Liberty Magazine February 2001.Pdf Mime Type

What's Left of February 2001 $4.00 Gore L!) 0.0\. o.m ~ Cl:S 0'"0 o u .. I'- ---.....1iiiiiiiiiIiiII~~~iiiiiiililiiiililiiiiilliiiiiilllllllllllllii~...........iiIliliiiIiIIIIillillliilillillllllllllllliiillllllllllllllllllllllllllllll..................IIIIIIIIIiiiiii~ ...:to ~ I'- ~ ~ o:=J~ ~"A bean in Liberty is better than a comfit in prison" - George Hebert ___' Let t ers J] understand or does not appreciate [ Rand's avowedly romantic style of fic- :::::==========================================================================:::::. tion. (With this reader, however, her style is effective and makes for grip Mark Skousen's Strange deal to their mutual benefit. Mean ping reading.) The consequences of the Economics while, he does not demand subsidies or heroes' retreat to the Gulch - Atlas's Ayn Rand, Mark Skousen writes, even sympathy. He supported himself shrugging - also helps make the point "didn't really understand how capital for a while by laboring in a quarry. about how much the functioning of a ism works." Speaking through her Roark is the antithesis of the sec country's economy depends on the heroes, she denied"a basic tenet of ondhander, the person who tries to work of the creative minority. sound economics - the principle of curry favor with other persons by sub Admittedly, I would not have rec consumer sovereignty" (" Ayn Rand's ordinating his own values (if he has ommended Ayn Rand as teacher of col Strange Economics," January). Howard any) to the values that others either lege courses in economic theory. Her Roark, the architect hero of The Fount have or pretend to have. Notable vil grasp of the subject was apparently ainhead, refused to subordinate his own lains in Rand's novels either are sec unsystematic and incomplete. But she professional and artistic standards to ondhanders themselves or exploit the did convey profound insights (as the whims of prospective clients. secondhandism of their victims. Skousen recognizes, if only obliquely). Skousen attributes to Roark and thus to Roark's character, constructed in She understood that creative entrepren Rand a "bizarre, almost anti-social atti accord with Rand's conception of the eurs are the engines of progress. They tude." Hers is the "snobbish attitude" romantic novel, illuminates second go beyond merely meeting the wants of "artists and intellectuals who bash handism by contrast. that consumers already have. They the capitalist system because they hate One form of secondhandism envision wants that consumers may the idea of subjecting their talents to appears in a misconception of "market come to have once hitherto unimagined crass commercialism and the crude test," as if success in the marketplace is means of satisfying them are in place. tastes of the common man." the test of truth and beauty and general They and their providers of finance But consumer sovereignty is not"a excellence. (Sometimes this test is invest: they incur losses and bear risks basic tenet of sound economics" - not stretched to cover the metaphorical in hope of long-run profits - and also if it means that the wishes of consu marketplace for ideas and academic for the joy of creation. Roark behaved mers should always override those of publications; see my articles in Journal that way in his own career. The deni producers. Most sound economists do of Economic Perspectives, Fall 1997, and zens of Galt's Gulch were, in part, value a system of free markets and of Quarterly Journal ofAustrian Economics, investing in the hope of returning to gains from voluntary trading; but the Fall 2000.) Such notions risk discredit and prospering in an economy freed of sovereignty involved (if one insists on ing the valid case for a free society by the shackles forged by the small that word) includes the sovereignty of misconstruing the market as an entity mindedness hitherto prevailing. workers, entrepreneurs, and even in its own right that transcends the Even if her understanding of money investors. One might better speak of mere men and women who trade on it, - macro theory, in particular, was "individual sovereignty," or still better an entity that makes superior judg incomplete - Rand in Atlas Shrugged emphasize the principle of voluntary ments even about good and bad. Yet, of did recognize the primacy of produc interaction. If an investor wants to course, money can be made by catering tion over mere demand; she had a glim avoid helping produce liquor, tobacco, even to depraved tastes. The valid case mer of a nonfallacious and important or pornography, or if he wants to share for the free market is quite other than version of Say's Law. As for money, in the perceived glamor of a high-tech an actual exaltation of consumer sove she put a moving impromptu speech venture or of a Broadway play, he is reignty. A twisted version of free on its moral significance into the mouth free to do so. People acting in the mar marketry harms the cause of freedom. of Francisco d'Anconia. Money is both ketplace do not heed exclusively pecu The retreat to Galt's Gulch of the tool and symbol of a society where pro niary incentives. heroes in Atlas Shrugged violates, says ductive men and women benefit from Rand's Howard Roark does not try Skousen, the money-making impera and contribute to one another's excel to suppress what he may consider the tive that drives business people in the lences, voluntarily trading value for bad taste of other architects and their real world, who wouldn't give Rand's value, instead of trying to live by loot clients (though he may hope to raise John Galt the time of day. Well of ing or wheedling. Rand and her follow the level of tastes by his own example). course Rand's heroes do not behave ers adopted the dollar sign as a symbol He seeks a niche in the marketplace altogether realistically. They exhibit the of such a society. where he and like-minded persons, virtue of integrity in exaggerated Paradoxically for the eminent perhaps only a small minority, may degree. Skousen apparently does not Austrian economist that he is, Skousen in effect faults Rand for not having a Liberty (ISSN 0894-1408) is a libertarian and classical liberal review of thought, culture and politics, pub static, Walrasian vision of the economic lished monthly by the Liberty Foundation, 1018 Water Street, Suite 201, Port Townsend, WA 98368. system and of business people's role. Periodicals Postage Paid at Port Townsend, WA 98368, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Liberty, P.o. Box 1181, Port Townsend, WA 98368. But Rand was no screwball on Subscriptions are $29.50 for twelve issues. Foreign subscriptions are $34.50 for twelve issues. Manuscripts economics. arc welcome, but will be returned only if accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE). A Leland B. Yeager writer's guide is available: send a request and an SASE. Auburn, Ala. Opinions expressed in Liberty are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Liberty Foundation. Copyright © 2001 I,iberly Foundalion. All righls reserved. February 2001 Liberty Inside Liberty Volume 15, Number 2 R.W. Bradford editor & publisher 2 Letters The wrath of our readers. Stephen Cox John Hospers 7 Reflections We hang our chads, perform an autopsy on Al Gore, Jane S. Shaw celebrate the wisdom of crafty, dead, white guys, demythologize the senior editors Supreme Courtiers, and tell how to boil a frog. Brien Bartels David Boaz Features Alan Bock Douglas Casey 21 Beasts in the House Sarah]. McCarthy wonders what you do when Andrew Chamberlain there's a donkey in your living room and an elephant in your bedroom. Eric D. Dixon Brian Doherty 23 Electoral Theology Politics is becoming less and less about bread David Friedman and-butter issues and more and more about religious matters. Robert H. J. Orlin Grabbe Nelson wonders how this will change our lives. Bettina Bien Greaves Leon T. Hadar 25 A Sign of Progress? Libertarian Party candidates for Congress got Gene Healy more votes in 2000 than any fringe party has ever received before. But when Robert Higgs the vote is examined closely, the news isn't so remarkable, observes R. W. Bill Kauffman Bradford. Bart Kosko Richard Kostelanetz 27 Letter from Athens Twenty years ago, left-wing radicals occupied the Loren E. Lomasky streets. Today, demonstrators clutch crucifixes, hoist the Greek flag, and Sarah McCarthy demand an exit from Europe, reports Leon Hadar. Wendy McElroy 29 Know Your Enemy Sometimes, it's not a good idea to give your enemy Robert H. Nelson Randal O'Toole the benefit of the doubt, argues Edward Rahn. Ross Overbeek 31 The. Unacknowledged Premise A secret belief can make discussion Durk Pearson impossible; Robert H. Formaini explores the implications. Dyanne Petersen Ralph Raico 33 How to Make a Freer World: A Symposium Randal O'Toole, Bruce Ramsey Steve Dasbach, Jacob Hornberger, Jane Shaw, David Nolan and others suggest Scott J. Reid some strategies. Sheldon Richman Sandy Shaw 48 'Twas a Night in December Daniel Schwarz recalls some strange Tim Slagle night visitors. Fred L. Smith, Jr. Martin M. Solomon 49 Our Enemy, the Statists Martin M. Solomon explores the thought of a Clark Stooksbury great libertarian writer. Thomas S. Szasz Martin Morse Wooster 51 How to Succeed With Women First, go to your mailbox, Bob Higgs Leland B. Yeager explains. contributing editors Kathleen Bradford Reviews managing editor Tracey S. Rosenberg 53 The Abuse of Science Leland Yeager looks at junk science, assIstant editor pseudo-science, and scientific fraud. John Bergstrom S.H. Chambers 55 Vietnam, After a Quarter Century There are still lessons to learn, RexF.May says Timothy Sandefur. cartoonists/illustrators Jon Kalb 58 The Natural Economy Pierre Desrochers looks at Jane Jacobs' new Jim Switz book, which argues that economics is as simple - and as complicated - as computer consultants Nature herself.

Load more