"Liberty is a (j{onous !Feast." -1?gbert 'Burns

July 1988 $4.00 Volume 1, Number 6 • Joe Fuhrig,former CaliforniaLP candidate for Governor, U.S. Senator, and Congress: "[am excited about the tremendous opportunity to unite the libertarian tendencies in the GOP and lead a unified libertarian wing in the party. LROC has made impressive gains in the GOP." • Reynold Schweickhardt, President of the California Republican League (a major GOP activist group): "[ am excited and impressed with LROC's commitment to principle and un­ yielding supportfor libertarian ideals." • Paul Weyrich, President of the Free Congress Foundation, tried to contain his excitement about being called a "new fascist" by LROC: "You forgot to mention that as a member ofthe Board ofGovernors ofAMTRAK, [ also make the trains run on time."

How could any dedicated libertarian activist NOT get excited at the prospect of bringing libertarian principles into the political mainstream? Because, as a libertarian, you know that principles are more important than votes; recruiting new libertarians is more important than creating illusions; and electing principled, hard-core libertarians to Congress and state legisla­ tures is more important than maintaining principled invisibility., Whether you subscribe or not, you're going to hear a lot more about libertarian Republicans: running for office, in the media, and at the GOP National Convention this summer.· Subscribe today for a mere $20 a year and receive two extra issues free.

iiiliiiiliililil iliil iliili!iiliiliiiliilililiililiiilllllillilimilililililliliiliiliiliil r------__I'm excited. Send me a year of Libertarian Agenda (10 Or better yet, join LROC for the same issues) plus two bonus issues. I enclose $20. price, and also receive our internal __I'm really excited. I wanttojoin LROC and gettheabove bulletin, Libertarian Republican plus Libertarian Republican Organizer and all other publica­ Organizer, as well as other exciting tions'for the same low price ($20). LROC bulletins and publications __I'm still pretty calm. Send me the next issue free. (plus, of course, your two free issues). Name _ Address _ Not excited yet? Then check the box on City State Zip _ the coupon and receive a free sample Phone(s) _ issue of Libertarian Agenda. Send and makechecks payableto LROC, 444 CastroSt., #301, Mountain View, CA 94041; phone: 415-965-1506. Contents July 1988 Volume 1, Number 6

Rebel Without a Clue Lessons from the Mecham Affair by Matt Kesler, page 15 Confessions of an Intractable Individualist by Jerome Tuccille, page 19 L. Neil Smith Interviewed by D. R. Blackmon, page 23 Ivan the Terrible by William P. Moulton, page 27 Nicaragua: The Case for Non-Intervention by William Kelsey, page 31 special section The Liberty Poll: Who We Are, What We Think, page 37 What the Poll Means: The Editors Comment, page 49

What IfIt's Publish and Perish? by Tibor R. Machan, page 54 Rand Bashing: Enough is Enough by Ross Overbeek, page 56 Departments ----- . ----- Reflections The Editors "Editorialize," page 9 Reviews Stephen Cox on the Polovchak Affair, page 59 David Ramsay Steele on Natural Rights, page 61 Jeffrey A. Tucker on the Fed, page 64 David Hudson on Film, page 72 Booknotes, page 68 Videonotes, page 70

Buronic Episodes, page 14 Letters, page 4 Classified Advertisements, page 71 Contributors, page 77 Terra Incognita, pages 78 But one must be careful of terms here. A doctrinaire person is someone who Letters substitutes another's thinking for his [ ] own. Contrary to Steele's assertions, most admirers of Rand and Objectivism think quite freely and expect infallibility of nei­ Anti-Anti-Objectivism stand me when I say that both sides of the I enjoy reading your excellent publica­ ther. That Rand could be authoritarian Objectivist/Libertarian conflict could do and vindictive has been well established; tion, but I am disturbed by what appears with a little more objectivity, in the truest that she could be brilliantly original and to be a commonly held belief among quite sense of the word, and a lot less forejudg­ inspiring is more generally the case. a few of your writers: the notion that all ment and intolerance. David Brown's perspective is fair. Da­ Objectivists are pea-brained zealots who Lisa M. Jones vid Steele's article not only teeters on the fulminate at anyone who challenges their Bethany, Okla. beliefs. While I acknowledge that there brink of hysteria, it is also cruel. Rand ad­ vocated reason, egoism and.liberty. She are Objectivists who fit this description, it The Matter of Rand be friend. Her arguments were extensive, is simply not an accurate generalization. The organism which denotes itself as impressive, heartfelt, honest and unique. To me, to be an Objectivist is not to David Ramsay Steele makes a few accu­ Any kindred libertarian soul who would accept Ayn Rand's beliefs and opinions rate observations in its "appraisal" of Ayn cavalierly brush off these arguments and as gospel; one who accepts the philoso­ Rand's personality and achievement assassinate the entire personality of their phy places value on individual thought ("Alice in Wonderland," Liberty, May author sacrifices the spirit of rational en- and achievement. To judge an entire phi­ 1988). Unfortunately, it shows little true . quiry and raises questions as to his own losophy by the actions of a few idiots care in its understanding of Rand. To un­ base motives. This goes for David Ram­ who turned it into a pseudo-religion is derstand another individual requires an say Steele as much as it goes for Alice wrong. And as for the libertarians who honest attempt to treat that individual, as Rosenbaum. criticize some of the remarks made by much as possible, in his or her own terms. Brian Wright certain prominent Objectivists, I hope I see no such fairmindedness in Steele. West Bloomfield, Mich. they can realize that not everyone who From about the time of the Rand­ calls himself an Objectivist necessarily Branden split in the late'60s, it became Brighter Than Aristotle agrees with these statements, just as not obvious to any individual who valued David Steele's polemic was fairly all Libertarians necessarily agree with all psychological independence (which is ac­ shallow but long and funny. David Brown the statements made by another Libertari­ tually a proper offshoot of Objectivism) ("Barbara Branden and Her Critics," Lib­ an. Also, if a person is to judge the beliefs that there was big trouble in Galt's Gulch. erty,May 1988) was right on the mark. of people he considers to be dimwitted Many Objectivists were young and in one I think we can now see that Ayn and robotic, he should be careful not to way or another struck out on their own. Rand's choice of fiction to promulgate her resort to dimwitted and robotic tactics Arguments for free-market anarchy were new philosophy of the individual, totally himself by making cheap shots and indis­ developed then. One also saw beginnings from oU:tside the intellectual job shop of criminate attacks. of the human potential movement, life­ America, was a brilliant stroke. Unfortu­ No matter what one thinks of Ayn extension, space colonization and a host nately she had to pay the costs that all ge­ Rand personally, one should not auto­ of other ideas/lifestyles which would niuses who mix it up with the public matically assume that everyone who val­ leave all doctrinaire people from commies have to pay. She valiantly tried to avoid ues her work is stupid. Yes, I am an to Randians on their butts in the dust. the syndromes of the cult (and succeeded Objectivist, but I hope you can under- That's just the way it happened. to a large extent) and maintain control of her work, but it wasn't possible. Ulti­ mately she had to trust other fallible hu­ Publisher's Note mans, and some betrayed her-but her magnificent accomplishments far over­ This issue is a milestone of sorts for Liberty: it marks the end of our first shadow the costs. year's publication. During this time Liberty has shown considerable growth and In the centuries ahead she will be rec­ progress. This issue has 80 pages, making it our biggest issue ever, almost twice ognized as one of the seminal thinkers of the length of our first issue. And it will be read by more than 2500 paid subscri­ the Western world, possibly even shining bers-an increase of almost 20% in the last three months. brighter than her beloved Aristotle. I feel Our charter subscriptions expire with this issue. This is a critical time for new fortunate to have lived in her time. publications like Liberty, a time when they learn just how muchtheir subscribers Scott Pearson really value them. Happily, the results of our renewal mailing have been encour­ El Paso, Tex. aging-not only are subscribers renewing at a rate that magazine experts tell us is outstanding, but almost 40% have chosen to renew for 2 years or more. Protecting the Iconoclast This issue also includes a special research project that we have been working I don't know where David,Ramsay on for more than six months-The Liberty Poll, which surveys our readers about Steele was coming from in his article their lives, their beliefs, their heroes and their values. We report the results in a about Ayn Rand. It is full of half-truths, special 17 page section beginning on page 37. misinformation and malevolence. I had We also introduce a new feature in this issue. Reflections are lively, brief several conversations with Miss Rand comments by our Editors on the passing scene. It begins on page 9. over the years, read most of what she - R. W. Bradford wrote, and heard her lecture several continued on page 6 4 Liberty july 1988 News You Can't Get Anywhere Else

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At any time during your sub­ •A detailed analysis of the de­ scription, we guarantee a 100% full cline in membership and finances pro rata refund for any unmailed of the Libertarian Party during the issues. early 1980s. 2. We guarantee a 100% refund Now in its second year of regular of the entire subscription price upon your request after you receive publication, American Libertarian is ~---~~~--~------Vacuous· Venom More This letter aims at dispelling some of who also held the view and whom Steele the misimpressions that may be created presumably regards as a fine thinker. [ Letters ] by taking David Ramsay Steele's opin­ What about "existence exists"? Sure, ions of Ayn Rand's philosophical abilities this is not something that is plainly clear times. As a great iconoclast she had and too seriously. I haveshown Rand's philo­ to everyone and one can obfuscate it by still has much to offer a society that is su­ sophical creativity elsewhere ("Ayn Rand: being entirely unsympathetic toward the perstitious, mediocre and self-destructive A Contemporary Heretic," The Occasion­ task that Rand was trying to accomplish to the core. al Review, No.4, Winter 1976). And the with it. But what of C. I. Lewis's view MacDonald Eaton paper written by Douglas Den Uyl and that there is something called"qualia" New York City Douglas Rasmussen, "Nozick on the Ran­ that underlies everything? Or Hume's dian Argument," in Jeffrey Paul, ed., hopelessly muddled view about sense Acknowledging a Skyscraper Reading Nozick (Totawa, NJ: Rowman impressions, or Russell's or Ayers or The article"Alice in Wonderland" by and Littlefield, 1981), should further help anyone else's attempt to find some David Ramsay Steele in your May issue to demonstrate that Rand's ideas are not ground for choosing between truth and was neither an evaluation nor a valid criti­ what Steele claims they are, "one pom­ falsity? I am sure that Steele would re­ cism of Ayn Rand and her works, but a pous vacuity after another." gard all these other efforts to be quite re­ smear job. For example, Steele writes, Ifwe used Steele's rrtethod of dismiss­ spectable, yet they are certainly as liThe organism which was later to denote ing someone's ideas as nonsense--a meth­ vulnerabIe to ridicule as is Rand, and itself as 'Ayn Rand' was born in St Peters­ od Rand, too, unfortunately employed perhaps more so. ("Existence exists" can burg ..." Note that use of the word "or­ now and then-we could do in Socrates, be understood easily enough ifone is not ganism" instead of "person," "woman," or Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hobbes, Hume embarking on a torpedo mission of "individual," etc. and a great many more thinkers without Rand's reputation. Certainly it is not that There is more, but it is only necessary much trouble. After all, Socrates claimed different from ''being qua being" as a to comment that anyone who uses such one cannot do what onebelieves to be topic for analysis, or even /Icogito ergo tactics has removed himself from the realm wrong, which, on its face, seems non­ sum./I But philosophical exchanges have of intelligent discussion. sense. With Steele, we could just assert, always presupposed a bit of good will, The author has two deficiencies: (1) he "This is false." And so with many others, even in the face of some of the more re­ does not understand the ideas of Ayn including Hume, who discredited. the ob­ pugnant traits of those who took part in Rand, and (2) he misinterprets his false jectivity of causality only to invoke it in them. Consider Paul Feyerabend, reput­ conceptions as proof of Rand's ignorance the very alternative he gave to thatac­ edly the highest paid philosopher in the rather than his own. count, namely, in his theory of the human world, who claims that there are no stan­ Steele asserts that Rand did not achieve mind. What about Russell's crazy notions dards of rationality or, rather, that those success through her own efforts but was about ultimate simples that last a moment standards are mere biases, and calls some altruistically helped by others. Now, did or so and then disappear into thin air? ofthose who disagree with him fascists. anyone help Ayn Rand write The Foun­ What about that brilliant 20th century phi­ Yet he is respectfully discussed through­ tainhead, or Atlas Shrugged? Did anyone losopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein, whose out the philosophical community!) offer her encouragement through years of ideas, while extremely stimulating and Rand was someone who did layout suffering and grinding poverty? The fact great stuff for graduate school exercises, very general ideas-somewhat as an ar­ that someone invites you to dinner or changed from year to year, but who was chitect might, giving some initial direc­ gives youbus fare to work is not a valid every bit the monster that Rand was? tion to those who find his or her design claim on one's achievements. In short, Steele gives us his opinion of promising. Steele discounts the merits of Steele's charge that Rand had a poor Rand without any hint as to what stan­ such a procedure by noting that "surpris­ sense of humor is a confession of his own dard he is using, other than his distaste, by ing refutations often spring from fine de­ preferences. Some people laugh every time which to judge her philosophical contri­ tails." But what of this? Sometimes they said~ a four-letter work is as an evening at bution. I have tried to stack up Rand don't and then we praise the person for the movies will easily reveal. Rand be­ against all the major historical and con­ his or her genius! Indeed, it is supposed lieved that humor should be used as a temporary figures and my own assess­ to be the mark of such a person that he or spice-to enhance the flavor of what one ment has been very different from Steele's. she can take it in all at once. There are hears, not serve as the main course. Of course, this does not prove anything risks with this. Yet in all disciplines there The achievement of Ayn Rand may be conclusively, but then there is little argu­ are those who give a quick initial sketch compared to a skyscraper built in the ment in Steele's essay to pick on. of a grand vision and later it is shown midst of a primitive village of mud­ He simply asserts, for example, that that this vision makes good sense or runs thatched huts. Some people never look up "thinking is involuntary," an idea that aground someplace. to see that it is there, others refuse to ac­ would certainly make shambles of the no­ Well, Mr. Steele has had his venom knowledge its presence or do so with scorn tion of scientific objectivity, but gives only published and I am sure a great many li­ because it is a contrast to their own living the most pitiful reason for why this bertarians will find this a joy. But those conditions, while others gaze in astonish­ should be so-"try stop thinking for a few who want to know whether Rand's phil­ ment and wonder that such is humanly seconds." The sense in which thinking is osophical ideas have merit will find little possible to man. Or woman. volitional is complicated, and Rand was help in the clever debunking Mr. Steele Wallace Hoffman aware of this-as was Kant, incidentally, has produced. Sunnyvale, Calif. Tibor Machan continued on page 8 Auburn University Auburn, Ala. 6 Liberty July 1988 r------,BOOKS FOR LIBERTARIANS WHO AREN'T ASHAMED TO BE LIBER'lARIAN!

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You made as entree, Ayn Rand as dessert, and now The Right Questions some good points but you are a sore win­ Max Stirner as sweet mint, I commiserate David Ramsay Steele's evaluation of ner. Let's hang together or be hanged intensely with the personal disillusion­ the "orthodox objectivism" of Peikoff and (taxed to death) separately. ment that John Dentinger seems to have Schwartz hits the nail on the head. Those Dick Crow experienced after the loss of so many phil­ who prefer to accept the judgment of Ayn Woodland Park, Colo. osophical soul-mates. It is indeed difficult Rand on every issue, in lieu of making Strange Libfellows to consider that the world is, in the end, their own judgments are the real lice, try­ I find it easy to sympathize with John full of people just going their way as best ing to live by Rand's thinking, rather than Dentinger's frustration over the conserva­ they see fit, and that their fit way changes thinking for themselves. It is ironic that her tive-libertarian connection as he ex­ with the certainty of time and most fervent followers fail to grasp her pressed it in his article "Strange circumstance. most important principle, namely, that one Bedfellows." Despite my persistent expla­ It's just a shame that Murray Roth­ should accept no authority over one's own nations to the contrary, my liberal friends bard doesn't have a little more patience judgment. continue to view libertarianism as conser­ with Mr. Dentinger's present circum­ But Mr Steele's criticism of Rand is vatism run amok. Although I felt lower stance. But then I am coming to under­ unsound. vote totals would be the result, I secretly stand that Mr. Rothbard has little Rand· asked all the right questions at a hoped for a Russell Means nomination, in patience for anyone not sharing his par­ time when the questions needed to be order to, as Mr. Dentinger says, "pose a ticular enthusiasm for philosophical play asked. She not only asked the questions puzzle" that my liberal friends would (cf. "Me and the Eiger," March 1988). He but attempted to answer them, while con­ have to abandon their misconceptions in is a very clear example of the sort of per­ tinuing to scream the questions at profes­ order to solve. son Max Stirner described who could sional philosophers. Ms Rand may not be However, for reasons Mr. Dentinger speak comfortably of Man, but uncom­ the only writer of the 1940s, 50s and 60s to takes a stab at, yet remain not entirely un­ fortably ofJohn, Sally or Jim. For exam­ challenge consistently the philosophical derstood, conservatives are much more ple, Mr. Rothbard seems philanthropic premises of our culture in a radical way, likely than liberals to fall from grace and enough when talking of the Christians, but I believe she was the only writer with land in the lap of libertarianism. This does the Old-Right, and the Jews, but he is an enormous audience to do so. not and should not disqualify them from most unphilanthropic with John Denting­ J. David Pittman being welcome converts or, for that mat­ er the person or any of those several indi­ Santa Ana, Calif. ter, presidential candidates. At this point vidual WASPs at the "Eiger" conference. Divisive Attacks in the life of our movement, no matter I wouldn't have enjoyed that conference either, from the sound of it, butl don't In the March Viewpoint by John Den­ how ugly are the faces of both liberal and think I would have appearedquite so tinger and the Counterpoint by Murray conservative, if they are willing to re­ comfortable putting down individuals on Rothbard ("Strange Bedfellows," byJohn nounce the initiation of the use of force Dentinger and "Freedom is for Everyone," and follow this principle's logical political page 60 when I had preached tolerance by Murray N. Rothbard, Liberty, March conclusions, I wouldn't kick either out of and hoped for broadly-based political 1988) there was more of the continuing at­ bed. support on page 43. tacks on Ron Paul and Russell Means. I'm J. Powers Potter Mind you, I am not trying to lay fault getting awfully tired of these needless at­ Oneonta, N.Y. on Mr. Rothbard for his correction of Mr. tacks that serve only to split the LP. Dentinger's being so fast and loose with I'm an anarchocapitalist with a Gold­ Play Murray For Me facts; and I am not even suggesting.. that water-YAF-WASP background so I believe What happened to Murray Rothbard rigor is not useful in philo~ophicalanaly­ I understand where Paul has been and between page 43 of the March 1988 issue sis. IfJohn Dentinger was sloppy and in­ where I hope he is going. Not many of us and page 60? On page 43 he began his accurate, I'm glad someone is around were born libertarian or joined the LP usual attack upon a libertarian with a dif­ with the vigilance to notice. But there is 100% pure. As for the attack on Means, I ferent perspective on the movement an awfully smug attitude lurking in most wish Rothbard would read Bury My Heart ("Freedom is for Everyone"). On page 60 of Murray Rothbard's journalistic writ­ . At Wounded Knee, and for added empha­ he wrote one of the most entertaining and ing, and it is very unbecoming­ sis, Black Elk Speaks and Lame Deer, Seek­ humorous pieces I've ever read in a liber­ especially for a libertarian. How can there er of Visions. Maybe then he would tarian publication ("Me and the Eiger"). be a convincing case for liberty of indi­ understand why the LP is a natural home The description of his fellow Jewish­ viduals without a sincere consideration for Indians and other minorities, and why ethnic at a conference made me wonder if for actual individuals? Means is who he is. he was talking about me, and I'd some­ It is an irony of politics that even li­ There was no perfect candidate for the how forgotten being there! And, just bertarians start thinking of groups and is­ LP nomination for president. Recent con­ knowing Murray enjoys Clint Eastwood sues instead of individuals and personal verts can often be the most passionate movies makes me see him in a whole new views whenever it comes to winning elec­ members so let's take advantage of that. light. tions. And if the mental expedience of We need some passion rather than relying Steve Buckstein groups and issues is required for running on the same party activists that are burning Portland, Ore. out. The purpose of the campaign.is not to continued on page 74 8 Liberty Jilly 1988 No flag burning pleaSe-Every week it appears Conservative & libertarian monsterS-It that 'somewhere, somehow, the Reagan administration is trying has been said before, but bears repeating: libertarians and con­ to get us in a war. The eye is now on Central America. Appar­ servatives are different, and that difference is marked even in ently there is a little known clause in the Constitution which the one area where they have the most in common-opposition enables the State Department to select the ruling generals in to ''big government." While conservatives talk (or used to talk) each banana republic. Call it the Elliot Abrams Doctrine, after of "trimming the fat off the government," libertarians take a the Gipper's chief apologist for U. S. interventionism in that much more radical approach: we do not merely want to "trim" region. government "fat," but muscle and bone, too. During the recent war scare (in March) when U. S. para­ The metaphor of the State as an Obese Servant in Need of troops were dropping down to make Honduras safe for the Diet is much too benign. Government is not merely over­ current military junta, there were protests in several major cit­ weight/ it is a Monster. It has altogether too many arms (or Ten­ ies across the country. tacles) with which it constricts, holds down, or otherwise One which particularly caught my eye was held in Minnea­ strangles people. Of course, it does provide some necessary polis. Most of these anti-intervention demonstrations were services, but it always manages to provide some unnecessary sponsored by the usual wimpy gang of leftists and Sandinista disservices in the bargain. apologists, but the demonstration in the Twin Cities had some­ If we are to look to literature for a model for this monster, thing else. Right there, in a wire service photo, was a demon­ we should probably avoid BeOWUlf's Grendel, and consider, in­ strator holding a burning flag. That's right, Stars and Stripes stead, Frankenstein's creation-except that our present situa­ flambe. tion is not the product of one single person, but of many There are many reasons why I felt anger and sadness at this people, whose motives range from stark egoism to robust altru­ photo, but I note only one of the more practical here: no half­ ism; the result is beyond anyone's intention. Perhaps there are way rational, intelligent American could possibly think that science fiction writers more modern than Mary Shelley who burning an American flag could in any way positively in­ can provide us with the perfect archetype. fluence anyone-politician, citizen, business leader, or apathet­ In any case, the monster of the State must be put through a ic Joe Six Pack-to believe that non-intervention in Central major operation, at the very least. And it seems to me that we America is a proper U.S. foreign policy. Most Americans, re­ cannot expect conservatives to do this, at least so long as they gardless of their political beliefs, consider burning the Ameri­ regard the government as if it was a lovable, if unhealthy, ser­ can flag a grievous insult. It is a gesture that serves only to vant. Libertarians must persuade the public at large of the real convince others that the flag burners are advancing an un­ situation. - TWV American, unpatriotic, undoubtedly subversive and probably pro-communist cause. Sorry if this sounds like something out of National Review. The Libertarian family and entrepren­ But as the odds for convenient little wars increase, sooner or eurship-In the letter column of Liberty (May 1988), later we as libertarians may be involved in non-interventionist Dagny Sharon threatens (albeit somewhat ironically) to leave agitation. And we'll likely run into flag burners. It would be a the libertarian movement. Now, certainly everyone has the mo­ real tragedy if this time, God forbid, the non-interventionist ral right to leave the movement, and I'm sure that most of us, forces become polluted by anti-Americanism and pro­ in moments of despair or disgust, have been tempted to do the communist idiocy, or, as in the 1960s, get overrun with various same. But I am interested in her stated reasons, which I think brands of Trotskyites seeking to "lead" the opposition. are typical of many who have suffered from similar ''burnout.'' With the image of the burning flag still in mind, I wonder The trigger was a gently ironic review by Mike Holmes of her why any of the good citizens of Minneapolis would burn the Free Market Yellow Pages ("Libertariana," Liberty, Dec 1987), flag to protest a bad policy. Who are these guys? FBI or CIA which actually pulled the punches of the criticisms he might agents provocateur? Incredibly stupid leftists? Smart aleck have levelled at the publication. But apparently the very fact punks? that criticism of Ms. Sharon was made was almost enough to Non-interventionism is as American as apple pie. Maybe send her reeling "out of the movement." more. Holding hands with flag burners will do the cause of lib­ Ms. Sharon revealingly states that the reason for her distress erty no good. In the 60s, libertarians were few and far between is that she joined the libertarian movement and moved to Cali­ and we had to make do with others of similar viewpoints re­ fornia in the expectation that she would find in it the "family" garding U.S. foreign policy. This time, we can lead, not follow. to replace the biological family which had failed to give her We should remember that opposing a bad U.S. policy moral support. Not surprisingly, she was disappointed when doesn't imply we have to support left or right wing dictators in her expectations in the libertarian movement were dashed. return. Libertarians have principled reason for their actions. I think the problem with Ms. Sharon, and with many other Flag burners we can do without. -MH Liberty 9 July 1988 activists, is the nature of their goal. The libertarian movement will say: "I am a shoe manufacturer," or, "I am a commodity is a political and ideological movement, period; it is neither a broker." In the libertarian movement the response is, "I am an "family" nor an encounter or therapy group. One hopes that entrepreneur." What most libertarians fail to realize is that the within the movement, because of comQ1on interests and princi­ purpose of entrepreneurship is not to" be an entrepreneur" but ples, we can find lifelong friends and soul-mates; but to expect to make profits, and that making profits is not at all easy. To be or demand this result from everyone is sheer folly. Perhaps a real entrepreneur you have to know a lot about specific areas among family or close friends or therapy groups one can ex­ and markets of the real world

Postal rumination-As I walked briskly to the post office clutching my income tax returns, I reflected on the man­ ner in ·w·hich I was walking. Usually when I walk this particu­ &(O(J lar route I take my time, sauntering. But April 15 was an exception. , I thought again about my favorite essay of Henry DaVId HI could do this job a lot better if you'd authorize me some Thoreau, "Walking." In that elegant work he celebrates not cash to pay informers," civilization but "wildness." He opens with a discussion of the

Liberty 11 July 1988 meaning of the word "saunter." He considers whether it came Right Wing of our movement heartburn ever since. I expressed from the the French sans terre-without a homeland-or from jubilation, not at the victory of the Communists in Vietnam, but a "Sainte-Terrer" [sauntererl-a wanderer who collects alms in various other aspects of that notable event. There was, first under the pretense of going to the "Holy Land," and he implies the resounding final defeat admfnistered to a long, bloody tl1atthe only real way to saunter is to walk in the wilderness. I campaign of mass murder waged by U.s. imperialists in Viet­ disagree. I saunter all the time, but it has been years since I nam. But above all, and this is what I was celebrating in the ar­ have had access, on a regular basis, to anything approaching ticle, there was the glorious epiphany of the sudden death of a "\Vilderness." State. How often, in our lifetimes, are we privileged to experi­ Usually when I walk around the quaint city of Port Town­ ence the actual death of a State? It is truly a rare event, and one send, Washington, I take my time, watch (and watch out for) to be savored, regardless of what kind of State it was and what the seagulls,gaze across the bay and at Marrowstone Island, do kind of State followed. For a brief, resplendent moment, a state not think about the nuclear bombs on nearby Indian Island, crumbled; executives or legislatures met in a room, issued de­ and repeatedly glance up at the snowcapped mountains. This crees, and no one paid any attention. As the State's infrastruc­ issauntering pure and simple. And, on April 15, rushing to ture crumbled, this mighty force, only a few days before weet the requirement of the State, I came up with the perfect absolute ruler of its territory, became a chaos of scattered men, definition: issuing edicts into the wind. Tome, steeped in the history of saunter v. To walk as if the State did not exist, and as if civ­ the American Revolution, this was reminiscent of early British­ ilization were merely a trifle. dominated colonial legislatures (as in Pennsylvania) passing I think even Thoreau, a tough judge of words and actions, august laws but learning that no one cared, and finding them­ would have approved. -TWV selves just a bunch of guys beating the air. For quasi­ governmental authority had devolved, by general social action, onto alternative institutions outside the legal structure of gov­ Dancing with Joy in Saigon and Washington­ ernment. To libertarians, in short, there can be nothing quite so Michael Townshend comes forth with a brand new principle rare or inspiring as the sudden collapse of a State apparatus. for the libertarian movement: an attack on "glee," or what we What about the possibility of a Republican defeat this No­ might call killjoyism (Letters, Liberty, May 1988). Mr Town­ vember? It is a consummation that I devoutly wish. I say flatly shend strongly objects to my enthusiasm at envisioning a that if there were no Libertarian Party in the field, I would vote "smashing defeat" for the Republican Party in November, and Democratic, not out of a great love for the Democratic Party, darkly likens it to my "glee" at the collapse of the South Viet­ but out of bitter hostility to the Republicans. namese government in 1975, in both cases allegedly forgetting In the first place, to fend off Mr Townshend's spectre of Du­ the evils that carne after: the establishment of a Communist kakis, I can see no effective and substantial difference between Vietnam and the putative ascendancy of Michael Dukakis to Bush and Dukakis, and certainly nothing to motivate any liber­ the American.throne. tarian to rush to the polls to save George Bush. But more pro­ Much as I admire the diligence with which clearly Mr Town­ foundly, I see several clear reasons to prefer Dukakis over Bush shend· has pored over my writing, and hoping against hope in November. First, on the overriding question of war and that he really does not mean to liken Mike Dukakis to Ho Chi peace, the Republicans in general and Bush in particular are significantly more warmongering than the Democrats, even though the latter are hardly doves of peace. On Nicaragua and the Contras, missile brandishing against the Russians, on the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and virtually every other trouble It is far more odious to spout spot, the hawks and the war ultras are almost all in the Repub­ lib'erta,rian rhetoric in order to lican ranks-this even though the Democrats have gone along bamboozle the public than it is to be a with U.S. aggression against Grenada, Libya, Iran and now Panama. (The bipartisan argument that the U.S. must swiftly statist without sham or pretense. At overthrow Noriega because he is a dictator and a drug-runner, least, political life is clearer, and the air founders on the basic fact that almost every other government is, not befouled by repellent lnendacity. shares the same features. So why the hysteria against poor No­ riega, who only wants his cut of the action?) Far better an open statist than a Secondly, if the pro-Republicans retort that their favorite mendacious and fake libertarian! party employs far more libertarian rhetoric than the Demo­ crats, my response is that that is precisely why we must revile the Republicans. For it is far more odious to spout libertarian rhetoric merely to bamboozle the public than it is to be a statist Minh, I. take strong exception to the new Puritanism with without sham or pretense. At least, political life is clearer, and ,,yhich he wishes to infect the libertarian movement. Now that the air is not befouled by repellent mendacity. Far better an sex, alcohol, smoking, tasty food, drugs and pornography have open statist than a mendacious and fake libertarian! been systematicallY.excised from our society, Mr Townshend And thirdly, and far from least, whatever happened to the proposes to rob us of the last form of enjoyment left: delight in good old tradition of "throw the rascals out"? Instead offo­ the defeat afour enemies. God knows that libertarians have cussing on the bad guys in the wings, how about punishing little enough to crow about in today's state-ridden world, so and getting rid of the bad guys who have been deceiving and why can't we delight in our occasional triumphs and in our en­ looting us for eight long years? Kick them out! Specifically, by emies'defeats? doing so you destroy an entrenched Republican machine, and I.n 19.75, I wrote liThe Death of a State," which has given the it will take time for the Democrates to reconstruct a machine of

12 Liberty July 1988 their own. And more importantly, the "ins" must be punished. tion and got out the votes. The equally beloved Jeanne Kirkpa­ When do libertarians ever get a chance to punish state-crimes, trick got Dole no votes either. and levy justice upon the state-criminals? The only thing we 3. Why did Kemp never catch on as leader of the conserva­ can do to punish the rascals, the only thing that is legal and tive ultras? For two reasons, I think. One is image. The Ameri­ will not get us into deep trouble, is to defeat the SOBs at the can masses don't like to vote for a President with a squeaky, polls, to throw them out. Let us exercise and enjoy the only rheumy voice. He also has the muscle-bound look of the proto­ power to punish that we have. typical jock. Now Americans like jocks, of course, but the jock As an added esthetic note coming under the rubric of the look is not "presidential" enough to place in an office that second and third reasons discussed above, we should kick out Americans take very-in fact, much too-seriously. The press the Republicans in order to rid ourselves of those leeches, those ':omplained that Kemp "talked too much." That's not quite it, slimy opportunists, those con-men, those former and so-called "libertarains" who rush to shed their principles and join the Reagan Administration, wriggling happily along the corridors of power. What joy it will be to throw these bums out, to stop Pat Robertson self-destructed when them, at least for four years, from feeding their allegedly liber­ his paranoia was let loose in a series. of tarian selves at the public trough! Wow! "Glee," Mr Townshend? You're damn tootin'! And since'I whoppers that he alone saw nothing seem to be pioneering adding German terms to our political wrong with. Of course, when Godsends lexicon, I would offer a wonderful word for this experience: us Armageddon, Pat will be redeemed, Shadenfreude ("shameful joy"}-except there should be no shame or guilt in this elation, but unalloyed enthusiasm in get­ but one hopes not until then. ting rid of a pack of repellent poltroons, and returning them forcibly to the bracing air of the private sector. There is one final arrow in Mr Townshend's quiver: the cur­ ;ince all politicians talk too much. Kemp failed to talk·pithily, rently fashionable "1" word with which he tars me: "insensi­ ~n the famous 30-second "bites" that are needed for TV sum­ tive." "Insensitivity" has been the favorite word used to silence mary. He droned on. all critics of sham, cant and hypocrisy, and to get right down to But second, and most important, was the content of· the it, of the rulers of the social order. Stuff it, Mr Townshend, and Kempian message. Conservatives are bitter, frustrated; they all the Townshends of this world! Mencken once wrote that he feel that they have lost control of the Reagan presidency, and was dramatic and provocative because he engaged in heaving power is slipping away from them. To them, it is no longer dead cats into the temples of social idolatry, thereby demon­ "morning in America" but twilight. Yet Kemp had only the strating to the benumbed citizens that he had not been struck sunny Reaganite soft-soap to hand out: cheery optimism. To dead by lightning on the spot. -MNR make things worse, Kemp talked constantly of "compassion," and of "reaching out" to all oppressed groups, promising care and subsidy and no reduction in welfare state spending. Con­ The political circus-1. First prize for Political Tac­ servatives don't want the soft-soap; besides, Kemp does not tics of the Year goes to the George Bush team: head honcho Lee have the creamy Gipper voice and beloved Gipper smile to car­ Atwater and media maven Roger Ailes. Atwater & Co. had ry it off. Moreover, conservatives are sick and tired of compas.. , only one week after Iowa to save Bush's bacon in New Hamp­ sion and of reaching out to the "oppressed." Conservatives shire. Things looked bleak. Atwater and team started moving want some good old-fashioned bitterness and hate, some on all cylinders. They had two tasks. The first was to ''human­ reaching in to the middle-class and to reducing at least the wel­ ize" George Bush. And so they stuck him onto l8-wheelers, put fare end of the welfare-warfare State. So why Kemp when eve­ him into a farmer's hat, and had him photographed by TV ryone else is offering the "compassionate" package? cameras wolfing down MacDonald's hamburgers as if he en­ 4. On the other hand, Pat Robertson self-destructed when hi$ joyed them. The brilliant Reaganaut speech writer, Mrs. Peggy paranoia was let loose in a series of whoppers that he alone Noonan, was brought out of retirement for one week and (with his hard-core followers) saw nothing wrong with. Of whisked up to New Hampshire, where she wrote excellent course, when God sends us Armageddon, Pat will be· re.,. speeches giving Bush "warmth." The second task was to de­ deemed, but one hopes not until then. In addition, Pat's moral sanctify Bob Dole. And so the great Ailes whipped together a standing was not improved by the well-publicized fact that dynamite TV commercial exposing Dole's high-tax record, and Pete McCloskey got the goods on his Korean peccadilloes. Why sprung it in the last 48 hours of the New Hampshire campaign, did Pat sue? Maybe he jumped the gun on Armageddon. just when Dole, advised by the revered Bill Brock, was sitting 5. Libertarians of course take heart at the demise of all the back and being "presidential." Ifthere is one thing New Hamp­ Democratic and Republican turkeys, but we should add an ex­ shire Republicans don't like, it's high taxes, so the TV commer­ tra heartfelt cheer at the departure of Dick Gephardt. Ifyou like cial worked like a charm. all-out protectionism and 2000% farm price support programs, 2. Second prize goes to the same Bush team for understand­ Dick is your man. Third tactical prize of the year goes to who­ ing that, in politics, Governors beat Senators. In the crucial pre­ ever in the Dukakis camp thought up that great last minute Super Tuesday states of New Hampshire and South Carolina, New Hampshire commercial that called the phony "populism" Bush relied on the governors: John Sununu and Carroll Camp­ that Gephardt had been pushing in Iowa. As the scroll of one bell, Jr. In Illinois he relied on Governor Big Jim Thompson. big corporate contributor to Gephardt after another went rol... Thus, in South Carolina, Dole might have had the support of ling, a dry-voiced commentator declared: "Dick Gephardtsays his Senate colleague, the venerable and beloved Strom Thur­ he's one of us. But this looks like he's one of theirs." mond, but it was Governor Campbell who had the organiza- Beautiful: caught him at his own game. -MNR Liberty 13 July 1988 AFTER REAGAN) ~EN WHAT?

"'THE- POST-REAGAN MANDATE SOUNDS LIKE AN AP WIL.L BE1t> BRING ORDER WE'RE CALLING Ii FOR A LAXATIVE. OUT OF CHAOS. "RE·REGULATION~WE. I'VE GOT IT! NEED A SLOGAN ABOUT "RE-REGULATION: A ORDER/ PREDICTABILJ~ RETURN 'TO REGULARITY~ I SUPPOSE. THERE WHAT'L.L WE CALL. IT? ~ SOME PARALLELS. "OE-REAGANIZING"? "~'ii~~? (~::;;I'··· IIR~::;~7tia) ..~=~2~~ § ffi 00 ffi §§ © es ffi :)o)Cilt:rll

SAM WANTS YOU- SOBER f STRAIG,HT

BUT NOBODY DIES OF Tl-IE ARMY IS NOW TESTING ALL NEW RECRUITS FOR TOBACCO? WHY ON EARTH TOBACCO USE RESULTS IN TOBACCO USE uNTIL THEY'RE TOO OLP DRUG AND ALC.OHOL WOULD "THE ARMY WANT \0 TIMES AS MANY DEATHS CONSUMPTION. TO CHECK RECRUITS FOR AS ALCOHOL AND ALL FOR THE ARMY. TOBACCO USE? OTHER DRUGS COMBINED.

U.S. ARMY NO OR,VNKS OR HEADS NEED APPl.Y

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o R.R. SUBMITTED HIS RE-ELECTION BUDGET. V OF COURSE. WH,:rrIS T ·THE BUDGET? R.R.'S NOT RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION! BURONIC F EPISODES , REPUBLICAN N CAMPAIGN A 6J~ H.G. A speculation on the N 11 00 source of headlines I" CI "'-- --1 by Bob Ortin N HE'LL NEVER GET THAT MUCH PAST ""THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS CONMISSION • HEY AN END-RUN fa AROUND THE F.E.C.! SURE HE WI LL. IT'S ~E E FEDERAL BUDc;El; WITH SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE R1GHT. ffi L -A DIRECT APPEAL "aoss • E c ~::L::::L' ,tA PLUM T ", IN TIME T;:~~~~~~~~ RE-ELECTS NINE " I ( II ( o N AND) ON -rHE. DRUG WAR FRONT••• S

Two MORE DRUG AGENTS WERE SHOT BY DRUc; NOJ THEY AMBUSHED US. YOU DON'T MEAN TRAFFICKERS. WE'RE LOSING TI-lE CON­ NUKE JEM?!! VENnoNAL·wAR ON DRUGS. OH MY G.OD! THEy'RE IT'S TIME FOR US TO USE 7}fEY FIRED BACK WHEN L.AUNCHING A UNCONVENTIONAL MEANS. WE AMBUSHED Tl-IEM? ~~~~T~;;;~E! ~ ~~~tI0~:~ ENF'ORCEM&NTDRUG. ]) II AG.ENCY COMMAND HQ ~) \ ~ re ~ G9

14 Liberty Analysis

Rebel Without a Clue Lessons from the Mecham Experience by Matt Kesler

He is the most famous Pontiac dealer in America. "Doonesbury" spent a week attacking him. The Wall Street Journal devoted an editorial to his defense. Ted Koppel ran long to talk to him. Jesse Jackson mispronounced his name. Evan Mecham is the most famous governor in the history of Arizona. He was the most radical governor since Arizona's admission to the Union in 1912; as of April fourth, he is also the first to be impeached and removed from office by the state legislature. And his election and aborted term in office may be the most intensive course in political reality offered for the education of American political radicals since the socialist adventure early this century.

The political events in Arizona over tionally famous for his rescission of the Attorney General Bob Corbin. Corbin the last two years rival anything in the state holiday honoring Martin Luther has been charged with "grand jury annals of American politics. The com­ King. His awkward defense of the ac­ shopping" and is now the subject of a plexity and unpredictability of events, tion prompted the founding of a cam­ recall attempt.) the variety and absurdity of the person­ paign to recall him from office, and Upon Mecham's conviction of two alities, and above all the hostility of the numerous gaffes fueled the political impeachment charges by the Arizona leaders of the major factions toward fire. By late 1987 over 200,000 Arizonans Senate on April fourth, Secretary of each other almost defy description. A had signed petitions calling for his re­ State Rose Mofford, a Democrat, suc­ complete recounting of the events moval, and a new election was set for ceeded to the office. On April sixth, would read like the most intricately­ May of 1988. Mecham was declared ineligible to run plotted Ludlum novel; a rounded depic­ Later in 1987, Mecham had been in the May 17 recall election. A court tion of the characters would be a feat fit charged with the failure to report cor­ challenge was anticipated. Meanwhile, for Dickens. rectly a $350,000 loan to his campaign. Mofford is the heavy favorite in the six­ Evan Mecham had already lost four Legislative leaders initiated an investi­ candidate non-partisan field. races for governor when he ran again in gation which resulted in two additional But, you ask, what's the point? Why 1986. His 1986 campaign hinged on charges: that Mecham had instructed should anyone outside Arizona care? honesty in government and conserva­ the head of the state police not to inves­ Because of the lessons the Mecham tive ethics. His ideology was primitive tigate an alleged death threat by one episode prOVides us. conservatism: low taxes and state Mecham appointee against another, and History's great political fiascos are spending, opposition to drugs and por­ that he had authorized the loan of often the foundation for the folk wis­ nography, loyalty to God and country. $80,000 from an inaugural ball ticket­ dom of ensuing decades. The Bay of He promised to "make Arizona drug­ sales fund to his auto dealership. Pigs, Vietnam, and Watergate are cited free" in his first term. In February 1988, Mecham was im­ weekly in Newsweek and on "Meet the Once elected, Mecham made good peached on all three charges. The vote Press," and the conclusions dra\vn­ his ideological commitment. His only in the Republican-dominated legislature correctly or not-from the popular year in office was the first year in al­ was overwhelming. Just days later, memory of these relatively recent most a decade during which state taxes Mecham and his campaign finance events form the backdrop for discus­ were not increased. Personal use of state chairman, his brother V\'i1lard, were in­ sions of analogous current events. vehicles by public employees was dicted on a charge of willful failure to Any libertarian worth his salt is bet­ curbed. Mecham worked with the legis­ report the $350,000 campaign loan. (The ter at this game than the statist next lature to fund an anti-drug program. He indictment was achieved only after a door. We can laugh when the lobbied successfully for an increase in state grand jury failed to return an in­ Depression is used as an excuse for to­ the speed limit on interstate highways. dictment and a second grand jury was day's welfare state, or roll our eyes Early in 1987, Mecham became na- empaneled by Mecharn opponent and when the Watergate scandal is used to Liberty 15 justify taxpayer financing of election political radical can charm the local ers; that is, Mecham's vote total would campaigns. So the present shenanigans broadcasters and newspapermen, but have been relatively unaffected by the in Arizona politics are a challenge. that's not how Evan Mecham did it. He number or appeal of his opponents. It is These unique events provide informa­ chose a single medium that he could quite clear that a single attractive, mod­ tion never before available regarding completely control: direct mail. He used erate Democratic candidate would al­ the response of the political system to it heavily, he used it repeatedly, and he most certainly have defeated Mecham. new types of behavior by a candidate used it effectively. The three-candidate race was tailor­ and an elected executive. Radicals of all About a week before the primary, made for a maverick. stripes will do well to learn the lessons over eighty per cent of Arizona's being taught in this very special Republican voters received a tabloid Lesson Four: The Voters classroom. outlining Mecham's positions and ex­ May Choose the Government, In an attempt to begin this process, I perience and sharply attacking oppo­ But They Don't Run It. present some of my own tentative nent Barr. The tabloid received more Mecham won despite his failure to conclusions. publicity than any other event of the gain endorsement of a single daily newspaper in the state. Some prominent Lesson One: Taxpayers Vote. campaign. When asked about the publi­ cation's charge that he had promised Republicans reluctantly supported him In the September 1986 Republican the tax increase would be temporary, after the primary. But his lack of experi­ gubernatorial primary, Mecham was Barr replied simply, "I lied." Reporters ence in government and his repeated opposed by veteran legislative leader present laughed, but the state's taxpay­ charges that the legislature was "cor­ Burton Barr. Barr, the ultimate Arizona ers didn't get the joke. rupt" and controlled by "organized insider, was best known for his support Mecham's tabloid campaign was re­ crime" made him persona non grata at of a "temporary" increase in the state prised prior to the general election. By the capitol. sales tax; when the one-half per cent in­ using inexpensive newsprint, Mecham After his inauguration, he showed crease was due to expire in early 1986, was able to reach virtually every voting neither the ability nor the inclination to Barr orchestrated an unlimited household in the state; he didn't need make peace with legislators and the extension. an abnormally large budget. His name press. The press quoted his statements Barr had excellent name recognition, recognition was improved, and his mes­ out of context. Legislators leaked pri­ was supported by the state's major sage reached voters without the "filter" vate communications. The Senate de­ newspapers, and had the endorsement of interpretation by television and layed confirmation ofappointees. When of President Reagan. Polls showed Barr broadcast reporters. the new Governor threatened to cut the a ten to twenty per cent favorite in the budget of the state week prior to balloting. Attorney General, Bob Surprising virtually Corbin, he was subjected everyone, Mecham won a Rules are tools-tools that can be used to punitive investigations narrow victory. Exit polls as weapons. And supporters of the status and, eventually, criminal suggested that distrust quo know the rules and are willing to use charges. for Barr and heavy turn­ Former Libertarian out among tax-conscious them to defend themselves against a politi­ gubernatorial candidate retirees were important cal insurrection. Sam Steiger, himself a factors. top Mecham aide until Subsequent events October 1987, summed it have confirmed this hypothesis. A Mecham had controlled the medi­ up by pointing out that Mecham was November 1987 bond election in um; his message got through. elected without the support of the local Maricopa County, home to half the news media, but never realized he state's voters, would have raised taxes Lesson Three: needed the help of the media to govern to fund development of riverbeds. Polls Choose Your Race Carefully. effectively. showed public support exceeded seven­ Or get lucky. Either will do. ty per cent. The proposal was supported In 1986, Arizona Democrats nomi­ Lesson Five: Communicate or Die. by the Republican daily papers and the nated Carolyn Warner, the incumbent Mecham eventually committed po­ leftist weekly New Times. Everyone. Superintendent of Public Instruction, litical suicide by repeatedly firing an Evan Mecham opposed the bond, which for governor. She was aesthetically uncontrolled weapon: his mouth. A failed two-to-one. His opposition proba­ and politically unattractive, and fellow conservative in arguably the most con­ bly didn't influence the vote significant­ Democrat Bill Schultz entered the servative state in the union, Mecham is ly, but it demonstrated that he alone general election race as an an extreme contrast to his counterpart at shared with most Arizona voters an un­ Independent, diluting Democratic the federal level; Ronald Reagan, la­ intellectual but consistent opposition to voting strength. Mecham won with for­ belled an "archconservative" and an tax increases. ty-two percent. "extremist" by the media in 1980, suc­ The conclusion: anyone can respond Subsequent polling has failed to de­ ceeded by communicating directly and to a poll, but people who pay taxes are finitively determine who would have effectively to the voting public. Evan more likely to show up on election day. won a two-candidate race between Mecham, by contrast, may be the weak­ Mecham and Warner. It is, however, est communicator in modern political Lesson Two: Control the Medium. quite evident that most Mecham sup­ history. Not the "media." Perhaps a talented porters were strong Mecham support- With the exception of the use of

16 Liberty July 1988 campaign tabloids, Mecham failed to Impeachment, bordered on the ludi­ and probably most important, he need­ find any successful means of communi­ crous. The charges were simple, the tes­ ed to maintain a level of popular sup­ cation. He barely survived a televised timony of other witnesses surprisingly port at least as high as the lowest debate prior to the general election, he consistent, and applicable law quite enjoyed by any of his predecessors. fumbled badly in press conferences, and clear. Both houses were dominated by That is, he needed to be taken seri­ his appearances on televised interview Republicans,. albeit not Mecham sup­ ously. When he became a joke, he be­ programs were awkward and emba­ porters. The prosecution clearly showed came fair game. To the legislature, it rassing; some were actually introduced that Mecham's judgment had some­ was fair to oppose his personnel ap­ as evidence by the prosecution in his times been faulty, but evidence of the pointments for reasons which would impeachment trial. violation of law was tenuous, and crimi­ have been considered trivial in another Shortly after his inauguration, nal intent on his part was alleged but administration. To the Attorney Mecham made good on a campaign not proved. Prosecution witnesses clear­ General, it was fair to convene not just pledge and rescinded the executive or­ ly had ulterior motives. one grand jury to investigate allegations der by which his predecessor, Democrat But Mecham's complete inability to of impropriety, but a second grand jury Bruce Babbitt, had proclaimed a state express himself in simple declaratory when the first failed to return any in­ holiday in honor of Martin Luther King. sentences convinced many that he was dictments. And to the public at large, it Mecham's supporters were not sur­ obfuscating-or lying outright. Despite was fair to sign petitions to recall the prised when the local media attacked the lack of contradictory evidence, his governor from office in response, not to his action. What amazed many was the testimony was believed by only his his policies, but to his verbal gaffes. revelation, over a year later, that most ardent supporters. To asc:ribe all Evan Mecham's politi­ Republican Attorney General Corbin In short, Mecham needed to do three cal problems to poor communications had informed all the candidates prior to things in order to make his tenure in of­ would be an exaggeration. But only a the 1986 election that Babbitt's executive fice, if not successful, at least unevent­ slight one. order had been illegal, and that any fu­ ful. First, he needed to show at least a ture governor who failed to rescind it minimal level of concern for the fuzzy Lesson Six: might be held personally liable for the opinions and self-serving politics of the Follow the Damned Rules. wages paid to state employees on the ninety poorly-paid and under-educated Political radicals generally have a King holiday. members of the state legislature. deep-seated contempt for many of the In other words, Mecham was obli­ Second, he needed to find a way to use rules, written and unwritten, which gated to rescind the holiday. Corbin had the massive machine of the state's exec­ govern the political process. Anyone been responsible for the controversy utive branch to achieve his ends. Third, who runs for political office in order to surrounding Mecham's action, but for over a year Mecham failed to explain the situation effectively. It took a team best-~t of defense lawyers to pull the informa­ "TIle weekofmy tion out of him when he took the wit­ ness stand in his impeachment trial. life. Aninfellectualfeast!" Mecham didn't withhold that infor­ - Mary Saucier, W. RoxbU1)r, Mass. mation out of loyalty to Corbin, a long­ time opponent. He didn't forget it, and The Cato Institute's he wasn't the victim of a media conspir­ Summer Seminar acy designed to block his access to the in Political Economy airwaves. He had spoken about the Dartmouth College King holiday issue many times and in July 2-9, 1988 several venues. He simply lacked the communications skills necessary to for­ his is your opportu­ mulate his position and state it in a way nity to spend an excit­ that the public could understand. T ing, intellectually stimu­ This pathetic inability to lating week with 7S par­ communicate in plain English was illus­ ticipants and 11 lecturers trated by his first words to the state who share your interest in exploring libertarian ideas. The leading House of Representatives impeachment thinkers in the philosophy of liberty-including Charles Murray, committee. The chair's first question Henri Lepage, Earl Ravenal, Israel Kirzner, Roy Childs, and others­ was the obligatory oath beginning, "Do will present an interdisciplinary feast of knowledge during 24 lectures you, Evan Mecham, swear to tell the and daily discussion groups. Make plans now to attend this once-in-a­ truth, ...?" Mecham's response: "That is lifetime event! correct." He was unable to connect the phrase "00 you ...?" with the obvious corresponding response, "I do." For information and application write or phone: From then on, it was all downhill. Cato Institute, Dept. NA, 224 Second St. S.E., His testimony before the House com­ Washington, D.C. 20003 (202) 546-0200 mittee, and subsequently before the Cost of seminar is $450; students $125 state Senate sitting as a Court of Some scholarships available Liberty 17 July 1988 advance a radical ideological agenda is Mecham was an embarrassment to his tive voices concentrate on free or paid likely to view campaign-finance laws, few intelligent supporters. His gram­ radio, and that candidates with a strong state personnel codes, and legislative mar testified to his ignorance, his coun­ message use signs or bumper stickers. protocol with little respect when they tenance testified to his insincerity, and Newsprint tabloids should be recog­ threaten the achievement of that agen­ the contradictory substance of his an­ nized as an inexpensive, efficient means da. A radical candidate who lets a piece swers upon cross-examination testified of communicating directly to the voters. of paper stop him from bringing his to his lack of respect for the truth. Lesson Three suggests that radical concept of freedom-or justice, or mo­ Whether guilty or not, he seemed candidates, like Mecham, can benefit rality-tohis constituents might seem a guilty, and he continues to inspire loy­ from the selection of multi-candidate failure and a wimp. alty only from the undiscritninating. races and races against unattractive But rules are tools-tools that can be His reputation with the general public candidates. used as weapons. And supporters of has sunk very low indeed. Lesson Four suggests that a radical the status quo know the rules and are And so it is that the low-tax mes­ candidate who is actually elected to of­ willing to use them to defend them­ sage is left without a champion. At this fice has two choices on the morning after selves against a political insurrection. point, Mecham's continued presence on the election: prepare for political martyr­ Radicals assaulting the status quo, with the scene will provide a whipping-boy dom, or get on the phone and start the intention of using the mending fences. political system to achieve Lesson Five suggests their ends, had better be Mecham needed to show at least a that the ability to communi­ ready to play the game by minimal level of concern for the fuzzy cate is an essential charac­ the rules as established. teristic for radical After power has been opinions and self-serving politics of the candidates. I believe this is gained and consolidated, a ninety poorly-paid and under-educated by far the most important savvy radical (that is, a members of the state legislature. principle demonstrated by leader) may effect change the Mecham fiasco. This in the rules in order to principle, incidently, is vio­ maintain povver and establish a legacy. for the advocates of increased taxes and lated by at least ninety per cent of Mecham and company knew little state spending. His departure would Libertarian Party campaigns. and, presumably, cared less about the leave the state without a prominent ad­ For obvious reasons, Lesson Sixmay rules. A campaign finance reporting re­ vocate of free enterprise. be the hardest for some radicals to learn. quirement was not met, resulting in one Principled opponents of statism, like If you tickle a rattlesnake you had better count of impeachment and the indict­ former congressman and 1982 be ready to jump. Assaults on the politi­ ment of Mecham and his campaign fi­ Libertarian gubernatorial candidate cal status quo will be opposed by those nance cOlnmittee chairman, his brother Sam Steiger, supported Mecham be­ familiar with the laws, rules, and cus­ Willard (giving birth to a new catch­ cause he was the only game in town. toms that govern political behavior. An phrase: when accused of a mistake or a But the man they followed was unwor­ aspiring political leader will hoist, if not rule violation, Arizonans now shrug thy of leadership. When Mecham was a sword, at least a shield. and claim, "Willard did it"). Lax obser­ attacked, they were unable to portray Lesson Seven suggests a requirement vation of customary personnel practices him as an individual worthy of respect for an effective campaign: a good led to a second impeachment charge. and were reduced to the use of the type candidate. The proper ideology is not Failure to follow unwritten rules of pro­ of ideological arguments that rarely enough. Communication skills, the ap­ priety led to a third impeachment sway a crowd. pearance of class, and a bankroll may charge. At Mecham's impeachment The failure to field a candidate in make for a good candidate, but surviv­ trial, at least two of the impeachment the 1986 election would have cost radi­ ing the inevitable post-election assault charges were based not on evidence of cal conservatives a chance to win that from the status quo requires manage­ illegality but on impressions of impro­ election. The selection of an unworthy ment and negotiation skills, an attention priety resulting from the failure to pay individual may have cost them much to strategy and tactics, and an ability to obeisance to established procedures more. inspire good will among the press and which have little ideological substance. the public. Mecham's ideological agenda was In this election year, numerous radical more important to him than the rules. candidates will enter contested races. Political radicals of all stripes owe a He didn't respect the rules, he didn't The above lessons can be applied to ar­ debt to Evan Mecham. He achieved elec­ care about them, and he didn't take the rive at some suggestions for strategies toral success through the use of innova­ time to become familiar with them. and tactics. tive tactics, from which we can learn And each time he broke a rule he Lesson One suggests that economic positive lessons. And he made errors put a weapon in the hands of his politi­ issues be targeted. It suggests the use of that radicals are susceptible to making cal opponents. slogans of the form: "Smith for as they approach political success. Congress-Because Taxes are Too If we're smart, we'll learn from his Lesson Seven: Damned High.n mistakes. If we don't, we will delay the Choose Your Candidates Carefully. Lesson Two suggests that telegenic day when the libertarian movement The1j Might Win. candidates concentrate on free or paid achieves its ends through the use of the On the witness stand, Governor television, that candidates with effec- political system. 0

18 Liberty July 1988 Memoir

Confessions of an Intractable Individualist by Jerome Tuccille

Sometime in the early part of 1975 I began to wonder if there were any sane libertarians left in the country. This was no small concern of mine since I was convinced I had lost my own sanity somewhere along the campaign trail in 1974. The New York gubernatorial cam­ paign of 1974 started off promisingly enough. At that point I had.three books to my credit-Radical Libertarianism, It parties. We were warned from the start complete with a rod and reel-on Usually Begins With Ayn Rand, and by a Republican Party operative, who Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. This Here Comes Immortality-and I was claimed to have libertarian sympathies, "event" was staged in front ofPresident enticed to enter the race for governor by that if we wanted to get 50,000 votes we Chester A. Arthur's house to honor the several New York libertarians who shat­ would have to raise $300,000. heroic leader who was accused, in his tered the libertarian stereotype in that "It costs six dollars a vote," he said. time, of spending more time fishing they (a) worked for a living, and (b) had Such naked cynicism was dismissed than he did governing the country. something to show for it. Until this at once by me and the campaign. (In the God bless Chester A. Arthur! time, the so-called libertarian movement end we raised $75,000, $60,000 of which Lo and behold, the strategy worked. consisted of champions of capitalism went into the campaign, and we rang A reporter from the New York Times with no visible means of support; self­ up 12,000 votes which works out to five was the first one on the scene, followed styled anarchists whose conventions dollars a vote; the son of a bitch lied to quickly by journalists from the other smelled like an acre of unwashed laun­ us, but not by much.) We started out by New York dailies, as well as camera dry; Randian Objectivists whose dogma doing all the normal things a political crews and reporters from the networks. was as rigid as the Church of Rome's candidate does: we mailed out press re­ The "Fishing for Votes" event earned us and as humorless as Joseph Stalin's; and leases and position papers, which were a feature story in the Times and other assorted advocates of individualism ignored by the media; we called press newspapers, complete with pictures, and freedom who had yet to master the conferences that nobody came to; we plus coverage on the evening television mysteries of the knife and fork. racked our brains, in short, for some news-a first for the campaign. And then, all of a sudden, in the late way to get our message out and let the We followed this up with a "Lady spring of 1974 there materialized before world know our campaign existed. We Godiva Demonstration" along Central my eyes a group of businessmen with were almost reduced to taking the most Park South on a Sunday afternoon to money who looked and acted like eve­ expensive route of all: paying for air dramatize the libertarian position on ryone else, and who also called them­ time with advertising dollars, a tactic taxation. We rented a real live horse and selves libertarians. Needless to say, I that would have wiped out our cam­ adorned the lucky beast with a gor­ was instantly overcome with a euphoric paign chest in short order. geous brunette decked out in a flesh­ seizure. Not only would I get a chance And then somebody came up with a colored body stocking, and led the un­ to run for Governor of New York, but I brilliant idea. "The media loves events," likely twosome past the Plaza Hotel would have a real campaign staff and this person said. "We've got to stage while the cameras clicked away and re­ war chest to back me up. media events that get the message porters scribbled in their notebooks. The goal from the beginning was the across. Then maybe they'll pay attention This event resulted in full-page cover­ attainment of 50,000 votes which would to us." age in Newsweek, and thousands of have given the Free Libertarian Party of Well, why not? Let's try one at least dollars worth of free newspaper and tel­ New York a permanent berth on the and see if it works. So, on a balmy after­ evision coverage. The campaign also ballot along with the Republican, noon in early summer, yours truly went picked. up the endorsements of Nicholas Democratic, Conservative, and Liberal "fishing" for votes-literally fishing, von Hoffman, a voice from the New Liberty 19 Left,and ,George Will, who was not understand the fury of party leaders public politicking is history now. It cost such a prickly Tory in those days. Other who had seen money and labor fun­ me dearly both personally and finan­ events were staged with varying de­ neled into an admittedly eccentric and cially, although like most of life's exper­ grees of success throughout the cam­ quirky campaign that failed to achieve iences it was an adventure I would not 'paign, most of which resulted in its main objective, I was dismayed by be without today. I learned a lot from it. precious print and media coverage that their expropriation of our media suc­ What I think I learned most is that I ""ould have bankrupted us in no time cesses and their simultaneous denuncia­ don't want to do it again. had we been obliged to pay for it. tion of the strategy that made them :It appeared as' though the Tuccille possible. for Governor campaign was finally rol­ If you needed a scapegoat for the All my life I have been driven by two lingalon.g smoothly, building its own failure of Campaign 1974 in New York, major goals: becoming a successful and momentum-until, inexplicably, we you should have placed the blame creative writer and achieVing personal were halted in our tracks by a barrage where it really belonged: you didn't freedom and its corollary of living my of criticism. In a twinkling of an eye, as send me enough money! Didn't you life in a free society. My writing career it were, a' new word was grafted onto know it cost five or six dollars a vote in during the past fourteen years since the English language: Campaign 1974 has con­ stuntism. tinued apace. Today I Tuccille was trivial­ have fourteen books be­ izingthe libertarian phi­ "Can't you do anything with him?" a hind me ineluding a re­ losophy, cheapening its cent novel and a precepts and premises campaign aide asked my wife. "He doesn't biography of Donald with stuntism, the critics smile enough. Sometimes he almost snarls Trump. I am happy with complained. Where was at people." what I have accom- most of'the' invective plished so far and I fully coming from? Largely expect to create even bet­ from the would-be king- ter work in the future. 'makerso[ the national LP, apparently, New York? My other goal of personal freedom who, were concerned from the begin­ Also, I was a reluctant candidate for within a free and just society is less ningthat the New York effort would di­ public office to begin with and an indif­ clearly realized. Freedom to me means vert money and interest from other ferent campaigner at best-a fact I can many things.' Certainly, freedom to libertarian campaigns across the coun­ accept now with a great deal of pride. I write and publish as I please is para­ trY.To be fair about it, this much was had very little desire to push through mount on the list. Without First true.• Other campaigns did go begging shopping mall crowds on Saturday af­ Amendment guarantees there can be no . fort;pol,ley as well as warm-blooded ternoons, smiling and shaking hands true freedom. Economic freedom is cru­ woddemocracy. I greater threat to the First Amendment and simple. Trivialization of the issues. had no desire to emulate him in any than this country has witnessed in dec­ Whatever you wanted to call it. It had a way. ades. Thanks to Ronald Reagan's legal nice ring to it. "Can't you do anything with him?" a henchman, Ed Meese, writers and pub­ This was frustrating enough to deal campaign aide once asked my wife. "He lishers throughout the country have be­ with, but hypocrisy reared its ugly head doesn't smile enough. Sometimes he al­ gun to worry about just what they can when all the magazine and news arti­ most snarls at people." and cannot get a\\:'ay with in their cles/ all the free publicity that had been My wife, who had lived with me for books. How much explicit sex is accept­ generated by evil stuntism in the New nine years at that point, shrugged her able? Is it only juvenile sex that's being Yorkarena in 1974 were used by the na­ shoulders. She had seen me in really bad targeted, or all "prurient sex?" If only tional" LP for its own purposes after­ moods and tried to explain that this was juvenile sex is involved, at what age ward-without any mention of the good behavior for me. does a juvenile become an adult from campaign that created it. While I could In any event, my one attempt at the censor's viewpoint?

20 Liberty July 1988 Ed Meese can't go to jail fast enough the notion that Russian communism is opinions. to suit me. In jail he'll find out what less of a threat to world peace than the The truth is, my philosophy and prurient sex is all about. CIA (I don't have much regard for ei­ ideas have not changed substantively in Aside from Ed Meese and the other ther institution); read science fiction twenty years. I am no more conserva­ disasters of the Reagan years, the presi­ with fanatical devotion (neither Ayn tive today than I was in 1969 or 1970. If dential campaign of 1988 does not offer Rand nor Robert Heinlein at their best you can convince William Buckley fhat any hope for libertarians.. As I am writ­ can measure up to Tom Wolfe's Bonfire someone who believes the ReaganJ ad­ ing this in the spring before the election, of the Vanities in my estimation). I'm ministration has been a near disaster'for the prospect of deciding among George sure this will raise the hackles of some this country, that drugs ought to b~·de­ Bush, Robert Dole, Michael Dukakis, diehard fans, but so be it. I don't like li­ criminalized and abortion remain legal, Jesse Jackson, or possibly even Mario bertarians-or any other people for that that Ed Meese belongs in jail and·all at­ Cuomo or Bill Bradley is too depressing matter-who are intolerant of contrary tempts at censorship must beresisted- to contemplate. It's ~ard to remember when a crop of can idates from both major parties has i spired such all­ consuming surges of bleakness and de­ spair. I would hope that George Bush LIBERAL gets indicted along with Oliver North and John Poindexter over his role in the Iran-Contra scandal if Robert Dole wer­ SOCIAL en'twaiting in the wings to fill in the void. Or Jack Kemp, God help us, with THOUGHT his despicable cozying-up to Pat Robertson and the so-called Moral Majority on social issues.

Having said all this, why am I not A J 0 U I~ NAL D F II D 0 K SAN () I () EAS

out there vocally supporting libertarian Volum..... NUllIocr4 I-Allli)X7 Sol.?.' candidates and writing position papers for libertarian publications? In 1976 I Peters: Benigeron Informalion was accused of having turned back into THE Mueller: Langdon Winner on TECHNICAL Technology a conservative because I wrote an article ORDER Rector: Alfred Chandler on Corporate for National Review. I don't know how Control many times I pointed out that I also ALFRED SCIIJ1Z RichardM.Ebeling

wrote articles for The Nation and the MERGER PARANOIA DonaldJ Boudreaux New York Times-but that didn't make LllERTAIUAN 0IAlfCTICS ChrisSciabarra me a liberal; and I have since been pub­ RATIONAL EXPECTATIONS lished by the New York Post, Woman, vs. AUSTRIAN Christopher Phelan and other periodicals without anyone ECIRIMICS questioning my political orientation. It's PLiJS The Myth of Neurosis . Religion and Post-Modern Liberalism true that I did criticize the foreign poli­ cy perspective of some libertarians in my National Review piece, but I also Recent years have seen arevitalized classical liberalism emerge in the works of Austrian­ disagree with many libertarians on such school economists, Public Choice theorists, and such semioal figures as Hayek, Popper issues as abortion (I'm in favor of it); and Nozick.ln Critical Review such individualistic social theory is brought into contact psychic phenomena (I think they are and conflict with other tendencies; the new liberalism is developed, challenged and tested real); reincarnation (I believe in it); relig­ in rigorous debate spanning every discipline in the social sciences and humanities. ion (I think we're doomed if we fail to understand our spiritual nature); astrol­ Forthcoming in CRITICAL REVIEW: ogy (I've always had an open mind on Classical Liberalism vs. Libertarianism • Critical Legal Studies • Structuralism • the subject); and probably a dozen more Deconstruction • Liberty and Community • Rethinking Historical Liberalism • Radical subjects I could enumerate. Egalitarianism • Post-Modern Individualism • Bauer • Buchanan • Derrida • Epstein·· In fact I strenuously object to any li­ Foucault • Habermas • Hayek • Hege/ • Lachmann • Locke • Marx • Mises • bertarian orthodoxy that claims you Nozick • Po/anyi • Popper • Rothbard • Sowell • Szasz can't be a libertarian unless you: reject altruism (what's wrong with helping SUBSCRIPTIONS- one's neighbors voluntarily or donating • U.S.: one year $19; two years $34; libraries $29 per year. blood to the Red Cross?); worship at the • Qutside U.S.: one" year $25; two years $45; libraries $37. per year. altar of gold (those who did so blindly • .Add $5 per year"for air-speeded foreign delivery. missed the greatest bull market in stock • Make checks or money orders payable in U.S. dollars only. market history between 1982 and 1987; now I think it's over and gold may in­ Send Visa/Me #, signature and expo date or check or money order to: deed be the best investment during the CRITICAL REVIEW, 532 Broadway, 7th floor Room 5~, New York, NY 10012. inflationary times ahead); subscribe to Liberty 21 July 1988 if you can convince him and George two-party rule, and not all that much I also miss the friendship of Murray Will and Pat Buchanan that someone difference between the major parties, Rothbard and his wife Joey. Murray holding these views is a conservative, the exercise seems futile and pointless. and I had our differences in the past, then I will accept the label. As far as intellectual activism is over foreign policy mostly, but I'm not The reason why I dropped out of the concerned, I admire tremendously the interested in stirring up old disputes. libertarian world I was so much a part strides that have been made by people Murray was one of the few libertarians of during the early and mid-1970s is like Robert Poole and the Reason with whom I could discuss books and that I found as much orthodoxy and in­ Foundation, the Institute for Humane movies, and I remember the great tolerance among advocates of "individ­ Studies, the Hoover Institute, and a few laugh I enjoyed when he told me that ual freedom" as I had among the other "think tanks" with libertarian Ayn Rand had once proclaimed tap religious bigots of my youth. The leanings. They seem to be haVing an dancing to be the only rational dance Objectivists were in- form. tolerant of anarchists And I think fondly who were intolerant of others like Leonard of classical liberals The ease with which Jacob Javits oiled his Liggio, Walter Block, who were intolerant way among the throngs with a plastic smile on and Joe Peden. of converts from the his lips, shaking one hand after another, dis­ Leonard in particular New Left. Followers tried hard to indoctri­ of von Mises were in­ pensing an inanity here and another one there nate me in his theories tolerant of Friedman without ever really saying anything was truly of revisionist history and his Chicago impressive. which I could never School economists. swallow whole. Sorry Everybody professed about that, but I still to believe in freedom relish those evening of thought and expression, but nobody impact and to be reaching an audience we spent around heaping platters of was willing to grant it to anyone who that extends beyond the already mooshoo pork. disagreed with his particular claque. converted. Others come to mind: Lee Schubert, I was denounced as a "heretic" by Aside from an occasional book re­ Howie and Andrea Rich, Fran the dean of Manhattan College (a view for Reason, I have not contributed Youngstein who was a far better Catholic institution) when I was twenty to libertarian publications during the political candidate than I (though I'm years old; I didn't need to be damned as past thirteen years or so because most not sure that's a compliment), Gary a "deviationist" or a "stuntist" by an of my writing efforts have gone into Greenburg, Tibor Machan, Marty ungainly collection of squabbling books. The ideas I get seem to run Zupan, and dozens more who were "individualists." about 80,000 words, too long for any truly open-minded individualists who Today, I'm afraid, I cannot work up periodical I know of. I also confess to a understood that Christians, Jews, and any degree of enthusiasm for the presi­ certain reluctance to be drawn back Buddhists had as much right to call dential campaign of Ron Paul. He may into the old squabbling, the old philo­ themselves libertarians as atheists did. be the most decent and broad-minded sophical nit-picking that characterized Libertarianism would be a far more fellow in the world; I have no idea. I libertarian activities through the mid­ palatable alternative to the prevailing don't know whether he's an Objectivist, 1970s, and still does today as far as I mores if people like these constituted a Galambosian, a LeFevrian, a can determine. I simply don't have the majority of those wearing the Friedmanite, a gold bug, or an time for it. I'm too busy trying to make mantle of libertarianism. Unfortunately, Episcopalian. As long as he believes in a a living as a writer and create new they were too few and far between. The very small amount of government at books that are better each time than the movement attracted too many people most and a whole lot of freedom for ones preceding them. I don't really care with a vested interest in remaining on everybody, that's good enough for me. anymore whether free market anar­ the fringe, too many super­ I'd vote for him in a minute if I thought chism or a strictly limited government intellectualized underachievers whose it would do any good, and I may vote is the morally correct political system. weirdness and asocial behavior some­ for him anyway when I step into the I'm more concerned about keeping Ed how compensated (in their own minds) polling booth in November, 1988. Meese from confiscating my word pro­ for their apparent failures. The "freak Then again, I may not. I may not cessor. Any reduction at all in the size show" atmosphere that characterized so vote at all. of government would be a miracle giv­ many libertarian gatherings detracted I would be more inclined to vote for en today's political climate. considerably from the validity of the Libertarian Party candidates if we had a There are many things I miss about underlying philosophy and repelled parlimentary system in the United the libertarian world I helped create many who were otherwise sympathetic States. If we did and it were possible for during the early 1970s. I miss seeing to the principles of freedom. third (and fourth and fifth) parties to people like Karl Hess who was then Too bad. It's really almost tragic. gain some sort of proportional represen­ and remains today one of the most de­ I'm not sure what the answer is. I tation in our congress the way the Free cent and good-hearted human beings think I'm still enough of an optimist to Democrats have in West Germany, the I've ever met. So what if I disagreed believe that reason and sanity and jus­ whole political process would make with some of his rose-colored views of tice prevail in the long run-but I more sense to me. As it is today with the New Left? wouldn't stake my life on it. 0

22 Liberty July 1988 Interview

L. Neil Smith on Science Fiction: The State of the (Anti-Statist) Art by D. R. Blackmon

L. Neil Smith is one of the best known-and most prolific-conternporary li­ bertarian authors of science fiction. In this conversation with Mr. Blackmon, he dis­ cusses the nature of libertarian science-fiction, why it is important, what is being writ­ ten, and who is writing it. ...

Liberty: Libertarian science fiction has evolved from a book getting paid promptly and so forth, which contributed to his most people call straight fiction-Atlas Shrugged-would death by his own hand in 1965. I don't know about the timing, you agree? someone almost showing up with a check-I'm inclined to Smith: I think Atlas Shrugged meets the criteria for science doubt it. How he did it says a lot about his character. He'd fiction in every respect. In fact, if it weren't for Rand wob­ been shooting pigeons from his window with an air rifle in or­ bling in and out of science fiction, I doubt if I'd have become der to eat. Welfare was unthinkable, and he didn't want to be a a libertarian. I picked up Anthem, definitely science fiction of burden to his friends. The alternative, if he really believed in the dystopian type, which led me, with a little detour to The reincarnation as some of his stories imply, wasn't quite as dras­ Fountainhead, to Atlas Shrugged. tic to him as it may seem to us. When he decided toshoot him­ self, he hung canvas along one wall of his apartment so he Liberty: There are lots of SF props in Atlas Shrugged. How wouldn't leave a mess behind. Let's follow his example: next come people see it as just fiction? question? Smith: Well, it performs a mainstream mission. And I noticed Liberty: Okay, what can libertarian science fiction do for read­ a long time ago that when "serious" writers want to say "im­ ers that no other form of fiction, or for that matter, non-fiction, portant" things, or "important" writers want to say "serious" can do? things, even if they've never written science fiction before, that's where they turn. Look at 1984 or Brave New World. Smith: Concretizing what was formerly abstract. Norman Mailer's work contains science fiction elements, and Liberty: In other words, presenting alternative worlds that a there's always Kurt Vonnegut. reader can actually live in. A de facto libertarian society that he Liberty: What about H. Beam Piper? Scuttlebutt has it that he or she can explore. shot himself just as an agent was coming to his door with a Smith: De ficto. You have the North American Confederacy, in check. He died thinking he was a failure, while right on the The Probability Broach, which I created and am still exploring, verge of popularity. F. Paul Wilson's worlds, J. Neil Schulman's, Vic Koman's and Smith: Actually, it was another decade before Piper became others. A reader can go anywhere he vv-ants, explore any social as popular as he is, and that's a long time in the life of a writ­ or economic set-up, simply by picking different writers. More er. I think it's important to say that libertarian science fiction importantly, libertarian science fiction is positive, rather than rests on the shoulders of two giants-Ayn Rand and Robert negative. By that I mean a non-fiction writer can discuss the ef­ Heinlein. Each was indispensible: Rand gave us the philo­ fects of the minimum wage or what's wrong ,vith the FDA, but sophical rigor, and Heinlein gave us the humanity. He's more that's merely pointing out flaws in a statist system. A science human, and has a sense of humor. If we lacked either of those fiction writer can show the positive results in a society where elements, I don't think there'd be a libertarian school of those things have been abolished or never existed. science fiction. In addition, there are what I think of as proto­ Liberty: Why the blossoming of so manylibertarian science fic­ libertarian writers. Certainly, foremost of those is H. Beam tion writers now? Piper. Smith: For years, in addition to floundering and foundering on Liberty: So what's the truth about his death? the important issues, the Libertarian Party failed, in my estima­ Smith: Like all of us, he had a tough time with publishers, tion, to make the kind of promises only it was entitled to Liberty 23 make-promises that had to do with people keeping their own peared. Everybody, including Vic, keeps promising to find me a wealth and being left unmolested. I specifically began writing to copy, but. ... fill that gap-to make those promises. And it's interesting to me Liberty: You're also excited about Brian Daley. that now, many other writers are trying to do it, too. Smith: Brian began shortly before I did with the Coramonde Liberty: How many are there? novels, not specifically libertarian, but containing one elelnent Smith: Presently, by my count, there are an even dozen science essential to good libertarian science fiction-the ethical warrior. fiction novelists, including yours truly, whom I know, firsthand, Brian's books all contain a hard, unmistakable core of what you to be self-conscious libertarians. Half a dozen more are on the might call gut-level libertarianism. He and I are members of the way, about to be published. The worst thing about an interview Fraternity of the "Falcon," since my three Lando Calrissian like this is that I'm probably short-changing others I don't know books followed his three Han Solo books. about, people I've missed somehow, or who stick with short sto­ Liberty: What about F. Paul Wilson? ries. I don't read any SF magazines. If that's true, I hope they Smith: Wheels Within Wheels won the first Prometheus Award forgive me, and let me kno,v who and where they are. It's kind for best libertarian science fiction. He also wrote a novella, The of fun, keeping track of what I think of as the "Raffles Club," a Tery, that's worth trying to find, and has done many good, ex­ libertarian counterpart to the left-liberal group of writers who tremely libertarian short stories. Since I was introduced to his met at New York's Algonquin Hotel in the 20s and 30s. The Ho­ work, I've read every­ tel Raffles, of course, is thing he's written. I only on the moon, and it was wish he'd write a non­ put there by Robert A non-fiction writer can discuss the effects horror novel which might Heinlein. We can't meet of the minimum wage or what's wrong with be called Repairman Jack: there now, but tomor­ the FDA, but that's merely pointing out flaws The Early Years. Jack was row.... in a statist system. A science fiction writer can the hero of The Tomb. Liberty: Let's talk about Wilson also had a movie some of them. Specifi­ show the positive results in a society where made from The Keep, for cally, the radicals. In ad­ those things have been abolished or never which I envy him. dition to yourself, cer­ Liberty: What about Me- tainly Robert Shea and existed. linda Snodgrass with Cir­ Robert Anton Wilson cuit and Circuit Breaker? qualify. Smith: I picked up Circuit in the grocery store because the jacket­ Smith: The "two Bobs" are the best example I can think of re­ blurb made it sound libertarian, took it home and found it was garding the need for Heinleinian humanity and Randian rigor. dedicated to Vic Milan, author of The Cybernetic Samurai . .. Both Bobs are decent guys, fiendishly good writers, and unques­ tionable libertarians. They're a bit older than the rest of us who Liberty: ... a Prometheus Award winner. grew up in the movement, however, and lack the benefit of cer­ Smith: Right. Circuit was a delightful book, and it turned out tain things it had to teach us. For exampIe, both have doubts that Melinda and I had the same editor at Ace, Ginger Bucha­ about the free market system, and seem unable to distinguish it nan, who told me, "If you like Circuit, you'll love Circuit Break­ from the mercantile fascism we presently labor under. Bob Shea er." She sent me the manuscript. Now, I'm eagerly looking for­ has even written that freedom is an issue separate from proper­ ward to Melinda's third book, Final Circuit. ty considerations. If he'd give five minutes thought to the way Liberty: Since Vic Milan's name has come up, let's talk about books get produced, he'd see that he's dead wrong. There. I've Cybernetic Samurai. needed to get that off my chest for quite a while. On the other Smith: I was impressed with Cybernetic Samurai. Arbor sent me appendage, the Illuminatus! trilogy may be the most therapeutic bound galleys to comment on. I usually hate that, because if the work ever written. My life would certainly be sadder and scarier book is no good, what the hell am I going to say? But Samurai without it. It's an achievement fully comparable with Atlas knocked me out.... Shrugged, and lowe Shea and Wilson the same unpayable debt for having written it that lowe Rand and Heinlein. Liberty: Vic used to write westerns. Is he still doing that? Liberty: What about Vic Koman? The Jehovah Contract is in a Smith: I don't know. They were collaborations, as is Runespear, class by itself, isn't it? with Melinda Snodgrass-a great adventure-fantasy with some very different points and twists. I recommend it highly. If you Smith: Unclassifiable, eclectic-by which I mean there's some- read it and think it resembles Indiana Jones, you'll be interested thing there to offend everyone . to learn it took a while to sell, and predates the movie. One lnore Liberty: You praised the book. . thing about Vic, he gives great weapon. Smith: You can't help but praise it. Any reader who shares cer­ Liberty: Coming from the original interplanetary commando, tain values we all do must praise it. Books that are adventurous that's quite a compliment. What do you think of Moon of lee by and funny, serious-even gloomy-and cheerful at the same Brad Linaweaver? time are hard to come by. Smith: I read it in short-story form and Brad sent me notes to­ Liberty: Vic broke some rules didn't he? ward its expansion to novel length. In some ways, I think he's Snlith: Vic also has the distinction of being the author of the chosen the most difficult task of all, writing about the re­ world's first libertarian-science-fiction-porno novel, Starship discovery of freedom once the world's lost it-something like Women. His working title was Saucer Sluts. It had a press-run of Ira Levin in This Perfect Day. He's gotten away with it too, mag­ three or four thousand copies by Hustler Press, then disap- nificently. continued on page 26 24 Liberty July 1988 How Many People Have You Turned Into Libertarians This Year?

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Make Check or Money Order Payable to: Michael Emerling Box 28368, Dept. 1 Las Vegas, NV 89126 Liberty: Okay ... We haven't talked Libertarian Science Fiction about J. Neil Schulman yet, but Along­ A partial list that is bound to cause disagreement and cries that valuable writers and side Night and The Rainbow Cadenza works were excluded. were pretty successful books. (P) Prometheus Award Winner (PHF) Prometheus Hall of Fame winner Smith: Neil is a very good writer. Along­ side Night is a terrific book and The Proto Rainbow Cadenza offers some really Poul Anderson-The Star Fox, Orbit Unlimited, Shield, Trader to the Stars (PHF) fresh and bizarre ideas. Neil has the Alfred Bester-The Stars My Destination same problem as Vie Koman, in that publishers who are supposedly familiar Ray Bradbury-Fahrenheit 451 (PHF) with the innovative nature of science fie ... Algis Budrys-The Falling Torch tion are actually conservatives at heart A. Bertram Chandler-Any of the John Grimes series. and at a loss to know what to do with ei­ Glen Cook-A Matter of Time ther of them. Also, Neil writes every­ Phillip K. Dick-Radio Free Abelmuth, The Man in the I-Iigh Castle thing in a "white-heat" and exhausts himself, so that he has to wait a long time Gordon R. Dickson-The Dorsai books before he can tackle the next project. Ifhe Randall Garrett-Too Many Magicians, Anything You Can Do can ever learn to pace himself, I'll have a Donna Henderson-Pilgrimage, No Different Flesh lot more good reading to look forward Frank Herbert-The Dune cycle taken as a whole. to. Aldous Huxley-Brave New World Liberty: Let's talk about Neil Smith for a C. M. Kornbluth-The Syndic (PHF) while. Your first book, The Probability Ira Levin-This Perfect Day Broach, won a Prometheus Award. It looks like you were thinking more of George Onvell-1984 (PHF), Animal Farm Raymond Chandler than Ayn Rand. H. Beam Piper-Federation, Fuzzy Sapiens, A Planet for Texans, Lord Kalvan of Other­ when, Last Enemy, Space Vikings, The Cosmic Computer Smith: Definitely. And following behind I Chandler, Rex Stout. But even more than Eric Frank Russell-W.A.S.P., Three to Conquer, Metamorphosite, The Great Explosion Chandler's beautiful writing, his charac­ (PHF) ter Phillip Marlo'w has principles. You Early may not agree with thCln, but you've got to admire the way he follows through. ~{obert Heinlein-The Moon is a IIarsh Mistress (PHF), Double Star, Mistress, Stranger Also, Chandler was full of good advice In a Strange Land (PHF), The Juvies, Assignment in Eternity, Between Planets, Beyond for writers. I have several of his quotes This florizon, Citizen of the Galaxy, The Door Into Summer, Time Enough for Love, above my desk. One says, "When in The Man Who Sold the Moon, The Day After Tomorrow (sometimes printed as Sixth doubt, bring a man with a gun through Column), Glory Read, Tunnel in the Sky the door." In one of my Lando books I Ayn Rand-Anthem(PHF), Atlas Shrugged (PHF) was so badly stuck I brought a man named Jandler through the door with a Modern gun in his hand. Bri~n Da.ley-Requiem for a Ruler of Worlds, Jinx on a Terran Inheritance, Fall of the WhIte Shlp Avatar, 2 Coramonde novels, A Tapestry of Magic, the Han Solo Trilogy Liberty: But you've gone way beyond that. Each book in the North American James P. Hogan-Voyage From Yesteryear (P), Inherit the Stars, Gentle Giants of Gany­ Confederacy series stands alone. For ex­ meade, The Code of the Lifemaker ample, Tom Paine Maru concerns a band Vietor Koman-The Jehovah Contract, Starship Women of libertarians hell-bent on freeing en­ Brad Linaweaver-Moon of Ice slaved planets. The Nagasaki Vector is a Vic Milan-The Cybernetic Samurai (P), also co-author of Runespear with !\tfelinda comedicsoap-opera, with its bumbling Snodgrass. hero in love \vith his time machine. The J. Neil Schulman-Alongside Night (P), The Rainbow Cadenza Gallatin Divergence takes us backto the Robert Shea & Robert Anton Wilson-llluminatus! (PHF) Both have \vritten other Whiskey Rebellion in an attempt to tidy books. Shea's include All Things Are Light and the two volume Japanese Shike epic. up a fe\tv historical problems, and in the Wilson has written The Earth Will Shake, Right Where You Are Sitting Now, and oth­ meantime, produces a new Declaration ers. of Independence. Raymond Chandler didn't do that. L. Neil Smith-The Probability Broach (P), The Nagasaki Vector, The Venus Belt, Their Majesties' Bucketeers, Tom Paine Maru, The Gallatin Divergence, The Mindharp of Smith: I'm convinced that self-styled Sharu, The Flamewind of Oseon, The Starcave of Thomboka, The Wardove, The Crystal critics don't-or can't-read. Ifthey Empire, Brightsuit MacBear, I-Ienry Martyn, Taflak Lysandra could, they'd find I've tried hard to make each book different and fresh. My read­ Melinda Snodgrass-Circuit, Circuit Breaker, Final Circuit, and collaborated with Vic ers don't have any problem seeing that, Milan on Runespear. and each of my books, such as The Venus Vernor Vingc-True Names, The Peace War, Marooned in Realtime (P) Belt, The Wardo'oe and The Crystal Em­ F. Paul Wilson-Jlealer, Wheels Within Wheels (P), An Enemy of the State. Horror: The pire, have their own very vocal partisans. Keep, The Tomb, The Touch.

26 Liberty July 1988 Historical Analysis

Ivan the Terrible Political Culture and Individual Evil by William P. Moulton

A short time ago I was viewing one of my favorite movies, Ivan the Terrible. This somber, brooding masterpiece is rightly regarded by many students of the cinema as one of the greatest films ever produced. With its wild and haunting music, its stark scenes which look as if they might have been animated from a Dare can­ vas, its gothic plot of murder, betrayal, cruelty and vengeance, and its superhu­ lowed directly by King Lear. Of course need only plant a few seeds and pre­ man portrayal of Ivan by the great the particular genius of Eisenstein as a pare to reap the harvest. Others avoid it Nikolai Cherkassov, it is not a film one director-he also was responsible for because they are profoundly pessimistic soon forgets. Battleship Potemkin and Alexander about their nation's heritage and tend The work does have its detractors. Nevsky-is a major cause of the film's to imagine their ideals as capable of in­ Some critics find the acting style histri­ significance. But there is more to it than troduction only in small increments and onic, and there are substantial historical this. The movie is distinctively Russian by Machiavellian stratagems. inaccuracies in the story line. Produced in a way that goes beyond the obvious. Americans often have problems an­ in two parts in the Soviet Union be­ Only a country that had experienced the alyzing "political culture" because they tween 1942 and 1946, it reflects Josef reign of an actual Ivan the Terrible could imagine that other peoples are basically Stalin's view of Ivan as the heroic mold­ have produced such a movie. just Americans who dress funny and er of the Russian state and of himself as don't speak quite right. A classic ex­ the all but literal reincarnation of the fa­ Russian Political Culture pression of this belief was the ludicrous mous Tsar-although the director, The reign of the historical Ivan was performance of Woodrow Wilson dur­ Sergei Eisenstein, was roundly abused made possible by the existence of a cer­ ing the First World War and the suc­ by Stalin for not getting Ivan's charac­ tain type of political culture. The persis­ ceeding peace conference. Totally terization quite "right" in the first few tence of this culture made it more likely ignorant of European affairs, and secure scenes. In an unusual display of toler­ that in good time a Lenin and a Stalin in his simple-minded belief that every­ ance, Stalin allowed Eisenstein-who by would have the opportunity to inflict one in the world wanted the abolition being Jewish already had two strikes their madness upon the country. And of monarchy and the establishment of against him-not only to live but also to this is the reason \vhy Ivan the Terrible American-style democracy, convinced continue with the production of the mo­ has never been very popular in that war is merely the result of machi­ vie. After his initial intervention, how­ America, even among people favorably nations of wicked rulers, Wilson was ever, the Father of Peoples exercised inclined toward it for SovietophHic rea­ eaten alive by the Europeans, who rep­ such a tight control over the film-often sons. It is the product of a political cul­ resented culture more cynical and more having the day's rushes taken directly ture different from ours. knowledgeable, though not necessarily to him for editing-as to become in ef­ The phrase "political culture" ap­ any wiser, than his own. fect the co-director. pears from time to time in the position The reign of Ivan was a paradigm of Whatever else might be said of the papers of political activists as some inef­ the relationship between political cul­ movie that emerged from this strange fable quality that must be changed be­ ture and political possibility. He was collaboration, there is no doubt that an fore one can really "get something born in 1530, the son of Vassily III, American-made film on the same subject done./I Beyond such conventional usag­ Grand Duke of Muscovy, the most im­ would have been an entirely different, es there is a tendency to avoid the topic portant component of the area known and perhaps inferior, product. In Ivan and allow it to recede beyond the hori­ as "Rus." Since the early 1300s the the Terrible, horror and drama are unre­ zon of political discourse. Some analysts princes of this state had been expanding lenting, and the portrayal of emotions is avoid it out of optimism-out of a belief their domain by various means, and by savage and relnorseless. Watching it is that the political culture of their country the time of Ivan's birth Muscovy, with somewhat akin to watching Macbeth is so favorable to the development of Moscow as its capital, ruled about half (with the porter's scene left out) fol- the best possible institutions that one of what is now European Russia. When Liberty 27 his father died in 1533, Ivan ascended endless wars involving Russia, Livonia, tainment for foreign ambassadors was the throne as Ivan IV. After a dangerous Poland, Sweden, and Turkey, his real to have a cabinet secretary tortured to intrigue-filled childhood, at the age of enjoyment of power was manifest in the death during a state dinner. sixteen he began to rule in his own forty-year orgy of torture, murder and Put in this way, the usual response right. He took the title Tsar (the Russian desolation which he visited upon the will be, "But this is ridiculous. Nothing word for Caesar). This title, borne by all Russian people. Unlike modern techno­ like that could happen in this country." subsequent Russian monarchs, meant crats of death such as Stalin and Hitler, That is true. It is also true that such that Ivan was now an Emperor. It Ivan took a personal interest and de­ thingscould not have happened during symbolized the growing Russian belief light in the annihilation of his victims. Ivan's time in, for exampIe, England or that Moscow was destined to be the He possessed a sensual fascination, not France. Elizabeth I was a strong-willed Third Rome (the second being just with murder, but with the actual and powerful queen, sometimes imperi­ Constantinople). During the remainder physical process of death, and especial­ ous and unjust. But can anyone with of his reign, which lasted until his death ly with death by fiendish torture. He even the most superficial knowledge of from natural causes in 1584, Muscovy loved the sight and sound and smell of history imagine the great queen inviting continued its military expansion, espe­ it. On countless occasions he would per­ the Duke of Westminster to St. James to cially in the east, where for the first time sonally assist in these grisly matters. His partake of a feast while they watched Russians ventured into the mostly emp­ search for new and interesting victims the Archbishop of Canterbury being ty vastness of Siberia. By his later years was endless-he liked variety in all roasted to death on a spit? Of course his realm was generally called, not things. Thus the destruction of human not. The idea is absurd. My point is not Muscovy, but Russia. By that time, also, lives went on. Year after year those that Ivan was mad and cruel and he was generally known as Ivan whose names wound up on Ivan's list­ Elizabeth basically wise and good, Grozny, "The Terrible." and those added on the spur of the mo­ though this is surely the case. The much These aspects of his life would, in ment-were roasted, hanged, shot, im­ more important point is that there were themselves, make Ivan a relatively im­ paled, boiled, beheaded, drowned, in England institutions and attitudes portant figure in European history, speared, burned alive, strangled, tram­ and a consensus about what is permissi­ though less important than, for exam­ pled, flayed, torn apart by dogs. When ble \vhich made such things utterly im­ ple, Peter the Great or Metternich, to the killing of individuals palled, he had possible. A monarch who attempted to say nothing of Napoleon or Marx. It is whole families butchered, then districts, rule as a demented murderer would be not his status as the first Tsar, however, then towns and cities. The ancient com­ made to desist or, more likely, be re­ or as the creator of the modern Russian mercial city of Novgorod, possibly the moved from the throne. (Several state, that has guaranteed Ivan's fame. wealthiest community in Ivan's empire, Western monarchies had had kings who Rather, it is his reputation as one of the was destroyed, its inhabitants extermi­ were deposed for misconduct substan­ most evil men in history. He is the nated, for disloyalty, a crime which, as tially less grievous than Ivan's.) Platonic image, the vera icona, of the far as we can judge, existed only in the It is useless to attempt an analysis of "wicked prince." Indeed, the personal psychology the very conception of of Ivan the Terrible. One personal evil, as it applies assumes he was a psy­ to a monarch or other For a parallel one) would have to fantasize chopath, but obviously chief of state, has been an American president who routinely invited that is not the whole sto­ heavily influenced by the congressmen to the White House to murder ry. The concept of "sad.,. memory of Ivan's reign. the1n and whose normal entertainment for for­ ist" is certainly It is only in the twentieth applicable, but seems to century, with the coming eign ambassadors was to have a cabinet secre­ fall short of an explana­ of mass propaganda and tary tortured to death during a state dinner. tion. As mentioned of the modern totalitarian above, Ivan's love of tor- type of despot, that his ture and death, of image as the ultimate ty- screams and torment and pus of evil tyrant has begun to fade. diseased mind of the sovereign. despair, was erotic and sensuous. In his The names of even his most promi­ daily routine he went from scenes of The Nature of Ivan's Evil nent victims would not be recognized in torture and execution to the bedroom Ivan was a member of that (fortu­ the West except by a specialist in and back again. The link between sex nately rather small) subset of political Russian history. Suffice it to say that and murder was for him unbreakable. chieftains who have treated power there is nothing in the English-speaking The inner demons that drove Ivan mainly as an opportunity to murder ,,,,orId-and only a few reigns in world are probably incomprehensible to a sane people. The most productive way of history prior to the twentieth century­ person. The only real clue he left poste­ looking at Ivan is as a psychotic mass that can even remotely be compared to rity was his frequent statement to his murderer who happened to be absolute his butchery. For a parallel one would courtiers (unlike some tyrants, he loved monarch of a large and important coun­ have to fantasize an American president to talk) that there were degrees of tor­ try. There can be no real doubt of this who routinely invited congressmen to ment and anguish beyond which no fact. Although he naturally had to deal the White House to murder them, often dignity was possible. He would muse to with some of the normal business of the ,,yith his own hands, who killed every­ his audience, "Remember old Bishop state, and he gave some thought to the one who had in any way helped him to so-and-so who was here yesterday, with direction of military operations in the attain office, and whose normal enter- his beautiful robes and long white

28 Liberty July 1988 beard. How elegant do you suppose he tual people are the ones who make deci­ great number of habits and attitudes, of would look if he were being flayed alive sions, and some have literally changed which religious belief is only one with chains?" The reality would quickly the course of history by doing so. among many, and seldom dominant. follow the reflection. With the passage Individuals in different political cul- That Ivan the Terrible was sincerely of time and the remoteness of the civili­ tures from our own are not necessarily religious, a devout communicant of the zation involved, the mad Tsar's motives amenable to those personal influences Russian Orthodox Church, is beyond have become shadowy and fiction-like, that we might consider likely to condi­ doubt. He was, in fact, a religion junkie. resembling those of an evil character in tion them. His various domiciles were awash with a mediocre fantasy novel. What is more icons. On even the shortest trip he relevant to our purpose is an examina­ Education and Intelligence would stop at every monastery, church tion of several lessons that can be Do Not Guarantee Decency and shrine. It is reliably attested that he learned from a study of this bizarre and Mercy developed a callus on his forehead from reign. In Russia there were no powerful Ivan the Terrible was not a barbari­ constant proskynesis before icons. His countervailing institutions to the throne. an or a witless primitive. He was intelli­ every project, and especially those of a The church was subservient, and be­ gent and had displayed genuine military nature, was blessed by bishop came more so during Ivan's reign. intellectual curiosity from an early age. or metropolitan in a solemn ceremony. Landowners held their estates at the Although his,education was unsyste­ Even his dread murder squad, the pleasure of the Tsar, and he frequently matic it was thorough by sixteenth­ oprichniki, were dragged constantly to switched people and landholders century standards, and he remained a church by their Godfearing master. Ivan around. There was no liber- seemed genuinely to enjoy al concept of landholding, Orthodox services, and except to a very small de­ Year after year, those whose names would sometimes stand for gree in the cities. hours chanting responses Merchants were considered wound up on Ivan's list were roasted, and then kneel for more necessary, but were held in hanged, shot, impaled, boiled, beheaded, hours in prayer before an low esteem. If it were de­ icon of some favorite saint. cided, say, that Yaroslavl drowned, speared, burned alive, He took theology seriously needed more saddlemakers strangled, trampled, flayed, torn apart by enough to make a personal and fewer silversmiths, the dogs. . study of Lutheranism, invit- former would be moved ing German scholars to from Moscow or Smolensk Moscow for the purpose of while silversmiths would be marched voracious reader throughout his life. questioning them concerning the off to Kazan or Pskov. The notion that While not a Westernizer in the sense Augsburg Confession. Although he ulti­ the persons involved might have a that Peter the Great was, he desired to mately rejected the arguments of the claim on their own lives and careers absorb those portions of Western learn­ Lutherans, he allowed them to build a was not formally rejected-it simply did ing that would be of use to him. He was church in his capital city so he would not exist in that political culture. The re­ especially fascinated with England, have someone to ask if he came up with lation of the Russian populace to the which he regarded as a miraculous and more questions. Tsar was one of submission and silence. exotic land filled with clever people and Did this excessive, hothouse reli­ inventions. He was always writing let­ giosity have a salutary effect on Ivan's Role of the Individual in ters to Elizabeth, and even preposte­ personal morality? Not in the slightest. History rously suggested marriage. He He went from church to torture cham­ Although extra-personal factors de­ imported large numbers of books from ber to orgy to brutal execution and back termine the limits of what is possible, western Europe, and read as many as to church, week in and week out. Of the nature of Ivan's reign was deter­ possible himself. He established the first course this was related to his notion of mined by the Tsar himself,·and the mo­ printing press in Russia. In all probabili­ himself as a sort of partner of God, and tive force was his own personality. ty he was the best-read man in his em­ more precisely of the vengeful God of There is not the remotest sense in which pire. Did this learning moderate his the Old Testament. Ivan's crimes were the result of the ma­ brutality or distract him from his People and Civilizations terial productive forces of society. To crimes? Not in the least. apply this nostrum to Ivan would be an Don't Always Act in the Way obscene insult to the memory of his Neither Does Religion ... We Assume We Would Act If countless victims. But apart from the ex­ It no doubt pains conservatives to In the Same Position treme Marxist view just mentioned, it is contemplate the fact, but history pro­ This point may seem obvious. After not even correct to say that Ivan was vides no evidence whatever for the idea all, who has ever maintained that an part of a historical trend. Russia was that a religiously-minded ruler is more Arabian sheik is goingto have the same backward and ignorant in many ways. likely to be moral or humane or decent ambitions and values as the governor of It was definitely not a liberal society. than a non-religious one. Nor does the Ohio? And yet there is a tendency on But it did not have a tradition of cruel particular religion involved seem to the part of Americans to assume that rulers. Despite attempts since the mid­ bear on such matters. Nor does the ex­ other regimes will at least function ac­ nineteenth century to rewrite history as tent of religious observance among the cording to basic rules of common sense. merely the working and clashing of im­ populace. The humanity and honesty of As I hope this article has demonstrated, personal forces, the fact remains that ac- a society, or lack thereof, are rooted in a such is not necessarily the case. The Liberty 29 July 1988 "common sense" thing for Hitler to have Green "should" have enjoyed her vast for­ seen as a hellish crime, an obscenity and done around 1942 would have been to put tune instead of living in squalor, sleeping blasphemy against God and the entire so­ his racial and anti-Semitic fantasies on the in the basements of buildings she owned, cialorder. back burner, adopt a merely defensive and rationing herself to a little oatmeal Similarly, there is an inevitable gap be­ posture toward the Western allies, and each morning. But of course she was tween the ways in which a Russian and an proclaim a war of anti-Bolshevik libera­ enjoying her fortune, by holding onto it American audience view Ivan the Terrible. tion in the East. Had he done these things, and contemplating its growth. What we For us the film is a sort of exotic and bru­ he might have \von World War II. He really mean is that we would spend her tal fairy tale, though based on actual doesn't seem to have even considered money, if we suddenly had it, on all sorts events. For the Russians, the film is much them. The "common sense" thing for of fun things. Again, what of it? People closer to the wellsprings of life, nation, Stalin to have done around 1938 would don't act the way we would, or think as and the individual soul. have been to strengthen the Red Army by ,ve would. What conclusion should be drawn downplaying political criteria for ad­ It is also true that cultures filter artistic from contrasts between cultures and be­ vancement, ending the morale-destroying and historical perceptions in different tween people? Certainly I'm not claiming system of dual authority (with a military ways. Values, a sense of continuity (or its that there is any biological obstacle to the and a political officer in each adoption by someone, or even post) and moderating the at- a whole society, of values and mosphere of denunciation, folkways that originate in an­ hysteria and treason-hunting The values of societies and the 1notives other civilization. After all, it that put everyone in a posi­ of individuals are complex and sometimes has happened. Although the tion of paranoid defensive­ mysterious things. Though it may be pos­ change or adaptation may not ness. Instead, he fell on his be as total as it might seem at armed forces like a wolf on sible to unlock their mysteries, it takes first glance, Japan is far more the fold, destroying almost the time, and there is no master key. westernized now than at the entire officer corps-in effect time of its opening to the out­ saying to his country's ene- side world in 1854. But is it mies "attack when ready!" lack), and appeals to mythic symbols-all more Western than it is Japanese? In the first case, one has to assume ei­ these form a sort of conceptual shorthand Probably not. ther that Hitler was simply stupid-which that facilitate appreciation and criticism in The point is not that we should be­ he was not-or that his prime goal by both the academic and the vulgar sense. come pessimistic about promoting what­ 1942 was to exterminate the Jews of And emotional responses change over ever change we desire in non-western Europe regardless of the military conse­ both time and distance. nations, or that we should be intimidated quences. This doesn't mean that he didn't When the actual Duncan III of by the presence of cultural traditions that want to win the "var also. It just \vasn't his Scotland was killed by his cousin Macbeth seem hostile to our goals. After all, not all first priority, although it seems to us that in 1040, probably few people were actual­ of our own traditions are friendly, nor are it "should" have been. Similarly, Stalin ly outraged. Duncan was only an exalted all foreign ones inimical. What I am say­ \vas willing greatly to weaken the Soviet clan chieftain, and the office frequently ing is that we need a certain patience and Union, and risk his own position as abso­ changed hands (usually with violence) a sense of perspective and of the possible. lute master of that country, in order to sat­ among the warrior chiefs of the ruling The values of societies, and the motives of isfy his paranoid lust for vengeance clique. By the time'Shakespeare presented individuals, are complex and sometimes against his mostly imaginary enemies. No the deed on the stage in 1604, the concept mysterious things. It may be possible to doubt he "should" have acted differently. of the divine right of kings was in full unlock the mysteries, but it takes time, But what of it? The famous miser Hetty flower, and the murder of a monarch was and there is no master key. 0 Super Special! Full Disclosure is the newspaper that brings you infornlation you need to know. Infornlation about: • your rights • privacy • electronic surveillance • police encounters • abuse of technology by the governnlent • fighting city hall and winning • FBI, CIA and other covert activities • and much, much more. Full Disclosure is offering a super special trial subscription. For only $2 you get three issues of Full Disclosure with no further obligation. Regular subscriptions are $18 per 12 issues. This offer is linlited to new subscribers only. To qualify all you need to do is rush $2 to: Full Disclosure, Box 8275-LB, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48107. Please specify you want the super special trial subscription. Perspective

Nicaragua: The Case for Non-Intervention by William Kelsey

In the May Liberty, Gary Alexander reported on his visit to war-torn Nicaragua and argued for libertarian support for the Contras. Bill Kelsey also visited Nica­ ragua, but came away with a very different conclusion.

In the fall of 1984, I went to Nicaragua, to see what I could for myself. I trav­ elled for two weeks under the auspices of Witness for Peace, a religious pacifist organization dedicated to educating the American public on the situation there. Its stated goal is to work for a cutoff of aid to the Contras and to allow Nicaragua to re- build from war and earthquake without the threat of foreign intervention. As a practical matter for getting ahead is full of the same kind of Knowing that I'd be confronted with, around in a foreign country, it is helpful people." "But they showed you what they want­ to have a host who will handle logistics The moral of this little tale holds ed you to see ..."I stayed an extra two in order to get one to the greatest possi­ true in varying degrees wherever one weeks on my own. ble number of interviews and appoint­ travels. When one is on a political fact­ During the two weeks with WFP I ments in a particular amount of time. finding tour the facts uncovered will spent time in Managua, Leon, and Som­ But whoever that host might be-the usually reinforce the investigator's otillo with excursions to various small government, Witness for Peace, the op­ world view. Visitors unconsciously give villages. I visited politicians of the San­ position Coordinadora, the Catholic off signals that reveal what their views dinista FSLN and the opposition Liberal hierarchy, or Pentecostal missionaries, might be. Those who do not support Independent Party (PLl), attended ser­ one will see and hear roughly what the those views tend to avoid prolonged vices in Baptist and Catholic churches, host wants to have seen or heard. I bela­ discussion with the visitor, except for a and spent a fair amount of time on my bor this point to shed some light on few who might enjoy argument. Those own mixing with the local people. Dur­ why it is possible for visitors to return in general agreement with the visitor ing my extra two weeks I travelled­ from Nicaragua with vastly differing will come forward, engage in long con­ hitch-hiking and by bus-to San Juan conclusions. versations, invite him or her to meet del. Sur, then to Costa Rica and back to A Persian folk tale tells of a wise old others with similar views, and so on. As Managua and down to Corinto during Sufi who while travelling met a man if led by an invisible hand, prejudg­ the MIG crisis. I had the opportunity to who asked about the people in the town ments are confirmed. participate with a journalist in inter­ ahead of him. "What were the people The phenomenon is further devel­ views with Archbishop Obando y Bravo like in the town from which you came?" oped in dependent.Third World coun­ and Arturo Cruz, the presidential candi­ asked the Sufi. tries where hosts stand a chance of date who was boycotting the election ''They were hostile, rude, and inhos­ receiving a subsequent contribution process, and with a number of individu­ pitable," replied the man. from the visitor. There is an under­ als both supportive and opposed to the ''The town ahead of you is full of the standable reluctance to offend the rich Sandinista regime. same kind of people," said the Sufi. A tourist with facts that might disturb his First, let's deal with the problem of short while later the wise man met an­ sensibilities, thus tightening the purse­ "seeing only what they want you to other traveller who asked the same strings. (North Yemeni politicians, for see." In a sense, this is always a prob-· question. Again, he responded with the example, have become skilled at know­ lem: No host shows a visitor what that question, "What were the people like in ing what American and Soviet diplo­ host doesn't want the visitor to see. A the town from which you came?" mats like to hear, and regularly swindle more relevant issue is, "Were you pre-· "They were generous, friendly, and them both). vented from seeing something you. hospitable," he replied. A traveller dependent on local trans­ wanted to see?" Again came the answer, "The town lators should expect this effect to be in- Liberty 31 tensified. A translator may pick out re­ the ballot besides the Sandinista American presidential system with a spondents who will do the fact-finder FSLN-three Communist parties on the European parliamentary system. Seats the "favor" of producing the desired in­ left and three free-market oriented par­ in the 99 person Assembly are appor­ formation, appropriate anecdotes, or ties on the right. A bewildering set of re­ tioned according to the percentage of worthy quotes. In this case the "invisi­ criminations and accusations were votes received by the respective parties. ble hand" is hardly invisible at all. made regarding the fact that Arturo Additionally, every losing presidential Finally, the mind is a self-reinforcing Cruz and his Coordinadora group were candidate is guaranteed a seat. If the mechanism. It is possible for the mind not on the ballot. Cruz had withdrawn United States had the Nicaraguan elec­ to disregard small sights, sounds, and after initially supporting registration for toral system, David Bergland and sever­ hints that would disturb a preconceived the vote. Additionally Virgil Godoy of al other Libertarians would have seats . notion. Larger dissonant sights and PLI withdrew from the race after a visit in Congress today. sounds can be dealt with by the process to the U.S. Ambassador. But ballots had The election and the ballot counting of denial. A researcher will be under­ already been printed with a space for was watched by a flood of non­ standably less diligent in going out of _ PLI and when it won a few seats in the Communist observers, both friendly the way to discover facts that would National Assembly, PLI reversed its po­ and hostile, from around the world. The shoot holes in a carefully prepared con­ sition and accepted them. consensus was that it was fair, honest, struct. In this matter, a valid question The situation in Nicaragua was the and open. Reagan and his allies have would be: "Did you want to see reverse of that here in the United States. continued, like broken records, to de­ enough?" While Democrats and Republicans do nounce the elections as a sham, without Doing my best to be on guard their best to keep small parties off the ever really explaining what made them against such self-deception I was able to ballot, the Sandinistas were doing their so. Meanwhile, back in Texas, we had come up with anecdotal evidence to best to persuade opposition parties to Republicans and Democrats on the bal­ support any number of views on Nica­ join. Efforts were made to ensure that lot, but no Libertarians. Anyone anxious ragua. This may be a perplexing situa­ each party received air time and adver­ to criticize Nicaragua's election would tion, but it is not a conclusion. tising space in the newspapers. On one do well to take a closer look at our own. Any conclusion made must take day a newspaper simultaneously car­ into account these-and other­ ried an ad by the Communist Party On Targets inherent limitations on knowledge. promising to topple the ''bourgeois cap­ Nicaragua is a war zone, and visi­ Travelling in a country for one month italist Sandinistas" and another by the tors to war zones inevitably encounter with an intermediate fluency in the Conservative Democratic Party promis­ orphans, the bereaved, and the maimed. language does not qualify anyone as an ing to bring down the "communistic Civilian casualties are the consequences expert. When I lived in the Middle Sandinista dictatorship." I found out of war technology in the hands of falli­ East, I was constantly amused to wit­ more about the opposition parties and ble human beings. It is impossible to tar­ ness the number of visitors who felt their candidates from the mass media get artillery or mortars with precision, themselves equipped to write articles and their own literature than Americans and it is impossible to predict who or even books after spending a few here learn about·Libertarians. might actually drive over a mine set for weeks in the area. Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy did its a tank. People make mistakes when typ­ I have spent significant portions of best to persuade opposition parties to ing, when driving, and when repairing my life in war zones, in military service, boycott the election on the grounds that cars. Combat is no exception. Mistakes and in amateur and academic research it was a sham. When Arturo Cruz with­ are made and the innocent die. But in into the causes of war and the motiva­ drew, his withdrawal was presented by war, killing is the rule, not the excep­ tions of those who participate. Having Reagan as proof that it was indeed a tion, and the death of innocent people is acknowledged a certain lack of exper­ sham. I had the opportunity to speak multiplied far beyond the errors evident tise on Nicaragua itself, I will submit personally to Cruz about the matter. in risky activities during peace-time. that I am nevertheless justified in advo­ Again the accusations were complex, Friends of the Contras have written cating non-intervention for reasons of but I came away wishing that we Liber­ much of Sandinista atrocities while ignonance alone. Individuals with simi­ tarians had the same ballot access prob­ managing to ignore the Contra record lar~r even superior-levels of knowl­ lems he did. It appears that both he and on the matter. Deliberate executions are edge and experience who claim to have the U.S. Embassy recognized that he not only documented by foreign observ­ figured out exactly who deserves to die would receive about 5% of the vote and ers, but defended by Contras and their and who should do the killing are thus forfeit his claim to be the main con­ backers on the grounds that the victims threats to themselves and to others. tender for power. After the elections are Sandinistas or their sympathizers. A Cruz left for Miami and Washington for U.S. Embassy spokesman justified this Think of it as a brief career with the Contra leader­ policy in Managua in 1984. When I Democracy in Action ship. When he resigned from the Contra asked him about the recent disembowl­ Our group was fortunate enough to Directorate after a power struggle, his ing of a schoolteacher in front of her be present at preparations for and ob­ erstwhile supporters, Elliot Abrams and students in Ocotal, he answered that servation of actual voting in the Nicara­ Jeanne Kirkpatrick, both dismissed him since she was an FSLN party member guan elections. We met with the as irrelevant to the Nicaraguan scene. In she was a legitimate target. leadership of the electoral commission a recent television interview he said that In 1985 the Contras were advised by for an explanation of the electoral pro­ it was a mistake for him to have boycot­ the State Department to define their tar­ cess and of the myriad details necessary ted the elections. gets more discriminately. The legitimate to ensure fairness. Six parties were on The electoral system combines an targets were to include FSLN party 32 Liberty July 1988 members, members of unions sympa­ not honest to justify one society's short­ try visits the White House and kisses thetic to the Sandinistas, all government comings by comparing it to a worse the American flag. Those who diligently workers-including teachers, postal one, it is still worth noting that Taiwan, list the sins of the Sandinistas, the vir­ workers, and health workers, peasants Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Paki­ tues of the Contras ("founding fathers," who had organized into Sandinista­ stan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and no less!) and attempt to rally support sponsored cooperatives, and so on-for Jordan-all countries in which I have for a crusade against the Soviet Empire a total of what would be half the popu­ experience, and all U. S. allies-do not while turning a blind eye to events in lation of the country. allow the expression of opposition one Guatemala or EI Salvador are either Supporters of the Contras should be: finds in Nicaragua. Those who have naive or have a suspect agenda, to say aware of this; ifthey agree with this pol­ positive feelings towards Reagan say the least. icy, I think they owe us an explanation. so-in restaurants in front of waiters. Americans who travel to Nicaragua The insistence of Reagan, the TV evan­ Politicians wno do not like the Sandinis­ with Witness for Peace, on the other gelists, and the reactionary right that tas hold court in Managua's Interconti- hand, generally return more convinced these atrocities are com- than ever to work against mitted by disguised Sandi­ aid to the Contras and ex­ nistas is the most fantastic Those who would like to see a free mar­ press varying degrees of case of denial since the moral support for the "pro­ 1930s when American ket develop in Nicaragua would do well cess," as it is called. This is Communists refused to be­ to introduce the concept by some means not surprising. But it should lieve that Stalin was exe­ be noted that their moral cuting his opponents. other than a protracted and bloody civil support of the Sandinistas It would be a mistake war. does not extend to the mili­ to draw the conclusion, as tary draft. Nor are they com­ some on the left do, that fortable with the Nicaraguan these atrocities provide good reason for nental Hotel, denouncing their military. WFP vehicles do not give rides a more thorough prosecution of the war government to the foreign media. What­ to anyone in the army or to anyone car­ against the Contras. No doubt support­ ever the grievances of dissidents, a lack rying a weapon. WFP lobbies the Amer­ ers of the Contras can visit camps in of freedom of expression is not one of ican government against aid to the Honduras and record reports of atroci­ them. Consequently, it is especially easy Contras and they lobby the Sandinistas ties by the Nicaraguan army. They like­ for a North American to fly into Mana­ against the draft and militarism. They wise might feel tempted to use these gua and to meet up with members of do not share the Contra fan's enthu­ events to justify further armed struggle COSEP or the Coordinadora, be driven siasm for armed struggle. against the Sandinistas. But at fault is to homes and offices where particular Witness for Peace did take us to visit the war itself: any encouragement of points of view will be heard, and return opposition politicians. We also had time that war will produce further horror. to the United States with an impression to talk to the people in the streets, al­ of a Nicaragua in rebellion and though I did observe occasional lapses Making Comparisons repression. into the deceptive mechanisms de­ The situation in nearby Guatemala Critics of the Sandinistas have made scribed. I have not determined the ex­ offers a striking contrast. While in Nica­ much of the fact that there are political tent to which I might have misled ragua it is possible-even likely-for prisoners in Managua. Among those in myself in the process, though clearly I two people to visit the same city and jail are prisoners of war and captured reinforced my view that one finds what come away with diametrically opposed agents of the Contras. A few are what one looks for. The long-term members views, in Guatemala the lessons do not we would consider prisoners of con­ of WFP, all of whom were Americans or appear to be so clear. There the science-folks who have been locked up Canadians fluent in Spanish, stayed in damning evidence and the dissident tes­ for saying the wrong thing. I do not the country for terms of six months to timony are suppressed: those who say have a breakdown of what numbers of several years, researching and docu­ the wrong things die. So an investigator prisoners are in each category. As for menting the war and political develop­ with a right-wing outlook will likely the total number, Contra sympathizers ments. Politically they ranged from miss hearing about the thousands of In­ in the United States bandy about a fig­ liberal Democrats to Catholic Worker dians slaughtered by the troops of Gen­ ure of 10,000, while the Contras them­ anarchists, and there was at least one eral Rios Montt in Guatemala, but can selves, in the most recent negotiations, "smalll" libertarian. They seemed to be visit Nicaragua and talk openly to Mis­ are giving a figure of 3,000. Whatever honest and thorough in their research. kitos about their grievances against the the figures, they represent prisoners With the exception of economic matters Sandinistas, none of which approach who are alive. We hope they will all be they do not hesitate to investigate and the magnitude of the horror in Guate­ free someday. But what we should re­ record human-rights violations on the mala. His impression would be skewed member-and what Contra advocates part of the Sandinistas. Much of my cur­ beyond recognition. tend to forget-is that in El Salvador rent information comes from their I believe that Nicaragua has more such dissidents die. They can be found newsletters. * openness and freedom of speech and in dumps and at roadsides, with A source of my own frustration with expression than most Third World thumbs tied together and heads miss­ Witness for Peace is the inability of countries I have visited or lived in and ing. I have the videos-fresh bodies, de­ most of its members to discuss econom- certainly more than any other country composed bodies, and dog-chewed .. To receive this newsletter, write: Witness for engaged in a civil war. Although it is bodies. The president of that sad coun- Peace Newsletter, PO Box 567 Durham, NC 27702. Liberty 33 July 1988 ic issues intelligently-if at all. Econom­ conflict with the Sandinistas-not an ex­ tor selling the blood of his people, but in ic failures are blamed on the war and cuse for developing one. Nicaragua it was no metaphor: the 50­ little effort goes into analysis beyond Those who would like to see a free moza family owned a company named that. Naturally, a black market exists in market develop in Nicaragua would do Plasmafereria that sold Nicaraguan Nicaragua which WFP does not patron­ well to introduce the concept by some blood to North America. His National ize-to the great disadvantage of its means other than a protracted and Guard Officers owned brothels where staff. We had to agree not to change our bloody civil war. Socialist societies at kidnapped young girls were held dollars on the black market, lest we peace have been recognizing their fail­ against their will. In 1952 an "agrarian harm the economy of the country fur­ ures and liberalizing their economies as reform" program subsidized by the ther. I did my best to make the case that quickly as they can get away with it. American taxpayer had thousands of the desires of people who wanted· the War, on the other hand, provides social­ peasants evicted from their land at bay­ dollars should take precedence over the ists with a great excuse: in a society at onet point. The lands were consolidated desire of the government to have the war it is difficult to determine the extent into cotton plantations, and controlled same dollars at a much lower cost. As to which, say, a gasoline shortage is due by Guardia officers. U.S. Aid funds sent foreigners from a country hostile to Nic­ to government mismanagement or to after the 1972 earthquake for housing aragua, it was of course reconstruction were used pragmatic for WFP mem­ to build large luxury vil­ bers to try to avoid Just what is the society envisioned by las for Guardia officers. breaking local laws. (These villas came into However, it seemed to the Contras? Have they come up with a Bill possession of the Sandi­ me that most of them be­ of Rights, a statement of principles, a nistas after the insurrec­ lieved in the controls. Magna Carta, a proposed Constitution, or tion and have been used They were unable to per­ as guest houses for for- ceive crackdowns on the even a poem? eign dignitaries and jour­ free market as violations nalists. Some of these of human rights. Confis- guests, such as New Re- cations of merchandise from "specula­ enemy destruction of fuel storage tanks. public's Leiken, ever intent on finding tors" were not recognized as theft. Precisely because the Nicaraguan gov­ facts to fit preconceived notions, have Perhaps they feel that economics is a ernment can blame economic failures on written that the villas were a sign of pedantic matter, in contrast to the pow­ the Contras it will never be clear to Sandinista decadence.) erful and emotionally draining evidence what degree socialist controls are at The history of Nicaragua for the past of atrocities they gather in the field. On fault. War is the health of the state, as century has been one of U.S. interven­ February 6 of this year, Erik Nicholson, Randolph Bourne pointed out. And war tion, occupation, and manipulation. a long term member, travelled to Quilali is particularly the health of socialist Highlights include the destruction of to investigate a massacre which had tak­ states. Greytown in 1854 by the USS Cyane af­ en place when three Claymore mines Libertarians who stand for free en­ ter an American diplomat was roughed blasted a civilian truck, instantly killing terprise should scrupulously avoid any up in town; the aerial terror bombing of sixteen individuals and injuring anoth­ action on which Sandinistas could Ocotal by Marines on June 16, 1927, at a er nineteen, of whom three later died. blame their failures. A true libertarian cost of 300 civilian lives-eleven years No sooner had he recorded the eyewit­ does not call for sabotage-government before the Nazis did the same to Guer­ ness accounts and attended the funerals or private-against a competitor's en­ nica, Spain; the Marine occupation from than a U.S.-made hand grenade was terprise; a savvy libertarian does not 1912 to 1933; the murder in 1934 of na­ thrown into a crowd of 200 who were take action in the political "market" that tionalist hero Sandino during truce talks protesting the mining incident. Six of actually reinforces his opponents. How at the order of U.S. Ambassador Arthur the ten dead and twenty-one of the thir­ ironic it is that in this situation it is so­ Bliss Lane; the installation and support ty-two injured were under sixteen years cialist Nicaragua that desires free trade of the Somoza dynasty from 1936 to of age. In case anyone should wonder, with the United States and supposedly 1979; and now-since 1980-the Contra he did gather pieces of the grenade to capitalist Reagan who forbids such war. investigate its origin. After attending trade. Somoza committed his crimes the burials of victims of the second inci­ The idea that a prosperous nation of against the Nicaraguan people in the dent I suspect he was not in a mood to 230 million should feel threatened by a name of capitalism. Never mind that his discuss free market economics. The sub­ dirt-poor socialist nation of three mil­ definition of the word was different ject would be better addressed in a less lion shows a puzzling lack of self­ from ours-the young teenagers who violent atmosphere. confidence on the part of conservatives took to the hills and the streets to over­ in America. It is even more baffling that throw him can be forgiven for not real­ The Health of the State some libertarians share this insecurity. izing that. But we must recognize that The most obvious failure of the San­ U. S. complicity in the Somozaregime dinistas, and the source of our greatest The Logic of Violence further reinforced this impression. This difference with them, lies in their efforts The horrors of the long Somoza dy­ suggests important lessons for those to socialize their economy. They have nasty and the degree to which his fami­ who seek to spread freedom throughout made a well-publicized mess of it. The ly controlled the land and the wealth is the world. More importantly, it says Nicaraguan attempt at socialism is a well known and well documented. It is something about the limitations of vio­ reason for scrupulously avoiding armed a common expression to refer to a dicta- lence in leading to successful reform.

34 Liberty July 1988 These lessons can also be learned by Paine, kept blacks in actual slavery, and the lessons of Western movies: prob­ studying the Sandinista revolution. It pursued a policy of genocide against lems will disappear if shot at. Few have may be that the greatest historical error the Indians. And we congratulate our­ had the experience of being in combat on the part of the Sandinista revolution selves on our revolution; we hold it up or living in a war zone. It is no accident was the choice to use armed force. As as a model of how revolutions can suc­ that the leading opponents of America's with all people who resort to armed ceed. The question we should ask our­ wars abroad are veterans of past wars; struggle, there is convincing argument selves is: what would have happened while prominent among those who that they had no other choice. Once the to the young republic or the Bill of have pushed the Contra case are folks choice was made, however, the tragedy Rights if a foreign power, noting the like Ronald Reagan, Newt Gengrich, El­ unfolded. extensive "human rights violations," liot Abrams, Pat Robertson, and Pat Bu­ Armed conflict does not train its had decided to subsidize the Tory exiles chanan who compulsively urge others participants for future peaceful resolu­ in a campaign ofviolence and mayhem? to risk their lives in combat, although tion of conflict. Those who rise to lead­ The historical error of the Sandinis­ they never risked their own lives. Ap­ ership tend to be those most skilled in tas is also the error of the Contras and parently they do not feel strongly combat and least prepared for future their backers. In the improbable event of enough about their adopted cause to conciliation: military organization is al­ a Contra victory there would be Sandi­ encourage other North Americans to most of necessity authoritarian organi­ nista losers. Dare we ask what their fate volunteer-the blood of Latin campesi­ zation. Furthermore, when there are would be in a Contra Nicaragua? nos will do. winners there are losers and the losers Would they have the rights Contras It requires a tremendous leap of may seek revenge (and have the com­ claim are denied them? Would that vic­ faith and imagination to believe that ei­ mon sentiments of "justice" to back tory produce a society of which Contra ther the government or private citizens them up). The more often internal con­ backers would be proud? Just what is of America are in a moral position to tradictions are met with by coercive the society envisioned by the Contras? participate in violent intervention with measures, the greater the potential for Have they come up with a Bill of Rights, Nicaragua's destiny. Problems if shot at violent reaction-and so the cycle a statement of principles, a Magna Car­ do not disappear, they multiply. What­ continues. ta, a proposed Constitution, or even a ever society develops must come as a After the American Revolution, we poem? result of the internal processes of threw out the Tories, purged Tom Many Americans have internalized Nicaragua itself. The best thing

NEW from the Institute for Media Analysis, Inc. The Second Title in THE MEDIA AND CURRENT AFFAIRS MONOGRAPH SERIES: PACKAGING THE CONTRAS A CASE OF CIA DISINFORMATION

By Edgar Chamorro

Edgar Chamorro, a former contra leader, describes how a Central Intelligence Agency disinformation campaign played a leading role in influencing American public opinion and congressional debates on aid to the contras. He provides an in­ side look at the creation of the contra Directorate and a detailed first-hand account of the broad efforts by the CIA to create an image ofthe contras as the "democratic alternative" in its efforts to overthrow the government ofNicaragua and to manipulate journalists and media institutions. "The contra cause as defined in Washington," Chamorro writes, "has been an effort aimed at convincing Americans to believe in a fantasy which has very little to do with Nicaragua. My story will, I hope, demonstrate the vast reaches of this disinformation and propaganda effort, by a behind-the-scenes account of its inception." Since 1982 the merchandising, or "packaging," of the contras has been central to the Reagan administration's success in securing the appropriation of hundreds of millions of dollars to support the contra war, according to Chamorro.

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Institute for Media Analysis, Inc. 145 West 4th Street New York, NY 10012 foreigners can do is to provide the ex­ than it was to apologise for the Tsar in likely die as a result ofa bad analysis of ample and share the knowledge of the order to oppose the disastrous war in a local municipal issue. When proven art of peace. Crimea. wrong by events, one can acknowledge This dualistic trap is in place regard­ them, apologize, write another article, The Logic of Sympathy ing the Nicaragua controversy. Oppo­ and go on with life. In the case of war­ Tens of thousands of Americans nents of aid to the Contras often find it fare we cannot resurrect the dead who have travelled to Nicaragua in various necessary to paint a positive picture of are lost as a consequence of our mis­ capacities. Of those who speak Spanish the Sandinistas; those opposing the San­ takes. Nor isit fair to slink quietly away and have lived with the people for any dinistas find themselves supporting ei­ from a position after discovering that length of time, the overwhelming ma­ ther public or private aid to the Contras. we were wrong and that many have jority are outraged by the perpetuation It is essential to take an honest look at died as a result of following our advice of the war. Many are refusing to pay what both the Sandinistas and Contras or accepting our support. Americans Federal taxes. Many are engaged in are and what they are not. More impor­ will send or not send money to the Con­ non-violent rebellion against the Feder­ tantly, it is imperative that we have a tras based on what they read and hear. al government. Some have even lain in profound understanding of what the Contras will kill and die based on what front of ammunition funds and weaponry they re­ trains; Vietnam veteran ceive. It cannot be empha­ Brian Willson lost his legs The question is whether libertarians sized enough that those who during one such protest. should be principled non-interven­ write on the subject be sure These dissidents have of the implications and con­ raised more than $100 mil­ tionists or whether we should act as a sequences of their state­ lion in voluntary contribu­ cheering section for various armed fac­ ments and be prepared to tions-not for guns and tions in the Third World. take historical responsibility. mines, but for schools, As I write these words, health projects, and recon- the news reports that a truce struction programs in Nic- has been signed between the aragua. Most such projects are privately war is, what it does, and what it is likely Nicaraguan government and the Con­ undertaken and administered. to do in the future. tras. If the breakthrough turns out to be The constituency of North Ameri­ A traveller in search of Truth, in real and long-lasting, this essay may cans emotionally bonded to Nicaragua search of Decency, long betrayed by only seem relevant to the history of the is open to hearing about a political states, by military forces, organizations debate on the issue. We may be able to movement that respects voluntarism, and the frailties of leaders, finds in li­ put the Nicaragua/Contra argument be­ believes in free trade with all, opposes bertarianism a movement that will not hind us. But the question of whether li­ foreign intervention, and respects tax choose his enemies or compel him to bertarians should be principled non­ resistance. These folk would be attract­ participate in the killing of his friends. interventionists or whether we should ed to a movement that did not advocate The Libertarian Party will not espouse act as a cheering section for various the continued killing of their Nicara­ intervention by the state in foreign con­ armed factions in the Third World will guan friends and repelled by one which flicts which might violate the conscience be with us for some time. did. It would be a tragedy if the oppor­ and sensibilities of any citizen. While Let us wish all Nicaraguans well tunity to reach these admirable people politicians of other parties fall all over and hope for a lasting ceasefire, a re­ were lost because libertarians were per­ each other making excuses for favored lease of prisoners, amnesty, and a quick ceived as being in collusion with an un­ foreign nations (such as Israel), libertari­ demilitarization of all the parties in­ popular CIA agenda or as sharing the ans will only call for a total, complete, volved. Meanwhile, we must continue senile obsessions of Ronald Reagan. and unconditional cessation of govern­ to exercisecaution and judgment when ment aid. approaching similar situations abroad­ Peace in Nicaragua: Under libertarian policy, those ena­ now and in the future. A Possible Dream mored of any particular state·remain This world is filled with people at The great danger when discussing free to contribute to it out of their own war, and all factions have more than "foreign entanglements" is to fall into pockets, of course. Most libertarians be­ enough supporters. Our homes should dualistic hyperbole: to say that any lieve in the right of an individual to fight be open to deserters and draft dodgers force opposing an evil institution must in a foreign army, or to donate funds to a from any and all armed forces in the itselfbe just. English writers who object­ foreign government or to a foreign fight­ world. A rewarding experience for my ed to British participation in the ing organization. There is good reason, family over the years has been the op­ Crimean War felt it necessary to praise however, for us to avoid the temptation portunity to house or employ political the virtues of the Tsar. Opponents of the to identify our cause with-or to en­ exiles, draft dodgers, torture victims, war in Vietnam often endorsed the dorse private contributions to-any former soldiers, and former guerrillas Vietnamese Communists. This rhetori­ armed forces abroad. The tendency in from Palestine, Eritrea, Guatemala, the cal strategy is dangerous. It was no some libertarian circles to make propa­ United States, Honduras, EI Salvador, more necessary to prove the goodness ganda and raise money for the Nicara­ Nicaragua, and Chile. I encourage allli­ of the NLF in order to denounce an im­ guan Contras is a case in point. bertarians to consider doing likewise. perial technology gone berserk against When one writes about matters in­ War will end when men refuse to fight. the people, land, foliage, and wildlife of volving life and death one should be Our duty is to make it easy for them to the unfortunate country of Vietnam very sure that one is right. No one will do so. 0 36 Liberty July 1988 Survey The Liberty Poll: Who We Are and What We Think

Liberty surveyed its readers in an attempt to learn what libertarians think about life, government, God, sex, heroes... and how they would solve some serious moral problems. A fascinating profile of the Libertarian movement emerged.

At a Liberty editorial meeting last August, the conversation turned to The Sociology of Libertarians, a survey conducted by two non-libertarian social scientists that we published in the October 1987 issue of Liberty. While the results were quite fascinating, we agreed the poll lacked something. While it faithfully surveyed li- bertarian backgrounds and beliefs, we felt that it failed to address some of paid envelope!. A total of 62 were re­ Government should be the issues that vex libertarians. This is turned to us. Respondents were invited eliminated altogether. not surprising, since many such issues to "answer whichever questions you are rather esoteric and obscure to non­ wish," and "to attach a sheet of paper libertarians. and expand or explain any answers." The Libertarian Party's national The results ofthe poll follow. Agree: 31% convention was at hand, so we decided to poll those attending. We sought to Beliefs design a poll that would address some Respondents were presented with a Comment: The "anarchism vs. limit­ of the "hard" issues. list of propositions and instructed, ed government" controversy is one of Four editors of Liberty (Stephen "Please check the following statements libertarianism's oldest. Despite the at­ Cox, Mike Holmes, R. W. Bradford if you believe, them to be true, or ex­ tempts of one side or the other to· de­ and Timothy Virkkala) helped write press your own values or opinions." clare victory in the controversy, it is ap­ the poll. In addition to a variety of per-· Below we list the propositions, the parent that the disagreement persists. sonal data, subjects would be asked percentage agreeing with each propo­ questions about their intellectual de­ sition, and a pie chart illustrating that Moral Opinions velopment and their values and be­ percentage. For convenience sake, the Abortion is wrong. liefs. A group of moral dilemmas that propositions are arranged into catego­ had been formulated in bull sessions ries; in the poll itself, the propositions and compiled by another editor, Ross were in no particular order. Overbeek, were incorporated into the poll. Political Theory Agree: 37% During the convention, we distribut·· We offered two propositions of fun­ ed approximately 350 polls to those at·· damental importance to political theo­ tending. About 90 were filled in and re­ ry. One is the limited governmentalist turned to us. answer to the question, "What is the Although the results were quite in­ proper role of government?"; the other Abortion should be made il­ teresting there were problems. For one is the anarchist answer. legal. thing, the Polls were distributed only to "The proper role of govern­ those who visited our exhibit at. the ment is finite, but much convention, and thus were not random. smaller than at present." In addition, we wanted to add a fe"" Agree: 13% questions. So we made some minor revisions and sent it in November to 200 subscri­ Agree: 66% bers of Liberty chosen entirely at ran·· dome No incentive to return the poll A person should have a le­ was provided, aside from a postage gal obligation to support Liberty 37 his or her offspring. sidized housing, use of All men by their nature have roads, etc.) without com­ a right to the pursuit of mitting an immoral act. happiness.

Agree: 56% II Agree:· 71% Agree: 87% Comment: These last three proposi­ tions indicate considerable disagree­ ment on the subject of abortion. A sur­ prisingly large minority believe that Comnlent: These last two proposi­ Comment: Respondents showed a abortions are wrong, though relatively tions relate to the issue of accepting the remarkable degree of agreement on few of those (about 1/3) believe abor­ benefits of government intervention. the matter of rights, at least as posited tions should be made illegal. And most Most respondents believe that it is in these propositions. Based on some of libertarians agree that persons have an proper under certain conditons to ac­ the responses to the questions about obligation to support their offspring, cept government benefits, but there is "Moral Problems" (see p. 39), we sus­ which can be construed to support an considerable support for the alternate pect that there is considerabledisa­ anti-abortion position, and creates a proposition. greement about the meaning of rights, positive right that contradicts the con­ and that if the propositions had been ventional libertarian understanding of posed differently this apparent consen­ the right to liberty. Human Rights sus would not have emerged. Political action is an appro­ No person has the right to Public Policy priate method of advanc­ initiate physical force ing liberty. against another human be­ The U.S. should remove all ing. restrictions on immigra­ tion.

Agree: 77% Agree: 90% Agree: 69%

People have a responsibility to vote. All men by their nature have a right to life. The U.S. should remove all tariffs immediately. Agree: 10% Agree: 94%

Agree: 90% Comment: On the subject of voting and political action there was some consensus: most agreed that political All men by their nature have action is appropriate but that no one a right to liberty. A proper government would has an obligation to vote. Significant have an absolutely isola­ minorities (24% and 10% respectively) tionist foreign policy. disagree. An employee of the state is Agree: 94% a receiver of stolen goods and therefore is commit­ ting an improper act. Agree: 53% All men by their nature have a right to property. Agree: 31% Comment: Although respondents agreed that borders should be open to the flow of goods, a considerable num­ Agree: 87% ber did not agree that borders should be open to the flow of people. And re­ One can accept government spondents were widely split on the is­ services (food stamps, sub- sue of isolationism. 38 Liberty July 1988 Communism is the greatest Miscellaneous threat to human liberty. Comment: Apparently the com­ There is a god. mon perception that libertarians are almost all atheistic is no more accurate than the perception that li­ Agree: 21% bertarians are nearly all anarchists. Agree: 26% Libertarians are evidently not as concerned about communism as most American right wingers.

Moral Problems that you will miss the hostage. "Would helping the child violate the parent's rights?" Given the universal moral character of some libertarian precepts, it is not 47% surprising that many are concerned • Yes: 26% about their implications for human behavior. DNo: 74% The Liberty Poll posed six moral problems addressing the issue of You should fire through the whether there are circumstances in hostage, if necessary. Comment: Nearly all respondents which it is morally proper to use force chose to do the decent thing: cross the against innocent individuals, which lawn and help the child, although 26% would apparently violate. such widely believe that entering the parent's prop­ accepted libertarian principles like, "no 25% erty against their wishes violates the person has the right to initiate the use parent's rights. of physical force against another hu­ man being" or "one should always re­ Problem 3: Starving Baby, ·the spect the rights and property of others." Comment: Only 27% of respon­ Sequel dents chose to refrain from firing if it "Suppose that a parent decides to Problem 1: The .Terrorist endangered the hostage-the position experiment with a radical new diet in the Mall that seems implicit in libertarian moral for his new-born child. The problem: thinking. Nearly as many (25%) were "Should you prevent the parent "Suppose that you are a security willing to kill the innocent hostage if ne­ from trying the diet, if you had guard for a large shopping mall. cessary to prevent the much greater good evidence that it would en­ A terrorist. has threatened to drop loss of life. The remaining 48%. would danger the child's health?" a bomb from a balcony into a fire only if they had a "reasonable crowd. He is moving toward the chance" of· missing the hostage­ balcony's railing carrying an ob­ apparently willing to allow the deaths of ject that you believe to be a bomb. hundreds of people rather than risking • Yes: 41% You have a gun. He has a hostage violation of their moral principles. between himself and you (he D No: 59% knows that you have identified Problem 2: How much is that him). You have only a few baby in the window? seconds to react. The problem: "Suppose that you had good evi­ "Which of the following most accu­ "Suppose that a parent of a new-born dence that the diet would endan­ rately reflects the action you con­ baby places it in front of a picture ger the child's life?" sider appropriate?" window and sells tickets to anyone wishing to observe the child starve You should fire a gun at the to death. He makes it clear that the terrorist only if you are certain child is free to leave at any time, but • Yes: 62% that you will miss the hostage. that anyone crossing his lawn will be viewed as trespassing. DNo: 38% "Would you cross the lawn and help 27% the child?" Comment: On both these issues re­ spondents were split, with most willing • Yes: 89% to interfere with a parentally imposed diet if they saw a risk to the child's life, No: 11% but not if they saw only a risk to the You should fire at the terrorist if D child's health. there is a reasonable chance Liberty 39 July 1988 Problem 4: Trespass or Die! it. The owner, a frightened woman "What statement most clearly re­ "Suppose that you are on a friend's whose husband is absent, refuses flects your beliefs?" balcony on the 50th floor of a con­ to admit you (she has no phone, so You (and your neighbors) should dominium complex. You trip, asking her to telephone for help is prevent the construction of the de­ stumble and fall over the edge. pointless). vice. You catch a flagpole on the next "Which of the following statements floor down. The owner opens his reflects your beliefs?" window and demands you stop You should force entrance, but in trespassing. this case it would not constitute an 73% "Which of the following statements act of aggression. reflects your beliefs?" You should enter the owner's resi­ dence against the owner's wishes. 16% You should put up your house for sale and move. You should not in­ terfere with his actions.

84% You should force entrance, even though it would be an act of ag­ 200/0 gression. You should hang on to the flagpole until a rope can be thrown down from above. You would feel obligated to tell pros­ 62% pective buyers about the situation. (This question was given only to those who chose to move in re­ 15% sponse to the problem.) You should not attempt to enter the house.

You should drop. II 73% 22%

2% You should do nothing, since such a situation is unthinkable and, Com men t: This problem is therefore, is not happening. identical in essential respects to prob­ lem 4 ("Trespass or Die"), except that Comment: The issue in this prob­ the refusal of the property owner to al­ lem is simple: would you be willing to low you egress is less capricious and 7% trespass on another person's property the death of the person denied egress if that were the only means of saving is less immediately certain. your own life? Only one person (2%) Perhaps for these reasons, the re­ chose certain death. But 14% preferred sponse was different: far more (22%) Comment: This problem is about clinging to the flagpole, still trespass­ were unwilling to force entrance. In ad­ gun control with bigger guns. When ing against the explicit wishes of the dition, 16% believed that forcing en­ the ante is raised from the risk of "Sat­ owner, in hopes a rope might be trance under these circumstances urday night specials" to the risk of nu­ dropped. would not constitute "aggression." clear annihilation, most (73%) respon­ Even so, 84% would violate the own­ dents abandoned their opposition to er's rights to save their own life. Problem 6: The Nuclear gun control. Another 20% would move Blackmailer away. 7% chose the final alternative, Problem 5: The Unexpected "Suppose that you live in a large which is gibberish, apparently in an at­ Blizzard city. Your neighbor constructs an tempt to evade the issue or perhaps out "Suppose that your car breaks down atomic weapon. He assures you of an appreciation of its silliness. in an unpredicted blizzard. You that he would detonate it only as Would you buy a house from a li­ are trapped and may well freeze an act of defense. You believe that bertarian? 27% of those who preferred before help can get to you. You he intends to commit an act of ex­ to move away would not feel obligated know that there is only one house tortion ("The city must pay $1 mil­ to tell prospective buyers about the nu­ within hiking distance. You hike to lion, or I will detonate it."). clear bomb in the basement next door. 40 Liberty July 1988 Intellectual "Before becoming a libertarian, The names were chosen during the how would you characterize editorial meeting attended by Cox, Development your political beliefs?" Bradford, Holmes and Virkkala. An at­ Just how did libertarians get that tempt was made to include on the list 70% way? What thinkers influenced them? the most important contributors to li­ What do they base their beliefs on'? 60% bertarian thought, as well as figures The Liberty Poll asked a variety of 500/0 believed by the editors to be influential questions intended to explore these among libertarians, and some individ­ 40% issues. uals about whose influence that the 30% HWhat are your political beliefs editors were simply curious. based on?" 20% The table below lists the names of the individuals whose influence we 10 % asked our readers to evaluate, along 0% with their average ratings. Left Center Right my religious Aristotle 1.93 beliefs: 19% Frederic Bastiat 2.28 David Friedman 1.91 Milton Friedman 2.95 Barry Goldwater 2.39 F. A. Hayek 3.02 Robert A. Heinlein 2.11 Karl Hess 2.23 Thomas Hobbes 1.33 my life exper­ John Hospers 1.85 II iences: 71 % Thomas Jefferson 3.10 Inlmanuel Kant 1.48 Samuel Konkin III 1.22 Robert LeFevre 1.78 John Locke 2.32 H. L. Mencken 2.49 John Stuart Mill 2.05 my understanding of Ludwig von Mises 3.65 history: 68% Albert J. Nock 2.19 Robert Nozick 1.79 Ayn Rand 4.02 Murray Rothbard 3.93 Who Influences Herbert Spencer 2.09 Libertarians' Thought? Lysander Spooner 2.34 my understanding In an effort to discover who has most William G. Sumner 1.49 of economics: 89% Morris & Linda Tannehill 1.75 influenced libertarians' political think­ Benjamin Tucker 1.29 ing, we asked readers to rate the in­ fluence of a number of thinkers: A total of 68 write-ins were added by "Please rank on a scale of 1 to 5 readers, including nine individuals the degree to which the fol­ named by two or more respondents. lowing thinkers influenced Given the frequency and high ratings your intellectual develop­ of some of the write-in names, it is ap­ rational, philosop­ ment. (5 = substantial impor­ parent that some important names hical analysis: 90% tance ... 1 = little or no impor­ were omitted from the list. Henry Haz­ tance.) litt was written in by five different re­ "Weare not asking you to re­ spondents; Friedrich Nietzsche and port the degree you agree Robert Ringer by four. If their names with these individuals' had been included and all the remain­ Comment: Respondents were invit­ thought- what we seek to ing subjects had given him the lowest ed to select as many of the five re­ know is how important each rating possible Hazlitt and Nietzsche sponses as they felt appropriate. figure was in the growth of would have finished ahead of both The most widespread basis claimed your thinking, especially with Tucker and Konkin; Ringer and Bran­ for political belief was "rational, philo­ regard to social and political den would have also finished higher sophical analysis," perhaps as a result matters." than Konkin. of Ayn Rand's influence. But econom­ This was followed with a list of On the following page we list the in­ ics was a very close second, and history names in alphabetical order, along dividuals whose names were written in and life experience were also very im­ with numbered boxes, and two lines for by more than one respondent, along portant. write-in names. with the ratings: Liberty 41 July 1988 Henry Hazlitt 3 455 5 Liberty; and For a New Liberty. Dr. Like Mises, Hayek avoids the lan­ Friedrich Nietzsche 4 5 5 5 Rothbard is also a prolific journalist and guage of "natural law and natural Robert Ringer 3345 an active figure in Libertarian Party pol­ rights," but Hayek is less narrowly utili­ Nathaniel Branden 555 itics. He also is an editor of Liberty. tarian in approach. He rests much of Thomas Szasz 255 Rothbard advocates an anarchistic his case for a free society on a compli­ Harry Browne 345 society based on the absolutism of in­ cated "evolutionary ethics" that em­ Leonard E. Read 5 5 dividual rights. phasizes the "natural selection" of Gordon Tullock 55 rules and societies. Hayek emphasizes 40% Thomas Sowell 3 4 Ludwig von Mises: 3.65 the importance of tradition more than The average ratings in the table on 30% most other libertarian thinkers. the previous page reveal only a part of 20% 40 % Milton Friedman: 2.95 the picture. The pattern of influence 10 % varies considerably. Consider the two 30% 0% frol1t-runners: Ayn Rand and Murray 1 2 3 4 5 20% Ro~hbard. Although their average Ludwig von Mises (1880-1972) was a 1 0% scores are very similar, Rand received leading social philosopher and econo­ far more "little or no importance" rat­ mist of the Austrian School, most fa­ 0% ings than Rothbard (12% vs 3%) as well mous for his development of praxeolo­ 1 2 3 4 5 Milton Friedman (1912-) is the lead- as far more "substantial importance" gy, an approach to economics based (60% vs 44%). on a priori, deductive reasoning from ing exponent of the Chicago School of Therefore we list below each individ­ certain fundamental axioms. Human Economics and winner of the 1976 ual, in order of influence, along with his Action, his magnum opus, is his best Nobel Prize in Economics. His writings mean rating and a chart showing the known work. He also wrote numerous in defense of capitalism and the free society-Capitalism and Freedom and distribution of his rating. other books and articles, including Lib­ eralism, Socialism, Theory of Money Free to Choose, for example-have 60% been very influential, which is evident Ayn Rand: 4.02 and Credit, and Epistemological Prob­ 50% lems of Economics. from our reader's response to our poll. Friedman is less radical than many Although a rigorous advocate of lais­ 40% libertarians, however, and his advocacy sez faire capitalism, Mises saw a role of "monetarism" rather than the gold 30% for government. His political thinking standard or Hayek's controversial no­ 20% was based on utilitarian concepts. tion of "denationalized money" has 10 % Thomas Jefferson: 3.10 been a source of many heated debates 30% in the libertarian movement. 20% 1 2 3 4 5 40% The thinker who most influenced our H. L. Mencken: 2.49 1 0% 30% respondents' intellectual development 0% was Ayn Rand (1905-1982), the novel­ 200/0 2 3 4 5 ist-philosopher, author of At1as Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was 10 % Shrugged, The Fountainhead, For the the third president of the United States 0% New Intellectual, The Virtue of Selfish­ and author of the Declaration of Inde­ 1 2 3 4 5 ness, Capitalism the Unknown Ideal pendence of the United States. He is H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) was the and other works. Rand advocated a po­ most admired by libertarians for the author of many books and countless litical philosophy based on the absolut­ advocacy of a natural rights philosophy ism of individual rights, but eschewed and the right of revolution that is ex­ articles. He is best known for his liter­ ary and social criticism-and for his anarchism. pressed in that declaration. brilliant, witty style. 50% He was an early proponent of Murray Rothbard: 3.93 30% F. A. von Hayek: 3.02 400/0 Nietzsche in America, and although he 20% wrote frequently on political topics, 30% 10 % Mencken's political thinking was not 20% 0% rigorous. He might best be termed a classical liberal in the tradition of Sum­ 1 0% 1 2 3 4 5 F. A. von Hayek (1899-) is a social ner or Mill.

00/0 .....- ...... philosopher and Nobel Prize winning 0 2 3 4 5 economist. His book The Road to Serf­ 40 / 0 Barry Goldwater: 2.39 Murray Rothbard (1926-) ranks a dom (1944) challenged orthodox statist 30% close second behind Rand, and is the thinking and helped stimulate the 20% most influential living figure among our post-World War II resurgence of li­ 1 0% respondents. Rothbard is an econo­ bertarian ideas. He is the author of mist, historian and social philosopher. many works, including Law, Legislation 0% His works include Man, Economy and and Liberty, The Counter-Revolution 1 2 345 State; Power and Market; The Ethics of of Science, and others. Barry M. Goldwater (1909-) was a 42 Liberty July 1988 member of the U.S. Senate from 1953 60% ories of Henry George, and his own to 1964 and again from 1968 to 1987. In 50 % Frederic Bastiat: 2.28 anti-statist views developed into some­ the late 1950s he became a spokesman thing very close to anarchism. His clas­ for political conservatism. He es­ 40% sic work in political thought is Our Ene­ poused his rather libertarian version of 30% my, the State. conservatism in several books and nu­ 20% merous newspaper columns and 60% 10 % speeches. Although an advocate of a 50% Robert Heinlein: 2.11 rather belligerent foreign policy, Gold­ 0% 40% water strongly supported the notion of 1 2 3 4 5 human liberty. Frederic Bastiat (1801-1850) was one 30% of the most accomplished stylists who 20% 50% has ever argued for liberty. Though he Lysander Spooner: 2.34 was more a popularizer than an origi­ 10 % 40% nal thinker, his importance should not 0% 30% be underestimated: his ranking over 1 2 3 4 5 20% many contemporary libertarian writers Robert Heinlein (1916-) is one of the in this poll serves as reminder of this most influential science fiction writers 1 0% fact. of all time. Both his life and his writings 0% He is best remembered for his bril­ exemplify the ideal of the "competent 1 2 3 4 5 liant attacks on the fallacies of state in­ man," and a lively streak of rugged in­ Lysander Spooner (1808-1887) was a tervention in the economy (his Eco­ dividualism runs through all his writ­ writer and pamphleteer and perhaps nomic Sophisms was the model for ings. the most eloquent 19th century Ameri­ Hazlitt's Economics in One Lesson) Libertarians are especially fond of can anarchist. His fully developed po­ and his powerful defense of natural his several attempts to deal with politi­ litical philosophy is best summed up in rights and limited government in his cal revolution, most notably in his fas­ his brilliant pamphlet No Treason, The pamphlet, The Law. cinating account of a colonial revolt in Writing Constitution of No Authority. 50% The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. from within the natural law tradition and with an extensive knowledge of the 40% 50% Karl Hess: 2.23 Herbert Spencer: 2.09 common law, Spooner argued not only 30% 40% that the Constitution of the United States was binding on no one, but that 20% 30% all government, taxation, laws, etc. 1 0% 20% were inherently unjust. 0% 10 % John Locke: 2.32 12345 500/0 0% Karl Hess (1923-) was a speech writ­ 40% 2 3 4 5 er for Barry Goldwater who became an Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) was an 30% anarchist in the late '60s. He is now the ambitious philosophical systemizer 20% editor of the Libertarian Party News who advocated extremely limited gov­ and associate editor of Liberty. 10% ernment. He described his own ethical Hess has been most influential as a philosophy as utilitarian "in a broad 0% proponent of the importance of com­ sense," but it is not easy to classify. 1 2 3 4 5 munity life and a "back to nature" sim­ Many of his arguments against politi­ John Locke (1632-1704) is widely re­ plicity. Though he is the author of sev­ cal intervention in society bear remark­ garded as one of the most influentia.l eral books, he is best known among able resemblance to Hayek's use of British philosophers. Though his Sec­ libertarians as a speaker. His political the notion of the limitations of human ond Treatise on Civil Government has thinking is discursive and lyrical; he ex­ knowledge. His most familiar work to­ been subject to contradictory interpre­ plicitly eschews ideology. day is probably Man vs. the State. tations, libertarians have followed a long line of classical liberal and anar­ 50% AlbertJ. Nock: 2.19 chist thinkers in taking from it a metho­ John Stuart Mill: 2.05 dogically individualistic understanding of society and a powerful conception of 30% natural rights. His writing was particu­ 20% larly influential on America's founding % fathers, especially Jefferson, which 10 probably accounts for his high rating in 00/0 this poll. Given the obscurity and 1 234 5 1 2 3 4 5 length of his major works, we doubt Albert J. Nock (1870-1945) was one John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), the that very many respondents have actu­ of the most important writers to have leading British philosopher and econo­ ally read much Locke. been influenced by the economic the- mist of his time, wrote many influential Liberty 43 July 1988 works, including On Liberty and Utili­ John Hospers (1918-) is a Professor cluding This Bread is Mine, The Phi­ tarianism. His utilitarian moral philos­ of Philosophy at the University of Cali­ losophy of Ownership, and The Nature ophy has been widely discussed and fornia at Los Angeles. Though his aca­ of Man and His Government. He was subjected to a great variety of interpre­ demic reputation largely rests on his what is now (once again) called a vol­ tations, as has his defense of individual work as an editor and in the field of untaryist, a libertarian who refuses to liberty. On Liberty was about the only aesthetics, he has also contributed to practice politics, and was an anarchist nineteenth century work of classical lib­ libertarian thought with many articles in everything but name (he strenuous­ eralism to maintain a "good press" and his book Libertarianism, which ad­ lyobjected to the term, prefering his throughout the ideologically dark years vocated a more-or-Iess Randian politi­ own understanding of "autarchy"). His of the twentieth century. cal theory, though his thinking has de­ relatively low showing in our poll is sur­ 600/0 veloped considerably since. prising to us, considering his reputa­ He was the Libertarian Party's first tion in the 1960s and 70s. 500/0 Aristotle: 1.93 presidential candidate and wrote the 70% 40 0k party's "Statement of Principles." Morris & Linda 60% 300/0 60% Tannehill: 1.75 Robert Nozick: 1.79 50% 20% 50% 40% 400/0 10 % 30% 30% 00/0 1 2 3 4 5 20% 20% Aristotle (384-322 B. C.) was not a li- 1 0% 10% bertarian in any way, but he was a pow­ 0% erful advocate of human reason. We 0% suspect his popularity and respect is 12345 1 2 3 4 5 largely due to the influence of Ayn Robert Nozick (1938-) is a Professor Morris and Linda Tannehill (1926-, of Philosophy at Harvard and the Rand, who considered Aristotle one of 1939-) collaborated to write The Mar­ the world's greatest minds (right up author of the National Book Award ket for Liberty, a powerful defense of there with herself). winning treatise in libertarian political natural rights-based anarchism which philosophy, Anarchy, State and Utopia, 60% was influential among libertarians in which gained academic attention to li­ the 1970s. 50% David Friedman: 1.91 bertarian ideas like no book before or Libertarianism was only one stop in since. Nozick used Lockean state-of­ 40 0k the ideological odyssey of the Tanne­ nature theory and a Lockean concep­ 0 hills, who earlier were associated (in 30 k tion of moral rights as the foundation chronological order) with the Minute­ 20 0k for an argument that purports to show men, the American Nazi Party, and the how a State could arise out of an anar­ 100/0 Foundation for Economic Education, chistic society without violating any­ and have since managed a psycho­ 0% one's rights; that this minimal state is therapeutic cult. 1 234 5 the most extensive state that can be David Friedman (1945-) argued his justified; and that this conception of a 80% William G. Sumner: 1.49 case for "a radical capitalism" with minimal state is inspiring as well mo­ 70% force and vigor in The Machinery of rally proper. Though the classic work Freedom. Though he has claimed to on minarchist theory, it is generally 60% be an upholder of a doctrine of natural considered more successful at discuss­ 50% law and natural rights, in this his only ing its many, brilliant secondary points 40% book on libertarian theory he seems than at demonstrating the validity of its more a "pragmatist" (that is, he does main thesis. 30% not discuss moral theory, limiting his 70% 20% arguments to practical and economic Robert LeFevre: 1.78 considerations), and so has had little 60% 1 0% impact on this tradition. 50% 0% 400/0 2 3 4 5 60% William Graham Sumner (1840­ 30% 1910) was one of the leading American 50% John Hospers: 1.85 200/0 sociologists of the 19th century and 40% also one of the more vigorous % 30% 10 advocates of laissez faire. Today known 0% 20% chiefly as a Social Darwinist and as the 2 3 4 5 author of the sociological masterpiece 1 0% Robert LeFevre (1911-1986) was a Folkways, in his time he was respected 0% writer and teacher who inspired and in­ for his polished essays and his 2 3 4 5 structed a whole generation of libertar­ dedication as a teacher. Probably his ians. He wrote numerous books in- best known work to contemporary 44 Liberty July 1988 libertarians is his essay What Social writer and publisher. He strongly de­ Classes Owe to Each Other. fends natural rights anarchism, though he prefers to call his particular form of 80% Benjamin Tucker: 1.29 anti-statism agorism (he is all for the 70% term "anarchism"-he flaunts the 60% Immanuel Kant: word-but uses the term "agorism" to 1.48 50% distinguish his own, anti-political ap­ 40% proach to activism). 40 % He did poorly among both groups of 30%) libertarians who took our poll (LP Con­ 30 % 20% ventioneers and Liberty readers). More 20% 1 0% than one respondent ,.yrote in the mar­ % gin "Who the Hell is Sam Konkin?" 10 0% 2 3 4 5 We also asked readers to report the 1 2 3 4 5 Benjamin Tucker (1854-1939) edited­ influence their family had on their in­ Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was not Liberty, the 19th century anarchist tellectual development: only one of the most important Ger­ newspaper. Though not an original 80% man philosophers, he is widely consid-· thinker, he was a fine stylist and an ex­ 70% ered to be the one of the greatest philo. pert synthesizer of other's thinking. He sosphers ever. He wrote numerous articulated what was later called "anar­ 600/0 works, including The Critique of Pure chocapitalism," but what he called "in­ 50% Sister or Brother: Reason, The Groundwork for the Met­ dividualist anarchism." Though a favor­ 1.52 aphysics of Morals, and Religion With-­ ite subject of contemporary libertarian 40% in the Bounds of Reason Alone. scholars, his effect upon contemporary 30% Though he is probably best known libertarianism is apparently slight. 20% among libertarians as-according to 90% Ayn Rand-the chief source of evil in 1 00/0 80% modern titnes, he was actually a classi·· Samuel E. 0 % cal liberal. A number of libertarian phi­ 70% Konkin III: 1.22 losophers have recently written about 60% 40% the advantages of a "Kantian recon­ Mother: 2.67 struction of Utilitarianism," and both 50% 30% Mises and Hayek were neo-Kantians 20% 40 % in fundamental philosophy. 1 0% 300/0 80% Thomas Hobbes: 1.33 0 % 20% 2 3 4 5 70% 1 0% 60% 40% Father: 3.10 0% 50% 30% 2 3 4 5 40% 20% Samuel E. Konkin III (1947-), the 30% % youngest person whose influence read­ 10 20% ers were asked to report, is a prolific 0% 1 0% 2 3 4 5 0% 1 2 3 4 5 Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) was the first British political philosopher of re-­ pute, and is still considered one of the major figures in the history of political philosophy. Hobbes' Leviathan is a pi­ oneer work in social contract theory. Though most classical liberals and ",1 j / libertarians-beginning with Locke-· have used Hobbes mainly as a jump­ ing off point and as a target, there is a /, .~ strong realpolitik strain in some liber­ /// /' (J4f" tarians' social philosophy that bears remarkable resemblance to I-Iobbes. His weak showing in this poll is no sur­ "They're in force whether you ratify thenl or not!" prise, hovvever. Liberty 45 July 1988 Personal How many divorces have you had? The Liberty Poll also asked a variety of personal questions. 2t:.. We learned that libertarians are overwhelmingly male, over­ whelmingly white, well educated individuals with fairly high ~EE117% 81~o levels of both income and education. We also learned that libertarians are likely to be first-born, were likely raised in a % o% 10 % 2 0% 3 0 % 40% 50 6 0 % 7 0 % 8 0 % 9 0 % religious context, but are not likely to be practicing any relig­ ion today. Most libertarians are heterosexual monogamists whose spouses do not share their enthusiasm for libertarian­ ism. Although they are employed in a wide variety of occupa­ How many children have you had? tions, they are much more likely than others either to own their own small business or be employed in computer o 53% science. 1_._ Here are the questions we asked, along with the responses: 2 What is your age? 3._ 4+ 20-24 ••116% 0% 100/0 20% 30% 40% 500/0 600/0 25-29 5% 30 - 3 4 .111111111111. 180/0 Responses ranged from 0 to 5. The mean number of offspring is .90. Given the age distribution (59% aged below 35-39 ••••••••••••131% 40 years), it is likely that the numbers here will increase. 40 - 4 4 .1111I1111111111 60/0 45-49 __1115% Are you first born in your family, second 50-54 5% born, third born, or later? 55-59 60/0 fi rst 560/0 60-64 30/0 second 65+ ~~!.:5~01c~0~1-_+-_--+__+-_-+-_---1

Ages of respondents range from 23 to 87. The mean age later is 40.37 years.

Are you male or female? This is one area where respondents varied considera­ bly from the normal. If the respondents had been chosen at random from families of the same sizes as the families Fe:::;5;O :: ~ : from which the respondents came (average: 3.35 siblings), 0% 20% 40% 60% 800/0 1 00% approximately 31 % would have been first born. In actual fact, 56% were first bom-a variation of more than 80%. Here is the actual distribution of birth rank compared with the distribution that would be predicted by a random What is your race? sampling of a group of families of the same size: Caucasian 1 000/0

American Indian 0 % fi rs t

Black 0% second Oriental 0 %

third Are You Married? • Actual • Predicted Y: 53%, later

% 0 1 0 % 2 0 % 3 0 % 4 0 % 5 0 % 6 0 0/0 0% 20% 30% 400/0 500/0 46 Liberty July 1988 What is the highest level of schooling you What is your occupation? (Check as many have completed? as apply.) Some high school 2 % government employee 100/0

High school graduate law non-profit organization Some college farming Bachelors' degree teaching Some grad school factory Masters' degree medical professional .111180/0 Doctoral degree investor scientific/technical .11111111111 3% small business owner 15% Which of the following best describes your sales religious training as a child? managerial Roman Catholic .1111 33% engineering 130/0 Mainline Protestant computer sCience.I!!!I!I!~2~6~0/0

Fundamentalist o% 5 % 10% 15% 20% 25%30% Jewish .1111 How many years (if any) were you in the None military? Other o .1111111111111111111111111111111173 % 1 - 2 1 00/0 300/0 3-4 Do you consider yourself a follower of any 5-6 religion today? more

v:: ~7% Was your highest rank enlisted or officer? (questionoJ11y asked to those withmili­ 0% 1 00/0 20% 30% .40% 50% 60% 70% 80% taryexperience.)

I How long ago did you most recently attend Enlisted . . 88% a church or other form of worship? Officer 12% 0-7 days I 0% 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 8-30 days •• 1 0% What is your sexual orientation? 31-90 days 91-365 days .1111111 3 % 1-5 years 100/0 :~e:~:::~;:t2_3_0~_O---lI H -I-...... _-+---+-_.....---+o_+-.....915 %

Ion 9er .1111111111111111111111111111111152 % o% 2 0 ~ 4 0 ~ 60 ~ 8 0 ~ 1000/0 never 7 % What is the predominant form of sexual activity that you engage in? Comment: Note that more respondents (26% [see "Moral Opinions" above]) believe there is a god than consid­ group sex er themselves to be religious. Whichever figure better re­ monogamous .111111111111111111111111111170 % flects the religiousity of respondents, it is apparently a mis­ casual/prorniscuous take to assume, as is often done, that libertarians are non­ believers. Even so, it is interesting to note that most libertari­ celibate ans have not attended a form of \V'orship in more than 5 aut0 ero tic !~~l1~6~0~Y0--l-_--I-_"""'_"-'---1 years. 0% 1 0% 200/030% 400/0 50% 60%700/0 Liberty 47 July 1988 If monogamous, how long have you been Do you talk to acquaintances about with your current partner? libertarianism? 0-1 years Ves 76% ~ 24% 2-4 years I 0% 10% 20% 300/0 40% 50% 600/0 70% 80% 5-10 years 11-20 years What percentage, if any, respond favorably? 20+ years 80-95% ••1 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 3 0% 55-750/°•••••••1 What are the political beliefs of your current partner? 35 -50%

active libertarian 20 - 3 0 % .1111111111111111111111111111111111111111 200/0 quasi-libertarian 10-15% passive libertarian non-libertarian!!~!!!~!!~;::.~ 00/0 80/0 120;. 16,} What is your annual income? Do you speak in public about libertarian (thousands) ideas? $100+ $50-1 00 1~ ~I~!I.I~!i ~~70/0 v: ••iI23,:I.IO $30-50 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 500/060% 70% 80%

$20-30 Have you given money to any of the $10-20 following libertarian organizations? Local Liber­ or $10 less tarian Party National Liber­ tarian Party Activism Mises Institute Do you belong to any community groups? Center for Liber­ tarian Studies vesl 180/0 Cato Institute ~I 82% II Libertarian % o% 10% 200/0 30% 40% 50%60% 70% 80% 90 International Foundation for Do you belong to any political Economic Education organizations? Advocates for Self Govern ment Ves Reason ~ 55% Foundation I 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Other Do you give money to libertarian causes? Humanitarian causes? Cultural causes? Religious organizations? Are you a registered voter? Have you ever Libertarian .l11l11l11l11l11l11l11l11l11l11l1l1ls7°,lc run for political office? Humanitarian .111111111111 registered voter=1II1111111111111111181 % % Cultural .111111111137 run for office . 240/0 ~---tl_-il-----I--+--+-""""---I Religious 1 5 % O°lt 1 O~ 20~ 30~40~ 50~ 60~ 70~80~ 90~ 10% 30% 50% 70% 48 Liberty July 1988 Our Editors Comment ... The Meaning of the Liberty Poll

Editors Holmes, Bradford, Cox, Waters, Richman, Overbeek and Rothbard have read the results of the Liberty Poll. Not surprisingly, they disagree about its significance. .. .

dueing offspring. manity. The 2% who would drop from Who Are These Nuts? As to the 44% who believe there is the balcony or the 22% who would by Mike Holmes no parental responsibility, who are starve in the cold may be nutty, stupid I found the poll results interesting and these nuts? It's a feeling I kept having as or just cute (it's easy to be a smart aleck worthwhile, although I harbor reserva­ I ran down various categories and ques­ on a blind questionnaire) but if they tions about how widely reflective they tions in which the commonsense or in­ practice what they preach, their ranks are of general libertarian sentiments. tuitive answer was rejected by a will surely dwindle in the face of the First, because of the relatively small significant percentage of respondents. cruel realities of life, such as gravity. sample size (one respondent can Who are these so-called libertarians, The nuclear weapon question had amount to 2%) and also because Liberty breeding like flies and abandoning off­ about one-fifth "nut" response (e.g., readers may differ in some important spring like turtles heading out to sea? neighbor owning a home nuke is no ways from the general libertarian audi­ Haven't they heard of individual re­ problem). Yecch. Maybe this is why the ence (roughly 20,000 or so hard core). sponsibility? This reinforces the com­ Of course the main difference is that monsense view that libertarians should Liberty readers are willing to shell out be good neighbors (as Karl Hess re­ Maybe Libertarians are better $18.00 per year or so for in-depth arti­ minds us). For one reason or another, lifeboat companions than neigh­ cles of theory and analysis, wherea* the many libertarians may not be good bors, since if you owned the life­ typical libertarian is perhaps more i~tui- . neighbors to have. Don't dump your boat, about 20% would jump tive, less intellectual, perhaps lessl ab­ progeny on me! overboard when ordered out for sorbed in details of philosophy orIless The fact that some commonly held concerned about sometimes troubling libertarian beliefs were rejected by a fair trespassing. theoretical distinctions. number of respondents ("all men ... That said, I found relatively little have a right to life") indicates that some Ft. Collins project (Le., getting libertari­ surprising in the section entitled "Moral respondents (and hence Liberty readers) ans to all move to Ft. Collins, Colorado) Opinions." Perhaps it makes sense to probably aren't libertarians at all in the is so slow to catch on. Who wants to live say, as the comment in the article does, conventionally understood sense of the around a bunch of nutty libertarians? that the high percentage of people (56%) term. The problem, of course, is that "life­ who believe that parents should have a The small affirmative response to boat ethics" are difficult to judge ab­ legal obligation to support their off­ the questions about God and the danger stractly ("hard cases make bad law"), spring implies that it "can be construed of communism (God is feared by 5% and it is difficult to generalize from ex­ to support an anti-abortion position." more than the Reds, a small comfort tremes. On the other hand, maybe liber­ But to me, if anything, the opposite is perhaps) is undoubtedly an indication tarians are better lifeboat companions true: if you have an obligation to sup- of how markedly different libertarians than neighbors, since if you owned the are from "normal" people, among lifeboat about 20% would jump over­ whom the Almighty and Karl Marx board when ordered out for trespassing. Who are these so-called liber­ have proven to be more popular and Good riddance to the nut faction.... tarians, breeding like flies and unpopular respectively. Not a lot was surprising in the In the Moral Problems section, the Influence section or Personal Data sec­ abandoning offspring like Nuts are clearly visible. Letting babies tion. Unfortunately, all too many of us turtles heading out to sea? starve (11 %) or become seriously endan­ are white (100% in the survey, not quite gered for transparently foolish reasons that extreme in fact), male, single, child­ (38%) is disturbing, to say the least. It less, unbelievers and in general unrep­ port your offspring you had better take would be interesting to determine if any resentative of the population at large. care about whether or not you are ofthese nutty propertarians are parents, Lack of family and perceived moral ob­ creating such dependents in the first or more likely, are socially underdevel­ ligations may partially explain some of place; strong belief in parental responsi­ oped single males for whom issues of the nutty answers. Libertarians appear bility also implies a belief in the need parenting and children are usually tak­ to be far better read and educated than for full choice regarding matters of pro- en more casually than by the rest of hu- the norm, above average in income (al- Liberty 49 July 1988 though 16% live near or at poverty lev­ tions. Here are the results: natural rights vs utilitarianism issue. els). Few belong to "community Question: "nut" "non-nut" Are the "nuts" more likely come to groups," but most apparently feel free Are you married? 59% 47% libertarianism from one particular polit­ to .bore their mates and friends with Do you have children? 59% 41 % ical milieu? Here is the breakdown: their libertarian opinions, despite the How many? (mean) 1.19 0.90 "nuts" are 20% left, 70% right and 10% relatively small percentage of friends Holmes' hypothesis was wrong: the center; "non-nuts" are 20% left, 62% who respond favorably. (only 38% re­ "nuts" on these children's issues are right, and 18% center. The "nuts" were port a success rate of over 35% in such 21 % more likely to be married and 44% slightly less likely to come from a cen­ endeavors). more likely to have children than those trist background and slightly more like­ The relatively high percentages who who gave "non-nutty' responses. This ly to have a rightwing background. But belong to political groups (45%), have is exactly the opposite of Holmes' ex­ the breakdowns are so similar that there run for office (24%) are registered to pectations, and of mine. I have no expla­ is probably no significance here. vote (81 %) and who donate money to li­ nation for it, except that perhaps our How do the "nuts" and "non-nuts" bertarian organizations (85%) and to the expectations of the stereotypical "social­ characterize the roots of their political Libertarian Party (58% national, 47% lo­ ly underdeveloped single males" of the thinking? The Poll asked respondents to cal) are also atypical of the general pub­ libertarian movement are wrong. select as many as they wished of five lic and belie the notion that libertarians My curiosity aroused, I wondered ways to complete the sentence, "My po­ are overwhelmingly anti-political or what other differences might exist be- litical beliefs are based on ..." anti-LP in nature. Response "nut" "non-nut" The poll has done libertarians a ser­ The "nuts," by Holmes' my religious beliefs 10% 28% vice. We know now that roughly one my understanding out of five of us holds nutty views on at definition, are more likely to of history 67% 69% least one subject, perhaps more, though be married men with chil­ my life experience 70% 72% given other data, perhaps this needn't dren, more likely anarchist, rational, phil 50- be taken too seriously. One word of and more likely heavily in­ phical analysis 93% 84% warning: beware of any "ism," libertari­ my understanding an or otherwise, which requires its ad­ fluenced by Ayn Rand than of economics 80% 94% herents to abandon common sense and other libertarians. Here we see some significant differ­ intuitive logic about daily living choices ences: the "nuts" are much less in­ or dramatic moral behavior. The sign of tween the two groups. What about their fluenced by religion but more by a truly dangerous movement or idea is intellectual backgrounds? I checked the rational, philosophical analysis. They one in which normal human values are respondents' ratings of four major in­ are, however, less influenced by eco­ drummed out of believers on the basis fluences on libertarian thought, Rand, nomics. This may explain why the of artificial abstractions. Rothbard, Mises and Hayek, selecting "nuts" ranked the influence of philoso­ We are all old enough to know that these four beca.use they ranked high in pher Rand higher than that of econo­ there are plenty of gray areas in libertar­ our poll and because two ofthem (Rand mist Rothbard, even though both are ian theory. Let us not give safe harbor to and Rothbard). are within the natural natural rights theorists. those who advocate foolish ideas. Or, rights (my colleague Ethan O. Waters Finally, there is that great libertarian put another way, let us not seriously would say the "moralistic") tradition controversy, anarchism vs limited gov­ consider throwing out the baby with the and two.(Mises and Hayek) are within ernment. Respondents who agreed bathwater, no matter whose baby it is, the utilitarian (Waters would say "con­ with the proposition "Government or who paid for the soap. sequentialist") tradition. Here are the should be eliminated altogether" I clas­ results: sified as "anarchists"; those who agreed Who The "Nuts" Are Influence "nut" "non-nut" with the proposition "The proper role of by R. W. Bradford Rand 4.43 3.79 government is finite, but· much smaller Mike Holmes wonders if there are any Rothbard 3.80 3.97 than present" I classified as "limited parents among the "nutty propertari­ Mises 3.83 3.53 governmentalists," Here is the ans" who would let "babies starve Hayek 3.33 2.88 breakdown: (11 %) or become seriously endangered The "nuts" were influenced 17% Category "nut" "non-nut" (39%) for transparently foolish reasons." more by Rand, 8% more by Mises, and limited government 55% 77% He hypothesizes that such people were 16% more by Hayek than were the anarchist 45% 23% "more likely socially underdeveloped "non-nuts." But "nuts" are influenced Here at last we have a clear differ­ single males ..." 4% less by Rothbard. I can't see any pat­ ence between Holmes' "nuts" and "non­ To check out Holmes' hypothesis, I tern here, at least in terms of the rights nuts": the "nuts" are much more likely divided the respondents into two vs utilitarianism issue, although I can to be anarchists. groups: those who met his working def­ think of two explanations why I could As we go to press, we are arranging inition of a "nut"(Le. those who would find no correlation: (1) the issue of natu­ the data into an elaborate database , let a baby starve or die of malnutrition ral rights vs utilitarianism is not rele­ which will allow us to make queries of rather than violate the property rights vant to the the starving baby problems; these sorts more easily. We plan to ex­ of parents) and those who did not. Out or (2) the respondents were influenced plore the data further. If we find any­ of 62 respondents to the Poll, 21 (34%) by the Rand, Rothbard, Mises and thing that is really interesting, we will qualify as "nuts" by Holmes' defini- Hayek in ways that do not reflect the report it in a future issue of Liberty.

50 Liberty July 1988 in late 1987 returned about the same tarians are eclectic: While three of the Poll Observations proportion of religious feeling as the top six influences (Rand, Rothbard and by Stephen Cox current poll of subscribers, but the per­ Jefferson) are advocates of natural When I received the results of our sur­ centage of non-white respondents was rights, the other three (Mises, Hayek vey, my eye fell on our readers' re­ higher in the convention poll, and the and Friedman) are better characterized sponse to the proposition, "Com­ percentage of non-heterosexual respon­ as utilitarians. I was surprised at the rel­ munism is the greatest threat to human dents was much higher. Are gays and atively low rankings of LeFevre, Tucker liberty." Only 21 % agreed. My initial re­ melnbers of "racial"minority groups and Konkin. action was, If they don't think commun­ less likely to return survey-forms Aside from the high proportion of li­ ism is the greatest threat, what in the through the mail than in person, or are bertarians who are first-born, I see little world do they think is? My second reac­ our subscribers more heterosexual and surprising in the "personal" section. tion was, We should have asked that more Caucasian than delegates and Anyone who has ever attended a liber­ question another way. Perhaps our guests of the Libertarian Party-though tarian meeting knows that libertarians readers draw a distinction between the not more or less religious? are overwhelmingly well educated, fiercest and most extreme threat (com­ Perhaps the most interesting datum male and Caucasian. munism?), and the most proximate for me was the response to "Who intro­ threat, the one most likely to do us in d uced you to'libertarian ideas?" 61 % Is there a Libertarian (McGovern liberalism? Bush conserva­ said "a writerl/ had introduced them; Doctrine? tism?). Our "greatest threat" formula­ only 20% said "a friend." Since I was in­ by Ross Overbeek troduced to libertarianism by a friend tion leaves too much to the imagination. There have been several attempts with­ (who is, in fact, a fellow-editor of this in the libertarian movement to forge a journa1), the datum initially made me precise, well-articulated philosophy; the feel alienated from my fellow­ best known examples are Objectivism Libertarians make their own libertarians who prize the written word (directed by Rand and Branden) and an­ decisions about ideology, basing so much more highly than the spoken. archo-capitalism. However, the current thern on reading and not on so­ But then I considered that I myself as a movement. is far from a single philo­ college professor have invested heavily cial suasion. Early Christians sophical position. Many current mem­ in the written word, and I became unali­ were people of the book par ex­ bers have attempted to retain the more enated. It is remarkable, however, that cellence, but libertarians greatly central notions, while openly admitting libertarians exemplify what they preach: deviation (or just plain confusion) on outperform them in this area. they make their own decisions about many critical details. Does this mean that we libertari­ ideology, basing them on reading (the This a desirable and proper state of ans do not preach as effectively most individual of activities) and not on affairs. There was a time when the cen­ social suasion. It is said that early to our friends as the early tral dogma of the libertarian movement Christians were people of the book par Christains did to theirs? would have explicitly excluded almost excellence, but libertarians greatlyout­ all of the more interesting thinkers who perform them in this area. Or does this have contributed to modern libertarian mean that most libertarians do not Apparently, one doesn't understand literature. Remember: preach as effectively to their friends as the questions one has asked until one • Mises described himself as a the early Christains did to theirs? sees the results of one's survey. determinist; More second thoughts arose con­ Controversies Persist • Leonard Read defended the draft; cerning the responses to "There is a • Robert Heinlein is not an god" (26% agreed). When I suggested by R. W. Bradford isolationist; this formulation (while I was sitting on The main conclusion that I draw from • Henry Hazlitt is an explicit utilitar­ a rickety balcony overlooking Puget the Poll is that libertarianism is much ian; and Sound, drinking a beer, and thinking less a doctrine than an ideological ten­ • Hayek has defended public perhaps more about the view and the dency. The great controversies of liber­ education. beer than about scientific accuracy), it tarianism (limited government vs The libertarian movement can most didn't occur to me that everyone who anarchy, isolationism vs national de­ usefully be viewed as a growing body felt hesitant about roundly affirming fense, absolutism of rights vs tempering of people exploring the meaning and that "There is a god" would probably of rights by utilitarian considerations) utility of freedom, not as a group adher­ answer in the negative. People in theo­ remain controversial. ing to a single well-understood logical doubt could, of course, just as The widespread belief that libertari­ doctrine. easily have responded in the affirma­ ans eschew altruism seems dubious: at tive, but \vhat often seems to be the pre­ least 87% of respondents give money to No Conclusions vailing climate of libertarian opinion charity and fully 24% have contributed ____b~y_S_h_e_ld_on Richman might tilt their hand toward the "No" time to run for public office. With only 31 percent-and a small ab­ column. In any event, we left no room It comes as no surprise that Rand ex­ solute number, at that-responding to for agnostics, of \-vhom to my certain erts more influence on libertarian the survey, we can draw no serious con­ knowledge there are many in the liber­ thought than anyone else and that she is clusions. I would warn against relying tarian movement. followed closely by Rothbard. But even on the reults for anything important. The poll that we took at the in ranking intellectual influences liber- Another problem is that the respon- Libertarian Party National Convention Liberty 51 July 1988 dents were not asked how long they rather trespass than die in the flagpole to hire outside experts. We decided to have considered themselves libertari­ question, including 14% who would re­ do the Poll after reading the study of li­ ans. This might have shed some light on strict their trespassing to his flagpole bertarians by social scientists John C. the answer about intellectual influences. and 84% who would go so far as to en­ Green and James L. Guth. A higher per­ The profile of the average libertarian in ter another's residence; 78% would centage of those who were sent the the period 1969-1972 is bound to be dif­ force their way into an occupied build­ Green-Guth poll responded than did ferent from that of 1973-1980 and from ing rather than face freezing to death; those who were sent our poll. (Green­ 1981 to date. Many things have changed 73% would interfere.with a neighbor's Guth had a 67% response rate vs a 31 % over the last twenty years. For example, right to keep and bear arms if those response rate for the Liberty Poll). I sus­ the campaign of Ed Clark brought peo­ arms were powerful enough. pect this reflects the greater ideological ple into the movement who, unlike earli­ It is apparent that many of those fervor of those studied by Green and er movement people, were not originally Willing to dispense with the non­ Guth: their study surveyed people who "conservatives" who discovered Rand aggression axiom have no clear or con­ had made gifts of $100 or more to the and then Rothbard. sistent criterion for deciding when to Libertarian Party according to Federal The height of the anarchist­ dispense with it. Election Commission records; ours minarchist debate was some time ago, surveyed people who had purchased a so it is understandable that newer liber­ The Poll's Validity subscription to Liberty at a cost of $18. tarians are not up on it. Most libertari­ by R. W. Bradford The Liberty Poll had almost the same ans do not start as anarchists, and many One vexing aspect of the Liberty Poll is response in absolute terms as the Green­ will not take up the issue if they do not the issue of whether its results are valid, Guth study: 62 responses to the Liberty come across it in the course of an active and who the results are valid about. Poll vs 67 responses to the Green-Guth debate. If the debate is not going on, in The Poll randomly surveyed study. a magazine, for example, many will not Liberty's subscribers. Are these subscri­ One thing seems clear: since the come across it. The results on the anar­ bers typical libertarians? Put another Liberty Poll's database is about the chist issue do suggest that Liberty could way: in what ways are Liberty's readers same absolute size as the Green-Guth profitably publish articles in this area, atypical? Liberty's advertising has survey's database, it likely has compar­ perhaps a head-to-head debate. sought readers interested in "essays that able validity. I would draw no conclusions from challenge and expand libertarian think­ the "problems" section of the poll. By ing, lively book reviews, articles analyz­ Libertarians and Minorities their very nature and by the narrowness ing current trends in political and social by Ross Overbeek of their focus, they do not lend them­ thought, essays exploring the sort of so­ The respondents make it appear that the selves to yes-no answers. Two people ciety that libertarianism entails, discus­ libertarian movement consists of mid­ giving the same answer to a question sions of the strategy and tactics of social dle-class, middle-aged, heterosexual, could have very different things to say change ..." Presumably, such advertis­ male Caucasians. While the movement about the problem. I am not convinced ing has little appeal to people who are does include articulate members of mi­ that such questions are worthwhile in a not libertarian and to libertarians who norities, it certainly does not appear to survey of libertarians. are not interested in the rather intellec­ be a movement of the disenfranchised. tual bill-of-fare we offer. And of course, While I am aware of the arguments sup­ Rights Issues Unresolved such advertising does not appeal to porting the position that increases in lib­ by Ethan O. Waters those unwilling to pay $18 for a year's erty advance the welfare of all members To me, the most salient finding of the worth of such material. of society, it seems likely that members Poll is that libertarian moral thinking is Just how typical is this subset of li­ of minoritites are not "buying this not very rigorous. How else can one un­ bertarians? Libertarian is a rather ab­ pitch." Why not? I believe that intelli­ derstand the fact that 11 % believe a par­ stract intellectual proposition, so most gent members of these minorities would ent should be allowed to starve his kid libertarians are presumably quite inter­ argue that libertarian positions are be­ to death, but 39% believe a parent ested in the sorts of writing that Liberty ing used as tools of oppression. We should be allowed to kill his kid by mal­ publishes, so I suspect that Liberty ap­ might do well to listen carefully. nutrition? Or explain why only 2% peals to most libertarians. At $18 per would face death by dropping from the year, Liberty costs about the same as a What's Wrong with the 49th story of a building rather than vio­ large pizza or two tickets to the movies, Liberty Poll; or, How I late property rights, but fully 22% with a soda and popcorn, which makes Became a Libertarian would face freezing to death in a situa­ Liberty something of a luxury good. by Murray N. Rothbard tion identical in other respects? Even so, the Poll indicated that 16% of Although nearly all libertarians respondents live below the poverty lev­ Less and less do I have any use for ques­ (89%) agree with the non-aggression ax­ el yet managed to throw down $18 for tionnaires, and unfortunately the iom, a great many are willing to dis­ Liberty. Liberty Poll is no exception. By squeez­ pense with it when convenient: 47% will What about the validity of the sam­ ing the complexities of thought into risk killing an innocent hostage to save ple? Is it reasonable to generalize from a multiple choice and quantitative scales a greater number of people in an emer­ 62 responses, constituting 31 % of those they provide distortion instead of illu­ gency, and another 25% will kill the polled? mination. Hence, I found it impossible hostage outright if necessary; 89% will Alas, I do not know. None of to answer all too many of the questions. trespass to prevent a parent from starv­ Liberty's editors has a background in Just two examples illustrate what I ing his child for the fun of it; 98% would statistics or polling and we did not want mean.

52 Liberty July 1988 How in hell could I hope to squeeze right, becoming a free-market econo­ series of nearly all-night sessions of into multiple choice the process by mist, though not a very consistent one. friendly argument with a few left-liberal which I became a libertarian? My fa­ After years of a steady shift right­ friends in graduate school, concerning ther? A writer? Which one, on a scale ward, I encountered the fledgling my bizarre views. In the course of the from one to five? What impudence! My Foundation on Economic Education argument, I didn't think that anything becoming a libertarian was a lengthy (FEE) when I was in graduate school. significant was going on; it seemed like process, beginning perhaps when I re­ Inspired by consistent and radical the same old controversy over laissez­ acted badly against the dimwits and thinkers and writers I discovered faire. But after they had left, at about hooligans amongst whom I found my­ through FEE (notably Frank Chodorov, self in public school (and this was long Albert Jay Nock, and H.L.Mencken) I before the New York City school system very rapidly moved toward a pure, con­ I realized that there were became the open sewer it is now!) I sistent minarchist position. Although I only two logical possibilities: found surcease and happiness in private had never thought about foreign policy, socialism or anarchism. Since school. Did I make the full connection blindly adopting New York Times inter­ then, in the fourth grade? Of course not, nationalism, I now quickly saw that in­ it was out of the question for but I was on my way. Growing up in dividual liberty and ultra-minimal me to become a socialist, I the 1930s in New York, I was surround-· government implied an anti-militarist found myself, pushed by the ed by friends, relatives and neighbors and non-interventionist foreign policy. ranging from left-liberals to fellow trav­ So, discovering FEE in the winter of irresistible logic of the case, a ellers and full-fledged members of the 1946-47, I was a 100% minarchist and private property anarchist. Communist Party. The big moral and non-interventionist within a year or so. spiritual dilemma in those days was: But I'll be damned if I can remember the should I or should I not make the full exact sequence or the precise weight of 3:00 AM, I realized that something very commitment and join the Communist influence by different persons or writ­ significant had occurred that night. As I Party? In this atmosphere, I became a ers. I do know that in 1946 I was writing remembered, my friends had put the free-market conservative very early, issue papers attacking price control for case to me this way: "You favor private strongly influenced, no doubt, by my fa­ the Young Republican Club and in 1948 enterprise and competition in every ther's instinctive libertarianism. In the was the only non-Southern member of area, yet you favor government police. eighth grade, as a middle-class scholar­ the minuscule Students for Thurmond Right?" ship student, I became the only champi­ at Columbia University, an object of "Yes," I replied. on of free enterprise in a private school great puzzlement on the part of Henry "On what basis do you favor gov­ of affluent Park Avenue left-liberals. Wallace intellectuals as they saw me de­ ernment police and courts?" I argued against the New Deal's vi­ livering an impassioned stump speech I began to fumble. I had never really cious introduction of a capital gains tax on behalf of "states' rights." considered this question in depth. in the eighth grade, and from then on The next two great conversions com­ "Well," I said, I'the people get together was the school's sole conservative. In pleting my journey to pure libertarian­ and voluntarily decide to delegate their family gatherings whooping it up for ism-Misesian economics and anarcho­ power to protect themselves to a the Communist side in the Spanish Civil capitalism-were sudden epiphanies, government." War (spearheaded by two sets of based, however, on years, even decades "But then," they said triumphantly, Communist Party aunts and uncles), I of slow preparation. "if the people can get together to decide piped up from the peanut gallery won­ Even though I was a devoted free­ that, why can't they also get together dering what was so terrible about market person, I was unhappy with and decide to build steel plants, dams, Franco (the answer was stunned such problems as monopoly, antitrust, etc.?" silence). unemployment, and business cycles. I honestly don't remember, and At Columbia College, it was more of Hearing about Ludwig von Mises's didn't even remember that night at 3:00 the same. Amidst the great fight be-­ seminar at New York University, I be­ AM, what I answered. But I realized tween Stalinists and Trotskyists on cam-- gan attending in the fall of 1949, coinci­ that, whatever it was, it was not dentally just at the point when his enough: that if the people could get to­ My becoming a libertarian monumental I-Iuman Action was pub­ gether to decide on a government police lished. Human Action was my great force, they could similarly get together was a lengthy process, beginning conversion experience in economics. All to establish any other government oper­ perhaps when 1 reacted badly the problems I had had with economic ation, that my whole 'position was in­ against the dimwits and hooli­ theory-e.g. the fact that each school of consistent, and that there were only two gans amongst whom I found thought seemed vulnerable to the criti­ logical possibilities: socialism, or anar­ myself in public school. cisms of its rivals-were speedily chism. Since it was out of the question cleared up. I read this massive tome at for me to become a socialist, I found fever pitch; all of a sudden, all of eco­ myself, pushed by the irresistible logic pus, I was one of only hvo Republicans nomics made sense, and fit together into of the case, a private property anarchist, on the entire campus, and the other guy a mighty and coherent system, all lead­ or, as I would later dub it, an "anarcho­ was a literary type with ,,,,hom I had ing to individualism and human liberty. capitalist." Having become an anar­ little in common. Engaging in debates, My second great conversion experi­ chist, I decided to read up as much as formal and informal, with professors ence happened only a fe,v months later, and students, I moved inexorably to the in the \vinter of 1949-50. I had one of a continued on page 55 Liberty 53 July 1988 is just the opposite. But even private Journalistic Ethics ... support can create ethically insur­ mountable problems in the shape of conflicts of interest. The main response to this charge has two parts. First, as far as the consu­ mer of publishing-in journalism or in What if it's Publish and Perish? scholarship-is concerned, the most im­ by Tibor R. Machan portant thing for him or her is the exis­ tence of a free, competitive market. There is no doubt that the practitioners of these professions \vill often refuse to cut their own necks just to scrutinize and perhaps expose the misdeeds of their Most people know of the standard are government bodies such as the funders. So the consumer has to rely on charge leveled against commercial Navy or the National Endowment for the existence of an open market that will newspapers and magazines. If they ac­ the Humanities, ethical problems multi­ multiply perspectives. It is true, as the cept advertising, how could they ever be ply.) The Ford, Rockefeller, Earhart, Olin rationalizers of government censorship objective in their reporting and discus­ or Carnegie Foundation is not some argue, that the Western style free press sion of the business community? But do neutral body. It is presided over by is not altogether at liberty to do just any­ we fully realize that non-commercial­ prominent individuals whose ideological thing, if it wishes to stay alive. I can im­ educational, scholarly, scientific­ and business commitments are far­ agine that even that impeccable organ, enterprises are just as vulnerable to a reaching. The Wall Street Journal, would have similar problem: If they accept subsidies A news item or topic of concern can some trouble directly attacking Dow how can they report objectively and criti­ easily emerge involving some founda­ Jones, even if the editors felt it journalis­ cally on matters relating to them? tion vital to the support of a magazine or tically justified. A former employee of Journalistic ethics normally requires broadcast project. Firing Line is spon­ the Journal reports that the publication that one report objectively on matters of sored by several major corporations; Mr. is required to print all of the parent com­ significance to members of the commu­ Buckley could well find himself with a pany's news releases-verbatim! One nity one has chosen to serve. Anything guest whose book is a sustained, serious, might have thought that with such emi­ else would seem to be an evasion of pro­ and telling attack on one of these. Ms. nent and secure publications there is fessional responsibilities. Scholarship magazine is the recipient of foundation little likelihood of acquiescence to pres­ faces a similar task. Of course, there are support. Various progressive, libertari­ sure of that kind. In any case, however, obvious cases in which the journalistic an, conservative and other publications, the consumer is best off in a free, capi­ posture is mere sham, as in trade publi­ programs, or projects are in the same talist society because competition en­ cations, e.g., the education profession's position. And virtually all those little sures a variety of sources. The main Chronicles of I-Jigher Education, IBM's centers or institutes preoccupied with danger to the consumer is monopoly or Think inhouse magazine, etc. But these the study of professional ethics, busi­ oligopoly. As anyone not wholly ignorant publications are so obviously partisan ness ethics, values and society, or what­ of economics knows, those are more that no one expects adherence to the not receive support not just from likely within an economy that enjoys ex­ normal standards of journalism. Nor do foundations and corporations but also, tensive government intervention than in \,ye usually think of government publica­ very often, from the government. free markets. tions-even those of the United States Innumerable scholarly papers devote Second, professional ethics is cer­ Information Agency, which is supposed­ their first footnote to thanking the Lilly tainly not on the same level of ly dedicated to informing the deceived Fund, the Rand Corporation, the fundamentality as are the basic ethical of the truth about America-as para­ National Science Foundation, the principles that everyone should invoke gons of objectivity. Nationa lEnd 0 \,y ment for the in life. A principle of professional ethics But most journalistic media are Humanities, or some other private or is not anything on the order of an owned by corporations and financed by government body for research funds. In absolute moral principle. Rather, it is advertisers. For this reason, people de­ these instances it might be problematic, contingent on adherence to other fending censorship in various coun­ unsettling, or even devastating if the moral principles. This may be tries-in the Soviet Union, Israel, scholar \vere to focus his or her attention illustrated with business ethics, in which Mozambique, etc.-usually claim that upon the source of the support. Not sur­ it is a moral responsibility of an execu­ the idea of a free Western press is a prisingly, it is rare to find anything along tive to further the economic well-being myth, since corporate ownership and those lines. of the firm. But since the executive may support subverts journalistic objectivity. Of course there is a clear distinction also be a citizen, a friend, a parent, a Yet nonprofit publications face the between obtaining private funding and spouse, etc., other moral responsibilities possibility of similar conflicts of interest. obtaining support from the government, will also guide his or her conduct. Total Consider that many such publications mainly because the presulnption in the devotion to work will appear irresponsi­ rely on the support of foundations, former case is that the support is volun­ ble, since other relationships require among \,yhich are well established and tarily given and \,yas not stolen from any­ attention. influential organizations. (When these one, \,yhile the presumption in the latter In journalism or scholarship, one

54 Liberty July 1988 may find an interesting story about such a way. Principles of journalistic eth­ more effectively, with less risk of severe some major supporter, but because it ics are not similar to the prohibition costs. The idea that martyrdom is noble would be suicidal to run it, choose some against murder or theft but more like belongs to a very dubious ethical sys­ other topic. If the story is vital, however, edicts about therapist-client or doctor­ tem, one that certainly was not devel­ it may be wise to point it out to some patient relations. In too many cases, out­ oped with an eye to making people competitor. Total silence could be im­ side the most basic and simple ones, the successful at living human lives. The moral, especially if the story itself in­ right thing to do will have to be deter­ point was, rather, to attain success in an­ volves imlnorality-if, for instance, the mined from a very rich context of back­ other world. From a saner ethical view­ funder is violating some ethical precept ground information. But it is wrong to point, it would be wrong to seek out or breaking a just law. And there is a argue that because there is the potential actions for oneself that lead to the de- point at which one may struction of one's values have to forego the bene- and projects, unless there fits of financial support­ is something very funda­ if, for instance, the funder The idea that 1nartyrdom is noble belongs mental at stake. In this is stealing the funds con­ to a very dubious ethical system, one that cer­ case one is still preserving tributed or is making de­ tainly was not developed with an eye to mak­ what counts most for one­ mands on journalists or self: integrity. scholars that would re­ ing people successful at living human lives. Journalistic or scholar­ quire betraying profes­ ly ethics requires no sui- sional ethics. cide. Courage, of course, As with most ethical problems, the of conflict of interest, there is something requires taking some risks, weighing val­ difficulties one faces in a conflict of in­ inherently problematic in the practice of ues, choosing sides when conflicts occur. terest situation can only be hinted at in the profession itself. Unfortunately, this But courage is not the only virtue­ abstract discussions. They must ulti­ is precisely the argument made by some honesty, prudence, and moderation are mately be dealt with in concrete situa­ reckless idealists whenever economic also virtues. Each must be attended to, tions. One needs to consider the details. interests are involved in some undertak­ and being reasonable in this task is the The principles involved are not the very ing-that is, in virtually any aspect of hu­ ultimate virtue. This reasonableness is general ones that a sound ethical theory man life. the primary ethical responsibility of eve­ will propose for virtually every situation Conflict of interest situations may be ry human being, one that is prior to the faced by human beings. Rather these handled in a variety of ways, including more specialized ethical responsibilities are hypotheticals: If you face such-and­ simply shelving them or passing the related to one's profession, including such situation, then act in such-and- problem on to those who can discuss it journalism. CJ

Continued from page 53, Rothbard possible, and quickly devoured Spooner, ter, have the right to plug the hostage shoot the shopping center guard, who Tucker, Auberon Herbert et. al. It was a (assuming, of course, that he has no constitutes the most direct and immedi­ busy and remarkably fruitful winter. In clear shot at the kidnapper?) The confu­ ate threat to the person and life of the the fall of 1949 I was a free-market min­ sion comes from forgetting the rights of hostage. By putting the case in terms of archist of no particular school of thought; the innocent hostage. The question someone employed by the shopping by the spring of 1950 I was a hard-core should be countered by another: name­ center, the framers of the question have Miscsian and anarcho-capitalist, as well ly, assume another bodyguard, hired by silently pushed the rights and defense as an "isolationist." The of the hostage out of pub­ first "Rothbardian" had lic view. been born. No\\! I ask The moral of this story you: ho\v the hell could I Ever:1jone's rights are absolute, pragma­ is not that all rights are rel­ squeeze all this into the tism is inconsistent as well as pernicious, ative, and that no firm po­ compass of that narrow and everyone is obligated to defend every sition can be taken. The questionnaire? moral of this story is that The arcane and eso­ innocent person's rights. everyone's rights are abso­ teric problems in libertar­ lute, that pragmatism is in­ ian theory mainly miss consistent as well as the boat, and I say this as someone who the hostage for defense. Assume, once pernicious, and that everyone is obligat­ cut his eyeteeth in the movement debat­ again, that the hostage's bodyguard has ed to defend every innocent person's ing even more recondite puzzles. no clear shot at the kidnapper. The rights: in short, that no aggression may Take for example the question of the bodyguard looks around and sees the ever be waged against an innocent vic­ shopping center guard. A criminal takes shopping center guard take aim and be tim regardless of excuse or alibi. And someone as a hostage, uses him or her about to shoot the hostage. The body­ that the putative shopping center guard as a shield, and brandishes a gun, guard, pledged above all to defend the who shot and killed the hostage was a threatening the rest of the public. Does person and property of the hostage, has murderer, and should be treated a guard, employed by the shopping cen- only one justifiable course of action: to accordingly. 0

Liberty 55 July 1988 Reawraisal

Rand-Bashing: Enough is Enough by Ross Overbeek

First we were treated to Murray Rothbard arguing that the "guiding spirit of the Randian movement was not individual liberty - as it seemed to many young members­ but rather personal power for Ayn Rand and her leading disciples." l Now David Ramsay Steele, in an attempt to purge his soul of his early error of actu- . ally being "dazzled" by Rand's writing, feels compelled to pen a tirade that goes well beyond anything remotely resem­ got deeper into the Objectivist move­ mitted all my energies to science, bling a search for the truth. 2 ment, they came to feel betrayed. They might have achieved superior Parts of this story get lost in the grew disenchanted with certain aspects competence. telling. of Rand's philosophy, and they objected 2. "By sticking to fiction, [Rand] to being pressured to conform to these could have become a sort of minor Was Rand a Bad Novelist? positions. But their bitterness has led right-wing Jack London. As it was she There are two types of attacks on them to make flawed judgments about didn't write much fiction, and most of it Ayn Rand's reputation as a writer. The the quality of Rand's novels. is not outstanding," Steele writes. I am first type emanates from people who, Typical first reactions to Rand's nov­ a fan of Jack London, but I believe that having developed within the culture of els make a prima facie case for her skill. anyone who takes the time to read his the left, simply fail to comprehend the How many novels does one read that major "ideological" works (e.g., The appeal of Rand. The second is the work stimulate such pronounced responses of Iron Heel, Martin Eden, or The People of those who experienced strong emo­ interest, curiosity, and enthusiasm? of the Abyss> will find them quite inferi­ tional reactions to Rand's novels, looked Although some people experienced or to Rand's. Although London's novels to her for guidance or intellectual sup­ deep disappointment on a second or are well worth reading, the idea that port, and were finally disillusioned. The third reading, most libertarians initially Rand never measured up to London is criticisms of the first type-typified by felt a deeply positive sympathy with ludicrous. Granville Hicks' review of Atlas Rand's heroes. It is hard for me to re­ Shrugged in the New York Times, or, for concile that powerful reaction with Did Rand Retard the that matter Whittaker Chambers' re­ claims that her characters are merely Libertarian Movement? view in National Review----,are much less "wooden," "posturing," "cardboard A recent poll taken by Liberty 3 interesting than those of the second. cut-outs." It is one thing to question the asked questions about the influence of a The most bitter attacks on Rand ideas they embody, it is quite another to variety of thinkers. It revealed that have been initiated by individuals who deny the skill and power with which Rand has been the most important intel­ were fairly deeply involved in the she presents them. lectual influence on an entire generation Objectivist experience. Some were fa­ Disagreement with specific doc­ of libertarians. Of course, one can quite miliar with Austrian economics, classi­ trines of Objectivism can result in an in­ properly point out that many of her ide­ cal liberalism, and intellectual credible lack of fairness. Let me as were articulated by earlier writers. conservatism before they encountered illustrate with just two examples frofu But that really doesn't matter; Rand Rand. They were thoughtful people Steele's criticism: made the ideas popular. It was her who struggled with difficult issues and 1. "Potentially, [Barbara Branden] power as a novelist that brought the were already forming basic sentiments seems to have been a better writer than ideas to a wide audience. It was not the of them. When they encountered Rand, Rand, but she gave that up for the sake Libertarian Party's TV advertising, the they experienced ecstasy. They stayed of her submission before the cult," Cato Institute, the Foundation for up all night just walking the streets writes David Ramsay Steele. This is lu­ Economic Education, or any other indi­ thinking about what she had written. dicrous. It is no more meaningful than vidual or institution. Later, they talked with others, but ini­ the speculation that I might potentially Had Rand not published her novels, tially it was a very private, very intense have been a better scientist than and had the Nathaniel Branden experience. Eventually, as such people Einstein: had I from an early age com- Institute failed to spread her ideas sys- 56 Liberty tematically, I consider it quite likely that 2. Convinced that she was correct, Rand leading his followers? Then why make no modern libertarian movement would used her substantial abilities as a novel­ such charges about Rand simply out of exist. The impetus created by ist to articulate her philosophy. Her disappointment with her imperfect re­ Goldwater Republicanism would have powerful fictional manifestoes gained actions to criticism? pulled many current members directly the interest of other intellectuals. into mainstream politics, leaving an in­ 3. Many of these people accepted the Was NBI Merely a Cult? tellectual few holding seminars on hard emerging set of ideas as fundamentally Perhaps the most damaging attacks money and Austrian economics. Rand sound. Compared with the popular wis­ against Rand are those charging that the was the main stimulus that produced dom of the time (think back to the fifties intellectual environment cultivated by the movement, including the elements and sixties), Rand's platform inspired the leadership of the Rand movement that most successfully launched attacks numerous bright young people to try to was weirdly restrictive, that this envi­ on her doctrines. live up to her values and spread the ronment was carefully created and On the face of it, the assertion that word about them. maintained at NBI in a way totally inap­ Rand has arrested the growth of liber­ propriate to any attempt at educating Such a pattern has occurred over tarianism is silly: Rand is the single young Howard Roarks. This atmos­ and over again in the history of ideas greatest stimulus to libertarian thinking phere, it is said, reflected the actual be­ and I can find nothing objectionable in ever. liefs of Rand, Branden, and the other it. Indeed, one significant reward of sus- Some might argue that although leaders of the Objectivist movement. In Rand presented her ideas short, Objectivist leaders forcefully and· seductive­ were a bunch of power­ ly, many of the elements On the face of it, the assertion that Rand hungry manipulators. of her thinking were sim­ has arrested the growth of the libertarian Let's examine the ply incorrect, leaving her process by which a "cul­ followers with beliefs movement is silly: Rand is the single ture" like that exhibited that could not be defend­ greatest stimulus to libertarian thinking by NBI arises. Rothbard ed. Rand promised too ever. attempted such an exam- much. Faced with a ination in "The Sociology growing number of ques- of the Ayn Rand Cult," tions from her inquisitive followers, but his outlook reflects too vividly his tained intellectual effort is enthusiasm. Rand created a highly restricted intellec­ own personal experiences. While many tual atmosphere. This exacerbated the Mistakes may be made, but mistakes are of his comments seem reasonable, there likely to occur in any difficult, challeng­ feelings of betrayal among those who are aspects of the story that I believe de­ ing intellectual task. Getting excited criticized aspects of her philosophy and serve a more dispassionate analysis. about successes and overstating what led to charges that Rand had "blighted" A movement based solidly on prin­ has actually been accomplished seem to the existence of her followers. Precisely ciples of individualism clearly requires me almost inevitable in pioneering because she was such a powerful per­ an atmosphere in which people can ex­ sonalityand writer, her attacks on vari­ efforts. plore ideas, conflicts among positions The charge that Rand misled follow­ ous individuals and organizations (such are tolerated, and the common goal is ers is distinct from the charge that Rand as the Libertarian Party) had dramatic the pursuit of truth. NBI and the failed to respond to criticism appropri­ consequences. She expressed too much Objectivist movement failed to meet ately. The libertarian movement is in no certainty in support ofquestionable the­ these requirements. It does not follow, position to attack leaders who have ad­ ses, and responded to criticisms by try­ however, that their failure resulted from vanced highly questionable positions ing to force her followers to adhere to a conscious desire to build a cult, with with vigor. Of the movement's major her ideas. the associated personal benefits. Minor figures, only those who have explicitly But from my perspective, the follow­ errors in decision-making may have sidestepped the truly difficult issues as­ ing events occurred: produced a distinctly undesirable cu­ sociated with ethics have avoided dam­ mulative effect. 1. Rand became aware of some signifi­ aging criticism. cant philosophical themes. She integrat­ One way to illustrate this is to com­ Rothbard, for example, takes some pare the activities of the Objectivists ed these themes into what became very advanced positions in The Ethics of Objectivism. This was a strikingly origi­ working through NBI with the activities Liberty. If some of these turn out to be of the Cato Institute in the 1970s. nal performance. flawed, shall we charge him with mis- Though the two efforts were very differ­ ent, both in the personalities of the cen­ tral players and in the tactics they Reason Foundation Doners ... employed, there are, nevertheless, sev­ eral important parallels. Like the Are you interested in increasing the impact of your donations to the Objectivists, the libertarians in the Cato Reason Foundation? We have a way to double the effect of your dona­ Institute had agreed upon a central, core tions to Reason, and to benefit Liberty at the same time. doctrine, and one major goal was to dis­ For details, write: seminate that doctrine. While the core R. W. Bradford, Publisher doctrine was explicit within the Rand Liberty Magazine movement, within Cato far less energy PO Box 1167 was expended in maintaining ideologi- Port Townsend, WA 98368 Liberty 57 July 1988 cal purity. True, Rothbard had dropped anism as if it were anathema to liberty fied through utilitarianism), and, hence, his "plumb line," but the limits placed and suggested that perhaps libertarians that people advocating such positions on disagreement were far more flexible should at least consider utilitarian are (at best) misguided proponents of at Cato than in the Rand movement. arguments. The leading light responded liberty. And no one laughs. Even so, Cato's goals included spread­ that "utilitarianism vitiates the cause of As far as I can see, these tendencies ing their core ideas, and the desire to liberty," as if vitiation or enhancement grew vicious in the Objectivist setting spread those ideas led to a variety of of the libertarian cause were somehow because the Objectivists were successful strange incidents. relevant to the truth or falsity of an in creating a focused movement that Having gradually come to reject idea. maintained forward momentum. most aspects of the natural rights de­ A short time later this same speaker Should the Libertarian Party ever fense of liberty, I tried to consult the tipped a glass of liquor off the railing on achieve even a modicum of actual suc­ four or five leading libertarian intellec­ the mezzanine in the plush ~otel where cess and power, similar incidents will tuals at a Cato Institute Seminar in 1980. we were gathered. Almost immediately, be commonplace. They would be objec- All but one reacted with tionable, and even avoi­ an NBI-like rigidity. dable, but they would Either they referred me The failure of Objectivists to create an occur. to an obscure Thomistic atmosphere conducive to the pursuit of Rand and Branden work, with which they did not set out to create were so unfamiliar that truth does not make Rand a bad novelist, a cult that emphasized they were unable even nor does it diminish her contributions to their personal positions to present its essential libertarian theory and the growth of the of power. They set out arguments, or they said to build a movement to they would have to talk libertarian movement. spread ideas. Analysis to other speakers and of these ideas led to the get back to me. They all creation of a tightly obviously dreaded any open question­ we heard an outburst below from a managed doctrine and careful control ing of the core doctrine or contradiction woman who got hit with the contents. over those representing the movement. of the central figure laying down that The next thing I knew, the avid moral This gradually produced competition official doctrine. (The one person who defender of property rights was deny­ for acceptance by the ruling cadre, with expressed himself honestly and openly ing to a representative of the hotel that all of the concomitant ugliness. There on the topic was, ironically, also this he had caused the disturbance. can be no excuse for some of the bizarre central figure, Murray Rothbard.) Neither this personal act of cowar­ pettiness that occurred, but as groups The seminar participants wrote es­ dice nor the development of an atmos­ "circle the wagons" under increasing at­ says, from which the best few would be phere of conformity reflects on the Cato tack, they tend to introduce excessive selected by representatives of Cato. A Institute's ideas, any more than the oc­ control and punish questioning within few of the participants (including me) casional intimidating actions by Rand's the ranks. Heroes should have avoided began to view themselves as well­ leading disciples reflect on Rand's the pitfalls. The fact that they didn't jus­ meaning dissidents, but since we all ad­ philosophy. tifies a good round of criticism. It does mired the accomplishments of the My reflections upon this Cato exper­ not justify deprecation of their actual, speakers (men like Rothbard, Liggio, ience have led me to suspect that any at­ substantial accomplishments. Childs and Grinder), there was a tre­ ternpt to organize a movement to The inability of NBI and the mendous desire to ''behave.'' A docu­ promulgate an ideology and systemati­ Objectivist movement to create an at­ ment written by Rothbard was cally influence public opinion has inher­ mosphere conducive to the exploration circulated arguing the need for a cadre ent tendencies to lead to these sorts of of ideas in the pursuit of truth is certain­ of trusted members of the inner circle. problems. You end up hearing leaders ly a failure. But that, rather obviously, Not surprisingly, many participants be­ declare that there are fundamental con­ does not make Rand a bad novelist. gan to feel that, "1 am bright and talent­ flicts between the core position (e.g., li­ And it does not diminish her important ed, and it would sure be interesting to bertarian ideals justified through contributions to libertarian theory and be included in the ruling cadre." The natural rights) and other philosophical to the growth of the libertarian outcome of all ofthese essentially unob­ positions (e.g., libertarian ideals justi- movement. 0 jectionable actions by the organizers was to produce an atmosphere in which Endnotes there were strong incentives for people 1. Murray N. Rothbard, "The Sociology of the Ayn Rand Cult" (Port Townsend, Wash.: Liberty to try to predict what the leaders want­ Publishing, 1987), p. 11. ed and to try to give it to them. 2. David Ramsay Steele, "Alice In Wonderland," Liberty (May 1988). This article wasreprinted One evening at a party at the Cato from Free Life, Journal of the Libertarian Alliance, VolS, Nos. 1-2. seminar, I got into a discussion with one 3. Analyzed in ''The Liberty Poll: Who WeAre and What What We Think," pp. 37-53 in this of the Institute's leading lights. issue. Recalling that Henry Hazlitt4 and Ludwig von Mises5 based their advoca­ 4. Q. The Foundations of Morality (Los Angeles: Nash Publishing, 1972, Second Printing). cy of libertarian ideas on utilitarianism, 5. Cf. Human Action (Chicago: Henry Regnery, 1966, 3rd rev. 00.), pp. 175-6; The Ultimate I expressed concern that the "official" Foundation of Economic Science (Princeton, NJ: D. Van Nostrand, 1962) p. 105, Theory and Cato doctrine seemed to attack utilitari- History (Yale University Press, 1957), pp. 55-61, Omnipotent Government (Yale University Press, 1944), pp. 50-51.

58 Liberty July 1988 Freedom's Child On the one hand, the story reveals the Walter Polovchak with Kevin Klose, Random House, 1988, 246 pp., $17.95 continued existence of a reservoir of spontaneous libertarian feeling in this country. It shows that Americans are in­ terested in freedom, that the struggle for freedom seems highly newsworthy to them. The moment that Walter's resis­ tance to his parents became known, he Free At Last was surrounded by representatives of the media. He was a hot story, and the story would not be allowed to play itself out in the shadows. His case would not be lost Ste~henCox and was immediately granted citizen­ for want of public interest. But public in­ ship. Safe at last. terest is too large and vague to win any­ That's what happened to Walter one's battle; the cause is lost if public I In 1980, Walter Polovchak, aged 12, Polovchak, and it's a good story: it has interest fails to transform itself into the arrived in Chicago with his family-his drama, suspense, human interest, and­ interest of individual minds and pocket­ father, Michael, his mother, Anna, his sis­ from Walter's point of view-a very hap­ books. Walter Polovchak, a child who ter, Natalie, aged 17, and his brother py ending. But this vivid and absorbing could barely speak English, could never Michael Jr., aged 5. They were Ukrainian book is more than a Sunday-supplement have kept his case in court and his resi­ emigrants from the Soviet Union. Michael account of a nice kid who struggles dence in America without the help imme­ Polovchak got a job cleaning things up in against the odds and finally gets his wish. diately and unswervingly offered to him a valve factory, Anna Polovchak got a job The "human interest" that it generates is by others-not just by relatives but by of­ cleaning things up in a hospital. Within more than an interest in what finally be­ ficials of the State Department and the six months, Michael had grown so tired comes of Walter. Its subject is many peo­ Immigration Service and by people like of his job and the other aspects of his new ple, not just one. Walter and his assistant Erika and Henry Mark Holzer, lawyers life in Chicago that he decided to return Kevin Klose (formerly Moscow bureau and activists for liberty who heard of his to the USSR and to take his family with chief of the Washington Post) are careful plight and volunteered their services. him. He found, to his dismay and dis­ to allow the other actors in the drama to Often libertarian sentiments remain just gust, that his two older children had no have their say. Some of the book is nar­ that-libertarian sentiments. They are ex­ intention of allowing themselves to be re­ rated by Walter, but the rest is given over pressed in conversation, in print, or­ moved from the United States. to the narrations, explanations, declara­ once in four years-at the ballot box. Walter and Natalie sought refuge in tions, and self-exculpations of Walter's They are purely intellectual convictions, the home of a cousin who had come to large and various family, the lawyers on sources of personal identity or self­ America some years before. Michael real­ both sides of the case, the social workers, esteem. Walter Polovchak's friends were ized that Natalie was too old to be suc­ cops, and reporters dragged in at one able to transform the sentiment of indi­ cessfully coerced, but he sent the police time or another-an extraordinarily wide vidualism into the reality of freedom for after Walter. Walter's cousin called in le­ spectrum of character and opinion to be one individual. gal help from the local Ukrainian com­ represented in a "first-person" book of an On the other hand, however, the munity; the Illinois American Civil inescapably polemical nature. The narra­ Polovchak story demonstrates that enthu­ Liberties Union intervened on the fa­ tive method helps us to understand the siasm for liberty is far from universally ther's side. Walter's lawyer won the first reasons why each person decided to help felt, and that the mere concept of individ­ round, blocking attempts to return the or hurt Walter's cause, and in the process ualliberty is far from clearly understood, boy to his father's custody. The ACLU to study a cross-section of contemporary even by many of its professional advo­ won most of the later rounds; it did not, values and contemporary ways of re­ cates and protectors. Walter's well­ however, achieve a final resolution of the sponding to a moral emergency. publicized case obtained little support case, which continued to creep through That so many people recognized from America's intellectual elite, so will­ the courts. Long after Michael had taken Walter's situation as a moral emergency ing to help in more questionable cam­ himself and the compliant Anna back to is in itself significant; Freedom's Child paigns for "freedom." Henry Mark the socialist paradise, they were still at­ demonstrates that moral sensitivity has Holzer observes that "no lawyer in this tempting, with the help of the Civil not leaked completely out of American nation of lawyers ever offered to help" (p. Liberties Union, to secure control of their life. This does not mean, however, that 201). This reflection must have caused disobedient son. In 1985 the calendar "moral sensitivity" is omnipresent-or Holzer a good deal of bitterness while he emerged victorious: Walter turned 18 that it always takes a healthy form. was considering how, if things got really Liberty 59 July 1988 rough, he could hide Walter from the wing. Confusion may run especially deep citizen status. His application to government and the ACLU (p. 201). Of in organizations that define themselves as join the Communist Party, if he course, a number of lawyers helped out "non-political," since the assumption of wanted to join, would not have on the other side, and they apparently their own non-partisanship may lead been looked on with great favor did so with alacrity. It is remarkable that them to see every position they dislike as and he would not have gone to the Illinois ACLU never seems to have basely "political." The representatives of Moscow State University, but hesitated about enlisting itself in an effort the non-political ACLU believed that Walter couldn't have gone into that might be expected to make any civil Walter's case was animated by political Moscow State University anyway, libertarian hesitate, if not leap backward. considerations-i.e., by a dislike of com­ no matter what, just as he would Jay Miller, the Illinois ACLU's Executive munism and the Soviet Union. This no­ not have the score to get into a top Director, says that "for us, it was an easy tion probably manifests a typical left­ American university (Miller in case to consider taking. We had no prob­ wing anti-anti-communism, a desire to Polovchak, pp. 131-32). lem with the policy on this" (p. 129). see the USSR as something other than a Well, how about Lvov Tech? Could he The ACLU set itself to get into there? vindicate every particle of This is a strange specta­ the right of Polovchak pere to The story reveals the continued exis­ cle, is it not? An official of the exercise custody of tence of a reservoir of spontaneous liber­ organization that (thank Polovchak fils, and it regard­ God!) contests Alabama's ed legal attempts to prevent tarian feeling in this country. It shows that right to force school children Walter's forcible repatriation Americans are interested in freedom, that to pray in their classrooms to the land of the total state the struggle for freedom seems highly cracks little jokes to himself as an unwarrantable exten­ about a Ukrainian boy's abil- sion of state power. The newsworthy to them. ity even to get into a class­ ACLU even convinced itself room. The tone reeks of that if Walter were not re- elitism, of a consciousness of turned to his parents, then "Walter's country that systematically deprives its superiority that left-wing political opin­ rights [would bel violated as much as the citizens of rights, and an antipathy to­ ion is perhaps unlikely to generate all by family's"; more credulouslystill, it con­ ward people who take a more pessimistic itself. Elitism of this sort results, perhaps, vinced itself that the issue of whether a view of it. less from politics than from a curious violently anti-Communist youth should The double standard seems obvious. kind of professionalism-from the aware­ be forced to live in a Communist dictator­ The ACLU does not regard itself as poli­ ness of how many clever arguments can ship is "not an issue of welfare or safety ticizing legal issues when it protests vio­ be made on any side of a case, and a of the child" (pp. 159, 161). One reads lations of right in the United States, but pride in one's ability to make them. The these arguments and stares: is this what when someone protests against commun­ ACLU people who opposed Walter's case one would expect from an organization ism, with its constant, inherent, structural were and are very well aware of the rea­ that prides itself on protecting children's violations of right, the objection is dis­ soning that might from a libertarian per­ rights, that prides itself, for instance, on missed as political. Does not the ACLU spective be brought against them-and protecting a child's right to have an abor­ defend the right of EI Salvadoran refu­ they have their rebuttals well prepared. tion without the consent of her parents? gees-refugees from a democratic coun­ In reply, for instance, to the don't-you­ Please don't write to me and com­ try (albeit shakily democratic)-to support-a-child's-right-to-an-abortion ar­ plain. I'm not attacking abortion. I'm not political asylum in this country? But even gument, the ACLU's Miller notes that a even attacking the ACLU, as an idea or the Salvadoran issue finds its place in the decision about the custody of Walter as a national institution. I am sympathetic self-justifications of ACLU officials: Polovchak would affect many areas of his to the argument made by William P. Here you had two federal agen­ life for many years, but that abortion is "a Moulton in the last issue of Liberty: the cies, State and Immigration, par­ relatively minor surgical procedure, an historic services that the ACLU has ren­ ticipating for political reasons in a act that, depending on circumstances,is dered to freedom may well overbalance conspiracy to deprive people of likely to involve a very short period of the organization's attacks on freedom in their rights. The political reasons time-a matter of days-in the life of a the Polovchak case and others. And the were that the parents were Soviet child" (pp. 129-30). ACLU is not a homogeneous group. It is citizens and they weren't happy One might ask, If the wishes of par­ to be noted (Polovchak, p. 212), that the here.... Yet here is our govern­ ents can be overridden in the case of so New Jersey ACLU wrote to Walter's law­ ment forcing Salvadorans to go minor an issue as abortion, why may they yers dissenting from the position taken back home who come to ask for not be overridden in the case of so major by the Illinois ACLU. political asylum, who claim that an issue as total deprivation of freedom Nothing is more common, however, they might be killed if they are for the rest of one's life? But my point is than for organizations that support free­ sent back. that libertarian principles may be lost in dom to lose their grip on the principles And now, to drain nonsense to its dregs: the midst of intellectual game-playing. In they support-and it is this phenomenon Originally, when folks said Walter his. essay "Of the Original Contract," that interests me at the moment. The grip would be hurt if he returned, that David Hume wisely remarks that. "there on principle may be lost because the was pretty silly. It's true that after is no virtue or moral duty, but what may, membership confuses support for liberty [Walter's casel went on for some with facility, be refined away, if we in­ with antipathy toward certain political months, it was not likely the dulge a false philosophy, in sifting and tendencies, whether left-wing or right- Soviets would give him favored scrutinizing it, by every captious rule of 60 Liberty July 1988 logic, in every light or position, in which of her children, she returned to the children of dictatorship and deprivation, it may be placed." USSR. but the children of progressive capital­ But by dwelling so long on the pre­ Natalie and Walter, however, enact­ ism-adaptive, ingenuous, rebellious, plexities of the ACLU, by dwelling so ed another role, one that the twentieth none too historically minded, but deter­ long, indeed, on Walter's legal problems, century, for all its horrors, has permitted mined to make the best of their opportu­ and on who helped him and who did not, millions of other people to enact. Seeing nity to escape from an immediate past I am neglecting another aspect of this that the accidents of history had given with which they were grimly familiar. book, and this may be the most interest­ them the chance to choose their fate, May that opportunity come to all the chil­ ing of all. Walter's book provides a vista they chose to make themselves, not the dren ofthe twentieth century. 0 on America in the 1980's. But it also pro­ vides a vista on the twentieth century as a whole. The history of the Polovchak fami­ Natural Law, or, Don't Put a Rubber on Your Willy ly is a history of the "common man" in by Robert Anton Wilson, Loompanics Unlimited, 1986, 74pp., $4.95 this era, an era shadowed, as none other, by tyranny and deprivation, and enligh­ tened, as none other, by the hope of free­ dom and abundance. During World War I, Walter Polovchak's grandfather served in the Austro-Hungarian army. This was fortu­ Certain Uncertainties nate, because when Hitler invaded the Ukraine and survival became a desperate gamble in the no-man's land between two rapacious empires, the German lan­ guage that the grandfather had brought home with him from the first war ena­ David Ramsay Steele their somewhat simple-minded bled part of the family tosurvive. An un­ positions. cle vanished. An aunt was taken away to This little book by Robert Anton On the key point, the fact that no one work as a slave laborer-and after Wilson is the latest blow in a vigorous has produced a good argument to dem­ Hitler's defeat, made her way to America. polemic for and against Natural Law and onstrate the existence of Natural (Moral) The relatives who remained back home Natural Rights, which has been going on, Law or Natural Rights, as these are con­ inhabited a country pillaged by war and mainly in the pages of New Libertarian, ceived by Rothbard, Smith, Machan, and crippled by totalitarianism. They lived for the past three years. The Natural their ilk, the Outlaws are right and the hard and colorless lives. Grandmother Lawyers have been represented by Lawyers are wrong. Rothbard, for exam­ tended her garden and her orchard, and Murray N. Rothbard, George H. Smith, ple, has carelessly, or perhaps carefully, maintained the Christian faith for her off­ and Samuel Edward Konkin III. The ignored the fact that in The Myth of spring. Michael, the father, lived well, Natural Outlaws include Robert Anton Natural Rights Rollins presented a refuta­ comparatively speaking, on earnings Wilson and L.A. Rollins, whose pamph­ tion of Rothbard's argument for Natural from the sale of goods shipped to him by let, The Myth of Natural Rights, sparked Rights. That refutation is sound, and relatives in the West. Knowing absurdly off the debate. Rothbard is without a serviceable argu­ little about life beyond the borders, but Both sides seem to have become en­ ment for his main tenet. So he really hearing that things were better there, raged with the failure of the other side to ought to "shut up" until he can produce a Michael plotted to move. After many agree with them. In his contribution to replacement (for the argument or the hazy adventures he obtained the neces­ the debate (New Libertarian 4:13, April tenet). sary permissions. But so naive was he 1985), Rothbard did not present any argu­ Unfortunately, Rollins spoiled his that he didn't bother to learn English be­ ments against the Rollins-Wilson posi­ case by arguing not only against Natural fore getting on the plane to make a new tion, but instead contended warmly that Law, but against all morality, calling his life in America. Certainly he was unpre­ Rollins and Wilson ought to "shut up" own position "amoralist," even though pared for what he found in a West where, about their criticisms of Natural Law,and he moralizes quite a bit. I exposed as Walter says, the restaurants actually pretend to believe in it, apparently be­ Rollins's confusion on that score in my don't mind having customers (p. 102). cause, whether or not it's correct, it's review of The Myth of Natural Rights (in Michael Polovchak was chiefly unpre­ good for the libertarian movement. Free Life 4:4). pared for the idea that he would have to In· this book, Wilson waxes morally Turning now to Natural Law, or, work for a living. Capitalism quickly lost indignant against Konkin for printing Don't Put a Rubber on Your Willy, does its charms. His wife found adjustments Wilson's earlier contribution to the de­ Wilson share Rollins's bogus-amoralist easier, and probably would have pre­ bate with numerous critical footnotes position? At first he indeed seems to. ferred to stay in America rather than go added. Wilson calls this behavior by edi­ Some passages, like the middle para­ back to Russia with her embittered hus­ tor Konkin "heckling." graph on page 42, seem to dismiss all band; yet she never managed to assimi­ I sympathize with both sides, for they morality out of hand, and incidentally to late the new idea of women's right to self­ are each right to conclude that the other associate all morality with religion. But determination. Doomed by her old coun­ side is muddled and unfair. However, elsewhere Wilson comes out strongly in try upbringing, convinced that she must there is no need for either of them to be favor of morality. He contends that "be­ hang on to her husband even at the loss so touchy, and they both need to rethink cause morality appears to be a human in- Liberty 61 July 1988 vention, we should esteem it as we es­ morality is an invention like science, he of morality, somehow like scientific laws. teem such inventions as language, art, seems to have overlooked that, if the It seems that they cannot offer us any­ and science" (p. 52). truth or falsity of morality is on a par thing like this, so questions such as Is morality a human invention? This with that of scientific laws, then he con­ whether scientific laws ultimately pre­ issue exercises both Natural Outlaws cedes his opponents' case. But the argu­ suppose causality, or are never more and Natural Lawyers. Konkin gives his ment between Lawyers and Outlaws than probabilities, are not relevant to the opinion that "if morality is a human in­ seems to be like some other domestic dispute. vention, some human will be enslaved to fights: you pick up whatever's lying Wilson makes very heavy weather of others. And that heresy the fact that Natural is what we rightly Law doesn't, as scientif­ fear." Wilson quotes ic laws do, merely at­ this (p. 49) and com­ The idea of Natural Law seems to be that tempt to explain what ments that he "cannot what we ought to do is what· conforms to some actually occurs. Konkin understand a word of tendencies in nature (but not to others). The is the only one who it." Presumably Konkin possibly seems to have means that without a over-riding tendency in nature seems to be got this wrong. supra-human morality Entropy, which suggests the moral rule: Presumably, Rothbard, to prevent it, slavery is Always act so as to increase disorganization. Smith, and others do re­ irresistible, like the alize that Natural Law Lorelei. doesn't describe what Wilson takes for happens in nature, but granted that "language, art, and science" around to throw at the other person. It's prescribes what ought to happen. In a are inventions, but that doesn't seem to difficult to be sure whether Wilson thinks scientific sense, something that be the best word for them. Language, art, that scientific law is utterly different to contravenes Natural Law is just as "natu­ science, and morality evolved. These pro­ ethics, because more objective, or wheth­ ral" as something that conforms to cesses of cultural evolution encompassed er he thinks that science is utterly relativ­ Natural Law. Robbery and murder are no numerous inventions, but it doesn't seem istic, subjective, and lawless too, as some less natural than respecting people's quite accurate to call the whole process of his remarks imply. Wilson's espousal rights. The idea of Natural Law seems to an invention (though G. A. Wells does of such metaphysical doctrines as the be that what we ought to do is what con­ exactly that in his recent, extremely Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum forms to some tendencies in nature (but persuasive book on The Origin of Mechanics is really beside the point. The not to others). The over-riding tendency Language). question is whether Natural Law theo­ in nature seems to be Entropy, which Although Wilson heatedly insists that rists can offer us anything, in the realm suggests the moral rule: Alwavs act so as

The Dogs ofCapitalism, by Mitchell Jones, extols the virtues of the unconventional person

A "normal" person is a person who "fits in"-a person whose beliefs, in all important respects, conform to the cultural mainstream in his society. When the cultural mainstream is irrational, one must abandon reason ifone is to fit in. In such societies, to be normal is to be evil. In Nazi Germany, normal people believed in Aryan superiority and participated in violent acts against the Jews. In Russia under Stalin, they believed in the collectivization ofagriculture, and supported the mass starvation ofthe kulaks. In medieval Spain, they believed that heretics ought to be tortured until they confessed and then be burned at the stake.

The good man stubbornly clings to reason, even at the risk of his life. He relentlessly culls out beliefs which are contradicted by facts, even ifthose beliefs are central to the mainstream culture in his society. Ifhe must abandon reason in order to fit in, he chooses to become a "social deviant." Such a man will despise Nazism even while living in Germany under Hitler. He will despise Communism, even while living in Russia under Stalin. And he will despise the Inquisition, even while living in Spain during the time of Torquemada.

The Dogs ofCapitalism views human history in moral terms -i.e., asa war between good and evil. It is history with all the elements of drama: important values at stake, heroes and villains, struggle and crisis, victory and defeat.

Is such history interesting? Read The Dogs ofCapitalism and find out. *** The Dogs ofCapitalism, hardcover, 336 pages, 44 illustrations. Price in the U.S. is $24.95 postpaid. Limit one copy per order. (We will explain why.) Texas residents add $1.50 sales tax. Send order to: 21st Century Logic, Dept. A20 • P.O. Box 12963 • Austin, TX 78711 ADVERTISEMENT to increase disorganization. Doesn't ap­ At times Wilson comes across as a THE JUSTICE ADVOCATE peal to me. sort of commonsense or naive realist. He INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE Rothbard, Konkin, and Smith, ·like talks about "sensory-sensual 'reality' or Information tJA Clearinghouse is most libertarians who talk a lot about ordinary experience, which is the only/re­ T·· your fountain of Natural Rights or Natural Law, believe ality' that most of us know anything knOWledge, and of that fundamental moral propositions are about" (pp. 17-18). He doesn't seem to FREE flyers. Please factual propositions, objectively true or appreciate how distant from this ordinary clip this ad, circle false. They therefore insist that it is pos­ reality is the reality of scientific theories, CORRECT some Numbers (. ) INFOR- and send to The sible to validly deduce an "ought" from and toward the end of the book he starts ATION! Justice Advocate, an "is," though they have not yet actual­ attacking this ordinary reality by advanc­ Box 3125-20, Denver 80201 0 ly been able to accomplish this feat. This ing the theory that most people are hyp­ DO YOU AGREE with George Washington who position of theirs makes their doctrine notized most of the time. If this is true, wrote: "Government is not reason; itis not eloquence; it is force f Like fire, unlike those of some historically then how can we trust anyone's it is a dangerous servant and a important "Natural Law" philosophers experience? fearfttl master."? ------11329. such as Pufendorf or Locke, whose Wilson, who makes such a show of MONEY PROBLEMS: Could it be America arguments, or modifications thereof, may has no real money? One-page essay for hard-headed skepticism about some 01Q,Q --(10¢ silver) ~- still stand up. There is nothing to indi­ things, is highly credulous in other "HAVE WE BEEN SOLD A LIE?" --- #043. cate that Wilson (or Rollins, despite his departments. Apart from the theory that ASKING QUESTIONS: A future danger to society, a dangerous threat, soon to "amoralist" pose) has to be against all we're all in a hypnotic trance most of the be ruled --- a crime? ------#319. elements of this older NaturaLLaw time, which he got from his namesake, HAS PRIVATE PROPERTY BEEN ABOLISHED tradition. that high priest of credulity, Colin in America by stealth? ------#365. It is hopeless to expect, by analyzing Is the belief, as harbored by some, ''WE Wilson, he endorses General Semantics, ARE THE STATE" t a gigantic ruse? Is ethics, ever to be able to demonstrate that Transactional Analysis, and, as there any doubt? f If so, try this: Appear in court on behalf of "The State." any fundamental moral ruleor judgment mentioned, Copenhagen subjectivism. What would be the reaction of The is right. But you can find out what fol­ Wilson is unshakeably convinced that State's attorney general? ----- #366. IIT IN G: Some may nsh to consider, lows from the decision to apply certain nothing is certain, and when he comes the more there are of us, the more dilu­ fundamental moral rules, and this may be ted. Is that a reminder of past across any doctrine which lends support assertions that voting is a privilege interesting. If Natural Law meant no to that opinion, he instantly swallows it granted by our rulers and that our vote may count not at all, or only at the mo­ more than the critical discussion of suita­ whole. ment same is cast (one more digit is ble fundamental rules and the investiga­ Aside from his sins of commission, added to the total)? May we tion of· what objectively followed from then be ignored? ------11369. Wilson is guilty of one major sin of omis­ The "CUP OF HEMLOCK" is out t Today, them, than I would have no objection to sion-I usethe theological metaphor only such work is secretlY hire-out-to-the bureau's physical assassins psycho­ it, and I don't suppose that Wilson would for the sheer pleasure of annoying him. logically referred to with a grotesque have any objection either. sense of humor -as "intelligence He offers no reply to the natural Lawyers' agencies" I Is that a fair appraisal of Wilson sometimes falls· into the habit favorite· ploy:"Whether or not we can the modern efficient Pollee State? #382. of writing as if laws can only come from produce any good argument for what we Have we been "PRINGLIZED"? Few or none of us dare step to the beat of a different states. Stateless societies always have call Natural Law (and as a matter of fact, drummer? Treated and taxed, Taxed and laws too. We can't do without law, any Treated, as cradle-to-grave automatons ahem, we have been totally, miserably, in service to our rulers? ----- #386. more than we can do without language. and wretchedly unable to produce the IS YOUR INSURANCE AGENT, your bank, your Wilson's own philosophical stand­ faintest glimmering of such an argument, landlord, working hand-in-hand with Itt he bureau" to make aure you point is slippery and jumbled. In some but don't assume that we never will!), we "Do as yOU are told?" ----- #387. places he speaks favorably of "Logical need Natural Law in order to promote li­ ~UESTION: Is there a sense of general ~scontent with the Welfare State and Positivism" and berates all bertarianism. Whether· it's true or not, the necessary evil that must be a natural "Metaphysics." However, it was in part Natural Law is a vitally necessary sales part of it, The Police State? - #390. recognition of the fact that we cannot get pitch." TARGETED TO SERVE THE STATE: Is that along without metaphysics that led all There are three important counter­ the prognosis for Americans? -- 11395. YOUR LICENSE TO EXIST - issued by your philosophers to abandon logical positi­ arguments. 1. Some of us are incorrigibly fr~enaiy ieg.Lslature - vism before 1950. He refers to interested in what's true, regardless of Blessing or Curse? ----- #397. "Wittgenstein, P. W. Bridgman, and Karl Y WJ:.aigSllBIlt IQ!I.R§. a Pollee State? whether it suits our purposes. 2. Very few Your perception? When any entity must Popper" (p. 11) in support of his view people believe in Natural Law, so, as well utilize violent methods to subordinate individuals to strict control of all that theological propositions are mean­ as convincing people of Libertarianism, aspects of life by coercion, is that a ingless, when in fact Wittgenstein aban­ we are taking on the additional task of clear signal that that system is running out-of-control? ------#399. doned that view in the 1920s, and Popper convincing people of Natural Law, which 1913 : 1984 - DID THE FRAl-1!:RS of the has always attacked it. Wilson refers fa­ is particularly difficult because no one 16th Amendment (income tax) "see" what same would do to vorably to "pragmatism," but you has ever managed to find a good argu­ America? One might argue, politically, mustn't think he means anything whatev­ ment in its favor. 3. Most of the time, the that the Amendment effectively metamor­ phosed the American political state er to do with Pierce, James, or Dewey, Natural Law libertarians, just like the rest into something foreign, for, surely, the intent of the Founding Fathers of and he obviously doesn't know that of us, argue that libertarianism will lead the Canst!tution was to create justice pragmatism is quite incompatible with to peace and prosperity, will satisfy peo­ and freedom, not a Police State•. #404. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA began life logical positivism. It's easy to make a ca­ ple's aspirations for a good life more ef­ as a REPUBLIC. Today, our rulers style reer out of blinding people with science; fectively than any alternative strategy of our "experiment, II a Democracy. Why has ''RepUblic'' nowtallen into disrespect & blinding people with philosophy is more social reform. What's the matter? Don't dishonor? circle-- #412. tricky. they really believe this? 0 NOTE: See 1929 U~ S. Army ~ual for definit10n of"Democract."

WITHOUT JUSTICE J THERE IS NO FREEDOM Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country Burns helped put Nixon in the White by William Greider, Simon & Schuster, 1987, $24.95 House, and presents excerpts from the hundreds of interviews he conducted with former and present Fed and admin­ istration officials. He elicits interesting statements from Fed Governors about their policies, and shows how Paul Volcker deflected criticism with a master­ A Crank's Case ful use of the art of obfuscation. Greider explains the Fed through the eyes of his ideological predecessors, Against the Fed Veblen, Freud, and Keynes, whom he cites ad nauseam, in their original prose. The definitive account of cultural corrup­ tion, Greider thinks, is in Thorstein Veblen's Theory of the Leisure Class; nothing can be added to the economic Jeffrey A. Tucker maybe the world. Greider sets out to revelation contained in Keynes' General show that it is unaccountable to the elec­ Theory; and the whole of psychology is in ''Fed is Expected To Ease Its Grasp on torate (which he does) and that it is un­ The Complete Works of Sigmund Freud. Credit Slightly," said the lead front page democratic (which he does). Though his With Freud comes the nausea of "ad nau­ headline in the January 30th edition of thesis may sound radical, Greider manag­ seam"; in ten loathsome pages, Greider the Washington Post. Unnamed sources es to blunt its sharp edge with an incredi­ regurgitates Freud's anal-erotic analysis within the Federal Reserve had leaked ble array of economic blunders and of money. That Freud viewed "interest as that the Fed "will probably act to loosen topsy-turvy logic. excrement" and connected "gold with credit slightly so that interest rates con­ Greider is a "monetary crank," some­ feces" qualifies as "pioneering research" tinue to fall." The Post said that the Fed is one who thinks endless prosperity and in Greider's mind. trying to avoid a recession in 1988, even perfect justice can be created through the though Alan Greenspan, chairman of the printing press. He is also a die-hard The Purpose of the Fed Fed, doesn't want to be accused of trying Keynesian and a reactionary in the real On the founding of the Fed in 1913, to insure a Republican victory in sense: a true believer in the various faiths Greider takes the wholly naive view that November. of the welfare state, price controls, State the Federal Reserve Act was a conlpro­ By the old standards, the Post's op-ed interventionism, economic regulation, mise between three factions: a populist article would not have been newsworthy, and egalitarianism. movement that wanted higher prices and except to a few Wall Street Fed watchers. The book's framework is conflict anal­ no banking panics, the government A year ago, the article would have ap­ ysis, primarily between the forces of de­ which was trying to satisfy the voters, peared on page 2 or 3 of the Post's usual­ mocracyand capitalism, and secondarily and members of the banking industry ly-scrawny business section. But between the rich and the poor. The force who "were still not reconciled to the reporters and editors have rearranged of democracy represents the chance for abandonment of laissez-faire economics." their priorities. The actions of the Board the masses to participate on an equal Though no subject is better suited to­ of Governors of the Federal Reserve­ footing with the rich and powerful in the ward power-elite analysis than the Fed, and especially those of its Chairman­ affairs of state. The other force is that of Greider avoids a rigorous treatment have begun to take on new importance, capitalism, consisting of private capital along these lines. He seems unaware of equal to the latest Administration and high concentrations of wealth (as in: Gabriel Kolko's extraordinary 1963 study scandal. "at the top were the 10 percent of of the progressive years, The Triumph of This may be temporary, but it illus­ American families that owned 86 percent Conservatism. In that work Kolko related trates how Washington journalism has of the net financial ..." etc.). how a small group of powerful bankers changed after the release of William It is between the cracks of capitalism lobbied intensely for the Fed with the in­ Greider's 800 page tome Secrets of the and democracy that Greider places the tention of using the government as a tool Temple. His in-depth analysis of Fed ac­ Federal Reserve System: "an uncomforta­ for cartelization and the gaining of profits tions and politics-the most comprehen­ ble contradiction," an "odd arrangement through inflation. The bankers' rhetoric sive in the Fed's seventy-four years-is of public supervision and private inter­ was a cover for a power-grab. Other his­ credible to the mainstream news media. est," a "crucial anomaly at the very core torians-from left, right, and libertarian It was written by a respected Washington of representative democracy." points of view-have confirmed Kolko's journalist, not by a member of a small Most of the book is a simply written account. sect of dissident "'extremists" talking account of how the Fed does its job of in­ In 'this sense, the banks who fought about a conspiracy of bankers or a return creasing and decreasing the money sup­ for the Fed were not unlike the railroads to the gold standard. Secrets may help to ply. Greider is mainly concerned with the and other industries during the restore the "money question" to popular period between the inflation of the late Progressive Era: they were taking advan­ debate, and because of this we should be 1970s and the stock market crash of tage of an ideology that justified the grateful to Greider. October 1987. He writes fascinating ac­ granting of special monopoly privileges. The Fed is the most influential policy­ counts of two Fed bailouts, provides Though the Progressive era has been her­ making~ institution in America-and some evidence that Fed chairman Arthur alded for institutionalizing "cooperation" 64 Liberty July 1988 between private and "public" interests, all Greider embraces populism's crack-pot rearrange the structure of production, this really meant is that certain private in­ economics but throws out its power elite and produce economic booms and busts. terests gained a towering advantage over analysis. The 1970s seems to have taught everyone the public. but Greider that high inflation isn't good. The best framework for an expose of Crack-Pot Economics He says, for example: the Fed would take count of these power Greider doesn't take into account the A social philosopher, searching for a elite questions and ask: how does the Fed effect that inflationary expecations have progressive theory of justice, might benefit the government and the banking on interest rates and the incentives to contemplate the underlying conse­ industry at the expense of the rest of the save and invest. Interest rates are not quences of inflation and conclude public through the policy of inflation? "the price of money," as Greider says that this system was a promising Greider, on the other hand, follows a many times. No one borrows money in model for social equity. Inflation, af­ long line of social-credit theorists and order to hoard it; consumers take out ter all, discreetly redistributed populists, arguing that the Fed resists in­ loans in order to purchase specific goods wealth from creditors to debtors, flating the money supply because it wants and services. Because they choose to bor­ from those who had an excess to to promote sound money and monetary row instead of save, the interest rates re­ those who had none. deregulation. Thus when he recounts the flect the degree to which individuals monetary experience of But there is a subtlety in this argument the early eighties, he that should not be finds that the Fed suc­ missed. Greider argues cessfully accomplished The Fed has been defiling the dollar for that specific groups ben­ "what it took to be its seventy years, and that's not because we, the efit from inflation, pri­ highest purpose, the vir­ marily the poor and tual elimination of dol­ victims of the system, want it that way. It has elderly. They do so be­ lar inflation." remained secure because we are powerless to cause "government ben­ Contrary to what do anything about it. efit programs for low- Greider thinks, the income families" shelter Fed's purpose is not to the "poor from rising "control the overall ex- costs" through "Medic- pansion of credit." Nowhere does it oper­ prefer goods and services sooner rather aid and public housing." Similarly, the ate with the "singular objective of 'hard than later. And if interest rates reflect "elderly" are "partially protected" be­ money.'" These assertions run contrary to time preferences, they are subject to indi­ cause Social Security is "indexed to the the mountains of empirical evidence and vidual's expectations of the future. inflation rate, automatically increasing logical explanations demonstrating that it The book contains one completely er­ the monthly checks periodically to catch is not sound money but inflation which roneous chapter on the "money illu­ up with prices." benefits the banks. The Fed is like the sion." The money illusion occurs during Thus Greider argues that inflation's counterfeiter who discreetly prints as inflationary times when workers' wages beneficiaries are not the poor and elderly much money as possible, always being on increase along with consumer prices, in general, but only those whose incomes guard not to get caught. thus making illusory the apparent in­ are statutorily indexed to increase with Greider's thesis is not a new one, but, crease in purchasing power. Keynesians prices or are given free housing. The ar­ as Ludwig von Mises wrote in Human celebrate this effect because they believe gument would then presumably apply to Action, "it is a fable that governments in­ that declining labor costs will lead busi­ union workers, and of course politicians, terfered with banking in order to restrict nesses to expand outputs. Austrian econ­ bureaucrats, and central bankers. the issue of fid uciary media and to pre­ omists point out that inflation-induced Greider's argument can therefore be re­ vent credit expansion. The idea that investment cannot pan out in the long stated: it is only the State-connected who guided government was, on the contrary, run because it is based on truly illusory get a boon from inflation. The ordinary the lust for inflation and credit expectations: when people catch on to taxpayer loses through diminution of his expansion." the illusion, the investments based on it savings, a debased currency, and higher It is perhaps ironic that Greider has fall to ruin. Greider, however, is com­ taxes required to pay for more govern­ unwittingly adopted his own theory of pletely outside the loop, saying the mon­ ment benefits. money from the social credit populists, ey illusion occurs when "the mind (It should be noted, however, that it is whom he ridicules for their "febrile anti­ confers real value and elaborate power precisely this aspect of inflation-the Semitism" and their "demented" conspir­ on these mere scraps of paper." That's an Cost of Living Adjustments-that keeps acy theories about the Fed's goal of interesting point, but it has nothing to do the poor from leaving their state of de­ "world domination." The populists­ with the money illusion. It has to do pendence on the government and work­ if Wickliffe B. Vennrd, Major Douglas, with Mises's regression theorem, but ing toward one of independence. Even Father Charles Coughlin, the Spotlight, Greider is a long way from that. a poor person wanted to drop welfare, he etc.-have wanted to nationalize the bank­ Greider's head is so deeply buried in is not very likely to leave a system that ing industry, put it into the hands of the General Theory that he can't under­ protects him from the ravages of inflation Congress, abolish interest, and have un­ stand how the money supply and inter­ to one where inflation ravages him.) limited monetary inflation. Greider too est rates can go up at the same time. And If the inflationary bias of the book in­ wants to have Congress take over the Fed, he fails to mention how new injections of fected only its policy conclusions, we he attacks usury as "self-devouring" and a credit distort interest rates, hinder eco­ could ignore it. But it permeates the entire "sin," and he wants a "return to inflation." nomic calculation, elicit malinvestments, book, so that Fed governors become good Liberty 65 July 1988 guys when they vote for super-loose to central planning. Perhaps that's why U.S. would have been far better off if the money and selfish when they only want a Greider calls the World War II economy Federal Reserve System had never been moderate amount. The inflation of 1978­ a "model of the possible," and laments established." 80 is granfed only a few pages but the re­ that "no one, including the most ardent Greider's solution-having Congress cession of 1981-1983 gets 250 detailed Keynesian planners, has ever figured out print unlimited amounts of money­ pages. how to re-create a comparable combina­ would be as bad, or worse, as having the The reader of Secrets is led to believe tion of creative sacrifices in peacetime or Fed Cartel do it. Under both conditions, that Volcker is the king of tight· money how to sell it to a free society." the government controls the lifeblood of and root canal economics, buttheoppo­ This analysis is hopelessly wrong the economy. The point is to break up the site is true. He presided over enormous and destructive. Economic problems can State's money monopoly which means monetary inflation during Reagan's presi­ only be understood and solved when we abolishing central banking and fiat mon­ dency. The money supply, as measured understand that economics means ana- ey, and erecting a wall of separation be- by M-2, grew an aver- tween money and the age of 11.4% from State. Money should 1981-86 (compared Greider is a "monetary crank," someone who be put back into the with 9% from 1975­ hands of the free mar­ 1980). And while thinks endless prosperity and perfect justice can ket, which was respon­ much of it occurred be created through the printing press. He is also sible for its after 1982, the Fed a reactionary in the real sense: a true believer in development in the pumped money into first place. the economy at a pace the various faiths of the welfare state, price con­ Greider argues that of 9% per year from trols, State interventionism, economic regulation, this can't be done be­ 1979 to 1981. No tight and egalitarianism. cause the market has a money here. Good fundamental flaw: grief, Mr. Greider, there is fIno natural why didn't you mention this in your lyzing the actions of individuals in the stop valve to control its appetites." book? market, not huge and phony Nothing in the market allows for people In typical Keynesian fashion, the book agglomerations. to distinguish between the "normal de­ lumps together complex individual eco­ sire for profit and the destructiveness of nomic relationships into huge piles. For The Solution greed." example, he says "the fundamental weak­ Since its founding, says Greider, the On the contrary, one desirable aspect ness of the 1920's prosperity ... was not Fed's ''basic design probably changed of the market is that it directs the greed that Americans were profligate, spending less than any other important operating of a capitalist toward the service of oth­ too much and saving too little, but the arm of the federal government." That's ers in society. To feed his greed, the capi­ opposite." Updating this phony analysis, because flit somehow 'worked'- that is, talist must provide goods and services he says "the fundamental disorder of the the Federal Reserve seemed to provide others want and need. 1980s was essentially the same one that what the American system wanted. Of course, no social order can insure Keynes and the New Deal liberals had Otherwise, surely, it would have been that men always strive for virtue. But identified-there was already too much changed." The Fed has been defiling the only capitalism can turn an unintrusive supply and not enough demand." dollar for seventy years, and that's not vice into a net social benefit. The govern­ This kind· of thinking leads to New because we, the victims of the system, ment has no such built-in check on vice, Deal schemes in which the government want it that way. It has remained secure yet Greider is counting on it to correct the spends more money to increase "aggre­ because we are powerless to do anything market's shortcomings. Success in the gate demand." And even worse, it leads about it. Milton Friedman was right: "the government-its agencies run by interest­ seeking individuals-is best won through the cunning use of the very vices Greider derides. Contrary to Greider, there is no natural valve to control the State's appe­ tite when it has a monopoly on money and credit. Secrets of the Temple has brought at­ tention to the Fed, and attention is just what the central bankers try so hard to avoid. The Fed governors have good rea­ son to fear the public eye, considering the damage they have wrought on the American economy. Let's hope this new interest in mone­ tary policy leads not only to the abolition of Fed, but also to the abandonment of the politics of inflation-which is just the opposite of Greider's intention. 0 "You don't tmderstand now, son, but you will when you're absolutely corrupt."

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Not only will you beable to receive all the offers from offshore investment opportunities, but you will also eliminate the curiosity of snoops watching for postmarks from Addres~------__ Switzerland. the Cayman Islands, Panama, etc. Complete mfonnation on the why, how and where of re-mailing services. City, State & Zip _ Price $5.00 0 Barkan is sympathetic to jury nullifica­ tion, he points out its pitfalls as well as its benefits. Suppose juries fail to enforce good laws because they want to protect evil-doers, express racial prejudice, or en­ Booknotes force political bias. Barkan also provides a history of nullification, tracing its roots in English and American common law, and early Supreme Court decisions. His own political leaning is evident in his sympathy for the use of nullification dur­ Forty-Eight Minutes Key coaching decisions are analyzed, ing protest trials over the Vietnam War, A Night in the Life of the N.B.A. suspicions about referees confirmed, and and in a section of his essay that is stuffed by Bob Ryan and Terry Pluto players and coaches profiled. A snapshot with jargon and Marxist sociological Macmillan, 1987, $16.95 of one night in the life of two NBA teams analysis. This seems forced and is merci­ is provided in an entertaining, crisply fully brief. It doesn't greatly mar the At first glance, basketball and libertarian­ done narrative. -MH essay. ism might seem totally unrelated. By far the largest portion of the book Professional basketball, for instance, is Jury Nullification is occupied by the Spooner essay, direct­ played by extremely tall black men paid Volume 1 ly reprinted (in small, dark archaic type­ more than the average Fortune 500 CEO, compiled by Mike Timko style) from the original 1852 booklet. to the thunderous cheers of packed hous­ Libertarian Press, 1987, $9.00 Spooner's work is largely based upon es. The libertarian movement, on the oth­ British common law and his own legal er hand, is heavily populated with Jury nullification, for those unfamiliar philosophy. medium sized white people, mostly male, with the term, is the notion that trial ju­ While Spooner's style is occasionally making considerably less money for their ries can and should decide issue of law pedantic, his pedantry leads him to pro­ labors, and usually nothing for their po­ as well as fact. Jury nullifcation is dis­ vide enough citations to make this essay litical/intellectual crusading. couraged and officially forbidden in the point of departure for modern liber­ However, of all major pro sports, bas­ most jurisdictions in the U.S., although a tarian jury nullification advocates. -MH ketball may be the·most "libertarian." In few states do recognize its validity. But contrast to baseball and football, most once understood and practiced by indi­ City of Nets teams are profitable and play in non­ vidual citizens, it is virtually impossible A Portrait of Hollywood in the 19408 government owned facilities. The rarified to prevent. It is one way government­ Otto Friedrich world of the 200+ plus NBA players is manufactured injustice can be peacefully Harper & Row, 1986, $10.95 full of true entrepreneurs, who are paid stopped by ordinary citizens in the per­ top dollar according to their individual formance of their civic duties. It is also a In 1926, former New Yorker theater critic talents and contributions. They recently hot topic in the tax protest movement, Herman Mankiewicz wired his friend dissolved their own union when it whose challenges on constitutional Ben Hecht suggesting that Hecht move to seemed it was getting in the way of busi­ grounds have met with countless court­ Hollywood to write for the movies: ness. Basketball also boasts what is surely room defeats. "Millions are to be grabbed out here, and the most libertarian moniker of any pro Mike Timko's self-published book your only competition is idiots!" Hecht sports player, the Houston Rockets' has three major sections: an essay by came, and so did others. Mankiewicz was World B. Free, (nee Lloyd Free), who puts Timko on "Jury Nullification Through right: before long, Hecht was demanding evenJames Libertarian Burns to shame. the Initiative Process"; a reprint, from $1,000 a day, in cash payable at the end of Finally, and most importantly, several the sociological journal Social Problems, each day's work. of Liberty's editors are big fans of the of Steven Barkan's article "Jury By the late 1930s, Hollywood money game, which surely must say something Nullification in Political Trials"; and a had drawn a remarkable number of writ­ for its importance. reprint of Lysander Spooner's classic ers and other members of the intelligent­ And they won't be disappointed with work on the subject, "An Essay on the sia to the California Babylon: F. Scott Forty-Eight Minutes, co-written by Trial by Jury." Fitzgerald, William Faulkner, Thomas sportswriters for the Boston Globe and Timko's own essay suggests an intri- Mann, Bertold Brecht, Igor Stravinsky, Akron Beacon. In an easy to read treat­ . guing political tactic: petitioning for a Arnold Shoenberg ... So Hollywood be­ ment, the authors detail a basket-by­ statewide initiative in favor of explicit came not only the center of the world's basket account of an action packed game recognition for the right of jurors to de­ most prosperous industry but also some­ played on January 16, 1987 between the cide the law. Even if such intiatives don't thing of an intellectual hub. young and vigorous Cleveland Cavaliers succeed, he argues, at least the educa­ In City of Nets, Otto Friedrich tries to and the venerable champs of the sport, tional process will be advanced. He even weave into some sort of coherent fabric the Boston Celtics. The authors provide suggests petitioning on the courthouse the cultural and historic threads that considerable background and insight into steps, in front of prospective jurors, came together in Hollywood during the not only this single game (which was which is a clever idea all on its own. 1940s. As in Beforethe Deluge, his book played at historical Boston Garden into Barkan's 1983 essay, which includes about Weimar Berlin, Friedrich is not al­ overtime) but the entire sport of an extensive bibliography, is alone together successful, but that may be more basketball. worth the price of the book. Although because of the grandiosity of his ambition 68 Liberty July 1988 than any lack of skill as a history writer. new government retirement benefits, God. Then, another 10 percent could go For he accomplishes much: in the and "government funds" that are "avail­ for welfare, roads, harbors, various social course of about 500 pages he manages to able only to provide homes for families." projects, old age relief, and any other so­ chronicle the rise of the film industry to On and on it goes. cial needs." its pinnacle in the war years to its ruin In one ridiculous proposal, they sug­ In Answers you will find out how the during the early days of television, all t~e gest reforming bureaucracies so the em­ world will end and why Pat believes that time integrating the ephemeral world of ployees will have the right "values" and Israel was created to be a sign that the the movies into the political world of fas­ ''believe'' in what they are doing. Of Last Days are on schedule (in theological cism, Stalinism, and war and th~ broad~r course, nobody thinks this plan will ac­ terminology, Robertson is a post­ intellectual and artistic worlds. His dis­ tually work. More likely, Cultural tribulation premillenialist). You will also cussion of Ayn Rand's Hollywood years Conservatism is the cover for a jobs pro­ find out whether or not you should learn and of the rise and fall of communist in­ gram for right-wingers worried about to speak in tongues (the answer is yes), fluence in films will be of special interest their post-Reagan careers. What could be and how to lose weight (eat right, excer­ to libertarians. -RWB more secure than a government job? cise, and pray). Ifthis book does reach the grass roots The Secret Kingdom is not quite so Cultural Conservatism level, one can only hope that the pro­ down-to-earth ans Answsers. It is direct­ Toward a New National Agenda freedom masses will realize that the ed toward convincing Pat's cadre that Institute for Cultural Conservatism New Right is not the Old Right and has miracles can happen and that God has a Free Congress Research and Education no relation to the principled individual­ plan for their lives, ifthey would only fol­ Foundation, Washington, D.C., 1987 ism of Felix Morley, Frank Chodorov, low His laws. But like Answers, it con­ and Robert Taft. Then the masses will Capitol Hill conservatives are finally at tains the recommendation that all wealth unify under the banner of "Get Weyrich peace with Washington's permanent gov­ be redistributed and all debts canceled ernment. For raising funds outside the Off Our Back." -JAT every fifty years. He must mean it. beltway, though, they still sell govern­ Both books are fascinating reading, ment bashing and free market rhetoric. and both serve as wonderful cultural The Secret Kingdom Distributed on the Hill as a political tract, studies. There is, of course, no reason to Pat Robertson Cultural Conservatism unwittingly ex­ be intolerant of someone's religious Nelson, 1983 [Bantam 1984] $3.50 poses their esoteric creed, and that's why views. That goes for views that are theo­ Capitol Hill conservatives may be sorry it Answers to 200 logically rigorous as well as for was ever written. The book argues that of Life's Most Probing Questions Robertson's pop apologetics. But conservatives should quit talking about Pat Robertson Robertson's ideas take on new signifi­ trimming the size of government; instead Nelson, 1984 [Bantam 1987] $3.95 cance when we realize that this guy wants to rule us. -JAT they should take it over and use its coer­ Libertarians may disagree with Pat cive power to implement "values." They Robertson's social and foreign policy, Before the Revolution intend to "revive one of the central tenets but doesn't Pat believe in free markets? of President Roosevelt's New Deal: ex­ A View of Russia Under the Last Tsar Not if we can judge from what he has Kyril FitzLyon and Tatiana Browning perimentalism" with an "activist written. Capitalism is okay and profits Overlook Press, 1978, $19.95 government." aren't evil, he says, but to correct capital­ Paul Weyrich-who runs the Institute ism's "abuses" the government should This book, which was originally pub­ for Cultural Conservatism and Free follow Biblical principles. That means lished a decade ago, is now showing up Congress and a zillion other conservative the government should redistribute all on remainder tables, often at a great deal organizations-is the·most influential "wealth," "means of production," and less than $19.95. It's worth a great deal conservative activist on the Hill. But the "money" after every seventh sabbatical more. The first 50 pages contain a tightly blatent statism of this 146 page book em­ year. And usury, i.e. charging interest, condensed but learned and informative barassed even the Washington Times.. should be outlawed. account ofthe Tsarist political, social, and "Sometimes they sound like socialists," These are some of the surprises that cultural order. After these pages comes the right-wing paper said. can be found in two books written before the book's reason for being­ The welfare state shouldn't be cut. he started his failed bid for the presiden­ photographs, more than 300 photo­ "Instead of leading the fight against wel­ cy. In Answers we also find Robertson's graphs, at least 100 of which are magical­ fare, conservatives will help lead the fight views on industrial organization: "the ly compelling views of a world so far for it," says Weyrich's Institute. "We will unfettered laissez-faire concept of Adam removed from our own as to seem almost make cultural welfare our top priority in Smith led to the free-booting robber bar­ extra~planetary, yet so close to our own the competition for Federal funds, equal ons of the nineteenth century." The story (only a few miles, only a few years) as to in our view to defense." The government of these "monopolists" is "not a pretty inspire an intense sympathy and should implement pro-family policies, one." nostalgia. like giving special breaks to "traditional" Why didn't the media follow up on Sympathy and nostalgia may be felt families, encouraging businesses to pay a Robertson's proposal for a Federal even when approval is not. In this book "family wage," and outlawing no-fault Sunday School program? He writes that the ugliness, restrictiveness, and mere sil­ divorce. And the Institute wants to "ex­ under his "ideal taxation system ... 10 liness of Tsarist society are plainly evi­ pand the current, broad-based 'Say no' percent of everyone's income would go dent: who could approve of it? Sympathy campaign, now focused on drug use, to toward religious instruction, teaching, and nostalgia need not originate in regret include premarital sex." Cultural and worship so that the whole popUla­ for some tragic loss. The Tsarist instinct Conservatives should also support tariffs, tion could be instructed in the Word of for self-destruction was tragic enough in Liberty 69 July 1988 its stupid way, but the loss of Tsarism it­ history. jerk egoist entertainment. The situation self was hardly tragic. Sympathy may Nostalgia may arise merely from an and the characters are treated with an ex­ arise merely from the impression of other inspection of landscapes that are under­ traordinarily well-developed moral imag­ people (somewhat like ourselves, we im­ standable to us but forever inaccessible. ination, and the situation and the choices agine) doing the best they can in a tough Here on p. 145 is a view of the last the girl makes are recognized as complex situation. It may arise from a picture of Tsar's coronation procession entering (and irrevocable). The film's moral per­ two peasants in a little horse-cart strug­ Moscow through (heavy irony) the spective is appropriately ambiguous. I gling through a sea of mud toward a tiny Triumphal Gate. The next two pages doubt if many viewers will come away village lost in infinite rolling fields. present a panorama of the Moscow riv­ from the film with the feeling that they Sympathy may arise from a picture of er as it flows past a medieval wall and a have been preached at-or dragged crew-cut students in the Emperor's corps dozen churches of fantastic shapes, through a morass of immorality. of pages grinning at each other as they while over the river and along the -':'TWV form couples for a dancing lesson. It is quays pass hundreds of human beings 1894: how many of these 16-year-olds will (all long dead), and in the foreground a PRC Forum: Barbara Branden die in the pointless conflict of 1914? These tree just struggles into leaf beside a pile $14.95, Video-Sig * people, too, lost in an overpowering land­ of wood neatly stacked for burning. Of The anonymous interviewer who ques­ scape-not endless fertile fields, this time, that time and place, only some momen­ tions Barbara Branden in this videotaped but a vast cold ballroom dominated by tary shafts of light endure, preserved by interview does more than just ask the gargantuan portraits of dictators Nicholas the camera. But from them any willing simple questions that we expect. He asks I and Nicholas II. It is the landscape of imagination can recreate a world. -SC her about her life B.R. (before Rand), about her intellectual development and about the rump Objectivist movement that operates in Rand's name today. What would Rand have thought of Branden's biography The Passion of Ayn Rand? "1 believe she would not have liked my book," Branden tell us, though Videonotes she doubts that Rand would have reacted by denouncing the book in the fashion of her more slavish followers. "Ayn would not have denounced a book that she hadn't read." What does Branden think of the Ayn The Little Girl Rand Institute? "It is a very small group Who Lived Down the Lane neighbors. of people, who mostly talk to each other, Her landlord'8 son (Martin Sheen) is yn' released on videotape by which appears to me to have taken A s her chief threat: a ne'er-do-well child sense of being in a hostile universe to an Vestron Video molester, he won't take nO-"no, my fa­ incredible extreme and seem determined This film is often labeled Horror or ther is not home," and "no, you can't to prove ... that they are lonely martyrs Suspense in the video stores, though it is get in touch with him"-for an answer. fighting for a lost cause." certainly not the former, and barely quali­ But her life is not totally devoid of hu­ In this videotape, the camera never fies as the latter. In truth, it is a unique man companionship, as she befriends moves from Barbara Branden. The inter­ film, comparable only to Hitchcock's (and takes as a lover and co­ viewer is never seen or credited, which is Shadow of a Doubt, which it resembles conspirator) a clever, but physically too bad: it is his questions that put this in­ chiefly for being a story of a girl's rite of handicapped neighborhood boy (Scott terview a cut above the other recordings passage into adulthood, under somewhat Jacoby). of Branden available today. The video macabre circumstances. This film was recommended to me quality is reasonably good, and the intel­ The girl of the title (played brilliantly by an Objectivist, which is not surpris­ lectual quality exceeds expectations for byJodie Foster) lives alone in a house that ing. It is about individual autonomy, or this sort of thing. -RWB her father leased for her before he died. self-government, and the struggle Her father (who died before the action of young people have in obtaining sanc­ PRC Forum: Ed Crane the film takes place) also prepared her for tion from the community for acting $14.95, Video-Sig * more than just the average hassles of life. freely and responsibly. It is also about Those who are curious about what Ed A poet, he knew good and well how little taking the ultimate step in self­ Crane is up to, now that he has left his respect she would get as a 13 year-old government: self-protection-even to high-visibility position as Libertarian "child." He knew that the only way she the point of killing to maintain Party boss and confined his energies to could succeed in her independent life was independence. Partisans of alienation the Cato Institute, "a two million dollar by subterfuge: by making her neighbors can only delight in an exploration of think tank, a small think tank" that he (and the police) believe that her father is this theme. heads, might want to monitor this video still alive. The element of suspense in the Though I suppose the film can be film results from the ever-present possi­ viewed as a subtle revenge thriller, I bility of her being found out by her think it is much too sophisticated to be It For information, write: Video-Sig, 1030 East Duane meddlesome, sometimes threatening, pigeon-holed as merely this sort of knee- Ave., Suite C/ Sunnyvale, CA 94086 70 Liberty July 1988 interview with him. Into the Homeland with quick and under budget" mentality When Crane advises that Cato's pro­ HBO Pictures, 1988 that ruins any substance or coherence the posal for a semi-voluntary, semi-private starring Powers Boothe, C. Thomas movie might have had. alternative to Social Security was its finest Howell, Paul LeMat, Lesli Linda Glatter, There are real right-wing loonies out it Cindy Pickett, Ayre Gross hour, doesn't sound quite consistent there who really look and act like some with his earlier admonition "Never trust This made for cable-TV movie is up to the the jokers in the film, with their populist anybody who was even elected to his usual made-for-television standards. In messages and militant organization prey­ high school student council." This advice other words, it's not very good. While the ing on the gullible and desperate. An in­ may be laudable, but one wonders how acting ranges from fair to pretty good, teresting film could be done. But this isn't well such frankness equips one to lobby and the premise involving an Aryan­ it. politicians. Nation type neo-Nazi cult should be rich These movie Nazis look more clean "The great achievement of Ronald territory, this effort fails to overcome a cut and wholesome than most of my sub­ Reagan was to bring back some in­ confused and messy plotline that is urban neighbors, but are conveniently so terest in political philosophy. He riddled with more holes than the dogma stupid and weak minded that the only was able to articulate a vision of spouted by the "American Libertarian danger they seem to pose is shooting each getting the government off our Movement" bully boys who serve as the other with their barns full of M-16s. The backs, a respect for rights, the effi­ villains. heir apparent Fuhrer is de-programmed cacy of the free market, that Powers Boothe puts in a likeable and instantly when he learns that the kid­ America should be proud of its strong performance as the ex-cop turned napped daughter, a/k/a his girlfriend, is history and its social institutions. surfboard manufacturer looking for a half Hispanic. That is a major achievement, be­ missing daughter who may have been The daughter gets rescued (although cause he did it in a context of a snatched up for reasons unknown by the why she was kidnapped and what hap­ series of presidents from Carter to sinister ALM in the middle of Wyoming pened to her are scarcely explained) and Ford to Nixon to Johnson-people (see what I mean about the plot?), but his the bad guys mostly get killed (by the who were not interested in politi­ talents are not enough to overcome the feds, who mysteriously arrive just in time cal philosophy. It had got to the continual implausibilities put forth by the for a full assault). By the end, even point where it was considered scriptwriters. More than once the story Boothe seems hard put to believe his somewhat naive to raise the issues appears to be heading off into some semi­ own lines. that Reagan raised. It turned out reasonable territory, especially during the Into the Homeland rates 1/2 star as that people responded very, very first half of the film. Eventually, however, HBO's contribution to the "terrorist threat enthusiastically to these ideas." it falls victim to a "let's get this thing over of the week" offerings. -MH What went wrong with the Reagan presi­ dency? "The problem with Reagan, in my view, is that he turned out to be not a very good administrator ... What we Classified Advertisements need is a combination of Reagan's vi­ II II sion-the basic idea of the goodness of Classified Advertising is available for $0.25 per word, plus $1.00 per insertion. 10% off: our society, of respect for individual six or more insertions. Payment must accompany order. rights, and a minimal role for govern­ Jim Stumm, Box 29-LB, Buffalo, NY 14223. ment-with a more hardnosed, sophisti­ Books cated approach dealing with the IIAlongside Night" -J. Neil Schulman's Periodicals entrenched bureaucracy and the nature of exciting account of a libertarian revolution in Panarchy-Choose your own government. politics." 1999. Hardback copies. $5.00 each, postage Ultimate Libertarianism /Newsletter. $6.00 per Crane comes across as an articulate paid! Liberty Bookshelf, PO Box 1167, Port year-Sample $2.00. LeGrand E. Day, Editor, advocate of his brand of "real world" li­ Townsend, WA 98368. Panarchy Dialectic, Box 7663 L Van Nuys, bertarianism. Although many libertarians Computer Science-Extensive listing of California 91409. retain a hostility toward Crane's aban­ books on computer science with emphasis on liThe Best State LP Newsletter around! donment of the Libertarian Party after his artificial intelligence and expert systems, plus Attractive, amusing, thoughtful, and well writ­ AI software. Send $2.00 to Books & Bytes, 1163 candidate failed to obtain the 1984 nomi­ ten."-says Chester A. Arthur about The Trout E. Ogden Ave, Suite 105, Napierville, IL 60540. nation and toward what they perceive as in the Milk, the newsletter of the Libertarian Crane's if-I-can't-run-the-movement-it­ Literature Party of Indiana. One year: $5.00 donation. PO can-go-to-hell attitude, it is plain that Libertarian Anti-Abortion arguments: Box 3108, West Lafayette, IN 47906 Crane and Cato remain in the libertarian $3.00. (Information only: SASE) Libertarians camp, even if they live in Washington, for Life, 13424 Hathaway Drive, #22, Wheaton, Employment D.C., and expend their energy trying to MD 20906. Editorial Assistant I person friday to help influence public policy. with editing, layout and other aspects of pro­ As in the Barbara Branden interview Periodical Guide ducing Liberty. Also: Office manager to man­ reviewed above, the camera never moves Directory of Libertarian Periodicals, re­ age Liberty's office, including mail handling, from its subject. This interview is a cently revised 5th edition, lists about 200 titles, maintenance of mailing list, etc. Will have "talking head" video in the most literal all with current addresses, much other infor­ some opportunity to do editorial work. Here is sense. -RWB mation, all believed to be presently publishing. your chance to work for Liberty! Send letter or Is yours listed? $3.00 postpaid, $4.00 overseas, resume to Liberty, PO Box 1167, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Liberty 71 July 1988 A Taxing W0111al1. A Juzo Itami film. for the hapless businessman in excess of Starring Nobuko Miyamoto as Kyoko Itakura ¥4 million over the preceding five years. and Tsutomu Yamazaki as Hideki Gondo. 1987. 127 minutes. English subtitles. The arcade owner gets no sympathy or help from his accountant, who is present at the interview. "Anything you hid is taxable," this faithless retainer tells his client. The arcade owner goes berserk. Compelling Payment, But Ryoko is a crack auditor after big­ ger fish than these. She is soon assigned Compelling Film to audit Hideki Gondo, the 46-year old owner of a string of five "love motels," and a real estate speculator. When we are introduced to Gondo, we are told in no David Hudson the bill of the most feared and despised uncertain terms that he is a real no­ agency of the American government? goodnik. A Taxing Woman is a Japanese film Even the flagship libertarian publication, A "love motel" is a no-questions­ intended for Japanese audiences, but it's Reason, soft-pedals the tax issue. Their asked motel where Japanese men take importance goes beyond Japanese con­ tax columnist, Warren Solomon, is a com­ their mistresses or prostitutes for a few text. Its theme, the modern State's com­ pliance junkie who would fit right in as a hours of pleasure. There are no check-in pulsion to extract tax revenues forcibly speechwriter for Mike Dukakis, who procedures, and all payments are in cash. from the self-employed and the small wants to balance the Federal budget by The rates are high and overhead is low. businessman, is one that American popu­ increasing tax compliance. Profits are 60-65% of gross receipts. All in lar culture-novels, movies and TV So, we must look abroad for a serious all, this is an ideal set-up for tax evasion. shows-almost completely ignores. cinematic study of the issue of the micro­ With tax rates as high as 56-65% if you Most books about taxes are the work economic effect of taxation on the indi­ include local taxes-there's no wonder of people protesting the income tax, tech­ vidual tax slave. Fortunately, director the Japanese government wants to be ful­ nical guides intended primarily for law­ Juzo Itami gives us one, in a movie that at ly cut in as Gondo's "partner" in these yers and accountants, or popular guides least should get a showing in repertory enterprises. that tell the layman what deductions he theaters in larger urban areas. Gondo is a widower with a common­ may take and still be in "compliance" Kyoko Itakura is a Tokyo-based audi­ law wife and a mistress on the side. He is with the whims of the IRS. The only nov­ tor for the Japanese IRS. A Taxing chauffeured around Tokyo in a white el on this theme I know about is Woman introduces her having lunch with Rolls-Royce. He has secret bank accounts, Heiland, * by tax resister Franklin a rookie tax auditor in a restaurant where hidden safe deposit boxes and a floor-to­ Sanders(1986). This novel has an excellent all the tabs are not rung up on the cash ceiling, walk-in safe in his luxurious premise, a strong and convincing main register. Ryoko-her nickname to her col­ Tokyo home that is literally crammed full character and a beginning that is worthy leagues in the auditor's office-soon of gold bars and neatly-bound stacks of of Orwell's 1984. Alas, the secondary moves on to a small grocery store operat­ ¥10,OOO banknotes. In an early scene, characters are poorly developed, and the ed by an elderly couple. Gondo mutters to himself as he locks his appeal of the book is severely limited by The couple is "diverting" ¥80,OOO safe for the night, "To hell with the tax­ its constant references to and quotations worth of inventory per month for their man. Catch me if you can." from the Bible. personal use. Ryoko explains to the Ryoko gives Gondo a thorough going­ The only American movie I am aware couple that, since their store is incorpo­ over. She audits his books and records, of on the tax issue is the disappointing rated, they must pay the store this the records of his suppliers, and his bank Harry's War (1981), in which the Casper amount, which of course is additional accounts. She is suspicious but finds no Milquetoast Harry suddenly and unchar­ taxable income to the business. She is evidence of wrong-doing, and the case is acteristically becomes an anti-tax tiger "lenient." Since the business has only closed-but not for long. when the IRS mercilessly harasses his been operating for eight months, she After closing out her audit of Gondo, aunt (Geraldine Page) for a wholly unrea­ multiplies ¥80,OOO times eight, for an ad­ Ryoko is promoted to the elite investiga­ sonable assessment on her antique store, ditional ¥640,OOO on which tax must be tive staff of the Tokyo Metropolitan Tax driving her to an early grave. This movie paid. "You act so polite, but you're just a Investigation Office, the shock troops of features weak characters, and degener­ bloodsucker," the wife rages at Ryoko. the Japanese IRS. They show no mercy to ates into a formula chase and shoot-em­ Lest we become too sympathetic with anyone. In a series of raids on suspected up ending, where nobody really gets these "taxpayers," we are next intro­ tax evaders, tax inspectors dig up flower­ hurt. duced to the o\-vner of a video game ar­ beds, ransack homes and offices, confis­ Why is this? I suspect the creative cade \-vho is skimming from each day's cate books and records, paw through community is simply afraid of the IRS. receipts. Ryoko discovers his transgres­ carrying cases, women's purses, a school­ Authors and publishers, producers and sion when she orders him to empty the boy's knapsack, and even conduct strip directors are just as subject to audit as contents of an airline flight bag. There she searches of women, all in the search for anyone else. Who would be a more invit­ finds over ¥330,OOO in cash, including a undeclared cash and incriminating ing target than one who dared to h-veak marked ¥10,OOO note she had spend there records. And they always find it­ the previous day. In the t\-vinkling of an Director Juzo Itami never shows these * Excerpted in Liberty, Vol. 1, No.3 (Dec 1987), eye, assisted only by a pocket calculator, Japanese KGB making a mistake. under the title "Going Home." Ryoko computes a potential tax liability The tax inspectors treat all third-party 72 Liberty July 1988 records and taxpayer records as exten­ went only after elderly owners of grocery ly unacceptable there than here. sions of their own files, as Gonda finds stores it would be a lot harder to portray What is surprising is that Gonda is out to his dismay. A former mistress­ the tax collectors in a sympathetic treated in a fairly sympathetic manner, cruelly cast aside by Gonda early in the manner. given the enormity of his "crime." We are film-makes an anonymous call to the The tax officials are portrayed as told, through the actions of his troubled tax inspectors, and tips them off to the grim, effi~'ent and honest; none more so teen-aged son, that his unacceptable ac­ fact that Gondol s daily records from his than Kyo a Itakura herself. Ryoko is a di­ tions towards the tax collector stem from hotels are torn up and put out with the vorced si gle parent of a 5-year old son the trauma following the death of his garbage each morning. The case is reop­ whom sh neglects so she can better pur­ wife, many years earlier. Ryoko clearly enedl and assigned to Ryoko. sue her ca eer. She is one of the best and demonstrates that she empathizes with This tip is all Ryoko Gonda's problems as a needs. With a col­ father, and even defends leaguel she stakes out Japan, much more than the United States, is Gondo to his son, as she Gondol s hamel and fol­ the home of the "salaryman," whose taxes are and her colleagues are lows the garbage truck rooting through that picks up his trash withheld at the source and has no opport.unity Gonda's home. to the dump. Therel to defend himself from the foragings of his gov­ A Taxing Woman is our heroine and her ernlnent. Iapanese, we· are told, have a higher a breath-taking triumph. sidekick paw through Nobuko Miyamota as the dayls refuse, until degree of civic responsibility than Americans, Ryoko and Tsutomu they find the including a more "positive" attitude towards Yamazaki as Gonda incriminating records. paying taA~es. give brilliant, Oscar- Taped together and ex- caliber performances. r amined by the green- But the real strength of eyeshade boys back at the office, the tax the brightest, seeking approval from her the film is in Director Itami's pacing. inspector's office determines that Gonda peers and superiors above all else. Her Scene follows scene in a logical manner, has undeclared income of ¥250 million success comes as much from her dedica­ the main characters and secondary char­ per year, or ¥1.25 billion over the preced­ tion to her job and capacity for hard work acters are fully developed, and the pho­ ing five years. That's just under $10 mil­ as from her native ability. Her targets are tography, especially the outdoor scenes lion at today's exchange rates ($1.00 all knowingly guilty, none-tao-clever of Tokyo, is exquisite without dominating =¥128.00). liars despite their best efforts, and are al­ the story line or acting. A task force of 100 agents is assem­ ways undone in the end. Ultimately, the film succeeds because bled to raid Gonda's home, five hotels, It should not be surprising that a of its brutally realistic treatment of the tax bank, suppliers, his mistress' apart­ mainstream Japanese director portrayed collector at her work. No trick or degra­ ment-33 locations in all. The raid is car­ the tax collector as the hero in a film dation of their victims is beneath their ried off with clockwork precision, and whose theme is taxation. Japan, much "dignity." Long hours and lost weekends almost everything is discovered­ more than the United States, is the home are routine; Ryoko has no personal life Gonda's secret safe, his hidden safe de­ of the "salaryman," whose taxes are with­ whatever. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is posit boxes, his secret bank account and held at the source and has no opportunity more important than making Gondo and the '/rearl records of his love hotels. to defend himself from the foragings of other tax cheats pay their IIfair share." Gonda's accountant and book-keeper try his government. Japanesel we are told, This film, alas, is one that all too to "hide" in one of the hotel rooms with have a higher degree of civic responsibili­ many American small businessmen will the records, but this does not stop the tax ty than Americans, including a more be able to fundamentally relate to their collectors. They just barge in on unsus­ "positivell attitude towards paying taxes. lives; it is a tragedy precisely because it pecting couples until they corner their Thus tax "cheating" is much more social- is so true. 0 prey. Six months go by, with Gonda inter­ rogated in court almost every day. The movie ends as Ryoko confronts Gonda after a long court session. Give it up, she counsels. Gonda counters by asking Ryoko to give up "this tax business" and move in with him. She slowly shakes her head no, and then Gonda gives up. He writes, in his own blood from a cut he makes on his index fingerl the number of the safe deposit box containing his last ¥300 million. Then he walks off into the grim Tokyo eveningl thoroughly beaten. This film treats the tax collector-not the tax slave-as the hero. The villain is portrayed as a sleazy owner of a disrep­ "If you're so worried about taxes, just remember--every time somebody takes a utable business; if Ryoko and her pals shot at me, my insurance rates go up!" Liberty 73 July 1988 continued from page 8 libertarian who wants to understand the Perhaps the problem with finding a Constitution. coherent defense of rights has been in try­ a campaign-as I agree it is--what sort of Twice Richman states: lithe national ing to find a defense in the first place: expedience would follow a victory? It no government could do only what it was let's go on the offense and ask the statists, longer surprises me that so many sincere specifically allowed to do in the Constitu­ What have you got against the whole idea people don't trust the anti-government tion," but gives the impression that this of human rights? Their answer is "You promises of even a Libertarian politician, "strict construction" rule is only the opin­ can't force other people to do stuff for but instead look only to themselves for ion ofthe Federalists or ofJames Madison. you or act right if you respect their consistent individualism and personal It's much more than that. It's the law. rights." In fact, the only time the question protection. That, in fact, is the gist ofthe 10th Amend­ of rights comes up is when two human James B. Smith ment, which states that the federal gov­ beings are disagreeing over whether one Shrewsbury, Mass. ernment may do only what the of them (or which of them) should be No Tolerance for the Intolerant Constitution specifically allows, but State treated as expendable in the service of the governments may do anything that the Although both Dentinger and Roth­ other's desires, rather than as a valuable Federal Constitution does not specifically bard make good points in their articles, human being. prohibit. they both show conspicuous signs of intol­ Borrowing from Kant, every human Unfortunately, no one, it seems, is erance for members of our movement: being is a moral end in him or herself, and reading or paying any attention to the Dentinger for the conservative leaning that is the real basis for respecting human 10th Amendment these days. We libertar­ members and Rothbard toward the more rights. (My apologies to the offended ians at least should be familiar with the uninhibited members of our movement. ghost of Ayn Rand, who probably still be­ 10th because, if it was enforced, it would Intolerance has no place in the libertarian lieves she was the very first to make this take us a long way toward the libertarian movement. The Party of non-intervention point, and will now haunt me for my hu­ society of our dreams, since it absolutely was conceived with the idea of live and let bris.... I wonder if the ghost of Ayn Rand outlaws the biggest part of what the Fed­ live. believes in ghosts? Probably not....) eral Government is now doing. Looking at it from a moral standpoint, Jerome T. Shockley Jim Stumm human rights simply codify and explicate Cusseta, Ala. Buffalo, N.Y. the real-world implications of and rules Shouting Match for treating human beings as ends in In "The Majority vs The Majoritarian: The Unknown Consequentialist themselves. Rights violations are simply Robert Bork on Trial" (Liberty, March I find myself wanting to respond to at real-world instances of treating others as 1988), Sheldon Richman writes that "Bork least a third of your articles, but obvious­ objects of only utilitarian value or lack stands as the latest illustration of what a ly one cannot flood your mailroom with thereof. weak reed utilitarianism is for libertarian­ so many letters! Looking at it from a utilitarian stand­ ism. Without a commitment to rig~ts and I do wish to make a brief comment and point, why should each and every one of the justice of individual liberty, one should one query. First, Franklin Sanders' article us treat each and every other of us as ends not expect a long-term commitment to a ("I Go To Jail," Liberty May 1988) has the in ourselves? No reason, unless we wish to free society." He seems to be saying that resonance of history being made, and live as neighbors rather than as enemies. liberty is contrary to self-interest, and that moved me to tears. It goes beyond mere In a world without rights, the natural only self-sacrifice to an ideology can reporting to enter the domain of literature. state of human beings is necessarily one achieve freedom. Secondly, who is/was "Donisthorpe"(cit­ of enmity-lithe war of all against alL" It Natural-rights ideology is insufficient ed by Ethan O. Watersin his article in the is absurd to prefer a natural state of war to change other peoples' commitment to same issue)? I have, of course, heard of to a natural state of peace. the anti-freedom ideologies they already Mises, Hayek, Rand, et. aI., but never of So, we havea righteously defensible hold. The resulting ideological debate is a this person. What am I missing? moral principle (people are ends in them­ shouting match in which each side essen­ W. Luther Jett selves) with an unshakeable utilitarian tially keeps asserting over and over, Buckeystown, Md. defense (peace is better than war). As "You're evil and I'm right!" Jackson Browne says, "If you want peace, Wordsworth Donsithorpe was a "critical" Fortunately, libertarians don't always work for justice." And whether you start disciple of Herbert Spencer, with whom go into this dead end. Libertarians fre­ from peace or you start from justice, you he differed chiefly by rejecting all use of quently rely on utilitarian arguments to end up with human rights. As Ayn might the language of ethical naturalism (natu­ promote freedom. Richman's own success­ say, it's a package deal. rallaw and natural rights). He wrote sev­ ful Institute for Humane Studies program eral interesting works, including Law in a Michael Lee overwhelmingly relies on articles that Free State, Individualism, and Principles Salt Lake City, Utah make a practical case for freedom. of Plutology. -EOW SIN Hans G. Schroeder In the May 1988 Liberty Ethan Waters Publisher,The Pragmatist Anti- Libertarianism presents yet another intriguing look at li­ The Forgotten 10th Without Foundations bertarianism. While reading it, however, Sheldon Richman's essay on Robert Ethan Waters has made me think it occurred to me that there may be one Bork refers to the forgotten 9th Amend­ more than any other libertarian in the last additional option beyond the traditional ment, but doesn't mention the even more five years. May I suggest a possible syn­ moralist approach and the consequential­ forgotten 10th Amendment. A pity, be­ thesis of the "two libertarianisms" (utili­ ist approach: the information theory cause the 10th is the ideal entry point for a tarian vs. moralistic) he has identified? approach. 74 Liberty July 1988 We know that there are two basic forc­ form that is guaranteed to have an audi­ This is a brand new concept for me, so es at work in the universe: entropy and in­ ence of others familiar with the syntax and excuse me for thinking out loud, but I can formation. Entropy is always attempting to thus ready and able to understand (if not see all kinds of possibilities in an informa­ increase our supply of chaos while infor­ accept) the new thought. tion-theory approach. Looking at market mation is always at work to provide more Looking at conventional political pro­ economics, for instance, we see that any structure. What if libertarianism was de­ cesses in this light, we see a lot of the ad rigid system of regulation cannot possibly fined as the system that provided the most hoc decisions that are made as having a take into account the millions of variables. structure to our environment? poor signal-to-noise (sin) ratio. They may The libertarian solution-free markets­ No!e !ha! " shuclure" does not mean provide some structure, but not enough provides a syntax within which all these rules and regulations. Rather, structure as for them to be applicable in other situa­ transactions can take place quickly and ef­ used in this context refers more closely to tions (whether similar or not). Examples ficiently. Government ownership of prop­ syntax. To give a simple example, no Eng­ of this include our support of Israel at the erty turns out to have a low signal-to-noise lish speaking person would be very likely expense of the Arabs, and our actions in ratio, as does governmental control of to utter the sentence "Map poetic furniture Korea, Vietnam, and Nicaragua. everything from airports to business li­ read handy fragile ouch," not because the An information-based solution would censes. Foreign policy would become words themselves are strange or wrong be one that is applicable to the widest more equitable and military adventurism but because the syntax is. Given all the number of cases, whether the actual ap­ eliminated. Without going too deeply into words in the English language there are plication of that solution be moralistic, it, I also feel that this approach works on a billions of possible sentences. Syntax-the consequentialistic, contractual, or legal in personallevel. rules that govern the assembly of those execution. This, to me, describes what I For whatever it is worth, this ap­ words-reduces the actual number of pos­ perceive asthe goal of libertarianism: to proach is a polar opposite to anarchy, sible sentences to a much smaller number, provide an objective, structured system which some libertarians find attractive. yet without restricting the expression of against which stimuli and responses can Alas, it does have one flaw that it new and original thoughts through new be measured, freeing us from much of the shares with consequential libertarianism, and original sentences. In fact, it can be ad hoc thrashing about that we as a and that is a certain lack of emotionalism. seen that syntax enhances freedom by al­ nation currently enjoy in our decision­ Ah, well. lowing the expression of new thoughts in a making processes. Greg Raven Los Angeles, Calif. Et Tu, Hank & Erika? What a Country Erika and Henry Mark Holzer ("Et I'm not sure that Gary Alexander vis­ now enjoyed. As regards the Contras, we Tu, ABA," Liberty, May 1988) attack the ited the same country that my wife and I heard not praise, but condemnation for American Bar Association for its contin­ did last fall. Our two-week tour through "los hijos de Reagan" and their atrocities. ued official links with the Association of western Nicaragua did not reveal the To be sure, there were plenty of com­ Soviet Lawyers, and they do so by draw­ bleak "socialist worker's paradise" con­ plaints about the state of the economy, as ing an explicit analogy between Gorba­ jured up in his article. might be expected with continued short­ chev's U.S.S.R. and Hitler's Germany. If The tour "included the requisite visits ages of basic goods, the unavailability of this is a fair comparison, their attack is to governmental and quasi-governmental North American luxury items, machines certainly justified, but for those who agencies, a representative of an opposi­ and their replacement parts, and with 20% doubt its cogency I would like to suggest tion political party (the Popular Social a month inflation. Many government a different analogy. Christian Party), a literacy campaign mu­ measures, such as extensive wage and Imagine that the 1944 Bomb Plot seum, a state-run fruit juice bottling plant price controls applying even to the private against Hitler had been successful, that (using loud, aging American equipment), sector and strictly enforced artificial ex­ the Nazis had been overthrown and a a small, privately-owned farm coopera­ change rates, would make any libertarian moderate government installed in Ger­ tive of about twenty families, a farm co-op cringe. While one could choose to blame many. Such a government would still of Salvadoran refugees, and many pri­ government mismanagement for Nicara­ have left much to be desired: it would vately-owned restaurants with excellent gua's present dire straits, we really don't probably not have prosecuted the Nazi food and slow service. But there was also know what policies would have been criminals, it would be unlikely to have ample time to wander on our own, talking adopted or how well the economy would granted civil rights to the Jews, it may to Nicaraguans on the street/in shops, and be functioning in the absence of a full have tried to keep some of Hitler's terri­ in their houses, from San Juan del Sur in court press of trade embargo and low­ torial conquests. But it would at least the south to Matagalpa in the north. These intensity warfare from "El Norte." The Ni­ have halted the extermination program, conversations, predominantly with my caraguan government's official policy is restored the rule of law, and been pre­ Peruvian-born wife, and often with Amer­ that of a "mixed" economy, and at present pared. to negotiate for an end to the war. ican pop music playing over Radio Sandi­ about 60%-70% is in private hands. Some Suppose now that such a government no in the background, showed a way­ fifty-four trans-national companies with had wanted to open trade and profes­ weary but friendly, hopeful, and deter­ names like Phillips, Siemens, Toyota, and sional contacts with the West. Would we mined people who surprisingly bore no Coca-Cola are presently doing business in have welcomed such an opportunity, as a grudge against American citizens. In sev­ Nicaragua. It may not be Hong-Kong, but means of leading Germany further along eral discussions, women commented on it's certainly not Albania. the road to democracy and freedom? Or the new rights and opportunities they Stephen D. Julstrom would we have been purists like the .Chicago, Ill. Holzers, and refused to recognize any

Liberty 75 July 1988 difference between the new government that can be used to solve the entrepreneu­ cian who had planned to run for Govern­ and the Nazis? rial problem of building the ''better or. Mr. Pendary strongly discouraged my Surely it would be obvious that despite mousetrap." candidacy, arguing that it was "not with­ its imperfections it was the change repre­ Jim Voris in the goal of the Libertarian Party to sented by the new government that was the Hunt Valley, Md. wave a pair of red panties underneath the important thing, and that our involvement Corrections from the House of American Flag." Mr. Pendary could not would be a way to continue and accelerate dissuade me, and he withdrew from the that change. The alternative view, which Correcfions race (as he could not run with a whore), the Holzers embrace, implies that every I was amused to see that even though and ran for Congress instead. government is responsible for the crimes of I am safely locked away from society I At the convention, I was confronted its predecessors-but isn't this just the sort still find a way to be involved in contro­ by strong opposition. Alicia Clark talked of statist presumption that libertarians versy-in this case, in the two articles by to me, presumably on a "woman to should oppose? John Dentinger and Murray Rothbard woman" basis, suggesting I would not be None of us can foretell the future, so I (Liberty, March 1988). As the articles re­ a suitable candidate for office, although cannot claim that my analogy is the correct late to me, I would like to refute the inac­ she did not offer any reasons why not. one. It seems to me that Gorbachev is clos­ curacies each contained. Susan Bell announced her intentions to Dentinger writes that my campaign er to von Stauffenberg than to Bormann, run in opposition to my campaign. (I had but I could be wrong. But shouldn't we was in 1984. Actually, it was in 1986. I never met the woman, norshe me.) Even­ treat this as a legitimate difference of opin­ have serious doubts about his argument tually, she dropped out of the race, but ion, rather than the good libertarians ver­ that if Rose Bird'had not been removed not before endorsing a "none of the above sus the immoral collaborators in the ABA? from the California Supreme Court by the candidacy'" instead of me. Charles Richardson voters I might not have been sent to pris­ "None of the Above" was also en­ New Brunswick, N.J. on. Even though she "consistently ruled dorsed by Mike Hall, Laurel Fest (who that judges have discretion under so gave it a tear-jerking speech at the nomi­ Vaster Than Empires, called mandatory sentencing laws," I And More Quick nating convention), and a few very vocal doubt she would have ruled in my favor. others. The delegates asked for a secret As an engineer employed in the factory Rose Bird was ardently supported by lib­ ballot. I won the nomination by a wide automation field, I agreed with most of eral State Senator David Roberti (D­ margin, although the exact vote count Ross Overbeek's observations in "Can Hollywood), who sponsored the repres­ now escapes me (perhaps I have been too Computers Save the World?" (Liberty, sive pandering laws under which I was long incarcerated). March 1988). But I think he focused too prosecuted. Even though I was a novice candi­ much on the gee-whiz aspects of the ongo­ Senator Roberti has been the prime date, and knew nothing about party in­ ing high-tech revolution and glossed over moving force behind several appallingly fighting between the liberal faction and the vast amounts of software development anti-civil rights laws regarding prostitu­ the conservative faction (in my naive needed to take us from here to there. tion. Thanks to his efforts, California mind we were all libertarians, and all be­ New products aren't developed just be­ ranks number one in laws and sentencing lieved in freedom ... didn't we?), I was cause the technology exists to implement capabilities against private consenting well aware that my candidacy was not them. The economy is driven by consu­ adult acts. popular with some libertarians until they mers and bounded by the allocation of Knowing human nature as I think I were convinced that I was not a gum scarce resources. Predictions of a high-tech do, I am afraid Ms. Bird would not have chewing airhead who would damage the future that fail to consider the scarcity of bitten the'hand that fed her (Roberti was credibility of the Libertarian Party and human talent will likely be wrong. the major source of her campaign fund it's principles. In my experience with automating raising effort during her battle to retain Thanks to my many public appear­ "factories of the future" the problem isn't her seat). ances on radio and TV (exposure gained, the lack of computational resources availa­ I am afraid the conservatives are no ironically, because I was a prostitute) I ble for the task. The problem is figuring better either, and until we have a state was able to convince most of my oppo­ out how to implement such a large system. and U. S. Supreme Court filled with liber­ nents that I meant business, and that my There are a tremendous number of design tarian minded jurists, personal liberty is­ issue was freedom, not just prostitution. problems that need to be solved, and no sues will never be satisfactorily News of my fight against the state has amount of computing can shorten the pro­ addressed by either the conservative clos­ been widely publicized in the libertarian cess because it's not a computational et johns (most of my clientele were con­ movement, and I am deeply grateful for problem. servative) or the closet conservative (on the support and concern I have received Consider the taskof designing a sky­ personal freedom) liberals. from libertarians all over the world. This scraper. All the computing resources in the Mr. Rothbard writes, "Dentinger's ref­ support has given me great consolation 'subst~ntial world save some time in the design, but an erence to heated opposition' during my confinement as a political awful lot of time would still be spent find­ to Norma Jean Almodovar's candidacy prisoner. ing out what was wanted and figuring out for Lt. Governor willfully ignores the fact I'll tell John Dentinger personally of how to build it: time and infor'mation will that Norma Jean had no opposition in the the error of his reasoning on the issue of always remain scarce resources (in this LP primary ..." Rose Bird when he comes to visit me in universe at least). That surprises the heck out of me! I prison. I'd tell Mr. Rothbard of his error, In the final analysis, all that we'll ever first learned of the opposition during a too, if he ever came to visit me.... lengthy telephone conversation with Har­ get out of computational abundance is a Norma Jean Almodovar larger and more sophisticated set of tools ry Pendary, a northern California physi- Norco, Calif. 76 Liberty July 1988 r Notes on Contributors

/IBaloo" is the nom de plume of Rex F. May, whose Bob Ortin has a degree in applied mathematics and cartoons appear in numerous magazines, including The physics from the University of Wisconsin. He lives in Wall Street Journal and National Review. Mr May is the southern Oregon where his political cartoons are regularly editor of The Trout in the Milk. featured in a local newspaper. D. R. Blackmon is a free-lance writer and syndicated Ross Overbeek, an associate editor of Liberty, is a columnist. He has had other interviews and profiles pub­ computer scientist at the Argonne National Laboratory. lished in Oasis ·magazine. Sheldon Richman is director of public affairs at the R. W. Bradford is publisher of Liberty. Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason Stephen Cox, an associate editor of Liberty, is University. Associate Professor of Literature, University of California, Murray N. Rothbard, an associate editor of Liberty, San Diego. is S.J. Hall Distinguished Professor of Economics at the Mike Holmes, a contributing editor of Liberty, is also University of Nevada at Las Vegas and Vice President for the editor of American Libertarian, a monthly newspaper Academic Affairs of the Ludwig von Mises Institute. of the libertarian movement. David Ramsay Steele is Editorial Director of the David Hudson is a free-lance writer and teacher of General Books Division of Open Court Publishing Co. contract bridge. In 1982 he dropped out of the rat race in Jerome Tuccille is author of many books, including: Washington, D.C. and moved to Hilo, Hawaii, where he Trump, It Usually Begins With Ayn Rand, Wall Street has found true love and lives happily ever after. Blues, Kingdom, and others. He taught a course on anar­ William Kelsey spent his childhood in Jordan and chism at the New School in New York City during the ear­ Lebanon, and lived and worked in the Far and the Middle ly-1970s. He lives with his family in Greenwich, East for three years, 1977-1980. He has settled in Texas, Connecticut, where he runs an investment firm. where he ran for U.S. Congress on the Libertarian ticket in 1982. Jeffrey A. Tucker lives in Washington, D.C., is a graduate student in economics at George Mason Matt Kesler is a physicist and founder of the Haines University, and is managing editor of The Free Market, Solar Energy Corporation, a manufacturer of solar battery the monthly publication of the Ludwig von Mises chargers. He is presently working to further develop his Institute. theory that Jesse Jackson has invented a new dialect. Timothy Virkkala is assistant editor of Liberty. In his Tibor Machan teaches philosophy at Auburn spare time, he composes pandiatonic music. University, Alabama, and is Senior Editor of Reason. William P. Moulton, a contributing editor of Liberty, Ethan O. Waters is a writer who lives in Southern lives in northern Michigan, and is a collector of trilobites. California.

Coming In• the September Liberty: "Rights as a Praxeological Imperative" Prof. Hans-Hermann Hoppe challenges the claim that the notion of rights must be imported from ethics into discussion of political theory, thus positing an alternative to nat­ ural rights theory and utilitarianism. In what Murray Rothbard calls "an extraordinary breakthrough," Hoppe derives human rights from what he calls "argumentationethics"; he argues that the mere fact that an individual argues presupposes that he owns himself and has a right to his own life and property. "My Dinner with Gus" One day in 1972, William Moulton heard American Communist Party leader Gus Hall was coming to town, and decided it would be fun to meet him. So he crashed a Communist Party bash and introduced himself to the Party chieftain. He isn't sure what he learned about communism, but he did find out there is nothing more inhibited or less fun than a Party party. And before the evening was over, Gus Hall had taken Moulton out to dinner. .. . "Young Money" Karl Hess compares the stereotype of kids who earn money and real kids who earn real mon­ ey. He finds that real kid entrepreneurs are a long way from Alex Keaton. "Taking Liberty Seriously" Murray Rothbard surveys contemporary political philosophical writing in Britain and America and wonders: why is it that British philosophers take liberty so much more seriously than do American philosophers?

Liberty 77 July 1988 T~lflf@l JJnc@gnilft@l

Washington D.C. South Bend, Indiana How the Bureau of National Affairs promotes a drug-free work­ The Leader of the Free World stirs men's souls, in a dramatic an­ place (or is it a free-drug workplace?), according to a dispatch in the nouncement at the dedication of the postage stamp commemorating Wall StJournal: . Knute Rockne, the famous football coach at Notre Dame University, as The Bureau will celebrate its new publication "Drug Free Work­ reported in the Los Angeles Times: place" by serving champagne and high tea at a book-signing party. "Reagan's association with Notre Dame dates back to his 1940 mo­ Germany vie role as the Gipper, the young football player George Gipp whose death from pneumonia is the dramatic centerpiece of the film Knute A new perspective on glasnost for Petra Kelly, head of West Rockne-All American. Germany's Green Party, as reported by Ms Kelly in the leftist New Per­ "In a field house packed with students and local residents, Reagan spectives Quarterly: said that Americans must stand finn, even when it is uncomfortable to "Perhaps the most shocking thing is the planned joint venture be­ do so. Lowering his voice to a throaty whisper as he recited Gipps's tween the Soviet Union and McDonald's to build a hamburger stand on deathbed lines from the movied: 'sometime when the team is up against Red Square. When 1heard about this I thought, 'Are people going to eat it and the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to go out there with all Big Macs and sip Coca-Cola in front of Lenin's tomb?' For years, we they got and win just onefor the Gipper. 1 don't know where I'll be then, Greens have fought against the spread of that kind of cheap food chain but I'll know about it, and I'll be happy.'" in Gennany. "But, apparently misreading the text from the Teleprompter, Reagan But when 1 expressed my disgust with the plan to a Soviet friend, she said, 'Win just one for the Gippet. '" said, 'For us, it is a sign of change in the quality of life. '" New York Washington, D.C. In a "no holds barred" interview with Barbar Walters on ABC­ Evidence of the dedication of the freedom-loving allies of Lt Col TV's 20120, presidential aspirant Jackson answers the question, "Do Oliver North, from the concluding statement of "Oliver North's Fight you have a philosophy by which you live? What is it?" for Freedom," a television documentary prepared by the American "1 am driven by, I appreciate, the power of the love ethic. We as hu­ Freedom Caucus: man beings, no matter what policies have been, we must forgive each "Your gift will help broadcast this program in other cities across the other, redeem each other and move on. That drives me as a philosophy." country. We need to let people know the truth, so please call now. Ifthe lines are busy, write this number down and keep trying. We will still be Salt Lake City, Utah here even after this program ends. How the security forces at airports are effectively employed in the "In fact, with your help and continued support, we will be here until fight for a drug-free America, as reported in the DetroitNews: Lt Col Oliver North helps raises the flag offreedom over free men and Dennis Barney of Denver was stopped by authorities at Denver's women, boys and girls, in nation after nation around the world." Stapleton airport because he met the criteria of the Drug Enforcement Agency's "typical suspect profile"; that is, he was traveling with little Atlanta, Georgia baggage, had a full beard and shoulder-length hair, and dressed casually. A setback in the battle against drugs is a never-ending one, as re­ He agreed to a search by authorities, he says, because "1 felt intimidated. ported in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, Press: I felt if1 said 'no,' they would search anyway." As part of a nationwide campaign against drugs, Georgia State Po­ The search revealed $4,000 in cash. Mr Barney was carrying the lice stopped a car from South Florida because it was engaging in suspi­ cash because he intended to buy a motorcycle in Salt Lake City. He also cious behavior: namely, it was "scrupulously obeying all traffic laws." carried little baggage because of the limited baggage capacity ofthe mo­ Alfredo Lopez, the driver of tl,te car, refused a request that he allow torcycle, which he intended to drive home. officers to search the trunk ofhis car and was taken to a Sheriff's office, At last report, Mr Barney is suing for the return of his $4,000. where a police dog nosed around his car and barked. On this evidence, Stockholm the police obtained a warrant to search the trunk of Lopez' car. Evidence of the self-sacrificing nature of the public servants at­ The search of the car did not find any illegal drugs. Instead it discov­ ered a videotape of the driver and another man carefully vacuuming out tracted to the zoo keeping profession in this Scandinavian country, as the trunk of the rental car to remove any possible residue of drugs from reported in the San Francisco Examiner: a past renter and explaining that they were investigating how police ar., When zoo officials failed to find another home for Molly the bear bitrarily stop and harass cars with Florida plates driven by Latin Ameri­ cub, one of last year's biggest attractions, they butchered the cute little can appearing men. creature and raffled off the meat among the zoo's staff. In settlement of the lawsuit broght by Lopez, the Georgia State Po­ Washington, DC. lice released copies of the confidential drug dealer profile prepared by Presidential hopeful Jesse Jackson explained his thinking on the the Reagan Administration's Drug Enforcement Agency. The profile economy, as quoted by Fred Barnes in the New Republic: urged local police to watch for "rental cars, particularly those from south Florida," and to be especially suspicious if the cars are being driv­ "Right now Congress can merge and then purge workers and then en in "scrupulous obedience to traffic laws," or the driver is a member submerge the economy. A process called merging, purging and sub­ of an "ethnic group associated with the drug trade," or is "wearing lots merging. Merge corporations, leveraged buy-outs, paper wealth, purge workers, and submerge our economy. This must shift." of gold."

(Readers are invited to forward newsclippings or other documents for publication in Terra Incognita.)

78 Liberty July 1988 Throughout six decades, this man challenged and changed the way economists think.

Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973)

n sixty years of teaching and Ludwig von Mises dedicated his • National conferences on the writing, Professor Ludwig von life to scholarship and freedom. gold standard, the Federal Reserve, Mises rebuilt the science of eco­ The Mises Institute pursues the the income tax, sound banking, and nomics-as well as the defense of same goals through a program of: the work of Ludwig von Mises and the free market and honest • Publications-including The Murray N. Rothbard. money--on·a foundation of individ­ Review ofAustrian Economics edited • The O.I~ Alford, III, Center for ual human action. by Murray N. Rothbard; The Free' Advanced Studies in Austrian Eco­ Professor Mises, the greatest Market; The Austrian Economics nomics. economist and champion of liberty Newsletter, books; monographs; and • Public policy work in Wash­ of our time, was the author of Issues in Economic Policy. ington, D.C., on the free market hundreds of articles and books in­ • Scholarships for Misesian gradu­ and gold standard. cluding Human Action, Socialism, ate students. For more information on the and The Theory ofMoney and Credit. • Student study centers on or Institute's work, and free samples of The Ludwig von Mises Institute near the campuses of Auburn Uni­ its publications, please write our is a unique educational organization versity, George Mason University, academic headquarters: supported by contributions and Stanford University, and the Uni­ Patricia Heckman, Vice President dedicated to the work of Ludwig versity of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Ludwig von Mises Institute von Mises and the advancement of • Instructional seminars in intro­ Auburn University Austrian economics, the free mar­ ductory and advanced Austrian Auburn, Alabama 36849 ket, and the gold standard. economics. THE LUDWIG VON MISES INSTITUTE

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