( tarian, communitarian phenomenon, not ers (the idea of a "separation of powers" Democrats, who made it sound as a private, individual one. He then sets is a misunderstanding of the though Reagan had invented the judicial out to show the flaws in all four Constitutional mechanism) to limit each "litmus test," which in fact is one of the propositions. other's influence. The Constitution was most hallowed traditions in American The first section is probably the best definitely not established to give politics, dating back at least to the first argued and most conclusive. The New Congress supreme power. The legisla­ Marshall, and probably to John Jay. Right seeks to constrain the search for tive power, as Macedo notes, is granted, It was during the confirmation hear­ meaning in the Constitution, and their not assumed. However, the case cannot ings for Robert Bork that the idea of an tool is the Jurisprudence of Original be made overmuch. Macedo fails to ap­ ideologically neutral Supreme Court was Intent. On its face, the logic of this con­ preciate the potential power that most discussed, mainly as a political tool cept is clear enough-the Constitution is Congress may wield over judicial review to defeat the outspoken Bork. Lawrence a document with a history, rooted in tra­ through limiting the appellate jurisdic­ Tribe even concocted the unprecedented ditions that are fundamental to its un­ tion of the Court. While this power has principle of "balancing" the Court, in derstanding. An examination of the rarely been exercised by the Congress, it other words, that a President be required writings of the men who conceived the could be used to defang the Supreme to fill vacant seats with new justices document will give one the wisdom to Court as an agent of oversight. However, more or less agreeing with their prede­ interpret it correctly. such a situation would require extraordi­ cessorson the issues of the day. (This is a Critics have often cited technological nary political circumstances. conspicuously political notion in the change to assault this argument; since Perhaps the weakest portion~of guise of neutrality, and the true mark of the Framers knew nothing of microwave Macedo's text is his assessment of the its sincerity will come when its origina­ ovens, for example, the Constitution New Right's "scorn for abstract pri ci­ tor is called upon to comment on a prop­ must be flexible enough to meet chang­ pIes." He states that "New Right t eo-' er replacement for the current Chief ing circumstances. This is a somewhat rists destroy the distinction bet een Justice, especially if a Democrat is in of­ muddled counter to an argument that is moral reasons and arbitrary preferen es" fice at the time.) The New Right v..the based on a completely flawed assump­ (35). But the case against the Right is not Constitution, by Stephen Macedo, was tion, namely that the Framers were in so clear as Macedo would make it. M ch written shortly before the Bork-roast, general agreement on the meaning of the of his proof involves making assu p- 66 Liberty Volume 3, Number 2 November 1989 tions about the motives of his subjects. peal to an abstract right, but the concept their ends. The New Right would un­ For example, he quotes Rehnquist as of such rights is expressed in the text it­ doubtedly oppose a national law on saying, I/[mlany of us necessarily feel self, in the fifth, ninth and tenth abortion, for example, but would also strongly and deeply about our own mo­ amendments (at least). A better cry out about the need for enhanced fed­ ral judgments, but they remain only per­ example, also cited by Macedo, is eral drug statutes, especially in states sonal moral judgments unless in some Fletcher v. Peck (1810), in which the state like Oregon where drug users are way given the sanction of law" (34). This of Georgia was restrained from negating "coddled." Macedo characterizes as "moral skepti­ a land purchase "either by general If the jurisprudence of original intent cism in the service of majoritarianism, principles, which are common to our and the other aspects of New Right legal masquerading as an innocent respect for free institutions, or by the particular thinking are to be rejected, what may the constitutional text" (34), a criticism provisions of the constitution of the stand in their place? Macedo argues in United States .. ." In this, Marshall favor of "principled judicial activism," a makes explicit the idea that there are doctrine whereby moral theory acts as While nominally in the principles coexisting with the an aid (not a substitute) for interpreta­ Constitution that are as important. tion of the text. New Right strict con­ states rights camp, New Right Macedo describes vividly the New struction is abandoned, but so is the jurists, like those of any other Right's contempt for individual morali­ alternative "loose" construction. group, tend to favor whatever ty, and the words of Bork ring more Principled judicial activism would allow clearly here than anywhere. Bork would for judicial intervention, but not based unit of power will best help I/treat violations of the majority's view on the political whim which has, in re­ them reach their ends. of good conduct as 'moral harms' cent times, divided rights into the classes against. the community at large-harms of "property" and "human." Instead, all to be treated as 'pollution' of the moral rights (even those not mentioned in the totally out of proportion to the original 'atmosphere'.... [The] major freedom, document) would be protected equally, assertion. Furthermore, one cannot as- of our kind of society is the freedom to and all constitutional amendments sert that moralism per se is always a ___ choose to have a public morality" (52). would be applied and interpreted equi­ good thing. Bork's recent comments on This is a frightening thought, but it is tably. "Only by fusing constitutional and flag burning-that it constituted a "fun­ exemplary of the kind of reasoning one moral theory can interpreters at once damental evil"-were highly moralistic, may encounter when one appeals to ab­ vindicate and justify the Constitution's and also quite alarming. stract principles (in this case, moral up­ authority as supreme law," Macedo In his defense of principle, Macedo tightness). Macedo rebukes those who writes, "only in this way do interpreters writes eloquently about the Founding would universalize their biases, and help insure that our republic will remain Fathers' common view of man-this af­ states that "[t]he relevant question is not worthy of allegiance and that we will be ter previously denying any unity among whether America is to be a moral com­ governed by more than power and mere them. Ironically, he quotes Alexander munity, but what kind of community it willfullness" (48). Hamilton and Thomas Paine in the same is to be." A related and very important Principled judicial activism is a wor­ paragraph--Hamilton, whose scorn for question is, is America a community at thy synthesis of approaches to the prob­ majority rule reached Stuart propor­ all? It might be better if the term com­ lem of constitutional interpretation. tions, and Paine, who found truth even munity were used with greater disci­ However, it requires that interpreters in the excesses of the French Revolution pline, referring only to the groups to share libertarian views on the nature of (until he barely escaped with his skin which it can properly be applied. In a rights and Constitutional norms. The during the Terror) (37). Macedo, after good twist of reasoning, Justice Chase, invokes "the general prin­ Macedo closes the section by ciples of law and reason" that constrain arguing that if there is to be legislators in the performance of their a public morality, it must be duties (39). Yet, the Constitutional founded on tolerance-of mechanism was designed in mistrust of the sort the New Right does the legislature, in order to keep it in not display. check. Otherwise the Framers might One question the book have settled on a pure Parliamentary does not address is the stand system (see Madison's Federalist #10 for the New Right takes on the the concise argument). question of states rights ver­ Finally, in an attempt to show the sus Federal supremacy. In place of principle in the history of fact, there is no New Right Constitutional law, Macedo states that position on this matter. Marshall invoked abstract principles in While nominally in the the case of Ogden v. Saunders (1827). states rights camp, New 1/1ndividuals do not derive from gov­ Right· jurists, like those of ernment their right to contract,' he any other group, tend to fa- wrote, 'but bring that right with them vor whatever unit of power 'The best part of it is that if the government ever starts to into society''' (39). True, this is an ap- will best help them reach grow too big, the Supreme Court will put a stop to it." Liberty 67 Volume·3, Number 2 November 1989 prospective treatment of the unmen­ In the political world, it is not. There, re­ especially Constitutional law, is not now tioned rights "retained by the people" in sults are determined by political process, and never will be divorced from politics. the ninth amendment may serve as an not scholastic argument over the nature Political conditions gave the New Right example. Some would not list universal of rights. jurisprudence its influence, and political health care, day c~re, housing, food, Right and wrong will always exist. conditions will in time denude it. Those clothing and other.basic requirements But a political system cannot simply be who oppose it should set about whittling among these rights, but others certainly pointed along the path of right and it down using every approach, and would. The correctness of the positions switched to autopilot. It is useful to have Stephen Macedo's monograph is a fine may be determined by an appeal to ab­ a philosophy like principled judicial acti­ primer for those who would attack the stract principles, but when these conflict, vism to serve as a political tool for the or­ problem through the avenue of legal phi­ who is correct? How is the truth found? ganizing of one's cadre. But the law, ~wp~. 0

Letters, continued from page 20

No Pax with Theonomists to stay real. He regrets having to do so. information is a universal problem, not Jeffrey Tucker argues that advocates lt would be far easier simply to stop de­ only disrupting the application of liber­ of liberty should consider "short-run alli­ nying the internalization that takes place tarian analysis in all its facets, but equal­ ances" with Christian fundamentalist during the process of true community ly troublesome to all other non­ Reconstructionists, who take their building and the concurrent evolution of libertarian philosophies. "marching orders" and their "blueprint" legal concepts outside the state. The obvious solution is for libertari­ for state rule from the Bible's theocratic The practical developments in the an theorists to come up with a formula­ laws. I grew up with the Bible, and the grey areas only appear to be elusive be­ tion that takes into account the imperfect idea of a theonomy from it fills me with cause we have ignored fully one half of nature of information, and which there­ horror. the ideas and processes necessary for a after suggests the appropriate corrective Reconstructionists decree the Bible's libertarian society to exist, even though measures to insure action consistent inerrancy as the primary presupposition they have been written about extensive­ with libertarian principles. But, of of all thinking. Mr. Tucker tells us that ly outside "official" libertarian parame­ course, this is impossible. For any given this doctrine "tends to minimize the role ters. These ideas are imperative if we are case, one can always hypothesize of reason." But it abolishes reason. It is to duplicate the social context that prop­ plausible errors in information that can blind Bibliolatry that fosters ethical idio­ erty and the market process requires. miscue libertarianism (or any other ide­ cy, with clear Biblical precedents (e.g., I Our artificial coercive institutions are ology) into engaging in exactly the Samuel 15, the Divinely ordered slaugh­ successful because they have done this. wrong action. There simply is no hope ter of an entire race, "men, women, chil­ The old light bulb joke about libertar­ of inventing a "libertarian" solution to dren, and infants," for an action of their ians not worrying about what needs to imperfect information-there will al­ ancestors). To derive a standard of right be done because the market will take ways be the potential for well inten­ from the Bible's lessons rather than from care of it just isn't funny any more. tioned, but nonetheless, anti-libertarian reasoning about real-world individual People have deep emotional and cultu­ outcomes. human life is a ghastly mistake. ral needs that we aren't addressing as a Since this problem of imperfect infor­ We may defeat modern-liberal sta­ movement. We fail to attract serious mation is universal, it is no argument in tism, only to be ambushed by our theo­ popular interest and lose activists be­ damning libertarianism and then switch­ cratic "allies." Then the debates in the cause of it. We have learned nothing ing to some other philosophy (except pages of Liberty will be restricted to from the experience of the Objectivists. perhaps to ethical nihilism.) And there is whether heretics should be stoned or As human beings we are comm­ no reason to accept anti-libertarian criti­ burned alive. unitarians as well as propertarians. We cisms that are based upon it. But liber­ Ross Barlow can either acknowledge it or continue to tarian advocates should be aware ofthe Russell, Pa. let the state have full reign to exploit problem, and libertarian theorists Friedman Agonistes those communitarian needs and should (if they haven't already) spell out sentiments. some ofthe general approaches used in David Friedman ("Simple Principles Dante DeAmicis dealing with imperfect information (and vs. the Real World," September 1989) Redding, Calif. I'll wager that the words "majoritarian .does such a good job of punching holes consensus" figure prominently in in current libertarian dogma that it is a Perfect Information. Please! many.) shame he doesn't realize that the under­ Much of John Hospers's analysis John Logajan lying problem is the implied social con­ ("Open vs Closed Libertarianism," July Arden Hills, Minn. text liberty thrives in and not just the 1989) consists of variations of that age anomalies at the extremes ofthe natural old problem: acting in the face of imper­ Hospers responds: We do not have perfect rights-propertarian ethic. fect information. information. If we did we could solve Friedman gives exampleswhere the I point this out because it might oth­ these problems that I pose. If we had typical libertarian constructions break erwise appear that Hospers has identi­ some ham, we could have some ham down and we might have to fudge a little fied many separate problems. Imperfect and eggs, if we had some eggs. 68 Liberty Notes on Contributors

Chester Alan Arthur is Liberty's political Tibor Machan is Professor of Philosophy at the correspondent. University of Auburn, in Auburn, Alabama, and the "Baloo" and "Holle" are noms de plume of Rex F. author of Individuals and Their Rights, recently pub­ May, whose cartoons appear in The Wall Street lished by Open Court Books. Journal and other periodicals. Barry Bracewell Milnes is a free-lance journalist R. W. Bradford is editor of Liberty. from London who specializes in taxation matters. His article in this issue was adapted from an article Michael S. Christian is an American attorney liv­ that appeared in Freedom First. ing in Paris. William Clark graduated from the San Francisco Joseph Miranda recently served as Psychological Conservatory of Music with a major in composition, Operations officer at the U.S. Army's John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. His and has taught piano, theory, and composition. He is now a graduate student in philosophy at the writing has appeared in Strategies and Tactics, The Journal of Social, Political and Economic Studies and University of California at Davis. other periodicals. Stephen Cox, a senior editor of Liberty, is Associate Professor of Literature, University of William P. Moulton deals in antiques and antiq­ California, San Diego. uities in northern Michigan. J.R. Dunn is an science fiction 'writer and critic Bob Ortin lives in southern Oregon, where his whose writing has appeared in Omni, Reason, other "Burons" are regularly featured in a local paper. publications. KrzysztoJ Ostaszewski is Assistant Professor of Hans-Hermann Hoppe teaches economics at the Mathematics at the University of Louisville, in University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Louisville, Kentucky. John Hospers is editor of The Monist and author James S. Robbins is a doctoral candidate at the of numerous articles and several classic works of Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts modern philosophy, including Ail Introduction to University. Philosophical Analysis. Murray N. Rothbard, a senior editor of Liberty, is Richard Kostelanetz is a writer and artist living the author of numerous books and articles. He is unaffiliated in New York. He once spent a semester the Vice President of Academic Affairs of the as a Visiting Professor of American Studies and Ludwig von Mises Institute. English at the University of Texas at Austin. Jane S. Shaw is Senior Associate of the Political Loren E. Lomasky is Professor of Philosophy at Economy Research Center of Bozeman, Montana. the University of Minnesota, Duluth. He is the au­ Adam Starchild is serving ten years for tax fraud thor of Persons, Rights, and the Moral~ Community. at the federal prison in Ashland, Kentucky.

In the Next Liberty . .. • The Liberty Interview: Barbara Branden-Frank talk about her life within the Rand circle, her ex­ husband's steamy memoir, the art of biography, and what is living and what is dead in the philosophy of Objectivism. • The Greenhouse and Your House-Environmental scientist Patrick J. Michaels compares the "popular vision" of ecological catastrophe with the scientific evidence and discovers that the world is a lot more compli­ cated and a lot less worrisome than the doomsayers claim. • Animal Rights and Human Rights-John Hospers explores the question: Do animals have rights? •A Free Man's Guide to Religion-Murray N. Rothbard reviews recent developments in Christianity and explains why they are important for libertarians. • Libertarian Intellectuals as (:;overnment Lackeys-George H. Smith argues that libertarians who ac­ cept employment from the state don't simply harm their own souls: they harm other libertarians as well. r

New York Port Townsend, Wash. Ingenious suggestion to solve the Savings & Loan crisis, offered Intriguing health-care announcement in the Port Townsend on Phil Donahue's nationally sYndicated television show, as reported Leader: by the Washington Post: "PMS-Curse or Cure?" A workshop with Shinan Barclay, "Empow­ "Why can't the government pay for these debts instead of the tax­ er Your Period, Honor Your Moontime" will be conducted at Phoenix payer?" one man proposed, to the cheers of several hundred people in Rising Bookstore on August 6 from 10 A.M. to noon. the audience. Washington, D. C. Dermott, Ark. Solution to the problem of daylight time, excerpted from the Advance in political science from this outpost of civilization in timetable of Amtrak, the passenger rail service operated by the federal southeastern Arkansas, as reported in the Denver (Colo.) Rocky government: Mountain News: Amtrak operates according to the prevailing local time--either day­ Under a ordinance passed by Dennott City Council, parents of chil­ light-saving or standard time. On the last Sunday of October, when most dren who are away from home after 11 :00 pm can be fined up to $500, communities set clocks back one hour at 2 A.M., Amtrak trains will hold jailed for 30 days, have their photograph published in the local paper back for one hour to be lon time'-not early-according to local time. with the caption, "Irresponsible Parent," and be held in stocks for two On the first Sunday in April, when most communities set clocks ahead days. one hour, Amtrak trains may operate an hour late, however, we attempt Tunis to adhere to the published schedule. Advance in geneological research, as reported in the Detroit Philadelphia News: Technological progress in the War on Drugs, as reported in the William Shakespeare was not an Englishman; he was in fact an Philadelphia Inquirer: Arab dignitary named.Shaykh Zubayr Bin William. The discovery was Mayor Wilson Goode unveiled a new tool to fight drugs: a bulldozer. announced by Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy during an address to In a press event in north Philadelphia, Mayor Goode announced that the the Tunisian parliament. city would raze 82 buildings that he described as "places where drug Bangkok dealers can hide and do their dirty work." The sites formerly occupied by the buildings will be covered with wood chips and fenced in. Advance in semantics by the leader of the Socialist Republic of Capt. Bruce Forstater, who oversees the area for the Police Depart­ Vietnam, as reported by the AssociatedPress: ment, said that the demolitions would have little effect on drug traffic. "Democracy does not mean that one is free to say what one wants to "But it's better than doing nothing," he ad~ed. say, write what one wants to write and do what one wants to do," said Nguyen Van Linh in a speech celebrating Vietnam's National Day. Studio City, Calif. "These are essentially anarchist acts." Evidence that America treasures its cultural heritage, as reported Longview, Wash. in the Seattle Times: Residents of Studio City are seeking "cultural landmark" status for a Progressive education, as practiced in the Pacific Northwest, as car wash built in the 1950s in an attempt to prevent a developer from reported by the Seattle Times: tearing it down. "It certainly is a handy place to get your car washed," Using a $252,000 grant from the State ofWashington, LowerColum­ one resident said. bia College organized a special series of classes and on-the-job training fornew employees oftwo lumbermills. According to the manager ofone Tokyo ofthe mills, the program was a real success. "Ithelped the business tum a Latest international culinary delight in the world's richest city, as profit within three years-much sooner than it had expected." reported by the London Economist: To make the program more efficient, according to one of the col­ U~onned McDonald's employees distributed leaflets showing a lege's supervisors, it was decided to make up the name of class titles man in a white hat (identified as McDonald's "executive chef') with his and give the students grades, without requiring them to attend any class­ latest "French style" creation: a "Teriyaki Burger," consisting of "a disk es. "The classes were made-up names, and some of them weren't even of chicken covered with a sweet and sticky soy sauce and topped off, logical names," one administrator advised. like a Big Mac, with lettuce and mayonnaise." Linda Broderick, deputy director for the state Board for Vocational Education, explained, "This was a wonderful program, one of the best Washington, D.C. vocational-education things going." Another administrator added, "The Expert testimony for government control of handguns, as funds were used. We did the training, and it helped us. The community reported in the New York Times: now has 210 families being supported where it had only 60 before. A Ifa compulsory waiting period for purchasers of hand-guns had been lot of good came out of it. The community is reaping the benefits." in force in 1981, "I believe I would not have gone forward with the effort One state official was critical of the program. Patricia Green, assist­ to shoot the President," John Hinckley said of his attempt to assassinate ant director of the state Board for Community College Education, sug­ the president in order to impress Jody Foster. gested that ifthe administrators had reported the grades to the students, "more of them might have realized that indeed they were involved in (Readers are encouraged to forward newsclippings or other docu­ the project." ments for publication in Terra Incognita.

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