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Liberty Magazine March 2005.Pdf Outsource Me, March 2005 $4.00 Please! March 2005 Inside Liberty Volume 19, Number 3 4 Letters Stand and be counted. 7 Reflections We disturb the space-time continuum, decry conservatives legislating from the bench, smoke out the Feds, question the Tenets of the CIA, take a close look at the CBS whitewash, fly with the hawks of Manhattan, and blast off into Space. Features 23 Conversion of a Gun Grabber Bruce Ramsey tells why he no longer believes gun control is good for us. 25 Outsource Me, Please! A software engineer pleads for open markets and competition. 29 The Final Deceit How much of Hayek's last book, "The Fatal Conceit," did the aged philosopher actually write? Alan Ebenstein examines newly discovered private papers and learns that Hayek's final words were written by someone else. 33 They're Coming for Your Land When Big Business wants your land, Timothy Sandefur discovers, your local government is happy to take it from you. 39 Did the Fed Cause the Great Depression? Most libertarians and conservatives blame the Depression on the Federal Reserve System. But one thing's for sure" Robert Formaini argues, the Fed doesn't bear all the blame. Reviews 43 Pollution Violates Individual Rights Robert H. Nelson examines a new book that argues that environmental disputes can be resolved by respecting individual rights. 47 History Without Blinders The history we all learned in school, Anthony Gregory reports, isn't nearly the whole story. 49 Libertarianism in the 17th Ce.ntury Michael Caldwell explores the rise of libertarian thinking in Britain in the 1600s. 51 Notes on Contributors Who are these people? 54 Terra Incognita Stranger things have happened. --~------- [[~_ About .. Letters J Rallying the Disinterested chist protection agency will encourage In "Freedom: What's Right vs. a more fragmented jurisdiction than a Your What Works" (January), Bill Bradford government's history. And anarchist remarked that "the salient characteris­ clients will be able to take their real tic of human beings is not their ration­ estate with them when they emigrate Subscription· ality, but their adaptability." That and immigrate. But these (and simi­ struck me as important in answering a lar) differences cannot be essential, . Q: When does my subscription expire? question that has been nagging me for because if the fragmented jurisdiction . A: Please look to the right ofyour years: How is possible that billions are or the shifting of jurisdictions turned name on your mailing label. There out to be efficient, governments . you will find (except in some cases willing to accept living under intru­ when receiving your first issue) the sive, even oppressive, governments? would adopt them. And if they turned number of issues left in your sub­ Certainly, adaptability is a better out to be inefficient, protection agen­ scription, followed by the word answer than rationality. However, cies would drop them. "left," as in "3 LEFT." adaptability and rationality fail to Indeed, "protection agency" is a Q: I've moved. Where do I send my explain why thousands of people literal description of an ideal govern­ change ofaddress information? enthusiastically and passionately par­ ment: its sole job is to protect its citi­ A: Liberty, P.O. Box 1181, Port ticipate in political rallies even when zens, and it's their agent, exercising Townsend, WA 98368. Please personal interests may not be only those rights and powers dele­ include your previous address (it's involved. Does anybody have a rea­ gated to it by those citizens. best to send us your label from your sonable explanation for this or similar If governments are just protection magazine) and telephone number. behaviors? agencies, then protection agencies are Allow us six weeks to receive and process your address notification. Franklin L6pez just governments. Genuine anarchism New Orleans, La. would have no governments, i.e., no Q: I'm receiving duplicate copies; what protection agencies. should I do? The Geography of Protection Tom Porter A: Take a look at both mailing labels, Ayn Rand defined government as Reseda, Calif. clip'em out and send'em to us. having a monopoly on the use of force We'll make sure that you receive all in a given geographical area, i.e., Friedman responds: Tom Porter makes, the issues you've paid for. exclusive jurisdiction. Free-market in my view, two mistakes. First, he Q: I think you've charged my credit anarchism takes this definition liter­ writes that "an anarchist 'protection card incorrectly; what can I do? ally, as distinguishing government agency' holds exclusive jurisdiction A: Call us at 800-854-6991 (during from anarchist protection agencies over the real estate of its clients." normal business hours on the West which lack such a monopoly. But that That does not describe anarcho­ Coast) or email us at can't be the difference between them. capitalism, at least as I understand it. [email protected] A government holds exclusive A dispute has at least two parties, and We'll take down your information and ju~isdiction over the real estate of its there is no reason to expect them to be then try to solve your problem as soon citizens; that's its geographical area. customers of the same agency. A dis­ as possible. And an anarchist "protection agency" pute need not have a geographical Q: Can I change my address on your holds exclusive jurisdiction over the location, let alone one that both par­ toll-free number, too? real estate of its clients and that consti­ ties agree to, so settling a dispute A: No. We must get your address cor­ tutes its given geographical area. according to the law of agency of the rections in writing, either by U.S. Exclusive jurisdiction over geographi­ party on whose real estate it hap- . mail or by email. cal area cannot distinguish govern­ pened is not a workable rule. Q: Can I communicate with your ful­ ment from protection agencies. Consider, for a simple example, a dis­ fillment department by email? There are differences, of course. pute over who owns a particular piece A: Yes; send your communications and The conceptual history of the anar- of real estate. queries to us at [email protected] We'll try to get back to you as soon as possible. The editorial offices can be reached at 360-379-0242. Our sales and subscription fulfillment office can be reached at 800-854-6991 (foreign callers call 360-379-8421). March 2005 Under anarcho-capitalism no court, pre-selected by those two agen­ which human beings flourish and agency has IIexclusive jurisdiction." cies. maximize their happiness" to a greater "Jurisdiction" is a function not of one extent than they would in a sodety agency but of two - the court that Republicans in Libertarian with more than minimal government. Clothing gets to rule on the dispute is deter­ Exogenous factors can adversely mined by a preexisting agreement The commentary on the 2004 elec­ affect individuals' achievement of between the agencies of the parties. tion in January's issue seemed to con­ happiness regardless of the govern­ For details see part III of my firm the quip of a liberal friend who mental or anarchistic system that is in once observed that "m.ost people vvho "Machinery of Freedom"; one rele­ place. Accordingly, I believe that a vant chapter is webbed at http: // say they are libertarians are really weaker but more easily defended con­ www.daviddfriedman.com/ Republicans." A full third of the issue sequentialist position is worth explor­ could have come right out of National Libertarian/Machinery_of_Freedom/ ing, a position that gives proper Review or the Weekly Standard. I am MofF_Chapter_29.html. weight to the distinction between try­ really trying to understand how any­ Second, he writes that "if the frag­ ing and succeeding, and asserts that one with serious libertarian leanings mented jurisdiction or the shifting of freedom as defined provides the best could rejoice over Bush's reelection, jurisdictions turned out to be efficient, environment for the vast majority of which he has interpreted as an governments would adopt them." competent adult humans to pursue endorsement of an imperial foreign This assumes that governments happiness (as they view it). One virtue policy. have some mechanism that automati­ of this thesis is that it coheres well Robert Kelley cally moves them towards an efficient with the common libertarian emphasis Austin, Texas structure. I know of no good theoreti­ on taking charge of one's life. Another cal reason to believe this is true and Taking Charge of is that it keeps libertarianism from lots of evidence that it is false. The Consequentialism being subordinated to traditional utili­ ability of individuals to easily switch I read with interest the article tarianism. from one agency to another means "Freedom: What's Right vs. What Jan Wilbanks that agencies must compete for cus­ Works" (January). The deontological Marietta, Ohio tomers -'- not a situation that a gov­ thesis took a thorough drubbing in the Zombie Persuasion Symposium ernment, starting with a monopoly symposium, whereas the consequen­ Let's see if I get the"consequen­ over its customers, would want to tialist one escaped relatively tial" defense/ justification as regards emulate. unscathed. I suggest that the latter as liberty. The champion of liberty must In a letter to the editor in February, defined has significant problems of its persuade animated corpses who need explaining why libertarian anarchism own. One is the vagueness and ambi­ blood to survive and who, therefore, is impossible, Porter writes: guity in the notions of happiness, see liberty as the hated enemy, that "Protection agency A has exclusive prosperity, etc.
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