Libertarian Forum

A Semi-Monthly Newsletter The Libertarian Joseph R. Peden, Publisher Washington Editor, Karl Hess Murray N. Rothbard, Editor VOL. I, NO. IV I MAY 15, 1969 35C MAILER FOR MAYOR Norman Mailer's surprise entry into the Democratic the neighborhood. Mailer's vision actively promotes this primary for Mayor of New York City, tobe held on June 17, position. He is the first political campaigner since the Civil provides the most refreshming libertarian political cam- War to raise the banner of secession, a mighty call which paign in decades. Mailer has taken everyone by surprise by unfortunately became discredited in the eyes of Americans his platform as well as his sudden entry into the political because (a) the South lost the Civil War, and (b) because it ranks. The Mailer platform stems from one brilliantly was associated in their minds with slavery. penetrating overriding plank: the absolute decentralization Another superb part of Mailer's libertarian vision is his of the swollen New York City bureaucracy into dozens of reply about where the New York City government would constituent neighborhood villages. This is the logic of the raise funds; he points out that citizens of New York City recent proposals for "decentralization" and "community pay approximately $22 billion in income taxes to the federal control" brought to its consistent and ultimate conclusion: government, and that New Yorkers only receive back about the turmoil and plight of our overblown and shattered urban $6 billion from federal coffers. Hence, if New Yorkers kept government structures, most especially New York, are to be that $22 billion in their own hands .. That way lies seces- solved by smashing the urban governmental apparatus, and sion indeed!' fragmenting it into a myriad of constituent fragments. Each While Mailer's all-out decentralization should appeal to neighborhood will then be running its own affairs, on all left and right alike, in actual fact so far the great bulk of matters, taxation, education, police, welfare, etc. Do con- his support is coming from the kids of the New Left. On servative whites object to compulsory bussing of black kids the West Side of Manhattan, there is in the New kft- into their neighborhood schools? Well, says Mailer, with oriented Community Free Democratic club at least a strong each neighborhood in absolute control of its own schools bloc of ardent Mailer-Breslin adherents. As far as I know, this problem could not arise. Do the blacks object to white there is nothing like this support on the Right-wing. Again dictation over the education of black children? This problem I put the question to Mrs. Conservative: how come? You've too would be solved if Harlem were wholly independent, been griping, and properly so, about swollen governmental running its own affairs. In the Mailer plan, black and white bureaucracy for thirty years. For all that time you've been could at long last live peacefully side-by-side, with each calling for decentralization, for fragmenting the govern- group and each self-constituted neighborhood running its ment. Now, at long last, a candidate cozes along that takes own affairs. this position (Mailer calls himself a left conservative", Mailer and his running mate for City Council President, by the way). Why aren't you supporting him? the writer Jimmy Breslin, realize full well that this striking And so The Libertarian makes its first political endorse- new idea cuts totally across old-fashioned "leftn-"right" ment: Mailer for Mayor of New York City and Breslin for lines, that it could logically have an appeal to both groups, President of the City Council. But this of course runs us or rather to those in both groups that are truly attracted squarely into the very widespread sentiment among liber- by an essentially libertarian vision. Those who want tarians against any support, vote or endorsement whatever compulsory integration or those who want the blacks to for any political candidate. The contention is that any such continue under white rule will not be satisfied with this support constitutes support of, and joining in with, the vision; but those who yearn for liberty, who want whites and State apparatus and is therefore immoral for the libertarian. blacks to treat each other as independent equals rather While I respect this position, I consider it unduly sectarian. than as rulers of one over the other, should flock to the The point is that whether we vote or endorse or not, the Mailer standard. offices of President, Senator, Mayor or whatever will not Mailer's other positions flow from his basic libertarian become vacant; some one will continue to fill these offices insight. He is opposed to compulsory fluoridation of the during the coming years. Since there is no way for us to opt water supply, and he favors the freeing of Huey Newton-- for keeping these offices vacant, since we will be stuck with both libertarian positions in the freeing of the individual someone in these positions come what may, why shouldn't and the community from the boot of the State. One of we at least express a hope that someone rather than some- Mailer's key proposals is that New York City secede from one else will fill such positions? If we know that either X New York State and form a separate 51st State: a position or Y will fill a given political post, why can't we express not only consistent with breaking up large governmental our hope that X will win, or, more likely, that Y will lose? bodies but also with the crucial libertarian principle of Since we are not yet able to reach that blessed state when secession. Secession is a crucial part of the libertarian hot,$ can lose, why not do the best we can with the material philosophy: that every state be allowed to secede from the at hand for the time being? Or, to put it another way, the nation, every sub-state from the state, every neighborhood State apparatus allows us our biennial or quadrennial from the city, and, logically, every individualor group from (Continued on next page) 2 The Libertarian, May 15, 1969 electoral choice. It is, to be sure, a piddling choice, a organize ordinary middle-class citizens into action except marginal choice, a choice which means little and which of through political parties. Blacks are organized in the ghet- and by itself cannot radically change the existing system. toes, students on campuses, workers--for good or ill--in But it is at least something, it is at least some kind of a labor unions, but where are the permanent issue-oriented choice that we are allowed between different groups of organizations that successfully attract the great bulk of the would-be masters, and often such a choice may be important country in the middle-class? It seems that the middle-class --as in the Mailer ideas and candidacy for this year. Why is only organizationally attracted by political parties, party shouldn't we take advantage of the choices, howeverpiddling, clubs, etc. If this is so, then political parties become a that our State rulers permit us to exercise? necessary instrument of the libertarian movement, because I take as my text Lysander Spooner, one of the great if we are to achieve victory we must eventually obtain at Founding Fathers of individualist anarchism. Spooner wrote: the very least the passive support, and hopefully a more "in the case of individuals, their actual voting is active support, of the majority of the middle-class of the not to be taken as proof of consent cto the U. S. country. No organizing among the middle-class has been governmena . On the contrary, it is to be con- done by the New Left, although there have been perennial sidered that, without his consent having even been futile attempts to organize the industrial workers by the asked a man finds h~mselfenvironed by a govern- Marxist elements. The issues, I am convinced, are there: ment that he cannot resist; a government that forces high taxes, inflation, inter-racial clashes arising from him to pay money, render service, and forego the failure to achieve community control, a losing or stale- exercise of many of his natural rights, under peril mated war, all this can be brought home to the majority of of weighty punishments . the population. The rhetoric, of course, will have to differ Doubtless the most miserable of men, under the from the rhetoric that appeals to students; but the under- most oppressive government in the world, if allowed lying ideas and philosophy can be the same: individual the ballot, would use it, if they could see any chance liberty. But it seems clear the the organizational form for of thereby ameliorating their condition. But it would organizing the middle class will have to be a political party not, therefore, be a legitimate inference that the or something very much like it. government itself, that crushes them, was one which they had voluntarily set up, or even consented to." Libertarian sectarians should ask themselves seriously: (Spooner, No Treason : Larkspur, Colorado, 1966, do we want victory? If we really want victory for liberty, p. 13.) then we must employ the means necessary for its attain- There is another important reason for not necessarily ment, and it looks as if political action will be one--though scorning the endorsement of political parties or candidates. by no means all--of those necessary means. And so Mailer And that is the seeming fact that it is almost impossible to for Mayor. Civil Disorders War Room at the Pentagon.

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