Who kidnapped the

November 1992 Vol. 6, No.2 $4.00 Hardy Boys?

((T.~tremism in tlie defense of[iberty is no vice. jJ - 'Barry (jo[dwater Volume 2 • "Life With (and Without) Ayn Rand," by Tibor R. Machan • "Capitalism Comes to Poland?" by Krzysztof Ostaszewski September 1988 • "Fear and Loathing in New York City," by Murray N. Rothbard • "Scrooge McDuck and His Creator," by Phil Salin Plus articles and reviews by Loren Lomasky, Michael Christian, Richard • "Liberty and Ecology," by John Hospers Kostelanetz, R.W. Bradford and others; and an interview with Russell • "The Ultimate Justification of the Private Property Ethic," by Hans­ Means. (72 pages) Hermann Hoppe Plus reviews and articles by Douglas Casey, David Friedman, Karl January 1990 Hess, Douglas Rasmussen, Murray Rothbard, L. Neil Smith and oth­ • "The Greenhouse Effect: Myth or Danger?" by Patrick ]. Michaels ers; and a short story by Erika Holzer. (80 pages) • "The Case for Paleolibertarianism," by Llewelyn Rockwell • "How Roosevelt Soaked the Poor," by Richard Kostelanetz November 1988 • "In Defense ofJim Baker and Zsa Zsa," by Ethan O. Waters • "Taking Over the Roads," by John Semmens • "The Death of Socialism: What It Means," by RW. Bradford, Murray • "The Search for We The Living," by R.W. Bradford Rothbard, Stephen Cox, and William P. Moulton • "Private Property: Hope for the Environment," by Jane S. Shaw Plus writing by Andrew Roller, David Gordon and others; and an inter­ Plus articles and reviews by Walter Block, Stephen Cox, John view with Barbara Branden. (80 pages) Dentinger, James Robbins and others. (80 pages) March 1990 January 1989 • "The Case Against Isolationism," by Stephen Cox • "AIDS and the FDA," by Sandy Shaw • "H.L. Mencken: Anti-Semite?" by RW. Bradford • "Property, Population and the Environment" by John Hospers • "Hong Kong Today," by RK. Lamb • "Ronald Reagan's 'Revolution'," by William Niskanen • "Libertarian Intellectuals on Welfare," by George H. Smith Plus articles and reviews by Karen Shabetai, Jane Shaw, Jeffrey Tucker, Plus articles and reviews by Sheldon Richman, Richard Kostelanetz, Leland Yeager, William Wingo and others; and a short story by John Hospers, Loren Lomasky, James Robbins, Leland Yeager, TImo­ Jeffrey Olson. (72 pages) thy Virkkala and others. (80 pages) Stimulate Your Mind! There is a world of good reading in Liberty! Whether you want to catch up on what you missed, provide intellectual relief to your friends (or enemies!), or complete your collection, now is a good time to buy. Enjoy! March 1989 May 1990 • "Ronald Reagan: An Autopsy," by Murray N. Rothbard • "Conservativism in Its Latter Days," by William P. Moulton • "What if Everything We Know About Safety Is Wrong?" by John • "A Population Crisis?" by Jane S. Shaw Semmens and Dianne Kresich • "The Death of Thinking in the Schools," by Karl Hess • "What Do You Do When Your Mother Asks You to Kill Her?" by Mi­ • "Bork's Law," by Leland Yeager chael Endres • "Killing as Therapy," by Thomas Szasz Plus articles and reviews by Stephen Cox, Jeffrey Friedman, David Plus articles and reviews by Bill Kauffman, Richard Kostelanetz, Robert Ramsay Steele, Sheldon Richman and others. (12 pages) Higgs, Bart Kosko, Loren Lomasky and others. (72 pages) May 1989 July 1990 • "Man, Nature, and State: Free Market Slogans are Not Enough," by • "Conversations with Ayn Rand (part I)," by John Hospers Karl Hess, Jr • "The Orwellian University," by Charles Thorne • "The Media's Election-Night 'Coverage' Policy," by Margaret M. • "Why Public Enemy is Number One," by Brian Doherty Fries • "Strange Subcultures of the Right," by John Baden • "The End of the Secular Century," by Murray N. Rothbard • "If You Believe in Dentistry, Why Should You Mind Having Your Plus articles and reviews by Stephen Cox, David Gordon, Justin Rai­ Teeth Knocked Out?" by William P. Moulton mondo, and other. (72 pages) Plus articles and reviews byJohn Baden, David Friedman, Bill Kauff­ man, James Robbins, Mark Skousen and others. (72 pages) July 1989 • "Viking Iceland: Anarchy That Worked," by David Friedman • "The Myth of the Rights of Mental Patients," by Thomas S. Szasz Volume 4 • "Fetal Rights: The Implications," by Tibor Machan Plus articles and reviews by RW. Bradford, John Hospers, Jane S. September 1990 Shaw, Jeffrey Tucker, Leland Yeager and others. (80 pages) • "Conversations with Ayn Rand (part 2)," by John Hospers • "Is Environmental Press Coverage Biased?" by Jane S. Shaw • "The Pro-Life Case for the Abortion Pill," by Dr Ron Paul Volume 3 • "Fighting the Draft in World War II," by Jim Bristol Plus articles and reviews by Michael Krauss, James Robbins, Richard September 1989 Kostelanetz and others; and a ficcion by Harvey Segal. (12 pages) • "Holocausts and the Historians," by Ralph Raico • "My Expulsion from the Rand Cult," by Murray Rothbard November 1990 • "Abortion Without Absurdity," by RW. Bradford • "Smokes, But No Peacepipe," by Scott Reid • "Libertarians and the Avant-Garde," by Richard Kostelanetz • "You, Too, Can Be a Junior G-Man," by David Hudson Plus articles and reviews by David Friedman, Loren Lomasky, Gary • "Sex, Drugs, and the Goldberg Variations," by Richard Kostelanetz North, Jeffrey Tucker and others. (72 pages) • "Why is Anyone Virtuous?" by David Friedman Plus articles and reviews by Robert Higgs, Leslie Fleming, Alexander November 1989 Tabarrok, Sheldon Richman and others; and an interview with Ed • "The Lost War on Drugs," by Joseph Miranda Crane. (80 pages) • "Goodbye, Galactic Empire," by J. R Dunn continued on inside back cover . .. see page 45 for first volume ofLiberty November 1992 Inside Liberty Volume 6, Number 2

4 Letters Liberty's readers get it off their chests ... and onto our pages. 9 Reflections Liberty's editors lust after Madonna, evaluate Bush's family values, evade the draft from Clinton's wind factory, make crank calls in Moscow, and scale the slopes of Mt. Liberty. Not bad for a bunch of intellectuals. 17 Judgment Day Just to prove that Liberty is not a single-party periodical, we offerfive views of whom to vote for on November 3. Clip this, and take it to the polls. 20 Medianotes Is Barbara Bush a good mommie? Is John Sununu as dumb as he seems on Crossfire? And who cares what NPR and the Washington Post say, anyway? Features 23 Currency Crisis: We've Heard It All Before Leland B. Yeager explains why the European monetary crisis is old hat. But will the politicians get the point? Don't bank on it. 25 Charity Begins at School? Mandatory community service. lnren E. Lomasky argues that the bad idea has not improved for all the Uinnovation." 27 I Run for President John Hospers remembers the first year of the Libertarian Party, his bid for the presidency, and his electoral college vote. 34 Why Argentina Stopped Crying for Evita Paul Terhorst prOVides the shortest history of Argentina you'll ever read and an up-to-date account of what's going on in gaucho-land. 38 KilljWalk the Earth Richard Kostelanetz presents a few choice words. 39 At the Margins of the 1992 Republican National Convention Thomas D. Walls tells how the convention looked from the perspective of the Republican Liberty Caucus and the Buchanan Brigade. 43 The Czechs Bounce Back Gabriel Hocman tells of coupons for stocks, private ownership and high-rolling times in the former citadel of Stalinism. 46 Remembering John Cage Richard Kostelanetz asks for four minutes and thirty-three seconds of silence in memory of the late, great avant-garde composer, John Cage. 47 Marxist Capitalism: or "To Get Rich Is Glorious" George Jochmrwitz describes China's move to the market, doublespeak, mysticism, and (maybe) laissez faire.

50 Stalking Liberty in Eastern Europe Ben Best visited Scandanavial Poland, the Baltics, and Russia, looking for liberty. 58 Canada's Constitutional Crisis Scott I. Reid explains the double dealing and special-interest shenanigans behind Canada's approaching referendum. 59 Libertarianism, Christianity and Other Religions Ian Narveson argues that Christianity is not compatible with liberty, unless you want to reformulate Christianity. 62 Did Rand Stack the Ethical Deck? Gregory R.Iohnson and David Kelley dispute Rand's libertarian ethics. Reviews 64 An Election Year Expose Iesse Walker likes the book Hill Rat by John L. Jackley, but he still smells cheese on the author's breath. 65 Tinkerers Be Damned? Daniel Klein joins Thomas Szasz in his fight against the UWar on Drugs," but makes a plea for such tinkerers as Milton Friedman. 67 Liberalism, Left and True Gregory R.Iohnson critiques a history of Liberalism and wonders how such a brilliant author could have made such an error. 69 The Mystery of the Missing Fun Someone has kidnapped the Hardy Boys and put insipid substitutes in their place. David Justin Ross solves the case. Departments 77 Notes on Contributors who we are ... and what to look for in the next Liberty. 78 Terra Incognita Pieces of the real world as seen through a glass, lightly; or, what is and what isn't and what should never have been. November 1992

day. Itwas from the horrors of 16th and [~======L 17th century warfare in France, Germany, e=tt=e=rs======:::.] the Netherlands, and England over wheth­ er rulers should impose religious practices Flaw in the Ointment arm the criminals" usually means - will upon their citizens that political theorists Liberty's critique of Andre Marrou is help matters much. But I can't help but first formulated their libertarian ideas. flawed. The credibility Chester Alan Ar­ wonder why David Horowitz does not re­ And it was after force failed to reunite thur ("Will to frivolity," September 1992) alize what he is saying. In a sentence: Christendom under either Catholic or Re­ places in Will's diatribe reflects more Peaceful acquiescence to criminal behav­ formed banners that later theorists sug­ upon his political naivete than flaws in ior is an injustice to crime's victims. Or: gested that perhaps the best solution was Marrou's candidacy. Will is an inside-the­ No justice, no peace. simply to let people decide for themselves. beltway conservative advocate ofbig gov­ Why, why, why is this a good senti­ And those were not the thoughts ofapa­ ernment. Frankly, it is sutprising that ment when the criminals are rioters or thetic Christians; such thoughts grew in Will had anything in the least bit positive looters, but not when they are cops? When the minds ofpassionate believers. to say about either Marrou or the Liber­ Horowitz gives up his role as police apol­ Perhaps contemporary disputers over tarian Party. Advocates ofbig govern­ ogist and condemns all coercion, his arti­ the economic and social role of the state in ment don't think much of libertarianism. cles might actually belong in a libertarian human action can learn from the religious HWill had deigned to take notice of the li­ magazine. disputes ofan earlier day. bertarians in previous races it is doubtful Randall Whiting Frank Williams he would have treated Ron Paul or his Los Angeles, Calif. Atlanta, Ga. predecessors any better. Deeper Harmonies The balance of Liberty's criticism is Since deciding to marry a devout Faith and Force Andre's "sloganeering" campaign style. Christian four years ago, I have had to I am one consistent and principled li­ This is an odd charge since Andre's wrestle with opinions that on first appear­ bertarian who heartily disagrees with stump appearances are where he is most ance conflict with my deeply held libertar­ Scorchy Shelton's view (Letters, Septem­ successful. I will grant that Marrou is nei­ ian principles, and my wife has had to ber 1992) that "consistent and principled ther a philosopher nor theoretician. confront opinions that may not align per­ libertarians should reject Christianity." I Thank goodness. On TV, Andre's style is fectly with the teachings ofJesus as they accept his right to be free of religion, but I stronger than any other Libertarian presi­ are often presented. Raising children de­ would hope that he understands that one dential candidates who have appeared on mands that we seek a common ground for of the most important arguments in favor C-Span. Marrou handles press questions our principles. of individual liberty has a religious basis. better than any other candidate I have Doug Bandow's article, "Libertarians That we are endowed with inalienable rights by our Creator has always been an seen. Iliberties, it will be very difficult to Neoconservative David Horowitz's ground. For a libertarian, there can be no wrestle them back from the state without "Pandering to the Mob" (July 1992) rested liberty without personal responsibility; a force. So long as we are able to reasonably on a double standard that says a lot about freely acting man is responsible for his ac­ argue that these rights come from our the IIlaw and order" mindset. To him, the tions and does not expect others to sup­ Creator, rather than from the State, we horror of the Los Angeles riots is summed port him involuntarily. And personal re­ have a better chance ofpeacefully reclaim­ up in the "slogan that started the vio­ sponsibility is equally necessary in ing our liberties. lence": No justice, no peace. That phrase, he Christian action. Is there merit in an act Shelton is right that government has says, "is nothing less than a call to crimi­ one does because compelled by the state historically exploited religion to increase nal anarchy." to do it? Maya Christian do unto others as its poweJ;', but it can do so only when indi­ And how, exactly, does David Horo­ vidual citizens are willing to allow it to do he would have them do unto him if he witz plan to prevent future riots? Crack so. We need to proclaim vigorously our must threaten force upon some people in down. Protect the law-abiding. IIStrength­ God-given rights rather than rejecting re­ order to finance those acts? What charity en law enforcement; disarm the crimi­ ligion simply because government has so is there if given at another's expense? nals." often taken advantage ofpeople's willing­ Historically also, the Christian world­ I have nothing against protecting the ness to release the tight grip that we view and the libertarian political philoso­ innocent from criminals, of course, should hold on to those rights. phy have common grounds. Bandow though I doubt that gun control- in to­ John A. Bennett mentions that classical liberalism grew out day's political discourse, that's what IIdis- Sequim, Wash. of the Enlightenment; but the ideas of those eighteenth century authors actually Apologetics r " came from religious thinkers of the six­ I believe Doug Bandow got it wrong. A Letters Policy teenth century. Protestant writers such as Christian doesn't have an option to be li­ We invite readers to comment on arti­ Hotman, Beza, du Plessis-Mornay, and bertarian, but must be libertarian. cles that have appeared in Liberty. We Buchanan, and Catholic authors such as Romans 13 says the state is ordained reserve the right to edit for length and Mariana, Bellarmine, and Suarez attacked by God to be a terror to evil and to praise clarity. All letters are assumed to be in­ theories of absolutism, claimed limits on those who are good. I realize that what tended for publication unless otherwise monarchial rule, argued that men had the "evil" the state is to be a terror to is not stated. Succinct, typewritten letters are right to resist governmental force, and self evident from this passage alone. But, preferred. Please include your phone generally stated the fundamental princi­ in conjunction with other teachings about number so that we can verify your iden­ pies to which libertarians adhere to this the state, I believe this "evil" refers to tity. ~ ~ The Real The Real Anita Hill Story of byD-dvid Bro.... k Anita Hill

o you think Anita Hill was telling the whole truth when she testified against Clarence Thomas? If so, you Dhaven't read The American Spectator, America's most exciting conservative monthly magazine. In a major investigative article, award-winning reporter David Brock reveals what really happened in the HillfThomas affair.

• Who was the mastennind behind the plot to sabotage Clarence Thomas? • What Senate aide spent weekends with Anita Hill at his apartment? • Who leaked the Anita Hill story to the press? • Who almost certainly committed perjury in testifying against Thomas? Now the full story can be yours free, with a subscription to The American Spectator. We will send you a free copy of"The Real Anita Hill" by David Brock when you order a one-year (12-issue) subscription.

sn't it time someone reported the truth about other stories shaping public debate? The American Spectator does. I Recent articles include: • Michael Fumento on Magic Johnson and AIDS • Peter Collier on brownshirt Oliver Stone • P.J. O'Rourke on America's new enemies, foreign and domestic • James Ring Adams on the revived Medellin Drug Canel • Daniel Wattenberg on the Real Hillary Clinton.

Don't miss these and other investigative reports ignored by the mainstream media. Subscribe today. We are so convinced that you will enjoy the Spectator that we will unconditionally guarantee your satisfaction-if unhappy with the Spectator for any reason, simply cancel for a full refund on all unmailed issues. Send for your trial subscription and FREE Anita Hill report today. r------Send to: The American Spectator, P.O. Box 549, Arlington, Virginia, 22216-0549 Ill:. call 1-860-641-6644. ---, YES, please rush me, via fIrst class mail, my free copy of"The Real Anita Hill" by David Brock and enter a one year trial subscription (12 issues) to The American Spectator for $35. I understand that if I am unhappy with The American Spectator for any reason I may cancel and receive a refund on all unmailed issues. (] Payment enclosed (] Charge my (] VisaZ(] MasterCard[_ Card #: Exp. Date: Signature: _ 25th ~ Anniverslrry Name: Address: _ ~ 1967-1992 City: State: zip code: _ "The Real Anita Hill" report will be sent via first class mail within five business days. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for subscription tobegin. NUBl ~0.!9"'!ie ~~pt onl~~~~~s and credit card orders for thi~~peeial ()ffer Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

those who commit murder, theft, fraud or more than outlawing murder-for-hire to kill in retribution (or to punish at all). through their negligence harm others. would give rise to a hit-man industry. Some guarantee of just and fair adminis­ (See, e.g., Exodus 21:12.) Mr Day basically misses the point, but tration, for example, might be the some­ This interpretation is reinforced by the his choice of comparison is appropriate. thing more. fact that the state is to merely praise those Abortion is murder-for-hire. So ifit The burden of proof that the state does who are good; i e., not try to force us to be should be criminalized, why don't we have emergent properties lies, of course, good, or to "legislate morality," but to en­ call abortion premeditated murder one with the defender of the state, but Schul­ courage us to be good through persua­ and make it a capital offense? man's argument does not establish, as it sion and example. Isn't the answer obvious? There is no purports to, that "logic dictates the impos­ While I believe Christians should be moral question about the abortion issue. sibilityof any such proof." One strong ar­ libertarians, I am increasingly concerned There is no question about the immorali­ gument that states can have an emergent about the Libertarian Party and its candi­ ty of abortion. The only question is one of right to punish may be found in chapter dates since they do not praise those who jurisdiction. Should the woman and her three of David Schmitz's 1991 book, The are good. I can ignore the attack on par­ doctor be subjected to government's con­ Limits ofGovernment: An Essay on the Public ents teaching religious values to their chil­ demnation, or only God's? Goods Argument. dren found in the L.P. platform as a mere Personally, I would like to see the There are many good arguments impropriety. But, the admitted personal woman (and her doctor) be allowed to against capital punishment, but Schul­ failures of the party's standard bearer and work this one out with God. Just once, let man's isn't one of them. the National Committee's acquiescence to the government stay out of it Don't Jim Lippard them are deeply disturbing. fund it ... Don't prosecute it Just stay Tucson, Ariz. Clifford Thies out of it. GWrant .K uhn s Simple Justice Baltimore, Md. Carlsbad, Calif. Schulman argues that in a libertarian All or Nothing? The State of the State Misstated society we would not have the right to exe­ I do not believe it is irrational to argue cute murderers because our philosophy I suspect J. Neil Schulman ("If Execu­ only allows us to use force to defend our­ against unrestricted access to drugs that tion Is Just, What Is Justice?" September are highly addictive and have no demon­ selves against aggression. Once the mur­ 1992) started from a desired conclusion derer is in shackles he can no longer threat­ strable positive benefits, contrary to and worked backward to come up with James Ostrowski ("War on Drugs, War on en us. an argument to support it. I would like to submit that it is not Progress," September 1992). He repeats the tired claim that since It is clear that our society has a limited against the libertarian philosophy to exe­ "the state is no more than a group of indi­ cute a murderer. The foundation ofthe li­ understanding of the subtle distinction viduals acting for a common purpose," between morality and law. But arguing bertarian philosophy is based on the fol­ there can be no principled reason why lowing statement: "Each individual has the that no difference exists between aspirin states can be permitted to engage in be­ right to life, liberty and property provided and crack is not likely to increase that un­ havior denied to individuals. But his only derstanding. he respects the equal rights of others." argument to this effect is: "It is hard to Very clearly, this means that I only have How do you tell the parents of a re­ imagine how the sum total of what the covering teenage heroin addict that their the right to life as long as I respect the state may do adds up to Inore than the equal rights of others to life. IfI deliberate­ pain is the inevitable price of scientific sum of the rights of the individuals com­ progress? A similar problem exists in ex­ ly kill someone, then lose my right to life. prising that group." Any person or group will have the right to plaining why it is illegal to use marijuana Failure of imagination rarely makes a to treat eye disease. But why does this kill me - they no longer have the respon­ good argument, and this is no exception. sibility or obligation to respect my life. have to be an all or nothing issue? The obvious response for a defender of Libertarians have two alternatives on The only purpose for a trial is to allow the state is that certain social institutions an impartial jury to determine if I did de­ the drug issue. The first choice is to stand have emergent properties that the indi­ on the intellectual high ground ofperfect liberately kill another person and if so, to viduals making up that institution lack. then determine to what extent I will lose philosophical consistency and derive sat­ No individual can lift 10,000 pounds my property, my liberty, and my life. They isfaction from stoning the ignoramuses without mechanical assistance, but a below. The second option is to first con­ could even have me executed, for I no group of individuals can. Individual at­ longer have the right to life. cede that the other side has a limited oms of hydrogen and oxygen lack the Although under the libertarian philoso­ number of valid points and then use your property of wetness, but combine them in intellectual superiority to find the best so­ phy we would have the legal right to kill a particular ways at certain telnperatures convicted murderer, we may not have the lution considering all factors. The second and pressures and they luake water. approach may be more difficult, but has moral right to do so. That decision would Schulman goes on to state that "Logic be left up to each juror. greater potential for both improving our dictates that ifit is morally justifiable for society and making libertarianism a more In answer to Schulman's question,"If the state to kill in just retribution, then it execution is just, what is justice?" my an­ widely understood and accepted political must likewise be morally justifiable for philosophy. swer is: justice is losing the same rights you JimOber other individuals or groups to do as well take from others. Baton Rouge, La. - the Mafia, the Crips, and the Bloods in­ Clyde L. Garland cluded." This assumes that one group is Houston, Tex. Just Say No to Government like any other. Here, the defender of the Adrian Day's letter (September 1992) state will simply point out that just as Charity Bound suggests that it is illogical to assume that three hydrogen atoms or three oxygen at­ If the execution of sadistic murderers the prohibition of abortion would give oms won't give you water, it takes more like Ted Bundy, Richard Speck, Jeffrey rise to a bootleg abortion industry any than sheer numbers to give you the right Dahmer and John Gacy is state-sanctioned 6 Liberty "Mind Your Business" Continental Currency • designed by Benjamin Franklin • unique denominations • issued in 1776 It was a very different world in came from Benjamin Franklin. The February, 1776. Thirteen embattled colo­ obverse of each (pictured to the right) fea­ nies stood up to the British throne. tures the sundial and the slogan "Mind Americans had protested higher taxes with Your Business," reminding Americans of a very special tea party. There was an the importance of hard work, thrift and American army in the field fighting the industry. British, and talk of independence was in The reverse (pictured below left) the air. shows a chain of 13 links, each labeled with In Philadelphia, the Continental the name of a different colony, surround­ Congress authorized issuance of ing the unifying motto "We are one." $1,000,000 of paper money in denomina­ These same designs were later adopted tions of less than $1.00. The purpose was for the first V.5. silver dollar and the first two-fold: copper one cent piece. 1) to help finance General Wash­ The notes were printed by Hall and ington's army. Sellers, the Philadelphia firm that suc­ 2) to help address the problem of a ceeded Benjamin Franklin's printing chronic lack ofsmall coins in circulation. company. And that is why, for the first and only With a total of 600,000 notes of time in history, the Vnited States issued each denomination printed, it is little paper money with the peculiar face values wonder that these are scarce today. I of 1/6 dollar, 1/3 dollar, 1/2 dollar and 2/3 (Currently, the V.S. prints over 1 mil­ dollar. lion notes per hour.) Most surviving I The design of these Continentals notes are in ragged condition, often I with severe damage or with missing sections. I For the past two years, our buyers have quietly accumulated over twenty I complete sets of these notes, as well as a modest quantity of singles speci- I mens. Postage & handling $5.00 Thanks to our careful purchasing, I we are able to offer these historic treas­ Total Enclosed ures at the remarkable price of just I $375 for a complete set of four speci- I mens, or as singles at $95 each. name Act Today: Orders will be I filled on a first come, first served basis. This offer is limited to stock on hand. I CityI stateI Zip To reserve your purchase and lock in today's price, call me (or I phone # another LCS trader) toll-free at 1-800­ I 321-1542. Michigan residents call 1­ Liberty Coin Service 800-933-4720. Or return the coupon I 300 Frandor Ave, Lansing MI 48912 below. No Michigan sales tax on sales 1. 'It 1-800-321-1542 (Michigan 1-800-933-,,4720) .1 1/6 Dollar, 1776, reverse. delivered outside Michigan. Volume'6, Number 2 November 1992 murder, then state imprisonment of rap­ tutional status to their own subjective during World War I, or the famous Su­ ists, child-molesters, drug dealers, and opinions. That approach did produce the preme Court decision upholding the con­ burglars is state-sanctioned kidnapping right to abortion which we libertarians viction of a New York City launderer for and state taxation on consumer goods is defend. But, on the whole, the result of the "crime" ofcharging too Iowa price for state-sanctioned theft. that approach would more likely be unli­ pressing a pair of pants. The death penalty is justified on mo­ bertarian. Janice Holman ral grounds. When, for example, someone Recent history confirms thatlibertari­ Chicago, Ill. has raped and murdered a child, that per­ an scruples carry little weight with Su­ son has relinquished his right to live. preme Courtjustices. The same Supreme Captured and Verse Capital punishment in such a case is an Court that invented the rightofprivacy in Michael J. Dunn states that "... two act of retribution and demonstrates that a 1%5 in Griswold vs Connecticut came peri­ other black passengers ... were not mis­ society and legal system genuinely are lously close to inventing a IIright" to wel­ treated in any way." The Los Angeles Dai­ dedicated to preserving and protecting fare five years later in Goldberg vs Kelly. In ly News for 4/12/92 reports that "[a] pas­ the rights and safety of the people. Chari­ an infamous footnote, a five-justice major­ senger in Rodney King's car on the night ty also must be displayed towards the vic­ ity quoted approvingly froln a law review King was beaten by police filed a lawsuit tims of crimes and their families. article which urged expansion of the defi­ in federal court on Thursday, claiming Haven Bradford Cow nition of"property" under the 5th that officers also beat him during the inci­ Irvington-on-Hudson, N.Y. Amendment to include welfare entitle­ dent." After he was thrown to the ground, ments. For a time, constitutionallirights" he could hear King screaming nearby, and Rights Over Balance topublic education and free housing were every time he attempted to find out what James Taggart ("Rights wronged," not far behind. Taggart's argumentcon­ was happening he was hit on the head. Sept. 1992) condemns the majoritarianism tains everything the advocates ofsuch ju­ Is there any legal reason why innocent ofJustice Scalia and his three dissenting risprudence need to set such llrights" be­ witnesses to a crime are not permitted to colleagues, who believe that rights which yond the reach ofthe democratic process. watch the actions of the police? the Constitution does not unambiguously To escape this quandary, Scalia and It's true that King was a convicted fel­ address should be left to the mercies of others like him hold to the doctrine of on on parole, but that information was not the electoral process. As a lawyer and li­ "original intent." When confronted with known at the time of the beating. bertarian, I share Taggart"s dismay at the an ambiguity in the Constitution -like Whatever happened prior to the 66 sec­ restrictive reading which Scalia gives to the Ninth Amendment - we must deter­ onds of the video tape does not justify one the Bill of Rights and to the 14th Amend­ mine what the authors and ratifiers them­ full minute ofbeating with batons. Police ment. But we should think very carefully selves intended by it. And when their are supposed to capture suspects, not ad­ before endorsing Taggart's free-and-easy stated intent sheds no light on the ques­ minister punishment. Notice also, that de­ reading of those provisions. tion (which it seldom does), then the spite King's "aggression," no officer was There is no question that the Bill of courts must resist the temptation of "fill­ hurt. Rights was meant to protect more than ing in the blanks" themselves. This does The people of Los Angeles and Ventu­ the few rights it explicitly mentions. The mean leaving the question to an illfunc­ ra counties did not see "a conveniently­ Ninth and Tenth Amendments prove this. tioning electoral system. But we have less truncated presentation of the facts in the But nothing in the text of these amend­ to fear from that system than we do from case," they saw the entire trial, live, gavel ments, or in the writings of its authors the tyranny of five unelected philoso­ to gavel on channel 11. No one to whom I and ratifiers, reveals what additional pher-kings. talked could believe the jury's verdict. rights they were meant to protect. Taggart is correct when he says that Polls in both Los Angeles and Ventura So how are we to determine what une­ the Constitution is about rights. But it is county were strongly in favor of guilt. numerated rights the majority may not vi­ also about checks and balances - about The trial judge ruled that officer Pow­ olate? In one of two ways: either let five keeping too much power out of too few ell should be re-tried on the charge on unelected justices "fill in the blanks" or hands. Taggart, I fear, would sacrifice which the jury hung. He stated, "Based let democratic majorities decide through one of these constitutional values in a du­ upon my view of the evidence presented constitutional amendments and statutes. bious effort to strengthen the other. at the just-eompleted trial ... I find that Taggart would likely argue that the Ron Kozar the interests of justice require [verbal em­ former option is not as standardless as I Dayton, Ohio phasis in the original TV report) that there make it sound. Several of the Founders, be a second trial in the case of People vs Taggart might argue, arti'culated an over­ Logico Bizzarro Powell." arching nonaggression principle which MichaelJ. Dunn's lengthy letter (Sep­ Despite the injustice of the acquittal, provides guidance for determining how tember 1992) is aboutas stupid as a letter there is an even greater injustice in trying to fill in the constitution's ambiguous in­ can get. Justoneexampleofits bizarre il­ the officers again at a federal level. I al­ terstices. The ones who did, however logic. Mr Dunn advises: III cannotpre­ ways thought that it was the actions of the were few and far between. Even Jefferson sume to second-guess a verdictwhen I am accused that was the body of the crime, (who played no role in drafting either the notacquainted with all the facts relevent not what each of several legal jurisdictions Constitution or the Bill of Rights) advo­ to the case ... nor should anyone else." choose to label it. cated public education. Too many of us By this logic, I suppose Mr Dunn Wm. O. Felsman cling naively to the notion that the FoUnd­ would not "presume to second-guess" Woodland Hills, Calif. ers were libertarians. No reader of Article the verdicts of the show trials of Stalin,

One, Section 8 can share that conclusion. since he was IInot acquainted with all the Cancel my Subscriptionl Taggart's approach to constitutional facts relevant" to the cases. He would not Constructive criticism is one thing. interpretation, then, by freeing the justic­ "presume to second-guess" the convic­ Your now vicious attacks on the Libertari­ es from the literal text of the constitution, tion ofvarious individuals of the crime of an Party have turned me off! would end up letting justices give consti- speaking out against the military draft Anonymous 8 Liberty Reflections

No crazy here - No sooner had Hornell Brewing Hurricane Andrew, President Bush grabbed five minutes of announced that it was offering a new malt liquor under the free television time to announce that this time the feds brand name "Crazy Horse" than Surgeon General Antonia would pay all the costs. The reason for this bold departure Novello went on the warpath. Her objection to the name? "It from precedent is (pick one): may appeal to drinkers who want to go 'crazy.'" A. That's just the sort of kinder, gentler president he is. The good sense that Gen. Novello shows should be ap­ B. What's money anyhow? The Treasury is rolling in the plied to other products. Lucky Strikes, for example, may stuff and needs to find a way to spend some before even have an unfair appeal to smokers who want to "get lucky," more piles up. making them very popular among teen-age boys and Vegas C. Mr Bush wanted to ensure that Miami Vice is able to visitors. Kool-Aid has no doubt for years taken advantage of start shooting new episodes as soon as possible. people's desire to be "kool." While we're on the subject, D. It's been four years since the last presidential election. maybe it's time to get "Crazy Glue" off the market. -LEL -RWB Patrolling for bigger fish - On August 26, Are you listening, Madonna? - Bill Clinton just after Hurricane Andrew struck Florida, the Detroit News is probably lying when he promises good government and quoted the following remarks of a lieutenant colonel "whose moderate spending. George Bush is, of course, a confirmed Florida National Guard battalion was deployed to discou­ liar. The obvious alternatives, Ross Perot and Andre Marrou, rage looters. "Looting," he declared, "is very contagious. are duds. Madonna just released a book of provocative nude Even good people will loot, if they can get away with it." photos. If you're still offering "spankies" to people who Well, what do bad people do when they can get away don't vote, Madonna, I've left my address and phone num- with it - smoke marijuana? ber at Liberty's office. -SJR The colonel further opined that "the Los Angeles riot proved to us that looting is very difficult to keep under con­ Resisting the Bill ofRights - It is a cliche of trol." That's interesting. I thought that the Los Angeles riot civil libertarians that if you put the Bill of Rights up for a had proved how important it is for law-enforcement agents vote, Americans would reject it. to ke~p property owners from using guns to protect their Well, in Wisconsin, it was put up for a vote, though the property at such times as law-enforcement agents prove in­ franchise was limited in this case to members of the Board of competent to do so. Regents of the University of Wisconsin. The question was A Florida store-owner who watched "looters walk right whether to rescind a rule the Regents had passed in 1989 that past him, through the broken windows to get soda pop and prohibited "hate speech" on campus. The very first amend­ cigarettes," seems to have gotten the point. "'What are we ment in the Bill of Rights prohibits government restriction on supposed to do, call the cops?' he asked. 'The cops have freedom of speech, a fact that had eluded the Regents until it bigger fish to fry at the moment.'" -sc was pointed out to them by the Supreme Court. Well, the Regents dutifully repealed the prohibition. But Profiles in perfidy - Senator Ted Kennedy gave in a move reminiscent of the die-hard south after the Governor Lowell Weicker of Connecticut the John F. Supreme Court banned racial segregation in 1954, the Kennedy "Profiles in Courage Award" for raising taxes in Regents worked up a reworded version that they hoped his state, despite the fact that one of JFK's most notable might somehow survive a court challenge, or at least post­ achievements was his growth-inducing tax cut. But then, JFK pone the imposition of free speech on their beloved campus. didn't even write Profiles in Courage - though he accepted On September 11, the Regents dropped even this version, the Pulitzer Prize for writing it. So the award to Weicker explaining that "racialincidents" had mysteriously subsided. may be appropriate, after all ... -JSR By a vote of 10-6, they abolished their restriction of free speech. Progress indeed - when the issue is forced by the Just say "no" to hurricane victims? ­ Supreme Court, fully 63% of the Regents of that august uni- We all saw the horrible damage that Hurricane Andrew versity support the First Amendment. -RWB wreaked on south Florida and Louisiana and that Hurricane Iniki wrought on Kauai. It's no wonder that the American Quiz _. When natural disasters wreak devastation, the people have generously opened up their wallets and sent aid federal Disaster Relief program customarily picks up 75% of to the victims. And, given the sorry state of American social the cost of rebuilding; the remaining 25% is the ethics, it should not surprise us that all Americans will be responsibility of state government. But in the wake of taxed to prOVide some additional $12 billion in aid to those Liberty 9 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992 victims. someone gets in an auto accident? Whenever someone gets South Florida and the central Pacific are places where hur­ sick? Why not simply abolish the insurance industry and fig­ ricanes are facts of life. The National Hurricane Center reports ure that the government will cough up the dough whenever that a total of 59 "major hurricanes" came ashore between anything goes wrong in anyone's life? 1900 and 1990, or about one every 18 months. The World The message given by the President and Congress to the Almanac lists 35 Atlantic hurricanes that inflicted substantial people of the hurricane belt is: Eat, drink, and be merry, for numbers of deaths in the Caribbean, Gulf Coast, and Atlantic tomorrow we will be there to pay for the consequences of seaboard in this century alone. That is one every 2.5 years. your own negligence and imprudence. -RWB These 35 hurricanes caused the death of 24,542 people, or an average of 701 deaths per storm. In this context, Hurricane Clinton and the draft - A lot of Clinton's sup­ Andrew - with 55 fatalities - wasn't even much of a disas­ porters are genuinely puzzled regarding Clinton's continued ter: it would rank 29th on the Almanac's list. lies and evasions regarding his draft history. Doesn't he un­ The same is true of the latest Hawaiian hurricane. Only a derstand, they ask, that people aren't going to hold his ef­ decade ago, Hurricane Iwa ripped apart the same south coast forts to avoid the draft against him? of Kauai that Iniki hit. In Hawaii and south Florida, it is not a They are right, of course: most people do understand and question of whether a hurricane will hit. It is a question of even sympathize with his evasion. But they fail to under­ when one will hit. stand Clinton, whose lust for political power knows no People who choose to live in these areas realize that they bounds. His stated reason for choosing elaborate evasion face the risk of a hurricane. They can avoid that risk entirely over resistance was that he wanted to maintain his "political by liVing somewhere else. Or, they can prepare for it by con­ Viability." What other anti-war college student feeling the structing hurricane-proof homes, or by buying the insurance pressure of the draft was worried about being elected to needed to rebuild when a hurricane hits. higher office decades later? As a politician he wants to be all In the wake of Andrew and Iniki, those people who pre­ things to all men, and he fears that his evasion will offend pared for the inevitable storm, whether out of prudence, self­ some small segment of the population. reliance, or the pride that prohibits living on charity, sus­ Truth is not really meaningful to Clinton. "Facts" are just tained negligible damage or could rebuild with the proceeds bits of information that can be manipulated and explained of their insurance. They have no need for aid. away. If lying gets one greater popularity, then lie. So the aid goes to people who lack the pride, self-reliance, Unfortunately, he has always depended on his personal or simple prudence to prepare for the inevitable. These people charm to get away with his lies, and has never developed an are very much in evidence in KauaL USA Today reported the understanding of the fundamental principles of successful following charming vignettes: prevaricaton. The most important principle is that it is not "Where's the federal government?" asked Milli Millari, 39, lying that causes problems, it is getting caught lying. When standing in line for food. "We don't know where to go to for confronted with unpleasant information about past actions, help." the optimal course is to assume that one's accusers have ac­ State Department of Human Services employees ... milled cess to virtually all information that is available, and to con­ around outside their building wondering what to do. "We struct an interpretation of the events that minimizes damage want to help," said Renee Sandong, 32. "Our job is to furnish to oneself. welfare, but how can we? We've received no instructions from But Clinton feared the damage that such a course might anyone." bring, and was self-confident - even cocky - about his Are these the kind of people you want to reward? Wouldn't it ability to convince people of his lies. So Clinton got caught in be better for them to get a little reality check? a rachet action. He denies a certain charge. When evidence The $12 billion appropriated so far will cover "1000/0 of comes out showing that the charge is true, he admits it, but hurricane relief expenses." It is hard to imagine a more idiotic offers another explanation. When new evidence shows that public policy. By the same logic, why not pay 100% of rebuild­ this explanation is a lie, he offers yet another explanation. ing costs whenever someone's house burns down? Whenever When evidence is raised that shows the new explanation is also false, he offers yet another preposterous explanation. He o u didn't do anything to evade the draft, well maybe he agreed to join the National Guard, but he quit to face the draft. Oh, well, he guesses he does remember that he didn't change his mind about the Guard until he got a high draft lottery num­ tJ ber. His uncle didn't intervene on his behalf, but, oh yeah, well, maybe his uncle did. He didn't call on his mentor Sen. William Fulbright for help, oops! yeah, now that the corre­ spondence from Fulbright to the draft board has been found, he guesses maybe he did. He didn't ask a college roomate, who happened to have a position in the administration of Republican governor Winthrop Rockefeller, to intervene ... oops, yeah, well maybe he did . .. And, hey, it's not his "And I say Jacques Cousteau can whip Lloyd Bridges!" fault that he has to keep changing his story: "These 10 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

Republicans keep coming up with new and different stories. when producers become polluters and impose risks on oth­ They change their stories every week." ers, they are going too far. But mutually consensual sex is Happily for Clinton, this doesn't seem to bother the nothing like this. If a pair prefers the pleasure of unprotected American people much. The polls show that voters are re­ sex to the possibility of AIDS, herpes, or venereal warts, that sponding to this long record of mendacity with one big col­ decision is their own affair, and the government has no busi­ lective yawn. ness telling them to stop or bailing them out if their risk Confession is good for the soul: I am exactly the same turns sour. Think of it as a free market in sex. age as Bill Clinton, and I did everything I could to avoid be­ Where does the right get its neo-Naderite obsession with ing drafted and sent to Vietnam. In my case, that didn't in­ protecting people from themselves? It is rooted the same clude recruiting governors or U.S. Senators to pressure my place as that same obsession on the left: not in concerns with safety, but with enforcing one view of how life should be lived. It is an example of social engineering, something that conservatives usually claim to oppose. The enforced lifestyle Bill Clinton explains, "[ did what my local is called "the family," a classic example of doublespeak ­ draft board told me what the procedures were and what is being supported is one particular sort of family, pre­ [ followed them." His draft board was different ferred by only a minority of the populace; it is called "the" family to semantically delegitimize other liVing arrange­ from mine. [don't recall my draft board advising ments. When it comes to family issues, conservatives are far me how to get the Chairman ofthe Senate Foreign more statist than liberals. The latter only want to subsidize Relations Committee to intervene on my behalf. certain family arrangements, through such programs as na­ tional day care. Right-wingers want to socialize the family, by banning alternatives to their preferred familial arrange­ ments. In the ideal world of Dan Quayle and Pat Robertson, draft board, and I think my hostility to that sort of corrupt parents will be able to send their children to any sort of influence-peddling might have prevented my doing so. But school they want, but will all subscribe to the same monopo­ in all candor, I have to say that if the tactics I used - teach­ ly family structure, enforced by government decree. ing school until I discovered that my eyesight failed to meet Families should be neither fostered nor repressed by the minimal Army standards - had not kept me out of the state. They should be let alone -laissez faire - to develop Army, I might have done the same, if I had had friends in as they will. In a free society, families, like other intermedi­ high places. ary institutions, should be creatures not of the state, but of As I write these words, CNN is playing in the back­ the people who make them up and the values they hold dear. ground, and Bill Clinton is lying. "I did what my local draft That, if the phrase must exist, is what "family values" should board told me what the procedures were and I followed m~. -~ them." His draft board was different from mine. I don't re­ call my draft board advising me how to get the Chairman of They've got your number - A friend writes the Senate Foreign Relations Committee or the Governor of from Moscow that despite Russia's technological backward­ my state to intervene on my behalf. .. -eAA ness most telephones have caller ID. Well, no joke - they How sex turns conservatives into flam­ probably just threw a switch at KGB headquarters and re- versed the signals. -J5R ing socialists - The president, I think, is danger­ ously pink; "family values" are a stepping stone to Smoke gets in your skies - Smoking on socialism. Bring up sex, and the right starts to ~ound like an Cathay Pacific's transpacific flights to Hong Kong is no long­ unholy marriage of Jeremy Rifkin and Chairman Mao, only er permitted. Another small blow against personal liberty? louder. No, a small demonstration that liberty works - when it's Take this right-wing cliche: Only full abstinence from sex allowed to. Cathay Pacific's smoking ban is a purely business can prOVide 1000/0 certain protection against sexually transmitted diseases; therefore, abstinence should be the public school system's recommended policy. Now change it only slightly: Only full abstinence from in­ dustrial production can provide 1000/0 certain protec­ tion against industrially transmitted diseases; therefore, the government should embrace a policy of deliberate deindustrialization. Conserva-tives de­ nounce people who say such things as crypto­ socialists and environmentalist cranks. It never occurs to them that they are similarly cracked. Life is a succession of opportunities and risks; each of us has, or should have, the right to make our own decisions as to what' risks we will take. The anti­ industrial puritans at least have a grain of a point - "You can't arrest me! -I have no-fault insurance!" Liberty 11 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992 decision; no Surgeon General or legislature forced it to do so. away. Now people who want a completely smoke-free flight be­ The media, generally, are taking Clinton's "moderation" tween Los Angeles and Hong Kong can enjoy one, while hook, line, and sinker. His economic plan is called "putting those who wish to light up or don't care if others do can people first." First in the unemployment lines, perhaps. book a seat on one of the other airlines that fly this highly -KH competitive route. The result: No one is coerced, customers have more opportunity to get what they want, and Cathay The health hazards ofnotgoing capital- Pacific will, if it judged correctly, reap the rewards of more ist - Some of the results of the Soviet nuclear program dollars on its bottom line. Now if only our anointed have now become public, and they're pretty much what you Protectors would put that in their pipe and smoke it! -LEL predicted they would be. There's a lake where the Marxists dumped some of their Family values in action - The pundits are nuclear waste; it's been calculated that you could get a fatal puzzled over George Bush's apparently contradictory views dose of radiation from standing on the bank of this lake for on abortion. First he says that he thinks it should be illegal, thirty seconds. except under certain extreme circumstances. Then he says Of course, the Marxists were generous enough with their that if his granddaughter were to want to have an abortion, refuse to pollute several of the biggest rivers in Europe and it would be "her choice" and he would stand by her. So does Asia. And when methane built up in a mine, they exploded a this mean he would keep abortion legal? No, he still wants to nuclear bomb to disperse it, then sent the miners back to ban it. Hmm. work the next day. I don't need to tell you that the officials But there really isn't anything difficult to understand may have been a little lax about informing the miners what here. George Bush is simply continuing his tradition of hold­ might happen to them. They may also have been a bit ne­ ing his family above the law. I'm sure that he thinks stealing glectful about giving out any warnings to the 40,000 troops money from S&L depositors should be illegal, too, but that over whom they exploded a nuclear bomb in an attempt to hasn't kept him from "standing by" his son Neil. And if alle­ impart an extra measure of realism to one of their war gations of his brother Preston's contacts with the Yakuza (the games. Japanese mob) turn out to be true - why, then, he'll "stand Furthermore, who says that socialism isn't efficient? by" his bro, too. This is what family values mean to our When the Soviets wanted to dispose of an outmoded nuclear president. icebreaker, they just detached the back end of the ship and So if his granddaughter was pregnant and wanted an let it and its nuclear reactors sink into the ocean. abortion, I'm sure that Bush would be happy to help her out, Seriously, now, shouldn't Senator Gore, whose name ap­ even if abortion were made against the law. In fact, if it pears on the outside of a funny little book about "the envi­ would help him in the polls, he might even perform the op- ronment," be told to stop worrying about the disastrous eration himself. - JW effects of air conditioning, frozen food, and all his other awful examples of capitalist society's lack ofcommunion with nature, Texas Republican Senator Phil Who's on first? - so he can check out what happens in places that don't have Gramm, although not too demanding that his colleagues live much air conditioning, frozen food, or capitalism? -SC up to the spending-restrictions bill that bears his name, is conscientious about analyzing the cost of Bill Clinton's sup­ So much for the Great White Hope - I posedly "moderate" taxation and regulatory plan. According just watched Pat Buchanan deliver his speech to the 1992 to Gramm's figures, which have been ignored in the media Republican Party Convention. I have to say, if the paleoliber­ generally, the Clinton plan to raise taxes on business and tarians really want to make a principled political dent, rich individuals, and to mandate a slew of programs includ­ they're going to have to find a new standard-bearer. ing employee retraining, health care, and parental leave, In all his speech, Buchanan made two libertarian points would have cost $125 billion if in effect in 1991. With busi­ -less than even Bill Clinton managed. He condemned eco­ ness profits totalling $189 billion in that year, it would have statism in no uncertain terms - forgetting, I suppose, that meant that 66 percent of profits would have been taxed his party's nominee continues to boast of his support for the Clean Air Act. And he slammed Governor Clinton for the bizarre limits he would place on school choice - preferring to ignore the almost as strin­ gent caps George Bush endorses. Oh. He quoted the National Taxpayers' Union, too. I suppose that \ ' \ t t that was nice. Sorta. I guess. What was the rest of the address about? The ~ usual crap, of course. Censor pornography, ban ,t@ abortions, shoot the queers. Make sure that wom­ ~~ en are denied equality before the law. A bit of mil­ itarism; some Spiroisms, too. The sort of things 1\ I\ I, l ' I I I you expect from the far right. "Big deal!" Worst of all was his bottom line: Vote For 12 Liberty Modern editions ofclassic worksfor today's reader

UNION AND LIBERTY: THE POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY OF JOHN C. CALHOUN Edited by Ross M. Lence "This is the finest collectio~ in a single volume of Calhoun's important works enunciating all aspects of his political philosophy, a philosophy that profoundly influenced the course of American history. Calhoun's ideas continue to influence political discourse, and no doubt always will. All his major speeches are here.... Most important, all the selections are complete and unabridged. This is truly an editorial triumph." Robert V. Remini, Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois This outstanding collection begins with Calhoun's two most significant works, the Disquisition and Discourse. They are followed by twelve other important speeches, letters, and political essays. 626 + xxx pages, index. Hardcover $35.00 0-86597-102-1; Paperback $9.50 0-86597-103-X

------OTHER NEW AND SIGNIFICANT TITLES ------FURTHER REFLECTIONS ON ON LIBERTY, SOCIETY, AND FREEDOM AND THE LAW THE REVOLUTION IN FRANCE POLITICS: THE ESSENTIAL Expanded Thir~ Edition By Edmund Burke ESSAYS OF WILLIAM By Bruno LeOni Edited by Daniel E. Ritchie GS FO,~eword by A~thur Kemp '~lIlarge history collections will want ~AHAM UMNER. Br~no Leoni wea~es tog~~her the this volume." Ubrary Journal Edited by Robert C. Bannister tee:tchlngs of econ0!TIlcs, political This volume brings together, for the "This is the finest single-volume sClenc~, ~nd ,law with a pro~ound grasp first time in accessible and unabridged edition of Sumner's works ever to of the Ins.tltutlons th~t a ~oclety of form, Edmund Burke's most important appear." Ronald Lora, University of ordered liberty requ!res.. Peter H. other writings on the French Toledo Aranson, Emory University. Revolution. Hardcover $30.000-86597-100-5 Hardcover $20.00 0-86597-096-3 Hardcover $25.00 0-86597-098-x Paperback $ 7.50 0-86597-101-3 Paperback $ 7.50 0-86597-097-1 Paperback $ 7.50 0-86597-099-8 SOCIALISM GEORGE WASHINGTON: NEW INDIVIDUALIST REVIEW By LudWig von Mises A COLLECTION Introduction by Milton Friedman Translated from German by J. Kahane Compiled and edited by W.B. Allen For the first time in Paperback Foreword by EA. Hayek "Washington comes across as a real Written from 1961 to 1968, the "Most readers today will find that person, but an extraordinary one. For seventeen issues of NIR set "an Socialism has more immediate the reader wishing to have the essence intellectual standard that has not yet, I application to contemporary events of Washington at hand, this is the believe, been matched by any of the than it had when it first appeared." EA. volume." Wisconsin Magazine of more recent publications in the same Hayek History philosophical tradition." Milton Hardcover $30.00 0-913966-62-2 Hardcover $30.00 0-86597-059-9 Friedman, from the Introduction Paperback $10.00 0-913966-63-0 Paperback $ 9.500-86597-060-2 Paperback $12.50 0-86597-065-3

o Enclosed is my check. o Please send me a catalogue. Quantity Title HelPB Amount Name _

Address _

City _

State/Zip _

Subtotal To order by phone, call 317-842-0880; fax 317-577-9067. Prepayment by check, VISA, or MasterCard is required on all orders not for resale. Indiana residents add 5% sales tax Shipping and handling and a $15 minimum apply to credit card orders. We pay book rate postage on orders prepaid by check. Please allow Total approximately four weeks for delivery. m~ ------LIBERTY FUND ------­ ••••••••••_ 7440 North Shade1and, Dept. N205, Indianapolis, IN 46250-2028 ••••••••••_ Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

George Bush. That other populist reb 1 of the primaries, Jerry they are there." He climbed to find God, and did. Many relig­ Brown, wouldn't even mention Bill linton's name when he ions place their gods on mountaintops. It is a proper place for spoke to the Democratic convention.1But that supposed man them, and for some Men as well. of honor, Patrick J. Buchanan, wasn't about to put principle The second problem I had with the article was th~ defense before future political career. So he t1rned his back on all he of a lifestyle which might be called "The Virtue of is supposed to stand for, and endors~d George Bush. Forgive Slobbishness." There really is something revolting in the no­ me if I do not join him, and shame Ion any libertarian who tion that it is a virtue for intellectuals to adopt sedentary life­ does. I -JW styles. At base, it projects a mind/body dichotomy. And I don't find going to a conference and then staying indoors We, The Climbing - Rea~ing Murray Rothbard's very imaginative or soul-inspiring. "Me and the Eiger" (September 1992) reawakened a gnawing I once attended a seminar in rural Vermont, and one eve­ discontent which I felt when the artic e was first published in ning while others were glued to the tube I stole away to ex­ Liberty, and which now begs to be ex ressed. plore an old railroad gradient. Several hundred yards down I The first thing that bothered m~ was the premise: Jews ducked through a pine grove to discover a stream cascading don't climb mountains. The author wries that any inclination over granite rocks down a steep slope into a rippling lake, the to climb is an example of "goyim-na has," and that "there is whole ringed by a field shimmering with lightning bugs. I not a single Jew who has ever clim ed the Eiger." When I scrambled up a cool, dew-wet grassy slope to the head of the first read this passage I thought of a man I was well ac­ waterfall and looked down at the moonlight reflected on the quainted with, a Jew born in Vienna in the late twenties. He dark, swelling basin. Call me anti-intellectual, but not once fled the Nazi Anschluss with his f mily and spent World did I think, "Man, I could be watching TV!" War Two in England, too young to fight. After the war he There is no rule that states one can't both climb and dis­ emigrated to help build Israel. He as a man of deep relig­ cuss ideas. Or if there is, I disobey it: I once scaled Mt. Liberty ious faith, and an intellectual, a we I-known scholar in his (appropriately) in the company of two philosophers while field. Somewhere in his eventful life, he found time to climb discoursing on Locke's theory of property rights. the Eiger. And even if one is not in a conversational mood, climbing I thought of a former classmate of mine, a strict, conserva­ focuses the mind. Success on a climb requires not just physi­ tive American Jew, and one of the t ughest men I ever met. cal fitness, but also an act of will. Mt. Liberty is on the south He, a friend of his (another conservat ve Jew from MIT) and I end of the five-peaked Franconia Ridge. Dominique, we call made an earlyspring expedition up t. Washington in New her, and you'll have to break New Hampshire granite before Hampshire. The MIT fellow and I we e fairly conventional·in you tame her. I have a piece on my desk mined from that our approach - we just climbed up he rocky peak and then very spot, expertly cracked with a single hammer blow on my went back down. But my classmate didn't want such tame wedding night - but that's another story. thrills. He climbed the wall of a steep cleft known as One can think clearly up there, far above the treeline, driv­ Tuckerman's Ravine and then skied own on the thin carpet ing oneself onward, muscles aching, lungs straining, ascend­ of snow nestled in the shadowed cre ice. Later at the base he ing the peaks in turn. The cold fall wind bites into exposed rewarded himself by diving naked i to a stream formed by flesh, prompting one to tear off one's jacket and shirt, press­ runoff from melted snow. The fact t at I could stand in the ing onward up the final peak, Mt. Lafayette, the highest on water barefoot for only thirty seco ds before the pain be­ the ridgeline, pulling oneself across the broken rock, scram­ came too extreme gives you an indi~ation of his stamina (or bling up scree-strewn ledges, mounting the thick, jagged maybe my pain threshold). t boulders, finally standing alone atop the pinnacle, drinking in But beyond these acquaintances, thought of the founder the pure air, glorying in the blinding sunshine, with nothing of Jewish law. Moses is one of the ost famous mountain­ but the rock, the sky, and the figure of you, laughing like a climbers in history. And he didn't cli~b mountains "because maniac. Direct your attention northward and you I will see the town of Bethlehem, New

Com f?vter I , ) Hampshire, nestled in a valley. A popular re­ ~ sort in the early part of this century, it is now a s 'e S I ISOI=TW4RE) retreat, a haven of artists, writers and poets. But every year Bethlehem is visited by the peo­ :~ ple who made it a resort in the first place ­ Hasidim, escaping the concrete grid of New ~~fi~ ~@: York for fresh air, forests, and hiking in the ____ White Mountains. Which brings me back to the ~ l~ first point. ______I- @S I have nothing against couch potatoes. It is not a question of ethnic background, of intel­

1l~(110 lect or of culture versus nature. It is a matter of I testing oneself, of setting goals and achieving "Keep an eye o~ that guy." them, and of bettering one's life in the process. 14 Liberty ------I Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

Sir Edmund Hillary said he climbed mountains because they blame. They might bemoan the sinfulness of the modern age, are there. Not me. I climb mountains because I am there. but they would be far less likely to blame the perdition of -JSR abortion on a "conspiracy" of secularist, atheistic, liberal judges. The level of fanaticism and hatred would be far lower Aborted logic - For years, pro-choice Democrats than today, and the integrity of the indepedent judicial sys­ have attacked Presidents Reagan and Bush for using a "lit­ tem would not be at risk. -RWB mus test" (in this case, opposition to Roe vs Wade) when se­ lecting judicial appointments. For years Republicans have Gore vs Quayle vs the environment ­ denied the charge. If the recent Supreme Court decision af­ Dan Quayle runs the White House Council on Competitive­ firming Roe vs Wade is any evidence, it seems pretty plain that ness and is the target of environmental groups for his deregu­ the Democratic accusations were false: three of the five justic­ latory fervor and pro-business attitude. His message: the en­ es appointed by Messrs. Reagan and Bush voted to uphold vironment costs jobs. Roe. The easy vote for environmentalists, then, should be for Curiously, the same pro-choice Democrats have nominat­ Al Gore. His recently published Earth in the Balance describes ed for the Presidency a man who has promised to use a lit­ his eco-philosophy and his prescriptions for change. Few will mus test (in this case, support for Roe vs Wade) a prerequisite fault his compassion and commitment to environmental is­ for Supreme Court nomination, thereby illustrating the men­ sues. He writes constantly of the "dangerous dilemma that dacity of their earlier criticism. our civilization now faces," and how he has renewed his com­ Between two and four Supreme Court justices will prob­ mitment to ecology. ably be appointed during the next four years, so the election For those whose concern goes beyond a Green religion, of Bill Clinton would have several very unfortunate good intentions are insufficient. His unswerving, and uncriti­ consequences. cal, environmental ideology is surely as disturbing as Dan It would assure that the very questionable legal reasoning Quayle's seeming rejection of the importance of ecological of Roe is upheld, thereby encouraging other acts of judicial balance (all Quayle appears to be concerned with are the costs activism. imposed on businesses). It would preclude from appointment to the Court a great Al Gore's prescriptions are certainly radical; some are bor­ many first-rate legal thinkers, including most who are pro­ derline nonsense, e.g. "the strategic goal of completely elimi­ choice, because they are critical of the flaccid argument in nating the internal combustion engine over, say, a twenty five Roe. year period." Even more alarming is his explicit rejection of Most importantly, it would reinforce the equation of sup­ open scientific debate: he argues that scientists who doubt the port for Roe with support for freedom of choice. Whether free­ greenhouse theory "should not be given equal weight," be­ dom to have an abortion is lurking in the Ninth Amendment cause doing so "undermines the effort to build a solid basis of (as Justice Blackmun argued in Roe), is implied by the support for the difficult actions we must soon take." Fourteenth Amendment (as various legal scholars suggest), Senator Gore is right, however, when he says on the or is not guaranteed by the Constitution at all, is quite distinct stump that there is a false dichotomy between jobs and the from whether women ought to be able to decide whether to environment. In the long run, prosperity and environmental have an abortion without interference from the state. integrity are mutually dependent, a fact that Vice-President The judicial activism of Roe has fertilized the politicization Quayle does not acknowledge. . of the courts. These days people who are passionately pro­ Meanwhile, the Council on Competitiveness has been la­ choice as well as people of opposite passions demand litmus beled environmental enemy number one by the Gang of Ten tests of judicial appointees and organize demonstrations environmental groups. Its goal is to dismantle the environ­ around courthouses in an apparent attempt (vain, so far, mental regulations promoted by the Green groups while thank God) to intimidate judges. bowing to its own special interests. Well, what would have happened if the courts had con­ But Dan Quayle and Al Gore are not in comparable posi­ cluded that the Constitution had nothing to say on the issue? tions. As a member of the Senate, Gore can vote for vaguely Most people in most states plainly support the right to choose, and abortions would be both legal and easily availa­ ble in those states. In a few states, where the more"conserva­ -=n tive" forms of Christianity are popular, abortions would be limited or outlawed, forcing residents of those states to travel elsewhere for an abortion. Curiously, this is pretty much what the situation is today: in certain places where conservative Christianity is pandemic, abortions are already unavailable, because physicians them­ selves have objections to abortion or are intimidated by ag­ gressive anti-abortion zealots. Anti-abortionists would be fighting a losing battle, with freedom to choose gradually be­ ing established everywhere. The battle would be in legisla­ tures and at the ballot boxes, not in the courts. When anti­ ''I hope you don't mind if my son chews you out, Entwhistle - I'm abortionists lost, they would have their fellow citizens to trying to get him interested in the business." Liberty 15 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992 worded bills and hide among his fellow Greens, while Dan News that is scheduled to last until election day. It has als 0 Quayle is the Bush administrations deregulatory point man. run ads in Washington, D.C., and New York, and plans to Senator Core clearly does not face the tough decisions as a roll out television campaigns in Chicago and Los Angeles, on candidate that Dan Quayle does as Vice-President. the theory that by concentrating efforts in media centers, the Consider this summer's flap over the enforcement and in­ campaign may come to the attention of the news media. The terpretation of the toxic emissions portion of the 1990 Clean 1992 campaign has aleady eclipsed the 1988 campaign, which Air Act. It was interpreted as an attempt by Dan Quayle and achieved ballot status in only 47 states and failed to run any the Council on Competitiveness to weaken a piece of environ­ television advertising at all. mental legislation which the Bush administration had strongly This accomplishment is all the more impressive consider­ supported. The New York Times said that the regulatory inter­ ing that Marrou and Lord have no personal following out­ pretation, as written by the Competitiveness Council, would side the LP, meaning that fund-raising has been limited allow companies to "increase air pollution without prior pretty much to LP members. -CAA notice." This is correct, but as Gregg Easterbrook writes in New Predicting the unpredictable - A year ago, I at the Libertarian Party convention by Republic, "only in the sense that the Times is free to publish annoyed delegates without prior notice; legal penalties make it unlikely this will predicting that the LP nominee - undetermined at that time -would likely receive only 200,000 votes. That was 800,000 happen." In reality, then, it was only an administrative deci­ votes fewer than the guess of anyone else I talked to. But I sion about minimizing regulatory transaction costs. recognized that predicting the LP vote total is an exercise in It is more useful to compare Governor Clinton's record in predicting the unpredictable. Arkansas, where, for example, the chicken industry is given The most important influence on the vote total of third­ special treatment, to that of the Bush administration. Both party presidential candidates is the perceived closeness of the records show that the political pressures brought to bear upon major candidates in the polls. When the race is perceived as elected politicians make it unlikely that the environment will dose, many more voters are moved by the "don't-waste­ constantly win out over the economy, especially in a recession. your-vote" argument than when a race is perceived as a Should Senator Gore become Vice-President, he will face the landslide. Right now, the polls show a big margin for reality of such environmental trade-offs. Clinton, but a lot can change before election day. Clinton's Perhaps he will learn that the real key to solving environ­ margin has gyrated crazily, making it difficult to project how mental problems is to create incentive-based solutions which voters will perceive the race come election day. are insulated from political pressures and respond to changing The bizarre performance of H. Ross Perot, who has information and values. Property rights and markets are the jumped into, out of, and back into the race, has done more best approaches to environmental problems that we have than provide material for television comedians. He won't be found, providing reasonably satisfactory approaches to nearly elected president, but he may spend a lot of money on televi­ all environmental problems. This is something that neither sion advertising, and he will get a lot of protest votes. candidate understands. Instead, each promotes his own brand Okay, enough caveats. How many votes will Marrou get of environmental demagoguery: Gore raising the spectre of on November 3? I suspect that an extraordinarily substantial environmental apocalypse, Quayle the spectre of economic number of voters will not make up their minds until election apocalypse. - guest reflection by Robert Ethier day. As a consequence, the vote totals of Perot and Marrou Coming of age - However many votes the are impossible to predict with any kind of precision. My of voters tire of Perot's evasion, Libertarian Party presidential ticket receives on November 3, best-case scenario - a lot the 1992 campaign has already demonstrated the LP's growth Bush's mendacity, Clinton's sleaze, and are attracted to the LP's vision of increased individual liberty, and overcome the and maturity as a genuine political force. Paid membership temptation of the don't-waste-your-vote argument - is that stands at an all-time high of 10,250, up more than 600/0 from Marrou will receive 800,000 votes. My worst-case scenario ­ 1988. More importantly, the 1992 campaign marks the first the polls show a close race reducing the protest vote, which time that the LP has run a genuinely national campaign with­ goes almost entirely to Perot, and the libertarian message out exogenous financial support. In 1976, the campaign was doesn't get through - is that the LP standard-bearer will get funded extensively by the personal donations of Roger only 100,000 votes. My prediction of 300,000 seems like the MacBride, its nominee. In 1980, the LP campaign was under­ most reasonable guess to me. -CAA written to the tune of more than a million dollars by its vice presidential nominee, David Koch. In 1988, the LP campaign Still Bushwacko- "He's jumping from one sink­ was augmented by financial support from those who had ing ship to another." That's how friends of former libertarian supported Ron Paul's earlier career as a Republican member guru Murray Rothbard describe his support for Pat of Congress. Buchanan, until Buchanan got killed in the primaries, fol­ Only in its campaigns of 1972 and 1984 was the LP on its lowed by his endorsement of H. Ross Perot, until Perot with­ own. In 1972, the infant party's nominee was on the ballot of drew, followed by his endorsement of George Bush, only to only two states. In 1984, the name of LP nominee David watch Bush collapse in the polls. Bergland was on the ballots of only 38 states; his campaign The re-entry of Perot into the race raised the question: was practically invisible. will the unpredictable jump back to former hero Perot or This year, LP nominees Andre Marrou and Nancy Lord stick with new hero Bush? On October 4, Rothbard assured will appear on the ballots of all 50 states. What's more, the me that he remains loyal to the president. Of course, this left LP campaign has already begun a modest program of televi­ Rothbard with 30 days to change his mind again ... sion advertising, with a rotation of ads on CNN Headline -CAA 16 Liberty Judgment Day

This time, do it despite fiear and loath- James Baker, Charles Black, Rich Bond, Richard Darman, Nicholas Brady. Eccccchhhh! These guys are every ing - On November 3rd I plan to do something I've never Democrat's image of a Republican: complacent apologists for done before in my life: I plan to vote Republican. (I once voted the status quo. They deserve a worse fate. But on other days I for a Democrat: Arthur Goldberg, for governor of New York, truly fear a Clinton victory. He is surely a scheming, ambi­ but just in outraged protest against Nelson Rockefeller.) Yes, I tious, ruthless power-luster who has dreamed of being presi­ am supporting the reelection of the President. Am I unaware dent since he was in knee-pants. His running mate is a true­ of the President's shabby record: the biggest Washington believing environmental crackpot who, with a straight face, spender since LBJ, instigator of an unnecessary war in the proposes to us a new "organizing principle" for civilization. Middle East, would-be shaper of a sinister "New World One can imagine who will staff a Clinton administration. Order," and the"conservative" leader who has caved in on Heaven help us. Here is the best argument yet for a "none of everything from job quotas to more new taxes? Obviously, I the above" line on the ballot. ~~~~~~:~::~:;:i{;:~~f~;~~~~::~~~~:~~~~----.~~~\\I Wf~\Q\\AY\ ;:~~r£~a~:~:~~r~ almost surreal in its bla- - \~ ~ tS \~ ~ ~'JI Y\j damn thing you can do tancy. Then why sup- about the outcome of the port him? Three good ~ election. You have about reasons: the two as much chance of in- Clintons and Albert fluencing it as you have Gore. A Clinton-Gore of reversing the course administration would of the Mississippi. mean (a) hundreds of You'll sooner die in an left-liberal federal judges auto accident en route and a couple of Supreme to the polls than deter- Court Justices in place for mine the winner. So the next generation (Hillary Ie stay at home and do would have a big say , f' something worthwhile. in this); and (b) ~ Would I risk my life for one of tens of thousands . those clowns? The question an- of jobs in (/; swers itself. -SLR Washington filled, ~ not by mindless op­ Making democracy portunists mouthing conservative cliches, but by safe for America - It's not a boast but neither is it a committed leftists "consumer confession: I'm supporting Bill advocate" busybodies, "civil Clinton this year. I do so not be­ rights" agitators, radical feminists, cause I discern in his person or and eco-freaks, these last led by policies outstanding qualities the lunatic "environmentalist" of statesmanlike leadership that Gore himself. Such an administra­ will provide this country a new era of peace, prosperity, tion probably wouldn't survive and liberty. There is much in what he has said and what he more than one term. In the meantime though, the cause of lib­ has done that makes me uneasy. To shower Bill Clinton with erty and private property would be set back at least a couple plaudits strikes me, frankly, as crazy. Still, the Arkansas gov­ of decades. If this doesn't convince you, then think of this, and ernor has one noteworthy attribute that makes him the peo­ think very, very hard: do you really want to have to listen to ple's choice - at least this person's choice - for president in Bill, Hillary, and Al Gore Virtually every day for the next four '92: he's not George Bush. years? Hold your nose - and support the President! -RR A realistic understanding of what one can and can't expect from American politics vintage 1992 yields, I believe, solid Odds off- Most days I relish the idea of a big defeat reasons for desiring a change of name on the mailbox in front for George Bush. His ignominious loss might not only drive of the house on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The case for sup­ him from public life - finally - it would likely expel his rot­ porting Clinton is basically similar to and derives from that ten, sleazy, tax-eating crowd from the Republican Party: for supporting a democratic system of governance. Each is Liberty 17 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992 deeply flawed, and yet each is demonstrably superior to all mary than an American election, but maybe these days the other alternatives genuinely open to us. deity is more whimsical and easily distracted than usual. We H a democracy rewards blatant and egregious betrayals of should not be. If this sort of sanctimonious arrogance merits trust with another term in office, it fails to exercise the one any reward, let it not be an earthly one. check that voters have over their would-be masters. As a mat­ I'm not a Clinton enthusiast. He is, though, undeniably ter of policy, then, we should welcome and encourage electoral brighter than Bush and has displayed the ability to formulate outcomes that bring about the involuntary retirement of the sentences that contain subject, verb, and object. He has even worst of the worst. shown some pluck in supporting free trade with our North No president in this century is more deserving of that fate American neighbors against fervent AFL-CIO protectionists than George Bush. He has, to an unparalleled degree, made a and has generally gone a good way toward avoiding knee­ career of cynical equivocation and backsliding. I hardly need jerk obeisance to the constituencies in front of which Mondale remind anyone of the 1988 "No new taxes!" pledge. It is, and Dukakis spasmodically genuflected. Clinton has es­ though, worth noting that this wasn't merely one of the hun­ chewed gay-bashing and jingoistic flag-waving. His taste in dreds of campaign promises that are routinely forgotten the good-time girls is, admittedly, well below Kennedy's stan­ day after election. Who, after all, supposes that the paper on dards, and he has ducked the opportunity to say the real rea­ which party platforms are printed is worth the sacrifice of even son why he avoided the draft is because he thought it one tree? But this was different. Bush deliberately employed a moronic to risk life and limb in Vietnam. Still, he is, to put it rhetoric that gave him no out that would not leave him appear­ simply, the best we can hope to get as a nominee of the ing ridiculous and contemptible. By his own choice the no-tax Democratic party. Its self-reform, albeit modest, should be pledge was made a defining test for his qualities as an office­ encouraged. holder and as a man. The American public duly responded. If Conversely, the Republican capitulation to Know­ it now buys his excuses and vapid apologies - "Congress Nothing, xenophobic bible-thumpers should be punished. made me do it!" - or his desperate and demagogic juxtaposi­ This is a party whose standard bearers have entirely run out tion of his one [sic] tax increase versus the 128 [sic] of Bill of ideas - assuming they ever had any in the first place. By Clinton, this would send a signal to all future political aspir­ handing it a four-year sojourn in the wilderness we afford it ants that the citizenry's stupor is so complete that its power to an impetus for embracing new ideas and a new leadership. punish duplicity can, for all practical purposes, be This election, then, should be viewed as a medium-term in­ disregarded. vestment in political possibilities. I look forward to George Nor is the tax betrayal unique. I can't think of one issue Bush's early retirement and, in 1996, to writing for this jour­ George Bush has made his own on which he hasn't subse­ nal a semi-enthusiastic "Why I support Weld" piece. -LEL quently flip-flopped. He (dubiously) characterized Saddam Hussein as "worse than Hitler" yet ended the Iraq campaign Go for Perot - As Liberty's political correspondent, I with Saddam comfortably in control of his torture chambers; was conscripted to write an endorsement of Ross Perot, when he piously declaimed against quotas and preferential treat­ none of Liberty's editors volunteered to do the nasty job. ment yet signed a so-called civil rights bill that featured exactly I can think of three reasons to vote for Perot: that; he has presided over an efflorescence of economic regula­ • If Perot gets enough votes, it might frighten the major tion that makes Jimmy Carter look like a libertarian by con­ parties to take some action to reduce the federal deficit. trast. And during the current campaign he has excoriated "tax • If Perot gets enough votes, it might bring about a and spend" Democrats while desperately thrOWing money at healthy re-alignment of the major political parties. every possible constituency in which he could hope to buy a •A vote for Perot discredits both major political parties. vote: victims of Hurricane Andrew, wheat farmers, employees Of course, these reasons also apply to voting for of companies manufacturing superfluous tanks and fighters. If Libertarian Party candidate Andre Marrou, who favors the someone had designed a test case of whether there were any Bill of Rights, unlike Perot. And wants to eliminate the bud­ limits to the hypocrisy that the American electorate will bear, get deficit while cutting taxes, unlike Perot's plan to raise taxes. he could not have engineered a better experiment than George But if you don't much care for the Bill of Rights and figure Bush. higher taxes are better than lower taxes, H. Ross Perot is the As bad as the Bush incumbency has been, the reelection man for you! -CAA campaign has been worse. No presidential aspirant has so openly appealed to bigotry and intolerance since the George Marrou for liberty - The best argument for Bill Wallace effort of 1968. There is, of course, no clear sense attach­ Clinton is that he's not George Bush. The best argument for ing to the "family values" slogan trumpeted so incessantly George Bush is that he's not Bill Clinton. The best argument from the podium in Houston and reverberating throughout the for Ross Perot is that he's not Bill Clinton and he's not George country. But although precision of discourse is more than one Bush. The only reason that no one argues for Clinton or Bush has any right to expect from this generation of Republicans, on grounds that they are not Ross Perot is that Perot has no the not-so-hidden message is one of exclusion. It is not only perceptible chance of winning. Murphy Brown who is beyond the Republican pale; so too are The problem with voting for Clinton, Bush, or Perot is religious unbelievers, homosexuals, pot smokers, adnlirers of that none of them has any idea of how to solve the problems Penthouse centerfolds, and all who believe it is not the job of the nation faces. ·vVhoever is elected will be a bad president. government to be the moralistic nanny of its citizens. "God is He will hurt people. on My Side" is a pitch better suited to an Iranian Ayatollah pri- When I told an old friend that I was supporting Andre 18 Liberty Un­ ~common policy sense.

What Has Government Done to Our Health Care? by Quagmire: America in the Middle East by Leon T. Terree P. Wasley. The crisis in health care is the result of Hadar. The author challenges the Washington foreign a long history of government meddling in the medical policy consensus, which demands that the United States marketplace. In a variety of ways the state has limited the remain the dominant power in the Middle East. After supply of and overstimulated demand for medical examining American policy through the Persian Gulf War services. Wasley's prescription for reversing the ills of the and arguing that the United States cannot impose order in system is to give consumers the power to control their the region, Hadar concludes that it is time for America to own health care spending. 1992/160 pp./$19.95 disengage from the Middle East and adopt a policy of cloth/$10.95 paper benign neglect. 1992/240 pp./$23.95 cloth/$13.95 paper

Patient Power: Solving America's Health Care Crisis A Search for Enemies: America's Alliances after the by John C. Goodman and Gerald L. Musgrave. The price Cold War by Ted Galen Carpenter. The passing of the of health care and insurance is skyrocketing because few Cold War is the most important development of the late people spend their own money on medical services. The 20th century. Yet Washington clings tenaciously to a host authors' innovative solution is to restore power and of obsolete, expensive military alliances, including responsibility to consumers by allowing them to buy their NATO, that have the potential to embroil the United own tax-free medical insurance and to set up tax-free States in conflicts unrelated to its vital interests. medical savings accounts. The result would be a Carpenter proposes withdrawal from those entangling consumer-directed system of competition and innovation. alliances and a policy of nonintervention. 1992/212 1992/550 pp./$29.95 cloth/$19.95 paper pp./$22.95 c1oth/$12.95 paper Sound and Fury: The Science and Politics of Global Liberating Schools: Education in the Inner City Warming by Patrick J. Michaels. The author, an edited by David Boaz. America's most innovative environmental scientist, writes that despite the current education analysts take a good look at American hype and science-by-press-release, the greenhouse effect schools-especially those in the inner city-and offer poses no serious threat to the world we know. The most proposals for major structural reform. The book/which disturbing finding of his study, however, is the willing­ includes the editor's thorough critique of the public ness of some to distort science to expand the govern­ school system, presents a compelling case for choice in ment's control over our lives. 1992/208 pp./$21.95 education. 1991/220 pp./$25.95 cloth/$13.95 paper cloth/$11.95 paper

Cato Institute -.' \_'. '" ' 224 Second Street, S.E. Q\1lO.~... '" Distributed to the trade by National Book Network Washington, D.C. 20003 HNSTiT'!JTE Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

Marrou, he argued for Bush, explaining, "I cannot think of a Marrou you can make a powerful public profession of your better man who could be elected to the job." beliefs. 4' "If you were an inmate at Auschwitz," I asked, "would you The LP platform and its candidate, whatever their short­ argue that Eichman ought to be retained because you couldn't comings, are proud and unambiguous advocates of human lib­ think of a better man who could be selected for the job of erty. The Democrats, Republican and Perotists are not. commandant?" Marrou's shortcomings as a candidate are manifest. But they "Don't quote me by name in your article," he responded. are also irrelevant on November 3. I won't. But the story illustrates an important point. The The choice is clear. best electable candidate may not be any good, and it may not Vote for Bush and more of his wussy, semi-conservative administration, in which the power of government (as indicat­ be a good idea for us to participate at all. The "don't vote" ar­ ed by taxation) rises 15% each year, and civil liberties are gument makes even more sense when one considers that the trampled. vote an individual casts makes virtually no difference in deter­ Vote for Clinton and his wussy, semi-leftist policies in mining the winner of the presidential election. which the power of government (as indicated by taxation) will But seductive as that logic may be, on election day I will likely rise 20% each year, and different civil liberties will be vote. Voting in a presidential election offers us an especially ef­ trampled. fective opportunity to state an opinion. Refusing to vote is not Vote for Perot to protest Clinton and Bush and support an effective means of protest. Study after study shows that vir­ Perot's "pragmatic" program that includes higher taxes, more tuallyall non-voters are motivated by indifference to the out­ gun controls, and suspension of Constitutional rights. come, not by any desire to protest the status quo, so nobody Stay at home election day and give tacit consent to the stat­ will interpret your not voting as a protest. us quo. If you believe that individual freedom ought to be maxi­ Or vote for Andre Marrou and make an unambiguous mized and the power of government minimized, by voting for statement of your support for human liberty and an unambig- the candidate of the Libertarian Party and its nominee Andre uous protest against the growth of government. -RWB Medianotes

Bad Mommie - The cover of the October 4 New the pleading of this slight acquaintance from more than a dec­ Republic blares "Why Barbara Bush Was a Bad Mother." Inside ade ago to the contrary. Nor do I care. the magazine, Marjorie Perloff, a prominent academic and po­ Nor do I know why The New Republic would descend to the litical busybody, cites as evidence her recollections of Mrs level of The National Inquirer. But I do care. When the nation's Bush (whom Ms Perloff "knew only slightly") from the time 14 leading political magazine abandons its standards, there must years ago when her daughter Carey was a friend of Barbara be an explanation. Do TNR's editors hate George Bush so in­ Bush's daughter Dordie, her fourth-grade classmate at a pri­ tensely that they have lost their senses? Or is this merely a vate school. "Dordie ... seemed to be largely on her own, a crass attempt to goose newsstand sales? -RWB classic poor little rich girl ... Sometimes when she came over Radio ga-ga - This summer, I spent some time in to play with Carey, I would help her with her homework ... as northeastern Connecticut, a surprisingly remote area where Carey remembers it, Dordie's mother never spent a moment one can go a long, long way to find a restaurant, hotel, or mo­ with the girls when they were playing at her house, never in­ vie theater. I discovered how hard it is to drive a car when you quired about homework, and Carey never sat down at a family can't find a radio station to redeem your empty moments. dinner.... Mrs Bush, Carey recalls, preferred to shut herself I did find a couple of top-forty stations. At certain hours of up in her third-floor sewing room doing needlepoint. ... once the day, an all-news channel from New York could also be Carey was invited on a Sunday afternoon to go sailing on the heard fairly distinctly. But I soon ran out of curiosity about the Chesapeake with Dordie's father. On that particular Sunday, rhyme schemes of rap songs, borough politics, and traffic con­ as Carey reported when she got home, Barbara Bush, evident­ ditions under the East River. I began to suffer acutely. I ly not a keen sailor, stayed home." couldn't raise a country music station. Searching for some gos­ Wow! What a scoop! A friend of the Bushes' daughter from pel music, I found only an apocalyptic hum at the spot on the 14 years ago never ate dinner with the full family! Mrs Bush dial where the religious broadcaster was supposed to be. "Talk didn't go sailing with her daughter, but spent time by herself radio" was unavailable, even if I had wanted it. doing needlepoint! Time to call the child welfare office. What was available, and that in abundance, was govern­ Whether Barbara Bush was a good mother, I do not know, ment radio. No fewer than six PBS stations loudly beamed the

20 Liberty Why isn't everybody a libertarian?

Why aren't people breaking couldn't take 'Yes' for an answer. Macho Flash were published by > Leveraging Liberty With Lan­ down doors tojointhe Libertarian My campaign taught me how to Reason. guage: the semantics of liber­ Movement? lose friends and alienate people. I followed these with more arti­ tarian persuasion. When you explain libertarian Finally, it sunk in. My problem cles: The Militant Mentality, The > Intellectual Judo: gently win ideas, why aren't people dropping wasn't other people. It was the Myth OfMushrooms In The Night, people over without arguing. to their knees and protesting, "All man in the mirror. Me. LeveragingLiberty With Language > And many more easy, enjoy­ mylife, withopenarms, I've waited and Intellectual Judo. ableandeffective waystomake for you and your message. How do Do You Lose Friends And Thelibertarianaudiencewanted libertarian ideas irresistible. I join? When's the next meeting? Alienate People? more, so I launched a seminar. Isthere a limittohowmuchmoney The Art Of Political Persuasion Does It Really Work? I can give?" Some libertarians have a more­ Marathon Weekend Workshop has rational-than-thou attitude. Or been offered all over the United "The Essence of Political Per­ Is Something Wrong With smarter-than-thou. Or more­ States and Canada. suasion is bold, imaginative and Your Libertarian Ideas? principled-than-thou. Or more­ Then, I tested my teachings in brilliant. It is the most innovative ethical-than-thou. the field. I was the organizer and and effective program ofits kind." You be the judge. Are your'discussions' reallylec­ fund-raiserfor the 1988Marrou VP Andre Marrou, 1992 Libertar­ Re-examine the political and tures? Do you try to convince by Campaign, Project 51-'92 ballot ian Party presidential nominee. economic ideas of Rand and Von beating the other person into sub­ effort and the 1992 Marrou For Mises, Friedman and Rothbard, mission? Do you behave like a tor­ PresidentCampaign. BetweenFall "I've personally listened to Hazlitt and Hayek, Bastiat and mentor, not a mentor? 1987 and Fall 1991 I raised more Michael Emerling's political per­ Heinlein, Jefferson and Paine. And when you fail to persuade, than $500,000 for these projects. suasion tapes several times. This Browse through the catalogues do you blame the listener? The $519,344tobeexact(source: FEC). program is great. It's a necessity, ofLaissez Faire Books, Freedom's otherperson isn'trationalenough, Now, after 12 years of study, not a luxury, for all libertarians." Forum and Liberty Tree. or intelligent enough, or good testing and results, I have pro­ Jim Lewis, 1984 Libertarian Scan the policy reports of the enough? It's always their fault? duced a three hour audio tape Party VP nominee and 1992 Cato Institute, Heartland Insti­ That is the road to permanent learning program: The Essence of Marrou For President Campaign tute and Reason Foundation. failure. Political Persuasion. Manager. Leafthrough Reason, LPNews, Failure is feedback. It's telling Freedom Network News, and The you to do something different. What You'll Learn In Only "Michael Emerling's political Pragmatist. The people you don't convince Three Hours. persuasiontapesaresuperb. I have Or this issue ofLiberty. are showing you what does not listened to them many times. I Needmore proof? Compareyour work. Are you paying attention? > How to influence with integ­ continue to be impressed by the libertarianideastothestatistideas The marketplace ofideas works rity. power and sophistication of his you read in the newspapers and justlike thefree market.Consumer » Open the door with rapport. techniques." magazines. To those you see on response is a teacher. Are you > From confrontation to conver­ Vince Miller, President ofInter­ television. Liberal and conserva­ learning? sation. national Society For Individual tive, socialist and fascist, totali­ > The powerofmetaphors, para­ Liberty (LS.LL.). tarian and populist. The Art Of Political bles and teaching tales. Not even close, is it? Liberty Persuasion. > Political Cross-Dressing: how "I have a set of these political wins hands down. togetconverts from the liberal persuasion tapes. I had to learn it I felt stupidandembarrassedby leftandtheconservativeright. before I could teach it. Thank you ''You Libertarians have a 24 my campaign in 1976. But I was > The Late, Great Libertarian very much, Michael Emerling." carat gold idea-freedom­ determined to salvage something Macho Flash: abuses and uses Marshall Fritz, founder of Ad­ and you can't even give it from my experience. I wanted to ofintellectual shock tactics. vocates For Self-Government away.Everaskyourselfwhy?" learn the art of political persua­ ~------I Congressman Sam Steiger, 1976 sion. FREE BONUS TAPE WITH THIS OFFER I began to read. It's now over o Yes! Send me The Essence OfPolitical Persuasion Audio Tape Program for In 1976, I was the Arizona Lib­ 1,000 books on psychology, episte­ only $29.95 and the free bonus tape-an added $10.00 value-Emerling's ertarian Party's candidate for the mology, semantics, salesmanship, The Missing Factor In The Libertarian Equation: Self-Responsibility. congressional seat held by Morris cybernetics, self-help, hypnosis, GO-Day Trial Period Udall. communication and creativity. If, within 60 days, I am notcompletelysatisfied I lectured people who weren't I interviewed specialistsincom­ name interested. I debatedwhenI should munications and persuasion. I withtheTape Program, I will returnittoyou for have discussed. I talked when I asked questions and took notes. a full refund ofthe pur­ shouldhavelistened. I talkeddown I applied the scientific method address chase price. And I can to everyone. to everything I learned. I tested keep the bonus tape as Ifthere was an offensive, shock­ every approach, technique and a free gift. city ingwayofpresentinga libertarian format. I observed and listened. Michael Emerling position-I used it. I began to write up my results. Box 28368 Every so often, people would try How To Get Converts Left & Right statelzip L Las Vegas NV 89126 to agree, but I didn't notice. I and The Late, Great Libertarian L ~ Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992 same news and samer opinions into my quivering receiver. It The ideal Crossfire would either stop pretending to reflect a was reassuring to know that even in a sparsely populated ag­ liberal/conservative division that no longer describes the ricultural community, the government was able to over­ spectrum of political thought or hire sharp, radical hosts from supply what the population didn't care to supply for itself. I each side of what remains of the left/right divide (say, felt better when I left. -sc Alexander Cockburn and Samuel Francis). But if they want to make just one small positive change, they should dump Caught in the Crossfire - The tables have Sununu. Let him play with his stamps instead. - JW turned on Crossfire, CNN's combative evening talk show. Since the program premiered a decade ago, leftists have com­ Murphy Brown, Ph.D. - The politico-cultural plained - accurately - that the show's format, in which one war over IIfamily values" has turned television into an ugly host comes "from the left" and the other "from the right," was wasteland of pointless news reports and bogus "weighty" skewed toward the conservative wing of the spectrum. Right- commentary from TV sitcoms. But wait! There is hope: sociol­ ogy and the Washington Post to the rescue! According to a front-page story in the September 21 issue, conventional IIfamily values" (Ma and Pa together, raising the Sununu is basically a center-right Republican kiddies) doesn't necessarily grant you the blessings that the Fifth Commandment and Republican politicians advertise. It party hack. When Bush was accused ofselling out seems that certain research in our Queen of the Social Sciences, conservatism, Sununu chose party loyalty over Sociology, shows no difference between the performance on ideology and refused to criticize the President ­ standard mathematical tests of youths who have fathers and mostly because, like his former boss, he doesn't those who don't, when comparisons were made only between those with mothers of similar background. have much ideology to speak of. Of the sample group, 1700 strong, the white females also showed no IIstatistically significant" differences in behavior. (The said behavior was measured, however, not through sci­ wingers were represented by Pat Buchanan and, later, Robert entific observation, but by interpreting the evaluations of the Novak - both strong, ideologically committed conservative mothers themselves, as recorded on questionaires.) For black spokesmen. But the left's banner was held by milquetoast lib­ girls, Daddy's presence seemed to make them even more of a erals: first Tom Braden, a dull centrist whose "progressive" discipline problem. Black males blessed with fathers are unfor­ credentials include articles with titles like "Why I'm Glad the tunately more prone to hyperactvity, anxiety and depression. OA Is Immoral," then The New Republic colUmnist Michael Whither white boys? Their results go unreported in the Post's Kinsley, a neoliberal whose opinions differ greatly from the longish story (four half-page columns). bulk of the left's. Only occasionally was a bona fide leftist This story abounds with insights from the cutting-edge of allowed to say "from the left" at the end of the show, as when science. These scientists, brave men and true, have discovered columnist Julianne Malvaux sat in for a vacationing Kinsley. that "households with intact first marriages ... had a signifi­ Plus, not only are Braden and Kinsley less ideologically cantly higher family income than the alternatives ..." so may­ committed than their conservative counterparts, but they had be it's not IIfamily values" after all - it's just filthy lucre that less on-air presence as well. Braden had none of the pit-bull in­ makes all the difference. tensity that works best on the show, and Kinsley, though a As if the father working to support his family wasn't part brilliant and witty writer, has only recently become at all tele­ of family values. genic. Buchanan and Novak, by contrast, were naturals in As if years of equally convincing "sociological research" front of the camera. hadn't come to opposite conclusions. . But times have changed. Kinsley, though still heterodox As ifpeople were variables in an equation. ideologically, has gained on-camera confidence. And As if the discipline of sociology ever gave us any useful Buchanan has left the program, to be replaced by former knowledge that an observant member of human culture who White House Chief of Staff John Sununu. Suddenly, it is the may read a good work of fiction every once in a while doesn't conservative side that is poorly represented. already know. For while Buchanan, Novak, and the various substitute As if any sane, thoughtful human being should pay these hosts of the right were ideologically solid conservatives, frauds a bit of attention. Sununu is basically a center-right Republican party hack. In That the Post ran this ridiculous story is no surprise. There recent episodes, while Kinsley tore into Bush reelection offi­ is a war on. Libertarians might do well to think about what cials for various bits and pieces of campaign sleaze, Sununu personal choices are most conducive to the survival and main­ found himself weakly ascribing all of Bush's problems to lithe tenance of a free and voluntary culture that will be of value to Democratic congress." Thus, for example, when guest Paul a person of humane sentiments. Liberals might do well to look Weyrich accused Bush of selling out conservatism, Sununu at the sad facts about the economic viability - if no other via­ chose party loyalty over ideology and refused to criticize the bility matters - of the typical fatherless household in president - mostly because, like his former boss, he doesn't America. And conservatives might do well to stop idolizing a have much ideology to speak of. Since he doesn't have much past that probably never existed, and question whether mak­ that is intelligent or original to say either, his performance ing value questions a part of public policy isn't what got us soon becomes pretty pathetic. into our welfare-state mess in the first place. -BD 22 Liberty Explanation

Europe's Money Mess: We've Heard It All Before by Leland B. Yeager

On the mark, off the markka, into the dark dark dark - captains, mer­ chant bankers, eminent men of letters ... everybody uses money. But despite all the talk talk talk, no one seems to understand it.

In mid-September, Europe's monetary crISIS captured headlines around the world. The story was endlessly told and retold in newspapers and on television, with dramatic photos of wild currency trading, interviews with everyone from heads of state to persons in the street, and pontif­ ical explanations from talking heads. But the attention never seemed to stray from the minutiae, the ephemer­ hoped from stable exchange rates. 13, Italy threw in the towel and deval­ al, the insignificant: the floating of the Stability was short lived. In Novem­ ued the lira by 70/0. Finnish markka, the bizarre increase in ber, under bearish pressure, Finland On Monday, September 14, the the Swedish interest rate from 160/0 to devalued the markka by 12.3 percent German Bundesbank apparently heed­ 240/0 to 750/0 to SOO%, the floating (and against the ECD. The crisis triggered ing worldwide complaints, cut two sinking) of the Italian lira. A larger speculation against the Swedish key interest rates by a fraction of a per­ perspective was never presented. krona, which abated only after the centage point. The Bundesbank had To the newscasters, the "dramatic Swedish Riksbank showed impressive been maintaining high rates to stave events" seemed surprising, even un­ firmness. off inflation feared from the monetary predictable. Yet we've seen it all be­ On September 8, Finland decided expansion that financed German reuni­ fore. The events of the past month are to let the markka float against other fication. The U.S. d<211ar rose 2.4 per­ no more surprising than the change of currencies. It promptly sank, falling cent against the mark from Friday'S seasons. When governments try to fix 160/0 against the German mark. rate. World stock markets reacted with the exchange rates of their paper cur­ Smelling the possibility of a repeat of euphoria, with stocks rising 2.1°10 in rencies, a crisis of the sort we have just Sweden's devaluations of 1981 and the U.S., 2.20/0 in Britain, 4J)o/o in witnessed is inevitable. 1982, traders sold their positions in the France, and 4.40/0 in Germany. Swedish currency. Again the Swedish The euphoria proved short-lived as How It Happened Riksbank tightened policy, raising its the German interest cuts were recog­ In the spring of 1991, Finland and overnight interest rate to 24 percent, nized as hardly more than trifling ges­ Sweden, without formally joining the then 75 percent, and on September tures. The Italian lira, whose European Community's Exchange 16th briefly to 500 percent. devaluation was now seen as too little Rate Mechanism, unilaterally pegged Meanwhile, the Italian lira was and too late, came under another fren­ their currencies to the ECU (the under pressure, thanks partly to Italy's zied bear attack. European Currency Unit, defined as a huge public debt. The German On Wednesday, September 16, the basket of the currencies of the twelve Bundesbank had spent DM24 billion London stock market plummeted as member countries). They took this ac­ during the week buying lire, and the the pound weakened to and below its tion to prepare for the new economic Bank of Italy had raised interest rates floor rate in the Exchange Rate environment emerging as Europe several times in hopes of stopping the Mechanism. The Bank of England neared union and to gain the benefits lira's decline. On Sunday, September raised its minimum lending rate from Liberty 23 Volume6, Number 2 November 1992

100/0 to 120/0. When this failed to be morbidly fascinating, the details are the anti-inflationary lead of the strengthen the pound, the Bank an­ fundamentally unimportant. In ex­ German Bundesbank. nounced another increase to 15%. But plaining why a house of cards collaps­ In essence, the ERM is a scaled­ before this rate increase could be put es, it is diversionary to discuss down version of Bretton Woods. As it into effect, the speculation against the someone's cough, the rumble of a train exists so far, it is an incoherent straddle pound triumphed: Britain abandoned or airplane, or a puff of air through an between two extremes, either of which its defense, floating the pound by sus­ open window. Yet as Jacques Ellul ob­ would be workable. First, exchange pending its participation in the ERM. serves in The Political Illusion, the pub­ rates might float freely among inde­ The Bank of England rescinded the sec­ lic has an appetite for the latest news, pendent national currencies. Second, ond increase in its interest rate. The dramatically portrayed; and this appe­ exchange rates might be permanently government announced an urgent tite crowds out attention to funda­ fixed - but it is hard to see how per­ meeting in Brussels later that same mentals. manence would be credible unless ex­ evening on how to restore stability to The European Monetary System, change rates themselves were the foreign-exchange markets and re­ with its Exchange Rate Mechanism, re­ abolished, that is, unless a single cur­ called Parliament from its summer re­ placed predecessor arrangements (the rency replaced the formerly separate cess. In late New York trading that so-called "snake") early in 1979. The ones. Unmysteriously, an incoherent same day, Wednesday, the pound EMS with ERM is essentially a straddle is crisis-prone. European miniature of the worldwide Policymakers and the public give Bretton Woods system. too much attention, I think, to the sub­ At the end of World War II, the ordinate issue of exchange-rate ar­ In explaining why a house Bretton Woods agreement introduced rangements and too little attention to of cards collapses, it is diver­ a system of fixed but occasionally ad­ what exchange rates are, namely, rela­ sionary to discuss someone's justable exchange rates among inde­ tive prices between distinct national pendently managed national curren­ currencies. What sorts of things are cough, the rumble ofa train or cies. The system suffered recurrent epi­ these currencies? Since the gold stan­ airplane, or a puff of air sodes of one-way-option speculation dard collapsed over the period 1929­ through an open window. as speculators seized heads-I-win-tails­ 1936 and especially since all pretense I-break-even opportunities. When a that currencies have a meaningful gold pegged exchange rate is seen as no longer correct, the direction of any ad­ dropped a remarkable 4.3 percent from justment is evident; so speculators bet­ Tuesday's rate. ting on that change reap big gains if it How long will national gov­ On Thursday, September 17, Italy does occur and suffer only small losses ernments continue to get away joined Britain in letting its currency if it is somehow avoided. The crises of with running up debts repaya­ float temporarily free of the ERM, 1947, 1949, 1956, 1957, 1961, 1964, 1967, while Spain devalued the peseta by 5 1968, 1969, and 1971 illustrate this ble in nothing more definite percent within the mechanism. The point. For morbid fascination, one than pieces of paper of unde- Bank of England returned its mini­ might well review the events of mum lending rate to its pre-crisis level fined value printed by them­ January to March 1973 in the final selves? That this absurdity has of 10 percent. Conjectures were rife stage of the system's long-drawn-out that the Swedish Riksbank would have collapse. (A similar chain reaction had gone generally unrecognized to abandon its defense of the krona already occurred in 1931, during the and let it float after all. The next day, for so long must trace to some collapse of the international gold stan­ Prime Minister Major said that Britain deep-seated money illusion. dard, which had been restored after was in no hurry to rejoin the ERM. The World War I in a modified form fore­ pound fell to a new low against the shadowing Bretton Woods in crucial German mark, and the French franc, features.) Irish pound, and Danish krone came basis was abandoned in 1971, each cur­ Crises of this sort had already oc­ under renewed bear attack. rency is a mere fiat unit of undefined curred within the European Monetary value. The purchasing power of the Why It Happened System before the events of September dollar depends on interaction between Here is where I say, "We've heard 1992, some culminating in official ex­ demand for money denominated in it all before." The story of minor events change-rate readjustments. But crises dollars and the supply of dollars. The and rumors apparently triggering had been less conspicuous in the EMS supply of dollars is ultimately subject major repercussions is old hat. I recall than under the Bretton Woods system to active or passive control by the the old days when, as an economist for two reasons. First, the EMS is a Federal Reserve, unrestrained by any specializing in such matters, I was local rather than worldwide system. clearcut rules or guidelines. called on to explain headline-grabbing Second, EMS members have been less It is absurd for currencies to remain currency crises. Now, as then, al­ insistent on national monetary inde­ undefined in value and that their val- though chain reactions of troubles may pendence and more willing to accept continued on page 26 24 Liberty Objection

Drafting School Kids by Loren E. Lomasky

A moronic idea, loved both Left and Right, will be tried out in Maryland.

T00 many students leave the public schools unable to spell, do long division, or locate Europe on a world map. The inferior quality of its educational product is, then, one rea­ son to be leery of a state education monopoly. But that's not the only worrisome aspect of public education. Monopoly confers power, and that power is magnified when consump­ tion of the good in question is compul­ courage a charitable reaching out to education, the aim of which is to ren­ sory. Imposition of controversial others in distress, to instill in students der students more charitable than they curricular decisions is one way in a spirit of civic volunteerism. But to re­ otherwise would be. which the state has imposed its pre­ quire voluntary service is blatantly But while there's nothing contra­ ferred conception of education on re­ contradictory. dictory about teaching the worth of luctant parents and children. And now This objection is on the right track volunteering via voluntary means, a we observe an increasing tendency to but, as stated, misfires. As Aristotle state-imposed MCS requirement is de­ employ this power outside the pointed out in the Niconwchean Ethics, fective in theory and practice. The im­ classroom. individuals become virtuous (or vi­ personal and unwieldy school Maryland recently became the first cious) through being habituated to bureaucracy can log the requisite ser­ state to require all students to perform perform virtuous (vicious) actions. vice time, but it isn't able to provide community service as a price of being Children initially are directed by exter­ the careful monitoring and reinforce­ allowed to graduate. As of the 1993/4 nally imposed threats and rewards, ment that parents and other suitable school year, all incoming nittth grade and so what they display is only the moral educators afford. A desultory students will be required to complete outward appearance of bravery, tem­ hour of service will count for the same 75 hours of service as defined by local perance, liberality, etc. However, if the sixty minutes as one offered enthusias­ school officials and approved by the training "takes" they will increasingly tically; wasted efforts will chalk up the superintendent of education. South internalize the desire to act in such same credit as those in which someone Carolina and the District of Columbia ways. What was officially compelled may have actually been helped. The seem set to follow, and the cities of becomes an aspect of their own char­ lesson that most students will learn is Atlanta, Detroit, and Springfield, acter. Every parent knows what it's how to get by on the cheap. Massachusetts already have similar re­ like to push a reluctant child into An additional and deeper probleIn quirements on the books. Apparently worthwhile activity - practicing the is posed by the need to determine it's an idea whose time has come ­ piano, visiting crusty old Aunt Sally, what will and will not be allowed to but how good an idea is it? turning off Beverly Hills 90210 to do count as fulfillment of MCS. As crea­ Some critics of mandatory commu­ homework - in the hope that eventu­ tions of the state, public schools are re­ nity service (MCS) charge that its ally the child won't need the push. A quired to display neutrality toward the guiding idea is incoherent. The pro­ case for MCS can, therefore, be made diverse conceptions of the good held fessed aim of MCS, they note, is to en- as an application of Aristotelian moral by the citizenry. Unlike private parties, Liberty 25 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

they are not at liberty to adopt partisan check. (But isn't that to impose the con­ make such judgments, no matter how positions on disputed issues of relig­ troversial value claim that there's idiosyncratic, and to act on their be­ ion, politics, or morals. In practice, of something especially meritorious half. That is why they can be forces for course, neutrality is often strained. about laboring without financial moral education (and miseducation): MCS will stretch it past the breaking compensation?) through advocacy and example they point. Suppose that Johnny wants to pick out certain ways of life as worth put in his 75 hours working on the pursuing and others as to be shunned. Libertarian Party ballot-access drive, Character is formed in children as they Fred his distributing Jehovah's Wit­ The only lesson that most progressively come to take on or reject ness tracts to people whose eternal such perspectives. But in a liberal souls are in jeopardy, and Jill her time students will learn from man­ order the state is expressly barred from standing in front of the Planned datory community service is such advocacy. The dilemma, then, is Parenthood clinic handing out glossy how to get by on the cheap. this: MCS guidelines that sharply dis­ color photos of dismembered fetuses tinguish permitted from impermissible - will they be allowed to do so? If not, activity necessarily are illiberal, but the school system is exercising an ille­ toothless guidelines leave the concept gitimate veto over a value commit­ of service an empty shell. ment that the student has every right The point is that judgments of what Teaching the 3 R's is something that to maintain. But if no qualitativere­ constitutes service of the good and the public schools can do, even if too quirements are imposed, then MCS be­ what constitutes hindrance of it are often they botch the job. Let them spend comes the near-vacuous requirement necessarily made from some peculiar an extra 75 hours on that task rather that students choose something to do point of view. Parents, churches, and than take on another that they are con­ for which they don't receive a pay- voluntary associations are entitled to genitally incapable of fulfilling. 0

Leland Yeager, "Europe's Money Mess," continuedfroln page 24

ues should precariously depend on the of what interest rates are all about? goods and services. changeable policies of central banks, Although subject to distortion by cen­ More than fiddling with exchange­ which are constantly badgered with tral bank policy, interest rates are de­ rate arrangements, we need attention short-run-oriented advice from home termined fundamentally by "real" to the character of currencies them­ and abroad, including advice from the factors. They are prices with allocation­ selves. Although defining currencies likes of Treasury Secretary Brady. al functions. They are not just numbers in gold (or silver) was at one time Nowadays we hear on all sides that arbitrarily set by central banks - at probably the best solution, better solu­ inflation is no longer the problem and low levels when the central bankers tions are now available. Ways can be that policy should turn towards "stim­ are feeling benevolent, at high levels found to give the dollar nearly a fixed ulating" economies. The several conse­ when they are in a stern mood. purchasing power over a wide range quences of monetary policy stretch out How long will national govern­ of goods and services. Currencies over many years, and with lags of dif­ ments continue to get away with run­ might be sheltered from governmental ferent lengths. Ignoring inflationary ning up debts repayable in nothing mismanagement through privatiza­ concerns today will make inflation more definite than pieces of paper of tion. heat up again in the future, causing a undefined value printed by them­ It is on these issnes that attention tightening of policy and the conse­ selves? That this absurdity has gone should focus. It would be a shame to quent relapse into recession. generally unrecognized for so long foreclose fundamental reform by pre­ When will the kibitzers, and the must trace to some deep-seated money mature embrace of pseudo­ policymakers themselves, take the illusion, as Irving Fisher called it - the internationalism in the realm of ex­ demonstrated perversity of stop-and­ illusion that the dollar is a stable meas­ change rates and money - which is go policy to heart? When, also, will ure of value, or, if its value is not exact­ just what both European and they and journalists and the general ly stable, that its value is objectively American politicians seem intent on public cease parading their ignorance given by the supply conditions of doing. 0

The Sociology of Moving? ~' the Ayn Rand Cult o by Murray N. Rothbard If SO, we under- ~ t:; Read the perceptive, provoc­ ative, notorious analysis of the stand that things t\if Ayn Rand movement in its may be a bit topsy- tuf'TY heyday! Send $4.00 to: Liberty, PO Box 1167 Port Townsend, WA 93868 26 Liberty Memoir The First Time: I Run for President by John Hospers

In revolutionary Nicaragua, the slogan for voting was "the first time, do it for love." In running for President of the U.S. two decades ago, philoso­ pher John Hospers had more complicated reasons.

It was just twenty years ago that the first national Libertarian Party convention met in Denver, Colorado. Dave Nolan, who had founded the Colorado party a few months be­ fore, sent invitations for a national convention to be held the third week in June 1972, to all persons who had ex­ pressed interest in libertarian ideas. A few other states, including California, had taken the lead from Dave and Pip Boyles, Dave Nolan's associate We sat through hours of this, with founded their own state parties. from Colorado Springs, had already mounting impatience. There was a Almost a hundred people respond­ written the outline - more than the party scheduled to begin at midnight, ed to the invitation. We met at the outline - of a good platform, and it is but we worked on. By 2 a.m., most peo­ Radisson Hotel in Denver. Most of us from his script that we worked. And ple there were three sheets to the wind. had never met one another. Many were work we did, far into the night, while It was in this condition that I felt a tap disappointed supporters of another group worked on rules and on my shoulder and heard Dave Nolan Goldwater's candidacy in 1964; a few procedures. The things we agreed on saying to me, as in a fog, that he would had come via free-market economics were passed quickly, but hours were like me to attempt writing a statement and the works of Mises, Rothbard, and often spent on details, such as whether of principles, immediately, to be read to Hazlitt. A larger number were follow­ their should be any limits on abortion the delegates in the morning. ers of Ayn Rand and had attended the after the first three months of pregnan­ I don't know of anything that could Nathaniel Branden Institute lectures. cy. Everyone agreed about involuntary have sobered me up faster. The first Almost all had been strongly influ­ selective service, but there was quite a moment I felt an immense burden; enced by Atlas Shrugged. bit of disagreement about certain as­ then, a few moments later as the germ It was a friendly group, and an pects of international relations, such as of an idea occurred to me, I saw it as idealistic one, bound together by a under what conditions a nation was an opportunity. I went to my room common purpose: to promote the ideas justified in going to war. But step by with a yellow ruled pad and tried to of freedom and to halt the slide to­ step, we worked out a platform we compose a few thoughts. I decided to wards big government. Many of us felt could support. make it brief, and as clear as possible. that we were present at the beginning The next step, suggested by Dave There would be no reference to of something of great importance, cer­ Nolan, was to prepare a written state­ Objectivism or any of the particular tainly for us, and possibly for the fu­ ment of principles for the new party. A underpinnings of libertarian ideas -I ture of our country. number of delegates submitted their was aware that different delegates had At Bill Susel's urging I decided to own proposals and read them aloud to come to this meeting with different attend the convention, so that I might the assembled group. Some of them convictions about philosophical bases, help to work out a satisfactory plat­ were ten or twelve pages long, and and that what unified us all was a po­ form for the new party. For two of the took half an hour to read. Some of litical philosophy, not metaphysics. As three days of the convention, we them were lengthy Randian attacks on a few phrases began to come to me argued every plank in the platform in mysticism; others detailed the evils of through the fog, I found myself con­ detail with frankness and enthusiasm. collectivism and of govemment itself. sciously emulating the language of the Liberty 27 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

Declaration of Independence, including this initial state was "intellectual re­ ously compromise the whole enterprise, its styles and rhythms. I asked myself spectability"; I was a professor of phi­ I felt more than ever humbled, dubious, which points were absolutely the most losophy at USC and I had written the and a bit frightened. fundamental, and resolved to restrict book Libertarianism, which some of the myself to these - the centrality of free­ delegates had with them at the conven­ The Early Campaign dom, the fundamental rights of man, tion, and which was even quoted on Then the political commitments and the consequences for humankind several occasions to bolster one or an­ began. My first appearance was at the of accepting and acting on these other position that was being discus­ Libertarian Supper Club in Los principles. sed. Angeles. I had frequently attended its Along with several others, I present­ I was also delighted that the conven­ meetings, but neVer as a political candi­ ed a tentative statement of principles to tion nominated Tonie Nathan for vice date. The club was composed largely of the assembly the next morning. Several president. I had met her at the conven­ libertarian anarchists, who were (to put changes were suggested; Tonie Nathan tion and had come to like her very it mildly) not impressed by the fact that added a sentence on property, which I much for her uniformly sensible one of their number had deserted their thought appropriate, and it was suggestions. principles by giving recognition to their inserted. I was grateful for their confidence, if Enemy, the State. A few days later, I Retreating to the typewriter in an that is what it was, but of a divided was called on to make some remarks at adjoining room, I typed the piece in its mind about the sudden candidacy. All the Los Angeles Press Club, with re­ final form, and presented it at once to my life I had been in the Ivory Tower. It porters and the media present (my first was not that I felt unable to talk with experience with the Fourth Estate). For people on all levels -I never really that occasion I prepared a few com­ outgrew my humble roots in Iowa ­ ments, "Restoring. Liberty in America," Many ofus felt that we were but I had never so much as dreamed of explaining why libertarians had formed present at the beginning of entering political life, and I dreaded the a party and the direction in which we unknown even while it presented a wanted America to go. This brief talk something ofgreat importance, challenge of a kind I had never before was printed and Widely distributed certainly for us, and possibly faced. I was not at all sure that I could among the growing group of libertari­ for the future ofour country. live up to this challenge, and was afraid ans in Southern California. that I might let down all those delegates I kept in telephone contact with who were so full of hope for the future Dave Nolan, who was already arrang­ of the new party. It was a humbling ing an itinerary for campaign trips across the country, one for Tonie the assembly. To my surprise, it was ac­ thought, which occupied my mind as I Nathan and one for me. The thought of cepted unanimously. Reflecting on this flew back to Los Angeles. a campaign trip frightened me some­ later, I could think of no other occasion The plane was three hours late and what but, I thought, this will be a once­ on which an assembly of libertarians did not arrive in Los Angeles till 3 a.m. in-a-lifetime experience, and worthy of approved anything unanimously, and I Word about the convention had preced­ remembrance if I don't botch the job. Of was more than ever grateful for their ed me, and in spite of the late hour, more than fifty people were at the air­ course, I was familiar enough with trust and good-will. port cheering me as I got off the plane. most of the libertarian positions, and There was one remaining task for All this was so totally unexpected that I the arguments for and against them, the convention, selecting a presidential scarcely knew how to react. I was having spent hundreds of hours on this candidate. Not everyone was sold on moved and grateful, and don't remem­ rna tter the year before when I wrote this project, but the majority at the con­ ber what words I uttered before we dis­ Libertarianism. vention thought it would be the best banded for the night. I remember But I was not very confident at this way to become known nation-wide in a showing some of them the day's copy point of my ability to communicate li­ short time. If libertarians were ever to of The Rocky Mountain News, in which bertarian ideas extemporaneously, in become recognized by the general pub­ there was an article about the conven­ the give-and-take of questioning. After lic, it would be desirable for them to be tion, and pictures of Dave Nolan, Tonie all, this wasn't a classroom, where one represented in the political arena ­ Nathan, me, and some other delegates. could presuppose a certain background even though some of the delegates had In all my years in academia, though I of ideas, and develop a line of thinking very understandable reservations about had sometimes been praised and some­ point by point, from one week to an­ being in that arena. times cursed, I had never once been other. I was not at all sure what ques­ I am not sure why in the end I was cheered. And so, I thought, begins the tions or comments the "great ~ominated as the presidential candi­ Political Era in my life, the first step unwashed" might throw at me, or how date. I had not been as active in liber­ into the Dark Unknown. I hoped that I I would respond to questions that de­ tarian circles as some others. I would could discharge this obligation in a way manded a facility with abstract con­ have been delighted if Ed Clark or Ed that would not dishonor the new party, cepts for their clarification. I tended at Crane, both of whom were at the con­ which was so full of hope and idealism. the beginning to prepare my speeches vention, had received the nomination. I When I reflected that one hasty remark in written form, honing them as finely assume that what the party wanted in from me at the wrong time might seri- as I could in the quiet of my study, care- 28 Liberty Volume 6/ Number 2 November 1992

10R8 •• he doe. not

l1ve their ,.'[i"_ a. tMy cl1oo••"

Goverl'ifMftta throughout th. 'world h.ve to

oppostt4llPfinctPle.• that the state has the right to use and dt~p~se of" ~n.

lives of Indlvtduala attd the fr'ult* of their labor. Evenwlthln'the United States.

all ,oi'ltie.l parti•• otllfr thart our own. grant to gov81'nment,tbe ri,ght 1«0

control and t_S1Jlate thel.:~f. ,of the lndlv1duat turd tleizepar-tor 8.~1 of the

fruits of hi. raoor without hlff eon.ent./

tJt', tHt t:h~ contrary, deny the rIght of any ,rovcrnntent to do t best! things f and of government

('1f lnd1\1tdtlal.: viz., (1) the right to life .. and ac.coTdiiagly we approve lcg:f.s"*

, , J~ t ; 011 that ~rohib{ts the! {nlet.tiol'l of force against other.. such 8S kit.!fog,

lnai:l'ning. injuring, an.d all fOl"'m8 of physical 'l.SSilUlt on life and limb; (2) the ....•..".__ .....,..... ri.ght to liberty of ~peech and action'" and accordingly we oppose all attempts

any fo·r.m; and (1) til. t-tghr; to property - and accordingly we approve leg1,1<1t!,or~ k"i.~ ...... ~~ /J,t~1 ~tA-~G~ ~A-....t ~~, ~ ~7;c~ ~~, If tha*rOhiblt8 feortf1aclIl:tu. tJ'ttofidlutlon. robb'ry.· treapas,. fraud or mh-

r~l'l"'e~ent:1tJ.on, ~t- !bp'''''!81'te-, libel, and alander.

~~t<:1i'¥:~ f;nv-ernmeb.t hat1 only one legitirute function. the protection of int.':' !/!.l~l

'\' t~~(~t." we 6rpos. any enr.rj')~;:chClel\t of R;overnment into the area of volunt.ary or

(~on,tracC:ual relations ,atltOnf~~·i1an. oth:~r tht.Hl to protect such relations .. Men should

~be left free by government to denl ~Itth ()"le (PH)thet' voluntarily as free tradel·S

on a free (unc:oerced) market; t:~('Hl~~;!11.,~nt1y the only econcnnic system leompatible

with lntan's ri~bts is Ifrl.ssez rdi'l«~ cepitalism.

Original Draft, Libertarian Party Statement of PrincipIes, 1972 Liberty 29 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

fully deciding when to be factual and viduals acting voluntarily and in mutu­ selves and feeling intellectually isolated when to try to be inspirational. I hoped al consent. It was immensely rewarding from the rest of the public. Having a na­ this would keep me in control of things to see some of these individuals sud­ tional party, and the prospect of a larg­ at .least during the presentation, and denly "see the light" as the implications er network of communication with like­ would guide the range of questions that of these distinctions came horne to minded people, they now felt less iso­ would be asked in the discussion peri­ them. lated, and seemed genuinely grateful to od. Only later in the campaign did I have "an official representative" of the speak extemporaneously with con­ Crossing the Country new party here in their midst. Their en­ fidence. The day after Labor Day, the nation­ thusiasm was contagious. I still don't know how Dave Nolan al campaign began. Dave Nolan Halfway through the evening I was scared up enough money for my vari­ planned the itinerary for Tonie Nathan driven again to the airport, en route to ous trips, but it was always forthcom- and me. The tickets were sent to us and Houston. Houston was unbearably hot we had only to get into a plane and go and humid, and the overworked air to the appointed places. My first sched­ conditioning system in the hotel kept uled stop was Dallas. As a new member me awake for hours - as if reflecting There would be no reference of the political profession, I really had on the unknown future was not suffi­ to Objectivism or any of the no idea what to expect. I exited the cient. The next day was filled with vari­ plane and was ushered into an adjoin­ ous appearances, interviews at several particular underpinnings of li­ ing room, full of reporters and what radio stations and one on television, bertarian ideas. What unified seemed to me about a hundred thou­ and newspaper reporters who showed us all was a political philoso­ sand kilowatts of bright lights. I had me the article from a Dallas newspaper tried to prepare myself for every ques­ about my remarks at the airport, along phy, not metaphysics. tion that might be asked. But never in a with pictures of the event. In the eve­ thousand years would I have anticipat­ ning there was an elaborate banquet. ed the first question that actually was There was no formal address, but lots asked: "Don't you feel that you need a ing when the need arose. So far as I of questions, mostly about the coming bodyguard, corning to Dallas?" know, these early contributors to the campaign and our hopes for the future. Of course - Kennedy had been as­ campaign have never adequately been The atmosphere was so warm that I sassinated in Dallas. I assured them that recognized. Whatever difficulties there really wanted to stay awhile. But the I felt as safe here as anywhere else, and were in financing the campaign were prepared schedule required that I fly to that any insecurity I felt was not for life never revealed to me. If the situation Oklahoma City for another round of and limb. With the ice thus broken, I was precarious, I was spared that meetings. It was all happening very knowledge. answered numerous friendly questions: fast, and I was becoming a bit adjusted The campaign began modestly what was the new party all about? to the pace. The one thing I found diffi­ enough; a speech to the fledgling What were its aims? What were its cult to endure was the country-western California Libertarian Party in Los hopes for the future? I answered as best music played loudly on the car radio as Angeles; a trip to San Francisco, and a I could, aided by the warm and friendly different people taxied me around. But, couple of talks there, as well as several atmosphere. When one reporter asked I thought, "I won't say anything -I am radio and television interviews - all me, mostly in jest, "What will you do now a Servant of the Party, to do its chatty and informal, and I wondered for me if you are elected?" I replied, bidding come what may." But I would why I had ever dreaded the prospect; "I'll leave you alone" - the first of sev­ have liked to hear a few refrains of Bach speeches in San Diego and Monterey, eral occasions on which I would give and Handel. In Texas, apparently, this featuring my first discussions with col­ that response. was not an option. " lege students outside of USC, then a re­ After the press conference, I was In Oklahoma City there were a peat performance in Santa Barbara. I ushered into the reception room of a couple of radio and television inter­ spoke on the concepts of limited gov­ downtown hotel, where the better part views, but the main event was an ad­ ernment, on human rights, and on the of a hundred libertarians and their dress at the University of Oklahoma at economy - regulation, inflation, and friends had a large assortment of foods Norman. To my surprise, there was a the dangers of having the welfare state and drinks ready. I thought I would be packed house. I discovered later that and the military-industrial complex expected to say something formally, but this was less because of the new politi­ going full-speed ahead, and on the I wasn't. They just wanted to meet the cal party than because several of the meaning of freedom of speech and candidate and make sure that he was professors had used a few of my books press, and tolerance of dissent in a re­ having a good time. They expressed as textbooks (ethics, esthetics, introduc­ public such as ours. gratitude that I had been willing to te1ke tion to philosophy) and they had threat­ I was surprised at the degree of peo­ on this job, and they asked me about ened their students with dire ple's ignorance of the difference be­ the air trip and the coming campaign ­ consequences for failing to attend. tween a democracy and a constitutional they apparently knew all about the That evening I received my first bap­ republic; and on the difference between Denver convention. A small band of li­ tism of fire: complicated or confused actions of government, which are al­ bertarians had met in Dallas for some questions for which one-minute an­ ways coercive, and the actions of indi- time, discussing issues among them- swers were expected in an over- 30 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

regulated question-and-answer session, ushered to a hotel where several dozen ing to answer a question directly ­ which tested my abilities at condensa­ libertarians were already seated at quite unlike most reporters' questions. tion to their limit. Some of the professors breakfast. The breakfast session consist­ The interview lasted more than three there were devout Marxists who took ed mostly of "libertarian small talk," but hours, and the reporter had hopes of practically everything I said as heresy, it was full of encouragement and enthu­ devoting four columns on page 1 of the refusing at first to believe that a suppos­ siasm. I was sorry that I had to leave paper to a discussion of the Libertarian edly respectable academic could take within the hour for a flight to Chicago. Party, on the basis of this interview. I the notion of a "night-watchman state" In Chicago, my path crossed Tonie emphasized particularly the differences seriously. Among this group, there was Nathan's. We spoke in a large auditori­ between libertarians and conservatives. first disbeliefand then sarcasm. um at Northeastern Illinois University. "This is the most satisfactory political It was here that I began to become How the Chicago libertarians managed accustomed to questions like "What are to fill an auditorium on such short no­ you going to do with the poor, let them tice on behalf of a hitherto unknown As a few phrases began to starve?" and it was difficult in a brief political party, I do not know. But the compass to present a vivid picture of a session was a long one, lasting until come to me through the fog, I flourishing economy in which poverty after 1 a.m., so there was time to cover found myself consciously emu­ was reduced to a minimum. Many most of the major issues in libertarian lating the language of the seemed to assume that I wanted to im­ thought. pose libertarian changes wholesale on My Chicago cousin, Dr Lasca Declaration of Independence, the present economy, crippled by taxes Hospers, was there with her two high­ including its styles and and regulations, but I tried to present school children, in order to hear "the rhythms. some "gradualist" steps by which this true political doctrine" from the horse's ideal could be realized. My answers mouth. So many libertarians - some of were plausible only in a broader con­ whom had come from neighboring text. But the framework of the political states for the occasion - kept plying philosophy I have ever encountered," campaign made it impossible to present me with questions about such a diversi­ he said, "and we are going to put the the broader context. ty of issues that the non-libertarians in Libertarian Party on the map." I tried to rise to the occasion, but I the audience seemed almost abashed I was greatly encouraged at the am sure that many members of the au­ into silence. The evening was so satisfy­ prospect of the publicity that would at­ dience thought I was quite wacky. They ing that I thought to myself, "Perhaps tend a detailed article in the Manchester could not believe that the author of I'm finally beginning to earn my keep Union Leader. Not until afterwards did I such sensible textbooks would be capa­ as a spokesman for libertarianism." hear the bad news. The editor was quite ble of saying such absurd things. But After a couple of radio interviews sympathetic to libertarian ideas, and the libertarians seemed to like it, and at the next day - the Chicago newspa­ pondered the issue for some time; but, he finally decided, we were at the be­ a late-night beer-and-sandwich session, pers didn't consider the event impor­ they expressed their gratitude that I tant enough to cover -I was taken to ginning of a close election campaign be­ tween Nixon and McGovern, and it was had taken these people on. O'Hare Airport, this time departing for of vital importance that McGovern be It was late that night when I arrived Boston. A group of Harvard and MIT li­ at the home of Dr Marvin Edwards, bertarians treated me to dinner at a fine defeated. Therefore anything that could possibly cast any cloud over the Nixon spon to be a member of the U.S. House seafood restaurant, and after expres­ campaign should not be discussed in sions of goodwill and good luck I was the newspaper, at least not until after driven to Nashua, New Hampshire, the election. And that was that - the where a party was already in progress. All my life I had been in the article was killed. But fortunately I did After much conversation and a few not know this at the time, and I was still Ivory Tower. I was not at all drinks, I collapsed into bed. in high spirits when I enplaned for There were newspaper interviews sure that I could live up to the Philadelphia. challenge of political life. and radio talk shows the next morning, but the main event was an interview The Late Campaign with a reporter (whose name escapes Then followed a day and a half in me now) from the Manchester Union Philadelphia - radio and newspaper of Representatives, and author of the Leader, a nationally influential newspa­ interviews and a banquet at the book Medicine and the State; I had found per that has the reputation of making or Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. There I en­ his book very helpful in arriving at my breaking presidential candidates. The countered, among the many libertarian views on medical policy. I had a pleas­ reporter was sympathetic to libertarian enthusiasts, a group of libertarian anar­ ant discussion with him, and spent the ideas, and asked excellent probing chists. Anarchism had not surfaced night at his home - a short night be­ questions of a philosophical nature very much as an issue during the cam­ cause one of the Oklahoma libertarians such as I had been accustomed to in my paign - perhaps because a night­ arrived at 6 a.m. to drive me to the classes. I savored the experience of watchman state was perceived as being airport. being able to treat issues in detail, and at least preferable to Big Brother, and When I arrived in Tulsa, I was to clarify ternlinology before endeavor- also because committed anarchists de- Liberty 31 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

clined to have anything to do with the that many people would be waiting to learn the things you said?" I assured new party and didn't come to these hear what I had to say. I had no idea him that I hadn't learned them at a uni­ meetings. what the intellectual complexion of the versity, but had absorbed them through I was something of a pragmatist on college was, having graduated years be­ my pores during all the years of child­ the issue of limited. government versus fore when there was no particular polit­ hood and youth, thanks in part to him. anarchism. If anarchism could be made ical stance there at all. I found, High school classmates of mine were to work, fine, but I didn't see how it however, that some professors, particu­ now employed at his factory, which could, at least at this point in American larly those in the departments of relig­ would have been impossible had he not history, with government so thorough­ ion and sociology, were socialist, and started it on a wing and a prayer - ly entrenched.. I had problems about had invited some of their collieagues at competing defense agencies, and a plu­ the state uni,:,ersity and other nearby rality of legal systems in the same geo­ colleges to attend as well. Some praised graphical area. But little of this came up the Soviet state, others only wanted an Most faculty members re­ dUring the campaign, and the real bat­ extension of the welfare state. All want­ mained of the opinion I had tles on this issue lay in the future. ed the producers, whom they thought I did come out as a "moderate" on of as exploiters, to give up ever more of lost my sanity. many issues, a stance that was not wel­ their incomes to subsidize welfare and come to all libertarians. Some, probably more bureaucracy. because of their own experiences with This turn in the intellectual climate, government, were such knee-jerk anti­ here in the midst of the corn belt, came now it employed more than a thousand governmentalists that I had only to use as something of a shock to me. As I people. - the word "government" in a talk and stood there in the auditorium, so famil­ The local citizens had come, not to they would yell "Boo! Boo!" Others iar from undergraduate days, I thought hear any particular message, but simply were hostile to government in a more of the local farmers and merchants who to see whether "the hometown boy had studied way. Some believed, or spoke were paying taxes to support the state made good" after these many years. I as if they believed, that there should be university, and wondered whether they had retained their respect tonight even absolutely no restrictions on human be­ knew the causes their taxes were being while I had alienated most of the acade­ havior as long as people did not kill or used to promote. Outside the windows micians who had come. The local citi­ steal outright: no laws of defamation of the auditorium, which was on the zens had little conception of what (libel or slander), no patent and copy­ edge of town, one could see well-kept would happen to their work, their lei­ right, or anything else that did not per- houses and lawns, and behind these, sure, their lives as a whole, if the pater­ rolling hills and fields of corn and nalistic state planners ultimately had grain. I thought of the pioneers who their way. Some of them had sent their had come from Europe a century before own children on to higher education, When I reflected that one and cleared the forests, built the houses unaware into what paths of thought hasty remark from me at the and towns, and cultivated this rich and action they might be led. And here wrong time might seriously land, and of how these pioneers might I was, back at home again, defending a have fared if they had settled in the fu­ way of thought and life which they compromise the whole enter­ ture Soviet Union instead. My relatives didn't think needed any particular defense. prise, I felt frightened. were all of Dutch stock who had come to Iowa from Holland in the 1840s. The Last Days Those who came to my lecture applaud­ Both exhilarated and depressed by ed, not because they were particularly tain directly to the imposition of physi­ my Iowa experience, I returned to aware of the hostility of Academia, cer­ cal force. California and classes, but still spent tainly not because they felt threatened long weekends on the campaign trail. I The Iowa Interlude by it, but because I was giving voice to flew to Portland and joined Tonie After Philadelphia it was time to re­ a view that they had always held at the Nathan at a meeting of the newly turn to California and the opening of "gut level" but had never articulated, formed Oregon Libertarian Party, and classes at USC. But the journey back tra­ perhaps for lack of opponents within then flew on to the first of two four-day versed my home state, Iowa, and at the the community. In this Dutch town, weekends in Seattle. The state of time of planning the itinerary I had re­ named "Pella" after the birthplace of Washington was of special significance quested of Dave Nolan that I be able to Alexander, everyone was expected to because it was one of only two states spend a couple of days there with my rise in the world as far as his abilities where the Libertarian Party was on the family and relatives. It was to be a brief permitted, and never to depend on oth­ ballot. (The Denver convention had vacation interlude in the campaign ­ ers if it could possibly be helped. "What taken place too late to obtain ballot stat­ so I thought it would be when my cou­ you say is all true," said my uncle, who us in most states.) And in Washington, sin picked me up at the Des Moines air­ was president of a local venetian blind a voter information pamphlet had gone port. But that was not to be. A lecture factory which he had started from out to every voter in the state, apprising had already been scheduled at my alma scratch thirty years before, "but does a each of them of what every political mater, Central College, and I was told person need to go to a university to party, no matter how small, stood for in 32 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

the current election. The entire Nixon ranks and vote for me and Tonie several classes as a kind of Exhibit A, I Statement of Principles of the Nathan. This was all to be kept secret, was thereafter kept at a distance by the Libertarian Party was printed in this lest MacBride be dislodged from his "liberal establishment" that dominated pamphlet, along with pictures of me place in the Electoral College. During campus life. and Tonie Nathan. The result was that the rest of the campaign I had a hard In a way, the campaign continued. I many people recognized me even when time keeping this news a secret, but I was invited to Alaska for a four-day I walked down the street, and there was did, and Roger phoned to tell me of his whirlwind tour involVing (or so it ap­ considerable voter recognition when I determination to stick with it. Here was peared to me) every television station in appeared on television programs. I do a chance to get on the map in a new the state, and there was a great out- not know what promotional wizardry way during our very first year. was employed by Skip Barron, the inde­ And now the campaign was over. fatigable chairman of the Washington Nixon won in a landslide; the Union­ Libertarian Party, but enthusiasm was Leader need not have been so worried When I told afriend ofmine high and there were more intelligent about a McGovern victory. And I was I was running for president, he questions from outsiders than I had en­ back in the university full-time. On countered anywhere else. There was a December 15 the Electoral College met said, "President of the Faculty small dedicated group of locallibertari­ and, as prescribed in the Constitution, Council?" I told him to listen ans with whom I met every evening till the Vice-president of the United States, on December 15 to Vice far into the night, discussing endless Spiro Agnew, announced the results on President Agnew's announce­ details of strategy and position. radio and television. "One vote for There were also trips to San Diego president to John Hospers, and one ment of the Electoral College and San Francisco again, ably handled vote for vice-president to Theodora vote. by Ed Crane, who went with me every- Nathan." The vast television audience had never heard of either of us, and wondered what this was all about. Suddenly I started to receive phone pouring of enthusiasm in a state largely Somewhat to my discomfort, calls of congratulation. populated by rugged individualists. I My colleague at USC, Professor was invited to so many college campus­ I was transported in a private Kevin Robb, had never heard of the es that I had to tum down many of the limousine and treated by those Libertarian Party until I mentioned it; invitations in order to meet my obliga­ in charge like a king or lawgiv­ when I later informed him I was run­ tions to my own classes. But gradually ning for president, he said, "President the hullabaloo died down, and I re­ er whose every word was sa­ of the Faculty Council?" I told him to turned to the Ivory Tower. cred text. listen on December 15 to the Agnew What did the campaign achieve? I broadcast. He did, while he was driving am still not sure. We received only on the way to Lake Tahoe'. As he de­ 2,648 votes. Many people initiated cor­ scribed it to me later, "1 was so sur­ respondence with me which in some where and got me on several long radio prised I ran my car into the ditch." cases continued for years. I continued talk shows. But the most dramatic Then he added, "The least you could do to have a small but devoted follOWing weekend was in Arizona, where I gave is make me your Secretary of State." in the student body. For some time my a talk at the University of Arizona at fellow professors in my own depart­ Tempe and appeared on several radio Finale ment eyed me a bit strangely, as if there and talk shows in Phoenix. Somewhat When the Electoral College vote was were some craziness in me which they to my discomfort, I was transported in publicized on television and newspa­ had not hitherto detected. Through the a private limousine and treated by pers, and Newsweek devoted a column Libertarian Party I later became in­ those in charge like a king or lawgiver to it, I came in for publicity at USC for volved in the Abaco independence whose every word was sacred text. I the first time (I had been told to keep movement and in the attempt to create fear that many of my utterances were quiet about the campaign while it was a libertarian govenment in the New tentative ("on the one hand...." and on). Professors spoke of it at faculty Hebrides. But the main result of the "on the other hand ...") and far indeed meetings I attended, and students were 1972 campaign was, I think, name·· from being sacred. But the round of curious as to what had been going on. recognition. The word "libertarian," parties was endless, and I returned to A campus Libertarian Party chapter which had been unknown to almost California exhausted but suffused by a was formed, and students were enlisted everyone a year before, had now been warm glow of the profoundest into the cause, some of whom I have heard by many millions of Americans, appreciation. kept in contact with to this day. Most with some conception (though usually At about this time an exciting possi­ faculty members remained of the opin­ inaccurate) of what the Libertarian bility arose. Dave Nolan phoned to tell ion that I had joined some far-right Party stood for. With that minimum ac­ me that I would probably be receiving a splinter group, and concluded that I complished, it seemed appropriate for vote in the Electoral College, since a had lost my sanity. The political science me to take a back seat and leave future Republican elector from Virginia, Roger department never trusted me again. candidacies in other, more capable MacBride, was going to desert the Though I appeared as guest lecturer for hands. CJ Liberty 33 Report

Why Argentina Stopped Crying for Evita by Paul Terhorst

The land of the gaucho is also the land of Peron, military tyranny, and absurdist economic policies. That is, until recently.

In 1981, EuroMoney ran the results of a new econometric model. The magazine concluded that Argentina had the world's worst economy. By coincidence, my wife Vicki and I moved to Argentina in 1981. We saw what EuroMoney was talking about: in­ Sisters. Only after one of the land boss­ World War II, while remaining official­ flation, recession, heavy-handed bu­ es - a tyrant named Rosas - had ly neutral. During this period, reaucracy, debt. The economy was a ruthlessly crushed dissent was Argentina became immensely wealthy mess. Argentina unified enough to adopt its from its trade with the belligerents. By Although we didn't know it then, 1853 constitution. the end of the war, Argentina's gold re­ the record over the rest of the decade For the next sixty years, political serves were second only to the United would make 1981 look like the good bosses rigged all - all! - elections. States'. old days. Argentina went from bad to The resulting stability produced In 1946 the generals gave way to terrible. Argentina's Golden Era. Buenos Aires elected President Juan Peron. Shrewd In 1991 came turnaround. People showcased the famous Colon Theatre, and ambitious, Peron and his sexy began to invest. Consumers began to monuments, and ornate palaces and wife, Evita, squandered the enormous buy, Capital began to pour in. The stores. Foreigners dreamed of becom­ wealth that Argentina had accumulat­ change in Argentina was nearly as ing 1/rich as an Argentine." ed during the war. shocking and dramatic as the revolu­ With election reform in 1912, Peron passed laws to control virtu­ tion in the Soviet Union and eastern Argentina even made a peaceful transi­ ally every aspect of Argentine life. One Europe. tion to democracy. But soon luck ran bizarre Peronist law still in effect sets How did it happen? Who were the out. Argentina succumbed to two forc­ forth an official Registry of Names, reg­ players? And did anyone make a buck es that would combine to spell disaster: ulating the names of babies born in on it? the rogue military and populist Argentina. Your family name may be President Juan Peron. Oisiewicz, Vanderwoop, Wong, or The Shortest History of Miyamoto. You may want to call your Argentina You'll Ever Read. The Modern Era: baby Ivan, Peter, or Fu. But the law In the early 1800's Spain, the moth­ The Generals versus Don Juan says you've got to go with Juan, or er country, was preoccupied with The first coup came in 1930. The Pedro. Supposedly, there are excep­ Napoleon. Argentina (and the bulk of corrupt, petty generals took to power tions. If your first name is Yonkel, for Spanish America) took the opportunity the way Tomas de Torquemada took to example, and you're willing to spend to revolt. Rather than co-operate with torture. Depression-era Argentina hours, days, or years fighting the bu­ one another, wealthy landowners in probably began to look like Spain dur­ reaucracy, you may win the right to Argentina schemed and fought with ing the Inquisition. For their swan name your kid Yonkel. Under­ each other. They made the Hatfields song, the inept generals quietly sup­ standably, most parents simply go with and McCoys look like the Lennon ported Hitler in the early years of Juan or Maria. 34 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

Another Peronist idea was the veda. schemed and plotted a return. tion was not as idyllic as it might A veda was a temporary decree which In 1970 a terrorist group kidnapped, sound. made it illegal for restaurants, markets, tortured, and killed a former president. and stores to sell meat on a given day, The terrorists recorded their brutality An Eventful Year say Thursdays. Meat is a staple in on videotape, for television. The coun­ From early 1981 to June 1982, five Argentina. Peron figured that making try was horrified. Those terrorists and dictators came and went. One general meat illegal would restrict demand. others then proceeded to bomb shops, after the other repeated the failed poli­ Restricting demand would lower the offices, and football stadiums. They kid­ cies of the past: price controls, exchange price, thus helping slow inflation. The napped businessmen, attacked police controls, wage controls, import con­ result (surprise!) was hoarding and and army bases, and shot people in the trols, and export controls, the whole evasion. Vedas didn't work, but Peron statist she-bang. Finally, the generals and his worshipers kept trying them. gave up and undertook a task they Another Peronist law - thankfully knew something about. They went to rescinded - required that overseas The ULaw ofSupply" forced war. phone conversations be in Spanish. An I remember the day, April 2, 1982. I those producers to "supply," was a partner in the Buenos Aires office old-timer I met at the American Club, period, no matter how much who remembers the law, told me his of a big CPA firm. On that day I left our boss once called from Uruguay. one's costs exceeded the regu­ apartment at 9:45 a.m. and walked to a Mindful of Peron's wiretaps, this man lated price. A producer could client's office for a ten o'clock meeting. All along the main thoroughfare, horns and his boss, both Americans, dis­ be forced to use up his capital, cussed their affairs in broken Spanish. honked, people cheered, and old ladies To their chagrin, the operator cut in. his life savings, and finally waved tiny flags. "Gentlemen, you're advised that under close the plant, before going to Before the meeting my Argentine Argentine law you must speak client took me aside. He was excited. jail for not "supplying. II Spanish." "Do you know what happened? All the "But we are speaking Spanish!" carrying on?" Perhaps Peron's most vicious idea I confessed I didn't. was the Law of Supply, Peron's re­ streets. They coerced children to spend He said, "Early this morning we re­ sponse to the shortages caused by price the night at friends' homes, and planted took the Malvinas Islands." freezes in combination with mandated, time bombs under the parents' beds be­ I said, "The Mal-what islands?" across-the-board wage increases. Fixed fore leaving. He said, "The English call them the prices and rising costs eventually make In 1973 Argentina called Peron back Falkland Islands." producers run at a loss. The Law of to stop the terrorism. Peron came. He I said, "The Falk-what islands?" Supply forced those producers to "sup­ saw. Then he died. I knew nothing about the Malvinas/ ply," period. The penalties were per­ Peron's hapless third wife, Falklands. But every single Argentine sonal; run afoul of the Law of Supply "Isabelita" Peron, took over. When seenled to know every single thing and you went to jail. Theoretically, a things got worse, and then much about them. For decades Argentina has producer could be forced to use up his worse, Isabelita begged the military to wanted the English "interlopers" out of capital, his life savings, and finally wipe out terrorism using "whatever there. The generals finally chose war. dose the plant, before going to jail for means necessary." Vicki and I stayed in Buenos Aires not "supplying." (This legal monstrosi­ Tragically, the military obeyed. for the duration of the conflict. The ty has been a dead letter in recent Beginning in March, 1976, the armed worst time was when President years, but has yet to be formally forces"disappeared" an estimated nine Reagan, who had professed neutrality repealed.) thousand people. They killed terrorists. early on, came out and said he wasn't His wife, the immensely popular They killed friends and relatives of ter­ neutral after all. He would support Evita, died in 1952. Peron tangled with rorists. And friends and acquaintances Britain. Britain was the enemy, but the Church, and his idiot economic pol­ of friends and relatives of terrorists; all Americans were now traitors. icies came home to roost. In 1955 the without due process. Some units raped The day Reagan tilted, our building military took Peron out of the hen women, stole children, and extorted porter stopped me. He had a tense look house. He wound up in exile in Spain. money. They jailed politicians, includ­ on his face. He said, "I've been talking In only ten years, Argentina's gold ing Carlos Menem, governor of La Rioja around. I don't want you or Vicki to holdings had fallen from second largest province. leave the building. It's too dangerous." in the world to nothing. But by the time Vicki and I moved I said, "That's too strict. I have to to Argentina, terrorism had been wiped leave the building." Peron's Return out. Jails were empty, and streets were He said, "Then don't leave the For the next two decades the gener­ crime-free. The Capitol building in neighborhood. And when you talk to als and non-Peronist politicians took Buenos Aires - where Senators and anyone in public, even Vicki, talk only turns running and looting the country. Congressmen would have met, had in Spanish. If someone asks about your Peron remained the idol of the masses, there been any - was wryly referred to accent,. tell them you're Polish." He and from his home in Madrid, he as the Capitol Museum. But the situa- looked at me shrewdly. "No one wants Liberty 35 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

to dumpon the Poles." mortar, and hire workers. six months before the end of his term. Argentina's defeat in June led the Alfonsin opposed the Japanese pro­ President-elect Carlos Menem took generals to call elections. In December ject. Why would the Japanese invest in over. 1983, elected President Raul Alfonsin Argentina except to rip someone off? took over. Alfonsin was (and is) a de­ Alfonsin insisted on "local content," Carlos the Charismatic cent, well-intentioned man. But he'd volume limits, and assurances that the Menem's style contrasts sharply spent most of his life in politics. He Japanese wouldn't make too much with Alfonsin's. Alfonsin loved meet­ deeply mistrusted business, especially a money. After a prolonged fight, ings. Menem refuses to go to them. business making a profit. To Alfonsin, Alfonsin succeeded. The Japanese took Instead, he wanders into meeting profits were prima facie evidence that their business elsewhere. rooms, asks a question or gives a direc­ people were getting ripped off. His re­ The Alfonsin crisis came to a head tion, and leaves. Alfonsin spent his life sponse to a company reporting record in 1989, when the country ran out of in politics. Menem and his family own earnings was to launch an investiga- electricity. It seems the state-owned a winery and farms in their native La electric monopoly had stolen or mis­ Rioja, where Menem was governor; he spent most maintenance money. When is at home in a boardroom. Alfonsin was wary of the developed world. a drought reduced hydroelectric sup­ Menem says the developed world is the plies, electricity was out for three, then Isabelita Peron instructed only world. He considers George Bush four, then six hours a day. We were the military to wipe out terror­ a personal friend. Alfonsin was dour. forced to survive the summer heat Menem is charming and charismatic. ism using Nwhatever means without air conditioning. Meat and Estranged from his wife Zulema, chicken went bad as cold storage be­ necessary." Tragically, the mil­ Menem hangs out with the jet set. came hot storage. Once I got stuck in an itary obeyed. But Menem is a member of the elevator when the electricty was out Peronist party. In an early move that and had to crawl out between floors. was fully as nasty as Peron's dreaded Next came food riots in the province Law of Supply, Menem decided to con­ of Buenos Aires. The country's rich tion. Only state-run companies, with fiscate bank deposits. Under this land normally produces surpluses, their reassuring, money-losing ways, scheme banks were allowed to return to more than enough to keep its popula­ could be trusted. depositors only a small part - up to a Alfonsin believed democracy alone ton of thirty million well fed. But under million australs (US $500) - of their would solve economic problems. He Alfonsin, Argentines began to go hun­ money. For amounts over $500 banks promoted cooperation and bargaining. gry. They took to the streets. were ordered to give depositors a slip Alfonsin's idea of getting something Finally, inflation got out of control. I done was a fourteen-hour meeting. remember buying a pair of tennis shoes Alfonsin quickly made the generals' in May 1989. In those days I carried economic failures look like successes. mostly dollars - the local australs de­ By the end of Alfonsin's term the valued too rapidly to be of any use. On "When you talk to anyone Titanic would look like a success. At this particular day prices and exchange least it sank slowly. Alfonsin tended to­ rates were moving so frantically that in public, even your wife, talk ward the try-things-that-have-failed-in­ the shoestore owner didn't know what only in Spanish. If someone the-past approach. He tried price con­ to charge. He finally agreed to an aus­ asks about your accent, tell trols, export controls, and the other con­ tral price, and to hold it for exactly one trols that had failed Peron and failed hour. The price worked out to about them you're Polish." He looked the generals. He imported chickens twenty dollars. at me shrewdly. "No one from Poland to keep chicken prices I hailed a cab and dashed down­ wants to dump on the Poles." down. He prohibited beef exports to town to my black market exchange keep beef prices down. When inflation dealer. (During Alfonsin's charge, was twenty percent a month, he said changing money was practically ille­ banks could only pay six percent inter­ gal.) I changed my dollars at the then­ est. He banned imports, especially high current rate. I hurried back and bought of paper entitling them to dollar bonds. tech imports, ostensibly to protect local the shoes. But by then the exchange rate To payoff dollar bonds Argentina industry. When personal computers had changed. Instead of twenty dollars, would have to buy dollars. Argentina's took off, Alfonsin quickly moved to ban the shoes cost eight dollars. I asked to credit at the time was nil. To be kind, their importation. buy a second pair. The shoestore owner let's say those slips of paper were of One time a Japanese group wanted refused my offer. "uncertain value." to import parts from Brazil, assemble By July inflation reached the ex­ I remember an elderly blind man, motorcycles, and re-export them back traordinary rate - extraordinary even sobbing and hysterical, being inter­ to Brazil. The provincial governor by Argentina's standards - of nearly viewed on television. He'd finally where the Japanese wanted to build 200 percent a month. Mercifully, saved enough money to have his c'ata­ strongly supported the proposal. After Alfonsin didn't have long to muddle racts removed, his sight restored. Now all, the Japanese would buy bricks and things. He stepped aside in July 1989, the bank refused to give him his 36 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

money. The old man was terrified of Menem was well positioned to at the expensive mom-and~popstore on dying blind. make his revolutionary move. During the comer. Menem's blow came just before his campaign, his strategy was to ride The Law of Convertibility raised summer in Argentina. Vacations were around in a custom built workers' living standards by changing cancelled. Panic selling of assets be­ "Menemobile." Draped in the Peronist the way workers shop. Now workers came widespread as people tried to flag, and loaded with modem media can shop throughout the month, when­ come up with scarce australs. The stock equipment, the Menemobile evoked ever and wherever they feel like it, buy­ Peron's name, Peron's memory, and ing only what they need or want. They Peron's personal magnetism - but not can buy on sale, at supermarkets, and Peron's policies. Menem never commit­ in bulk. As a result, most workers have Menem's strategy was to ted to an ideology. When he decided to transferred their allegiance from tired, ride around in a custom built move boldly, he was free to do it - in old-line union leaders to their new any direction he chose. hero, Carlos Menem. "Menemobile." Draped in the An early move was to get govern­ Besides the Law of Convertibility, Peronist flag, and loaded with ment's hands off the money supply. As Menem eliminated regulations that pre­ modern media equipment, the of April 1, 1991, the Law of scribed opening hours, what products Convertibility took effect. The brain­ could be sold where, and the like. He Menemobile evoked Peron's work of Harvard-trained Economy closed the state grain board and the name, Peron's memory, and Minister Domingo Cavallo, the Law of state meat board. He sold the govern­ Peron's personal magnetism­ Convertibility ties the Argentine peso ment's TV and radio stations, the na­ (which replaced the austral) to reserves tional airline, and the phone company. but not Peron's policies. on hand. Total pesos outstanding must More privatizations, including the elec­ not exceed reserves of dollars, gold, tric, rail, and oil monopolies, along with and other hard currencies. No more the military's many factories and busi­ cheap money, mirrors, or magic. No nesses, were announced. Menem also market fell fifty percent. Shopkeepers more printing press pathos. One peso cut back government support for the fe­ dropped prices and sold out their equals one dollar, and that dollar is on rocious unions. stocks. The economy ground to a halt. deposit in the Central Bank. Overnight, Understand, Menem is no libertari­ (President Bush warmly supported the Argentina had a hard currency. an zealot. He accepts much of the deposit confiscation scheme and the The Law of Convertibility ended Peronist hangover. He refuses to tackle rest of Menem's early program. Vice decades of runaway inflation. People outdated labor laws. He ignores wide­ President Quayle came to Argentina could plan, and make decisions, with a spread corruption, an inefficient port, a and patted Menem on the back.) reasonable notion of the future. Banks scary police and court system, and A year after deposit confiscation the lent. Speculators bought stocks. People other problems. But, hey, one thing at a economy looked worse than ever. bought houses. People also bought cars, time. By focusing so clearly, Menem Menem had to come up with something televisions, and refrigerators. makes his noble experiment that much startling, bigger even than the Law of Surprisingly to some, among those more dramatic. Since he's limited his ef­ Supply or deposit confiscation. And in who benefitted most from the Law of forts to just one thing we can assess the a noble experiment that reversed the Convertibility were the workers. results more precisely. pattern of decades, Menem decided to Salaried employees and wage earners During the first year or so those re­ take on the bureaucracy. He moved are paid monthly. When inflation was sults have been sensational. boldly, decisively, to get the govern­ 200/0 or 30% a month, and banks prohib­ Real estate prices soared. The con­ ment off people's backs and out of the ited from paying interest above 60/0, struction industry strained to meet de­ economic process. frantic workers had to spend their mand. Auto makers began to pre-sell A Noble Experiment month's pay right away. Otherwise, production, and used cars became hard Those with power cling to power. they'd lose purchasing Bureaucrats protect their turf. The guy power. In practice this who owns the boat always wants a meant workers had to bigger boat. We know these things. So buy in advance what what led Menem to his experiment? they thought they'd need, What led him to give up power, turf, rather than what they ac­ and a bigger boat? tually needed as the It's hard to say, but I think it's be­ needs presented them­ cause he hates the try-things-that-have­ selves. Workers also had failed-in-the-past approach to govern­ to live without perisha­ ment. Argentine populists, social demo­ bles - fruit and vegeta­ crats, generals, leftists, and others had bles, milk and bread ­ failed badly. Menem wanted to try during the last part of .....----..----.---- ~ something that hadn't failed: the month, unless they "Th e economy IS. bottomlng .out, SIr .- How about (Wu Capitalism. wanted to buy on credit some dregs?" Liberty 37 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

to find at any price. Christmas spend­ When Argentina was sinking, liVing tina is still so unstable that anything can ing broke all records. Planes in and out comfortably there was a bargain; now happen - privatization and deregula­ of the country sold out. The secondary liVing comfortably there is beyond our tion are facts. Almost no one advocates debt market firmed. The stock market means. I've long since retired from my returning to the way things were. Even tripled, and for the first time in four CPA job, and Buenos Aires is too ex­ Alfonsin would have a tough time re­ decades capital began flowing into the pensive for a retiree living on a fixed nationalizing the phone company, say, country instead of out of it. Personal dollar income. or enforcing the Law of Supply. computers, at one time all but illegal, Argentina is volatile. By the time Argentines are too used to the new way became ubiquitous. you read this, the country may have of doing things. Argentina still has severe problems. My friend Ramon reflects the new Reversing four decades of bad govern­ Argentina. For years Ramon ran a clan­ ment takes time. Vicki and I recently destine exchange house, buying and sold an apartment in Buenos Aires. It I sold my apartment in selling black market dollars behind sold in record time - one day - be­ Buenos Aires. It sold in record closed doors. With deregulation cause the buyers wanted our telephone. time - one day - because the Ramon's exchange business largely dis­ The buyers owned the coffee house on appeared. These days even banks the building's ground floor, where buyers wanted our telephone. change money! But Ram6n is busier they'd been waiting three years for a than ever. He trades stocks and bonds, phone. They bought our apartment both for his own account and to accom­ sight unseen. The day we moved out, modate old customers. He's invested in they ran the phone line to their coffee changed directions. Early this year the a condominium deal. He's looking to house below. The apartment itself was real estate boom stalled. Last winter set up a private mutual fund. gravy. They probably refer to it as the Gune, July, and August) the stock IlU'lr­ Unlike the old days, Ramon works real estate kicker they got on the phone ket plummeted. Menem and Cavallo re­ openly now. He has a fax machine, a deal. main optimistic, saying that things will cellular phone, and a pager. He's cheeri~ improve again soon. They're holding er, and laughs more easily. Last time I A Look to the Future. firm. But the unions, opposition parties, saw him at his office, he was planning Vicki and I still monitor Argentina's and exporters complain. Clearly, the in­ to borrow money for an apartment­ progress, but from afar. We moved to itial euphoria under Menem's noble ex­ hotel project. "Can you believe you can Argentina when the country was sink­ periment has given way to a realization actually borrow money in Argentina1" ing; we left when it was booming. that the country faces a prolonged, dif­ he said happily, grabbing for the phone. After selling our Buenos Aires apart­ ficult adjustment to freer markets. "These days you can do anything you ment we moved to Austin, Texas. Whatever happens - and Argen- want here!" (J

38 Liberty Convention Notes Raising Hell in Houston: Partying With the GOP and the "Buchanan Brigade" by Thomas D. Walls

You saw it on TV. But the Republican convention looks very different from the perspective of a young libertarian interloper in Bush country.

I attended the 1992 Republican Convention in Houston with the Republican Liberty Caucus, a group seeking to advance libertarian goals within the GOP. I arrived in Houston on Sunday, August 16. The "Buchanan Brigade," a group of youthful Buchanan supporters, somehow secured a convention package deal meant for the "Bush Brigade," which cost $125 and included six days at a Two dozen reporters showed up tury. Not surprisingly, the group was local Roach Motel and admission to with cameras and microphones. an amalgam of slightly nerdy comput­ several convention events. We latched Hardly any spectators did, except two er programmers and sci-fi fans moon­ onto the deal. quiet men with Bibles whom the lead­ lighting as amateur aerospace At 8:00 a.m., Monday, August 17, er of CHOICE asked to leave. We engineers. They were very friendly. we drove across Houston to the passed out RLC literature and met all One held a sign reading "Why On Astrodome. My friend Jay - a free­ the members of CHOICE. I stuffed a Earth Are We Still On Earth?" market anarchist - and I attended a foam belly under my shirt and was Some of the libertarian Republicans pro-choice rally in the demonstration instantly pregnant. The media loved returned from the convention floor to fields across the street from the west it; three TV stations interviewed me. check on us. They spoke of going side of the Astrodome, while the oth­ Jay and I picked up extra CHOICE through tight security, meeting a jovial ers made the RLC's first appearance signs. Mine read"Against Abortions? and welcoming Robert Novak, shout­ on the convention floor. When we got Don't Have One!" We joined their ing in conservative columnist Cal there, Dallas members of CHOICE march up and down the street that Thomas' face, and having Michael were acting out a pro-choice bit on the separated the demonstration fields Kinsley tell them libertarians should stage. (They had paid $25 to use the from the Astrodome for two hours, be Democrats. field and sound system for four after which I began to complain of Another group with a quasi­ hours.) About twenty women com­ strange pains. libertarian message took the field. It prised the group, and they all had After lunch a curious bunch called was Citizens for Health, a bunch that sculpted-foam "pregnancies" tucked the Space Frontier Foundation showed pushes nutritional therapy and calls under their clothes, appearing preg­ up, calling for the abolition of NASA for an end to FDA restrictions on die­ nant in an explicitly irreverent way. and for allowing a free market in tary medicines. The big speaker was Some carried cabbage patch dolls in space travel. The spokesman heralded Fred van Liew, a Dallas radio talk­ their arms and proclaimed in mock making extragalactic travel a reality in show host. For twenty-minutes he southern accents how much they the near future and the "terraforming" derided the FDA's "tyranny" of con­ loved their kitchens. of entire planets by the end of the cen- trols. Liberty 39 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

At about 4:00, I entered the Sam name. I asked him if it was Matt "That's music to my ears" he said. We Houston Ballroom across town for a Monroe, the unsuccessful challenger asked if he'd wear one, and he said big rally, hosted by Pat Robertson's for the Libertarian Party chair in 1989. yes. Shortly thereafter, NBC's The Christian Coalition, an outfit that It was. Today Show interviewed him. The next thinks feminists, atheists, and abor­ Up towards the highway ACT UP day, Today did a spot on Weld, includ­ tion-rights proponents are all rallied with some NOW members. As I ing the restaurant interview. On TV, Satanists. It was winding down and I walked toward them, I heard a bull­ one could see the sticker displayed missed Pat Boone's speech and most horn emanating from a gray school prominently on his jacket. On the fol­ of everything else. This was fortunate; bus coming down Kirby Street. As it lowing Friday, the Miami Herald stat­ I didn't want to get sick on my first approached, I could see the windows ed that Weld calls himself a full day in Houston. I ran into some covered in black chickenwire; dark "libertarian Republican." The National other RLCers there. An older woman hooded figures shuffled about inside. Journal calls Weld "a fiscal conserva­ came up to Eric Rittberg, the RLC The tinny loudspeaker blared out tive and social libertarian" and says chairman, and knelt at his feet. What "Hwaht par, hwaht par." It was the he's a fan of Hayek. In any case, he's the hell could she be doing? She arose KKK. certainly one to watch in the future, be slowly, grasping a small object tightly The bus passed the ACT UP crowd it in a challenge to Ted Kennedy for in her frail hands. "You wouldn't want and the bullhorn screeched "Thank the Senate or even the GOP presiden­ to step on this!" she shouted as she God for AIDS! Thank God for AIDS! tial nomination. turned and gave the object to a baby in God, wipe these scum off the face of Lacking a convention pass, I a nearby stroller. It was a plastic repli­ the earth!" Immediately, four or five roamed the protest fields while Pat ca ofa human fetus. ACT UPers ran alongside the bus (I re­ Buchanan and Ronald Reagan fired up I hung around as people left and alized that it was confederate gray) and the troops that evening. The KKK cir­ got some ice water at the (of course pummeled its side. White hoods came cled the block again, but this time their to the windows to shout and gesture. message was "Abortion is a Zionist One of the activists latched on to a plot to rub out the white race! No aid window and rode with the bus for half to Israel!" Not far behind them was Gov. Weld eyed the round, a block. The Klansmen inside rattled what was once either a fire truck or a blue and white "libertarian and banged on the windows and school bus. It was painted olive drab Republican" stickers we wore. howled loudly until he let go. The and had a 25-foot mock missile and a "That's music to my ears" he Klanmobile sped up and drove off as I fake .50 caliber machine gun on the heard laughter inside. top. It looked realistic, if one could said. Ten minutes later, it came back. overlook its signs reading "Bush is The Houston police had since caught Sick" and "Jail Neil Bush." The traffic wind of the disturbance and lined up a light turned red, and the green missile non-alcoholic) bar. I gave RLC litera­ string of cops between the protesters truck pulled up behind the Klan­ ture to departing ralliers, but I became and the street. The bullhorn crackled mobile. Someone shouted over its discouraged after many threw dis­ again. "No Free Trade Agreement! No P.A., "Cowards! Cowards!" and the traught looks at my "Freedom means Free Trade Agreement!" I wondered Klan bus shot through the red light Choice" button. Outside, the loving whether the Confederacy would be a and around the corner. There were as­ Christians were in a screaming match protectionist enclave if the War of sorted cheers in the crowd on the field, with those oh-so tolerant leftists. The Northern Aggression had never taken and the policemen gawked at the lefties whined about Bush, abortion, place. A friend suggested that we can strange vehicle as it proceeded down and, of all things, animal rights. The now accuse anyone who opposes free Kirby Street. conservative types defended Bush and trade of being "in bed with the Klan." "family values." Reassuringly, the members of ACT UP • •• By that time an anti-Serbian dem­ held true to their name: three or four The next day there was an RLC meet­ onstration on stage was in full gear. I got arrested. ing at Kay's Bar. Eric Rittberg had ar­ met a middle-aged U.S. Vietnam vete­ That evening, the RLC contingent ranged (with help from paleo­ ran born in old Yugoslavia. I told him went to meet the Ripon Society, a libertarian moneybags Burt Blumert) of my interest in the situation and that group of moderate Republicans that for Lew Rockwell and Murray I spoke some Serbo-Croatian. After a stands at odds with the Religious Rothbard to speak to us there. After five-minute chat, he led me to one of Right. The meeting was held at a arriving, I strung up a banner and or­ the main speakers, an older man in Mexican restaurant. We went there to ganized a literature table inside. We ethnic Croatian clothing identified as a see Governor William Weld of got the barman to switch the TV to doctor. When I said I was with some Massachusetts, the featured speaker, CNN. Almost all of us listened atten­ libertarian Republicans, he responded as well as to establish common ground tively to Bill Weld's speech, applaud­ by claiming to know a Polish fellow in with Ripon Republicans. Gov. Weld ing and hooting uncontrollably when the area who was a famous libertarian eyed the round, blue and white "liber­ he declared, "1 want the government - but couldn't remember the man's tarian Republican" stickers we wore. out of your pocketbook and out of 40 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

your bedroom." In the convention au­ votes," he told us. "That'll finally shut Perot himself?" I asked. dience, we could hear a mixed re­ 'em up." "Yeah, but somehow that never sponse of cheers and boos. One of us In more somber tones, Rockwell came about. I guess you can't trust bil­ yelled "fascists!" at the televised talked about the significance of lionaires" he joked, referring to his booers. The nonaffiliated bar patrons Buchanan, and of Hillary Clinton's early '80s association with Charles looked at us strangely. evil desire to promote "children's Koch, billionaire financier oflibertarian After about thirty-five people rights." (Hey, didn't some guy named and free market groups. came, we called the meeting to order Murray Rothbard plug that concept in IJWhat about your column in the and proceeded with official business. his writings, too?) LA. Times endorsing Bush?" I in­ We gave reports and elected officials, Lew said the problem with many quired. IJYou know, I've never gotten talked about our past successes, the libertarians is that they ignore tradi­ so much flak for anything I've ever status of RLC-backed candidates, and tional social institutions such as the written before, from libertarians and our future plans. Rodney Travis, LP church and the family. He took note of non-libertarians alike. I've been called candidate for the South Carolina state the "socially tolerant" phrase on our a Nazi for that, everything." He ac­ house, gave us a short speech but left banner. "I don't think social tolerance knowledged that Bush was a bumbler early to return to the convention. As is a good thing. You can't be tolerant and a windsock, but, "at any rate," he the official part of the meeting fin­ of evil," he remarked. Lew then de­ was the lesser of two evils. ished, Burt, Lew, and Murray walked nounced Jack Kemp, Virginia Postrel, I had told Jay how Rockwell had in the door. and William Weld as statist neo­ regaled a group of young libertarians Eric introduced the three. conservatives. In particular, he criti­ with off-color jokes when he visted Rothbard was the first to speak. He cized Weld's views on abortion and my campus on behalf of Ron Paul in mirthfully conveyed his thoughts the environment. 1988, so Jay tried a few of his favorite about the state of the nation, and Afterwards, RLCers mingled with dirty jokes on Rockwell, climaxing fielded a slew of questions. One asked the guests. The paleo-leaning mem­ with a punchline requiring him to Rothbard what he thought of the bers of our group flocked to Lew. I make a peculiar motion with his Libertarian Party now. "Maybe they'll went over to Murray Rothbard. mouth. Lew chuckled politely and get less than a hundred thousand "Weren't you supposed to meet with moved away. After a few drinks, the

WHY SHOULDYOU BEREADINGFREEDOMDAILY?* •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• "Conservatives no longer take seriously the immortal words of Barry Goldwater." - Jacob G. Hornberger, founder and president, The Future of Freedom Foundation: October 1992 Freedom Daily. "The anew' redistributive socialism will fall, just as central-planning socialism failed." - Richard M. Ebeling, Ludwig von Mises Professor of Economics, Hillsdale College, Michigan, and academic vice president, The Future of Freedom Foundation: October 1992 Freedom Daily. "This laissez-faire phllosophy became the bedrock creed of countless Americans of all classes." - Ralph Raico, Professor of History, SUNY, Buffalo, Cato Institute: October 1992 Freedom Daily. *WE DON'T COMPROMISE. For a one-year (12 issues) subscription to our 48-page publication, Freedom Daily, send $15 (cash, check, visa, or mastercard) to FFF, P.O. Box 9752, Dept. M, Denver, CO 80209. (303-777-3588). Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

paleo-trio left. I still wonder what told Ron that he should accompany dium, completely motionless in spite of kind of impression the lot of us made. Rothbard, him, and some conserva­ all the onlookers trying to attract his Especially Jay. tives to dinner. Ron was in an embar­ attention. rassing predicament, so we told him By this time Barbara Bush was ad­ •• • we weren't eating anywhere special dressing the audience. She talked of About six RLCers gathered to leave and that he should go with them. Ron her family and how wonderful it was. for a party at a posh art gallery hosted appeared relieved and thanked ·us pri­ She mustered the whole family out on by Buchananites. Eric called Ron Paul vately for not leaving him in a bottle­ the stage. Their Hispanic grandson on his car phone and Ron told him he neck. Shortly thereafter, we drove back from Miami gave a hearty "Viva was about to arrive at the party. When to the Astrodome. Bush!" and 01' George himself came we got there 45 minutes later, Lew After much hassle with bad con­ out to say a sentence or two about the Rockwell and Murray Rothbard were vention passes, security guards, and importance of his family. standing near the door. Eric greeted incoherent directions I finally arrived Bill Bennett started to speak and my them. "Hey, guys, how are you on the convention floor. Marilyn friends and I decided to leave. Some of doing?" Rockwell grumbled some­ Quayle was at the podium, explaining thing; it was clear he wasn't happy to the value differences of Baby Boomers see us. We asked them if they had in the Republican Party ("Dan and I") seen Ron, and Lew told us they and of those in the other party. I thought offolding a liber­ hadn't. Eric said, "Oh really? I talked I spied Dan Quayle and his kids in to Ron on his car phone 45 minutes the VIP boxes. I've heard that Dan tarian pamphlet into a paper ago and he said he was just about to Quayle named his boys Benjamin and airplane and throwing it at get here." Rockwell suggested that we Tucker after Benjamin Tucker, the 19th could look around but he hadn't seen Quayle. But I didn't know century individualist anarchist; in the what the frat-boy Secret him. Murray stood there silently, 1970s Quayle supposedly had a few li­ nodding. bertarians in his circle of friends. I Service guys would do. We walked up to the second floor, slipped down one of the rows leading and there was Ron Paul. We told him to the VP's box, covering the passes Lew and Murray were downstairs and around my neck with my writing tab­ hadn't seen him yet. Ron said that us got separated from those with cars, l_et. I walked briskly to the line of pho­ was impossible. He told us he'd been so we paid $5 to go back on the hotel tographers and reporters in front of there for almost an hour and was talk­ shuttle bus. It was filled with Quayle's box. The box was about ten ing with them earlier. We wondered Buchananites who mainly talked of feet off the floor, and a row of Secret finding a party. One of us referred to Service agents trenched around the Texas Senator Phil Gramm as a red­ box facing outwards with arms neck. A pretty but not-very-intelligent­ crossed. Photographers motioned at looking Buchananite girl, stirred from Someone asked Murray Quayle, trying to get head-on shots of Rothbard what he thought of her ennui, drawled "He ee-yuz nawt!" him waving for them. I shouted out I couldn't stop laughing until I got to the Libertarian Party now. "Hey Dan Quayle!" He looked. I gave the hotel. "Maybe they'll get less than a him a "rolling point," a slick gesture involving a wavelike motion of the • • • hundred thousand votes," he whole arm culminating in a pointing Our last day in Hous*<>n seemed much told us. "That'll finally shut finger. He gave me a thumbs up. I then shorter. In the morning, we loaded our 'em up." yelled a patronizing "Quayle in '96!" excess propaganda into Eric's car with and he gave me another thumbs up. the intention of giving it all away. In I thought of doing something the Astrohall, we hung our extra inane, like calling Dan Quayle "Marlin "Libertarian RepUblican" signs up, left why Lew had lied to us. Oh, well. We Fitzwater." Or something strategic, like stacks of literature on the tables, and turned our attention to the work of folding a RLC pamphlet into, a paper handed beaucoup pamphlets out. I left the caterers, and we weren't dis­ airplane and throwing it at him. But I more press kits in the media tents, and appointed. didn't know what the frat-boy Secret a woman in one tent gave me tickets Downstairs, young Buchananites Service guys would have done if I had. for the B.B. King concert that afternoon. circled Rothbard. They knew he was"a They advised us to keep the line mov­ In the Astroarena, these tickets were big economist" and asked his opinion ing so others could take pictures. selling for $10 each. on different topics. Some asked Ron I made my way up the VIP row. I A remnant of our group started the Paul if he would run for anything in saw William Bennett leaning over in long drive back to Tallahassee at about the near future, and he said he was his seat, drink in hand, talking to an at­ 8:00 p.m. As we drove away from thinking about it. Later on, we asked tractive, older woman. A little further Houston, we heard Bush's insubstan­ Ron if he'd join us for dinner. Lew up, I saw Gerald and Betty Ford. The tial speech on a fading, static-filled AM Rockwell appeared from nowhere and famous golfer gazed fixedly at the po- station. How fitting, I thought. a 42 Liberty Case Study

The Czechs Bounce Back by Gabriel Hocman

In most of the ex-Communist world, privatization proceeds at a bu­ reaucrat's pace. In Czechoslovakia, it sprints ahead.

An old woman stands on the steps leading into the big office building near the center of Bratislava. She holds a thin, yellow booklet in a plastic cover together with a ball­ point pen. She purchased it all a few minutes ago at the nearby post office. "I do not know," she mumbles to herself. "My son told me to come here ... a thousand crowns ... never heard transferred into the newly formed houses, which led to a marked differ­ of such a thing in my life ... vouchers "lawyer's cooperative." Taking these ence in ownership. The "new class"of ... shares ..." items home was regarded by the law Party apparatchiks and members took Since the beginning of last winter, as theft. The lawyers continued their over vast portions of the economy. The the yellow booklets of vouchers have work as state employees at a fixed sal­ state-owned means of production been at the center of interest not only ary. The conversion of private proper­ were directed and managed by such of that old woman, but, without exag­ ty to the almighty state was carried worthy servants of the Party. geration, of all the adult inhabitants of out mercilessly in every stratum of the This was, more or less, the econom­ the Czecho-Slovak Federated Repub­ society. ic situation of Czechoslovakia even in lic. They represent an unprecedented, In 1953 new banknotes, courteous­ 1991, two years after the "velvet revo­ never-heard-of form of privatization ly printed in the Soviet Union, were lution" supposedly ousted the Party of state property. foisted on the population. Their old cadres from their profitable positions After the Communist takeover of money became worthless. Every citi­ of managing the economy. Those econ­ power in February 1948, the first and zen was given an equal sum of 300 omists not compromised by the state most important change was the expro­ crowns. The ownership of gold was argued that the only feasible solution priation of all means of production. outlawed. A man who'd hidden a was the reprivatization of the whole The communist state "nationalized" number of his gold coins in the garden economy on a grand scale. They knew not only the big banks, mines and fac­ suffered exemplary execution. it would be a gargantuan task. But it tories, but the small salesmen's and ar­ The economic power of the state was the only way. tisans' workshops, followed by forced was virtually unlimited. Everyone was Finding the rightful owners of "collectivization" of agriculture. This employed by the state. Unemploy­ what had been expropriated during expropriation of all means of produc­ ment became a crime punishable with the Communist era is not simple be­ tion was quite thorough, matched in a prison sentence. cause of the passage of over 40 years. its extremism only by China, Cuba In the course of the follOWing But it must be unde.rtaken. Vaclav and a few other of the most oppressive years, of course, the members of the Klaus, vice president of the federal communist countries. Communist Party became richer and government, minister of finance, and In my father's law office, the only richer. They got higher salaries and leader of the rightist Citizen's typewriter, the board full of papers, better access to education, and later re­ Democratic Party (CDS), started the chairs, tables, even the doormat were ceived advantages in buying land or process. His approach consists of three Liberty 43 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

basic steps: Of course, such a grandiose plan is to those companies that promise them First, the rightful former owners or under heavy attack by former and ten thousand or even more crowns in descendants of owners of houses, present communists, left-wing social­ one year - provided they sell their fields, restaurants, shops, hotels, etc. ists, pinky-brown nationalists. They shares to .the investment company. Of can ask for so-called restitution in call the whole process a fraud, trying course, the real value of the shares is courts of justice - and get title to their to make the people believe that they supposed to he much higher - divid­ former property. are getting something for nothing; and ing the whole value of 250,000,000,000 Second, the state-owned stores, that some smart operators managing crowns by 8,500,000 entitled citizens, it shops, service and repair establish­ investment funds will get the cream of amounts to an average of about 30,000 ments are being sold at auction to the the enterprises, leaving the ordinary crowns. But this is just an average ­ highest bidders - prOVided they were citizens with the sour. Consequently, by investing his voucher points clever­ many people are simply not aware of ly into shares of prosperous factories the fact that they could become own­ with good management, every citizen ers, and become to some small degree can win more, often much more, for his Every citizen older than 18 capitalists. But that is exactly what is points - but also, less, if he acquires years is now entitled to become happening. shares of weak or insolvent companies. a rightful owner ofa part ofthe Every state-owned enterprise is Everyone is supposed to learn entre­ being transformed into a share-holder preneurial risk. property of the state. The company, with exactly defined assets Just how is this process carried out? mines, banks, factories, hotels, and a certain number of shares regis­ The cornerstone of the process is publishing houses - every­ tered in the court. Every citizen can ac­ the registration of voucher books; at quire 1,000 "voucher points," by registration, the 1,000 points of a citi­ thing that belonged exclusively buying the yellow voucher booklet for zen's voucher book are converted to to the state - is now being re­ a nominal sum and then a stamp for shares. He can decide either to invest appropriated by each and every 1,000 crowns, which represents the fee his points through an investment fund, for organizing and carrying out the or acquire shares of prosperous compa­ citizen ofCzechoslovakia. "big privatization.'! More than eight nies himself. In the second half of and a half million, about 750/0 of the March '92, the list of all enterprises and qualified population, have claimed companies chosen for the first wave of their share of the national wealth. privatization was published, together Czecho-Slovak citizens living in our Many people, myself included, are with their so-called identification num­ country. This has been called "small eager to get shares of enterprises, to bers and basic facts concerning their ec­ privatization." The apartments - ei­ feel like property-owners, and to join onomic position - their capital, yearly ther state-owned or so-called coopera­ the new stock exchanges that presently tively owned - are being turned into are being formed in Prague and the private property of those occupy­ Bratislava. ing them, for a reasonable fee. But the third, most crucial and un­ But what does this unprece­ precedented step, called "big privatiza­ An Entrepreneurial dented act accomplish? A sense tion," has been conducted since the Culture Emerges of responsibility towards prop­ winter of '91. It is nothing less than a In the first wave of this process give-away of state property to each and more than 600 enterprises throughout erty. When the state owned everyone of the citizens of the whole of Czecho-Slovakia are everything, nobody in fact Czechoslovakia. being returned to its citizens, repre­ owned anything, and "state The rationale for such a step is that, senting a value of about 250 billion during Communist rule, the state prof­ crowns. This first wave began in spring property" suffered from indif- ited from the toil and sweat of all state '92 and should be followed with the ference and neglect. employees, workers, doctors, tailors, second wave of factories and compa­ farmers, everyone who worked for the nies not yet fully prepared for being state. The salaries of these workers and privatized. Every citizen above 18 producers were far less than a fair years old could enter both waves of the profits, gains vs debts, number of em­ share of their produced wealth. Thus, reprivatization process. ployees, etc. If anyone citizen - or in­ now every citizen older than 18 years is Quite a number - over 400 - in­ vestment fund - intends to claim entitled to become a rightful owner of a vestment funds were formed by daring shares of company A, he just writes the part of the property of the state. The entrepreneurs trying to obtain "vouch­ identification number of the company mines, banks, factories, hotels, publish­ er points" from citizens and speculat­ on a page of his voucher book in tripli­ ing houses - everything that belonged ing with their future shares - for a cate and registers it at any post office exclusively to the state - is now being profit. In fact, people unskilled in judg­ throughout the country. Of course any­ reappropriated by each and every·citi­ ing their own prospectives in business one can diversify his order - 100 zen of Czechoslovakia. have confined their ownership points points to company A, SOD to B, 400 to 44 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

C. A "price list" of points versus shares country, has become an owner as an in­ by a stroke of the pen, our society has has been issued; for example, for 100 dividual, not in the meaningless collec­ now made a first, hesitant, but never­ points you can get 5 shares of company tivist sense of owning the "workers' theless decisive step towards a real A, but only one share of a more profit­ state." For those who did not own market economy - it has turned every able company B. After each round of much during the past 40 years, it citizen into an owner. And this is by no ordering every shareholder is told if means a lot. means a small achievementin our con­ his claim will be honored. Since for the So, if the Communists were able to tinuing struggle against the remnants shares of more prosperous companies turn our nation's people into beggars of the socialist way of thinking. (J the demand will probably exceed the offer, the order will not be honored, r------, the "points" will be returned to the citi­ zen, and the "point" value of these shares will rise. Conversely, if the de­ Early Liberty mand is less than the number of shares offered to citizens, the claimant's de­ Indulge your mind with the pleasure and stimulation of early Liberty. Or mand will be honored, the price of re­ complete your collection of the most exciting libertarian magazine. The first maining shares lowered, and the issue is a reprint; all others are original printings. Enjoy! claimant will obtain the demanded shares of "his" company. This process August 1987, 48pp., $4.00 Rothbard ·"Free Speech and the Future is being repeated in five consecutive • "The Films ofAyn Rand." by Stephen of Medicine." by Sandy Shaw & Durk rounds, at the end of which all availa­ Cox • "Life or Death in Seattle." by Pearson • "The Majority vs the ble shares are distributed among the Murray N. Rothbard • "The Mystery Majoritarian: Robert Bork on Trial." by citizens, who will be transformed into Man ofthe Libertarian Movement." by Ben Sheldon Richman • Plus reviews and arti­ shareholders. Best • Plus reviews and articles by Ross cles by R.W. Bradford, William Cate, Since no such process has ever been Overbeek, Butler Shaffer, Ida Walters and Stephen Cox and others. conducted on such a grand scale, er­ others. May 1988, 64pp., $4.00 rors, difficulties, and mistakes are un­ October 1987, 48pp., $6.00 • "Ayn Rand: Still Controversial After All These Years," by David Ramsay Steele & avoidable. An information campaign • "The Sociology of Libertarians," by J. C. David Brown • "The ACLU: Suspicious using the TV network, radio, newspa­ Green & J. L. Guth • "The Apostasy of Principles, Salutary Effects." by William P. pers - explaining how to proceed, Robert Nozick." by Ethan o. Waters • what strategies to adhere to in order­ "The Rise ofthe State." by Murray N. Moulton • "The Two Libertarianisms," by Ethan Waters • Plus reviews and arti­ ing shares, and so on - is now in Rothbard • Plus reviews and articles by o. cles by Gary Alexander. Nathaniel Branden, place. Stephen Cox. William P. Moulton. Mike Erika and Henry Mark Holzer, Jeffrey But what do we - me and each re­ Holmes. Jonathan Saville and others. sponsible citizen - hope to achieve by Rogers Hummel. Sheldon Richman, this unprecedented act? First, to learn a December 1987, 56pp., $3.00 Franklin Sanders and others. sense of responsibility towards proper­ • "Libertarians in a State-Run World." by . July 1988, BOpp., $4.00 Murray N. Rothbard • "The Most ty. When the state owned everything, • "Confessions ofan Intractable Unforgettable Libertarian I Ever Knew," by nobody in fact owned anything, and Individualist." byJerome Tuccille· An in­ "state property" suffered from indiffer­ Karl Hess • "Easy Living in the terview with L. Neil Smith· David Ramsay Bahamas," by Mark Skousen • PI us writ­ ence and neglect. To learn to save, Steele on Robert Anton Wilson's critique of ing by Walter Block. Erika Holzer. Stephen economize, to value goods as our own Natural Rights ·"Rand-Bashing: Enough is Cox and others. is, in my opinion, the foremost aim of Enough." by Ross Overbeek • Plus reviews the privatization process. This is why March 1988, 64pp., $4.00 and articles by Stephen Cox, Tibor Machan, the leftist parties are furiously against • "Libertarians & Conservatives: Allies or Bill Kelsey and others. S~e cov~rs privatization - the voter will act at the Enemies?" by John Dentinger & Murray insitkfont and back for additional issu~s. poll as an owner, a capitalist, and will back think in a different way than he would Circle each issue you want, and add $1.00 shipping & handling per order (foreign orders add SOt per issue). Fill in the appropriate information below. if he were just an employee. A second aim is to give every citi­ o My check is enclosed zen a piece of the national wealth and Charge my: the responsibility that goes with such ownership. What the people will do o VISA 0 Mastercard Name with their share of the common wealth Address is entirely in their own hands. The Signature City vouchers are registered to the name of ACCotUlt # each of the citizens and so are their ob­ State ______Zip _ tained shares. Each and everyone, Expiration Phone # now a proud and free citizen of our L Send to: Liberty, Dept. B32, PO Box 1167, Port Townsend, WA 98368 ~ Commemoration

John Cage, Inventor by Richard Kostelanetz

An important and influential American composer died on August 12. It is appropriate to honor him. But first, let us observe four minutes and thir­ ty-three seconds of silence.

Even though he never assumed a position offering him cultural power, John Cage (1912-1992) was one of the few artists of whom it can be said, without dispute, that had he not existed the development of more than one art would have been different. A true polyartist, he produced distinguished work in music, theater, literature, and visual art. As a de facto esthetician, he has had a discernible influence upon to give the 1988-89 Charles Eliot that the result is an abundance of the creation of music, theater, the vis­ Norton lectures at Harvard, perhaps sounds lasting only several minutes. I ual arts, and, to a lesser extent, litera­ the most prestigious appointment of then like HPSCHD (1969) in which ture and social thought. His principal its kind, he delivered statements so Cage and collaborator Lejaren Hiller theme, applicable to all arts, was the barely connected that few professors filled a 16,000 seat basketball arena denial of false authority by expanding returned after Cage's initial lecture! with a multitude of sounds and sights, the range of acceptable and thus em­ An anarchist from his profeSSional be­ and Europera (1987) which draws upon ployable materials, beginning with ginnings, he worked, as much through nineteenth-century European opera "noises," which he thought should be example as assertion, to eliminate au­ for musical parts, costumes and scen­ heard as music "whether we're in or thority and hierarchy, even in perfor­ eries that are then distributed random­ out of the concert hall." mance. For instance, he never ly to a professional opera company. Given my bias toward abundance, it is Though some consider him an composed work requiring an authori­ scarcely surprising t!V't my favorite apostle of"chance," I think of himas an tarian conductor or even a lead instru­ Cage visual art is the sequence of plexi­ extremely fecund inventor who, once mentalist who functions apart from a glass plates that became Not Wanting to he transcended previous conventions, back-up group. Say Anything About Marcel (1969); 'nY wasable to realize a wealthof indubita­ Not unlike other avant-garde art­ favorite Cage text, the Norton lectures bly original material. The famous "pre­ ists, Cage tended to make works, in his that became the long poem I-VI (1989). case in various media, that are much pared piano," which prevented the In his notorious silent piece, the su­ more or much less than art used to be. emergence offamiliar pianistic sounds, perficially much, much less 4'33­ Though the minimal pieces shOUld not was merely the beginning of a career (1952), he also became an avatar of that included scrupulously alternative be slighted, in my considered opinion Conceptual Art, with his framing by a kinds of musical scoring, idiosyncrati­ the greatest Cage works are his maxi­ performer's silence of four-minutes cally structured theatrical events, mal compositions. Sonatas and Inter­ and thirty-three seconds of incidental unique literary forms, and much, much ludes for Prepared Piano (1946-48) is his auditorium noise suggests that the in­ else esthetically new. longest and most exhaustive explora­ advertent sounds within the space When I first began follOWing his tion of his first musical invention. constitute the "musical" experience activities, three decades ago, no one Williams Mix (1953) is a tape collage and thus that all sounds, whether in­ received so much persistently nega­ composed of thousands of bits, intri­ tentional or not, can be considered tive comment, not just in print but in cately fused onto six audiotapes that music. (One strain of conceptual art collegial conversations. When invited should be played simultaneously, so continued on pIIge 49 46 Liberty Assessment

Marxism's Post-History in Contemporary China by George fochnowitz

Taxi drivers are protected by Mao icons, but their religion is profit. Marx is rolling in his grave; the tremors are felt around the world - but are best understood close up.

The reforms hailed by the 1987 Congress of the Communist Party of China were interrupted by the death of Marxism. I was a witness. I was walking along Haidian Avenue in northwestern Beijing. It called intellectuals the chou lao jiu (the I was also surprised to learn from was May 20, 1989. Martial law had stinking ninth category). my senior composition class that they just been announced to no visible ef­ Marxism died when the workers had - or claimed to have - no faith fect. Trucks were heading downtown adopted the goals of the students. in the value of education. How can loaded with provisions for the million Nevertheless, the citizens of Beijing one respect the "stinking ninth catego­ protesters in Tiananmen Square. did not have the convictions of their ry," after all? One senior wrote about Among them were some of the stu­ courage. Most of them were not yet a conversation she had had with a ten­ dents whom I had taught at Hebei ready to reject the idea of socialism, year-old elementary school dropout: University in Baoding, two and a half however empty of meaning it had be­ Nowadays, the most important hours south of Beijing by train. come, nor were they quite ready to thing for us is to earn money, The crowds along Haidian Avenue give up the comforting certitude of money is most powerful in oursoci­ were half strolling, half parading, giv­ Marxist faith, however faint a resem­ ety. I can earn a lot of money ing each other the "V" for Victory blance their version had to Marx's everyday, much more than a sign, and rejoicing in the uniqueness doctrine. University Professor do. Why of the occasion. Tiananmen Square Prelude to Beijing Spring should I go to school? It's not worthwhile to be educated! was filled with students - everybody When I arrived in Baoding earlier knew that - but in the Haidian that year to teach for one semester at In China, jobs are assigned to grad­ neighborhood, there was no distinc­ Hebei University, I noted a certain uating seniors by the university. There tion between the students and faculty amount of disillusion with China's are no want ads or employment agen­ from the nearby universities and the capitalist reforms. Everyone com­ cies. Student after student told me other people who just happened to plained that the society was corrupt. how he or she considered the policy a live in the neighborhood. The workers They talked about the widespread use personal threat. One might be stuck had joined the students! They were of the "back door" (bribery and cor­ teaching - horrors! - for the rest of not thinking in class terms, as they ruption; a recurring theme in my stu­ one's life. had been taught to do all their lives. dents' compositions). But they failed Job assignment is a peculiar policy Instead they were demonstrating for to realize that "back doors" are used for any government to pursue. People clearly bourgeois goals - democracy because the front door is locked, or be­ stuck in jobs they hate are not merely and freedom. They had abandoned cause there never was a front door. unhappy (and therefore more likely to the class struggle and had joined with Power does indeed corrupt, but pow­ cause trouble), they are also unpro­ intellectuals, even though Mao had erlessness corrupts even more. ductive. Government assignment of Liberty 47 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

jobs, however, follows quite naturally'" Peng in his report to the National China is now committed to the pursuit from the theory of the "higher stage of People's Congress. An editorial on of Marxist capitalism - practicing the communism," according to Marx. In March 25 spoke of smashing the three caricature of capitalism offered by this ultimate stage of history, "society irons: "iron armchairs (secure posts for Marxist theory. regulates the general production and enterprise officials), the iron rice bowl Marxism is a system of belief - a thus makes it possible for me to do one (lifetime employment), and iron wages faith that history moves through pre­ thing to-day and another tomorrow, to (fixed salaries without consideration ordained stages: primitive commu­ hunt in the morning, fish in the after­ for work performance}." nism, slavery, feudalism, capitalism, noon, rear cattle in the evening, criti­ Does this sound just a bit like capi­ socialism, and communism. Marxism cize after dinner, just as I have a mind, talism? Not to Prime Minister Li. He also is a system of absolute moral val­ without ever becoming a hunter, fish­ calls his policy "socialism with ues: the goals of the working class are erman, shepherd or critic." Implicit in Chinese characteristics." It differs from good, regardless of any other context; Marx's statement is the idea that there capitalism, says Li Peng, in its adher­ although the revolution of the proletar­ ence to the Four Cardinal Principles: iat will inevitably succeed, all human the socialist road, people's dempcratic action ought to be subordinate to the dictatorship, leadership by the class struggle; practical and individual What China's rulers hope Communist Party, and Marxism­ needs must always give way to the Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought. needs of society. It is indeed ironic that for is the achievement of capi­ "Socialism with Chinese characteris­ a philosophical system based on eco­ talism and the simultaneous tics" is a misleading name. I would call nomics and materialism should, like an suppression of liberty. Marxist it "Marxist capitalism." absolutist religion, reject the demands ideology is the tool used to Further semantic confusion is of everyday life. Marxism is a faith in caused by the fact that in 1987 the materialism that has declared material­ demonstrate the emptiness and 13th Communist Party Congress stat­ ism a sin. selfishness of freedom as the ed as official doctrine that China is in Socialism, unlike capitalism, was economy becomes ever more lithe primary stage of socialism." invented. People may read Adam According to Marx, the capitalist Smith and agree with him; no one, capitalist. stage must precede the socialist stage. however, treats his writings as scrip­ What this means to China's leaders is ture. Karl Marx's works, on the other that everyone must love socialism, but hand, are indeed considered holy writ nobody has to live it. Socialism must in much of the world. Although Marx are no individual talents or preferenc­ inevitably triumph, since Marx cannot wasn't the first socialist in history, he es. Ifthis is the case, why shouldn't the ever be wrong, but everyone secretly government assign jobs? hopes it will not be during his own The policy of job assignment ex­ lifetime. plains much. China's leaders could What China's rulers were hoping Their current faith is nega­ not accept the idea that people have for then and are hoping for now is the the right to do what they want. They tive socialism socialism achievement of capitalism and the si­ could accept capitalism, but they multaneous suppression of liberty. with a minus sign in front of never were happy about the idea of Marxist ideology is the tool that will be it. "To get rich is glorious" is freedom. used, as always, to demonstrate the now an official slogan. China's Current Reforms emptiness and selfishness of freedom, Three years after Tiananmen, the even as the economy becomes ever Communist Party is still not ready to more capitalist. criticize Marx, and is still leery of free­ In China nowadays, people believe did to a great extent invent socialism. dom, though it is supportive, in a lim­ in capitalism with the same religious Lenin and the other creators of social­ ited way, ofmarkets. faith they once reserved for socialism. ist revolutions were following blue­ "China vows to gear up reforms," Their socialist religion has failed them, prints that they believed in; as a proclaimed a rare banner headline in but they have yet to shake the habit of consequence, their socialist states must the March 21, 1992 China Daily, the of­ believing in economic systems. Their practice indoctrination. Indoctrination ficial English-language newspaper of current faith is negative socialism ­ may exist in capitalist states as well, the People's Republic of China. The oc­ socialism with a minus sign in front of for nationalist or religious reasons, but casion was the opening of the fifth an­ it. That is why the press exhorts the cit­ never to foster the belief in capitalism nual session of the Seventh National izens to overcome a climate favorable itself. There once was a country called People's Congress, which was to run to egalitarianism. liTo get rich is glori­ the "Union of Soviet Socialist for eleven days. "Planning and market ous" is now an official slogan. Even in Republics"; it is almost unimaginable forces are methods of running an econ­ the days of Horatio Alger and the rob­ that there could be a "Capitalist States omy, and can serve both socialism and ber barons, Americans did not express of America." capitalism," said Prime Minister Li such extravagant praise of capitalism. The Chinese are looking forward to 48 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

the day when capitalism will be the of­ on the planet, is the model. 1997 - the Hong Kong as a bastion of free ficial faith of China. Only a Marxist­ year of reunification - is not far off. markets. or an ex-Marxist - could ever accept Chinese communism's new-found But when five million Hong Kong capitalism as sacrosanct. Where but in ideological flexibility, whether called residents live in the same country as a China could "to get rich is glorious" "socialism with Chinese characteris­ billion mainlanders, who will domi­ ever have become an official slogan? tics," Marxist Capitalism, or the "pri­ nate? I think the answer is Hong Kong, mary stage," may find its most The Future no matter how much trouble the interesting expression in the develop­ Communist Party takes to contain the As China drifts further away from ing policy toward Hong Kong. By tak- political problem by curtailing "purely true Marxism, the intellectual attempts political" freedoms. Cuang-dong to bind past theory with current reality Province already draws inspiration become all the more strained. from across the border - soon to be Historian Li Shu, who insists that a When five million Hong sentence in the Communist Manifesto, erased - with Hong Kong. Though this is only speculation, it "The history of all hitherto existing so­ Kong residents live in the same ciety is the history of class struggle," country as a billion mainland­ does offer some hope to the people of Hong Kong. has been misinterpreted as, IIAll histo­ I ers, who will dominate? think Capitalism, Marxist or otherwise, ry is the history ofclass struggle," typi­ the answer is Hong Kong. fies the sort of nonsense that is cannot save China from its alternating shamelessly repeated by academics periods of reform and crackdown. Only supporting the recent reforms. They liberty can do that. Fortunately, there are signs that this savior may be on its wish to escape from Marx by pretend­ ing it over, mainland China may also way. A headline in the April 6, 1992, ing to return to his original meaning. be obliged to take on the idea of the edition of China Daily reads: "Beijing­ The entire theory of the "primary stage free enterprise zone. With the ers keep pets for fun"! To appreciate of socialism," the theoretical underpin­ Communist Party now mandating a ning for the open-door policies of form of capitalism on the mainland, it the significance of this item, it is neces­ Zhao Ziyang, was an attempt to undo may, indeed, protect a laissez faire sary to know that owning dogs is ille­ Marxism while claiming to follow the capitalism in the soon-to-be-acquired gal in Chinese cities. The news story letter and spirit ofMarx. British colony. informs us that "about 100,000 people Events should soon make these Much has been made of the immi­ were found keeping dogs illegally each ever-more stilted justifications unnec­ nent crack-down on political freedoms year from 1986 to 1991. ... an increas­ essary and irrelevant. Marxism is in Hong Kong. Most analysts assume ing number of Beijingers keep dogs de­ dead, even if its ghost is worshipped that the threatened abrogation of polit­ spite the ban." Why were dogs out­ in Cuba and North Korea. The cooked­ ical rights (such as Hong Kong autono­ lawed? According to the article, "Each up version of Marxism that the my) and personal freedoms (such as year more than 30,000 people are bitten Chinese Communist Party currently freedom of speech) will be extended, by illegally kept dogs." I suspect there promotes is surely too absurd to last after sovereignty switches to the is a deeper reason for the government long. Communist mainland, to the realm of forbidding dogs as pets: owning dogs Furthermore, the Chinese Com­ private property. But this may not hap­ is an expression of individuality. When munist Party has learned of the neces­ pen. The designs the Chinese govern­ pet lovers defy the state, and when an sity of capitalism, and perhaps even of ment may have on Hong Kong may be official newspaper prints the story laissez faire. Hong Kong, the closest nothing less than to accrue, for its own approvingly, then, perhaps, totalitari­ thing to a laissez faire market society purposes, the leavening effects of anism is indeed on the way out. 0

Richard Kostelanetz, "John Cage, Inventor" continuedfrom page 46

consists of statements or demonstra­ alternative performance instructions. refused to vote.) He never dismissed tions that convey heavy doses of es­ An anarchist in both his head and another artist's work as unacceptably thetic implication.) his gut, Cage always understood that wayward, for his sharpest criticisms Cage also revolutionized musical much happens, in society as in art, exposed how something was not radi­ scoring (even collecting an anthology of without the intervention of the state, cal enough; even if it pretended to be. Notations, 1969, that mostly reflects his without the intervention of empow­ When he was chosen Norton Professor, influence), introducing graphic nota­ ered authorities, without hierarchies, I chided him for accepting a title tions and even prose instructions in even without leadership. His influ­ (II Professor") that would elevate him place of horizontal musical staves. The ence, his career, could not have hap­ above the rest of humanity, even if most extraordinary of his own scores is pened in a supervised society. I never only for a year. I later asked him what the two-volume Song Books (Solos for met anyone with so much celebrity it was like to be a Harvard professor. Voice, 3-92) (1970) that contain, in part with so little taste for authoritarian "Not much different from not being a through length and number, a wealth of postures. (It is not surprising that he Harvard professor," he replied. 0 Liberty 49 Travel

A Journey to the East by Ben Best

Diogenes went looking for an honest man. Ben Best went looking for li­ bertarians in Europe's ex-collectivist back streets.

From mid-June until late July of 1992 I traveled through Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and the northeast corner of the former Soviet Union. The pretext for the trip was two computer conferences being held in or near St. Petersburg, Russia in the first half of July, but my actual goal was to meet and confer with as many liber- tarians as I could. So I spent several months preparing for this trip, mostly matic than Eastern Europe's revolt student organization in Sweden. Einar identifying and writing to libertarian against communism, is a national force is a libertarian, and we talked politics contacts in this part of the world. powerful enough to have placed a con­ and philosophy. Einar mentioned that When I landed in Stockholm I was servative government in office and to Atlas Shrugged is a frequent catalyst for met at the airport by Henrik Bejke, the have made libertarianism a household students to change their views from Swedish representative of the word and a force in mainstream stu­ conservative to libertarian. This led to a International Society for Individual dent politics. discussion of Rand's attempt to derive Liberty (ISIL). We went by bus to a Just inside the nightclUb's entrance ethics from metaphysics - an issue night club that is a major locus of li­ is a large sign containing a quotation that is frequently on the minds of bertarian activity in Stockholm. This from Frederic Bastiat: where law and mo­ Randian libertarians in Europe, as club is owned and operated by liber­ rality stand in conflict, morality must pre­ elsewhere. tarians as a profit-making political vail. Similar signs around the stage and In his office, Eina.. allowed me to protest. Other Stockholm nightclubs dance-floor contain quotations from phone the Assistant Director of Student have liquor licenses and must close at Milton Friedman and other liber­ Affairs at the Institute for Humane 1:00 a.m.; this club has no liquor li­ tarians. Studies in Paris. She agreed with me cense and operates all night. Henrik handles much of the ac­ that traveling can be made much more Occasionally, the police raid the counting and administrative work of pleasant by meeting like-minded peo­ club, arrest its workers and shut the the club. He showed me the office and ple in foreign countries. She faxed me a club down. The workers are released a his computer. He had an ambition to list of names, addresses and phone few hours later and the club is back in start a Swedish libertarian E-mail sys­ numbers of free market minded people business soon after. So far, the authori­ tem, but had no idea how to go about in Eastern Europe. I was especially ties have refrained from taking meas­ doing so. Also in the club's office is a li­ eager to make contacts in Lithuania ures that would destroy the enterprise. bertarian library and bookstore. Among and Latvia, partly because all my preVi­ This peculiar stand-off between the other titles, it offered a Swedish transla­ ous efforts to do so had failed. Einar police and the operators of the night­ tion of Atlas Shrugged, in a three­ showed me a letter he had received club is indicative of both Swedish toler­ volume boxed set. from a fellow who is active in ance and of the high political profile Arrangements were made for me to Lithuanian libertarian student politics. libertarianism has achieved in Sweden have lunch with Einar Du Rietz, the I wrote the fellow a post card, telling since 1980. Sweden's backlash against head of the Free Moderate Students him the arrival time of my flight to the Welfare State, although less dra- Association, the largest conservative Vilnius from Warsaw. 50 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

I spent the rest of the afternn wan­ the EC and the Maastricht Treaty. small political representation in dering around Stockholm. Immigration Predictably, nearly everyone opposed Parliaments. is a big issue in Sweden, insofar as eight the political centralization represented Libertarianism is influential in million Swedes have allowed one mil­ by Maastricht. Most still favored the Norwegian student politics, although lion foreigners to enter the country. Treaty of Rome as a method of reducing less influential than in Sweden. I Sweden has the largest number of refu­ trade barriers, although one speaker ve­ dropped into the libertarian students' gees per capita in the world, I was told. hemently opposed the EC for being an union in Oslo and chatted with a num­ The bountiful shipments of food to instrument of European protectionism ber of the students. The ones I spoke to Africa from Sweden have contributed that was thwarting the free world trade did not seem very well read or knowl­ to attracting many immigrants from which could be achieved through edgeable of libertarian philosophy or that continent. One Swede complained GAIT (the General Agreement on economics. to me that Swedish laws are so tolerant Trade and Tariffs). I took the train to Germany, where that AIDS-testing of immigrants is pro­ One Norwegian libertarian, al­ cryonicist Klaus Reinhard was my host. hibited, out of concern that this would though he was ideologically committed Although Germany has an ISIL repre­ be discriminatory. A segment of to a pro-immigration position, ex- sentative, libertarianism is practically Swedish society is in reaction to this in­ unheard of in that country - except for flux. On that day the newspaper head­ the non-eapitalist varieties. Considering lines proclaimed the capture of "Laser the role that Austrian Economics has Man," a person who had been taking Sweden's backlash against played in libertarian philosophy, this potshots at dark-skinned people puzzles file. The Scandinavian libertari­ through his scoped rifle, yet had been the Welfare State is a national ans could give me no persuasive expla­ eluding the police. force powerful enough to have nation. Someone translated Atlas I met Henrik, my ISIL host, for din­ placed a conservative govern­ Shrugged into German many years ago, ner - and more political discussions. but it was long out-of-print, and practi­ Public opinion polls typically show ment in office and to have cally unobtainable. I gave Klaus an Scandinavians scoring the highest for ir­ made libertarianism a house­ English-language version of the novel. religion in the Western World. hold word and aforce in main­ I took a night-train from Hamburg Nominally, Swedes belong to the State to Prague. The train itself gave me a Church, and 1% of their income is taxed stream student politics. sense of foreboding that I was entering to finance the Church. Any Swede can the former Eastern Bloc. The railcar avoid the 10/0 deduction simply by mak­ bound for Czechoslovakia was dark, ing a formal request to the government, pressed his concern about the impact of old and dirty-looking - in contrast to but most don't bother. Henrik said that immigration upon Norway. He felt that the other railcars in the train (and the government will probably privatize far too many of the immigrants were at­ European railcars in general). It looked the Church within the next five years, tracted to Norway by the very generous as if it had been built to transport but there are eVidently people who are system of social welfare. These people, troops during World War n. concerned that a private church might he said, were coming to Norway with Prague escaped the devastation of become aggressive and obnoxious. no intention of working for a living or World War II and is full of historical I had made arrangements to catch a becoming productive citizens. The im­ monuments. I would rate it as one of train to Oslo at about 2:30 a.m., and migration policy is so generous that it the best cities for touring in Europe ­ someone had agreed to drive me to the guarantees the children of immigrants and yet the big influx of Western tour­ train station. My driver engaged me in an education in their native language. ists is a very new phenomenon there. a discussion about the function Michael This can be both costly and difficult in Prague almost seemed to be in a state of Milkin ~erved in the marketplace, and the case of some of the more obscure on-going celebration, or carnival. about how the state can be eliminated African languages. My guidebook said that the without violence. One of the speakers was a member National Museum on Wenceslas Square I had planned my arrival in Oslo to of Parliament in Denmark, and he was wasn't worth wasting time in, but I per­ coincide with a conference that I was among my lunch companions. I have sonally found the taXidermy superior to told would be the largest gathering ofli­ had little experience with having friend­ any I had ever seen - partly because bertarians ever seen in Norway. This ly, casual relations with elected political the stuffed animals were on floor level turned out to be not true, for reasons figures in North America, let alone with and weren't sequestered in glass cages. that were never made clear to me. The ones who are libertarian. The election of I had never before stood so close to a conference was sponsored by the libertarians is much more possible on stuffed rhinoceros. Progress Party, an alliance of conserva­ the Continent than in America or The most peculair tourist attraction I tives and libertarians that is not always Britain because Europe's electoral sys­ saw was the city sewer, an engineering congenial (the Progress Party is official­ tems generally have proportional repre­ masterpiece, the advertisements said. I ly anti-immigration, to the chagrin of sentation, as opposed to the "winner bought a ticket and walked down some many libertarians). Because the confer­ takes all" system in the English­ stairs to a "gallery" on top of the flow­ ence had speakers from many countries, speaking world: small parties with a ing sewer-water. I could see the conflu­ it was held in English. The topic was small fraction of public support get a ence of three. pipes of sewage. It smelled Liberty 51 November 1992

like an outhouse, but the sewer water The publisher of Stanczyk, Krzysztof looked fair!y clean (and greenish.) Bakowski, told me he was very self­ In an attempt to get another view­ conscious about his poor English. On How. to point on Prague, I rode the subway to the phone he told me that trying to the end of the line, to the Prague sub­ have a conversation with an English­ Subscribe urbs. What I saw is typical throughout speaking person made him #lfeel like cities of Eastern Europe (and even nigger talking to white person." Many more so in the former Soviet Union): times in Eastern Europe I encountered to forests of huge and identical-looking this shame people had of their poor apartment buildings. The only houses English - while·no acknowledgement in or near cities are those that pre-date was made of my ignorance of their Liberty communist rule. In this sense, life in language. the communist countries of Eastern We ended up in Krzysztof's apart­ ment/with the Ph.D. student acting as a takes individual Europe was collectivized and quite uni­ Liberty form. Makeshift kiosks near the sub­ translator. From the student I got the freedom seriously ... and way stations selling food and impression that his economics depart­ the status quo with more household items symbolized the new ment is more like a western business than one grain of salt! spirit of enterprise. department. I also found this to be the Had I met libertarians, I might have case in the Baltic countries. With the Liberty tackles the tough problems. gotten more insight into Czech politics passing of Marxism, practical business Every issue of Liberty presents es­ and culture. Some Canadians who had has become far more important than says studying current trends in lived there for several months told me macroeconomic theorizing. political and social thought, discus­ that hatred is a standard emotion. The I had seen advertisements for sions of the strategy and tactics of Czechs hate the Germans, the Russians, Stanczyk in Freedom Network News. social change, and analyses of cur­ the Jews and the Slovaks. The Slovaks Krzysztof said the ad had not been suc­ rent events and challenges to popu­ have almost the same list of hates, save cessful in generating interest or help lar beliefs. Liberty also offers lively for substituting Czechs in the place of from Westerners. He said, #llibertarians book reviews, fiction, and humor. Slovaks. People feel that it is inevitable don't help each other." Primarily, he You won't want to miss a single that Czechoslovakia will split in two. was looking for financial support in the issuer I took an overnight train from thousands of dollars. Since this was un­ Act Today! Prague to Warsaw. Warsaw is not the likely to be forthcoming, it seemed inev­ tourist attraction that Prague is. Hitler itable that he would be forced to cease Liberty offers you the best in liber­ publication. This is particularly ironic in tarian thinking and writing. So was determined to reduce Warsaw to don't hesitate. You have nothing to rubble, and he did a pretty good job of lose, and the fruits of Liberty to it. Even the "old town" is a reconstruc­ gain! tion, and there weren't many tourists. With the passing of Warsaw is dominated by the Palace Marxism, practical business of Culture and Science, a 3D-story con­ Use the coupon below or call: crete building that was a gift from has become far more important Stalin to the Polish people (built by than economic theorizing. 1-800-321-1542 Poles, as one Pole wryly pointed out to me). Surrounding this building is the heart of the #l new Warsaw" - a collec­ light of the fact that for most of ... ------,Please enter my subscription tion of huge quonset huts that serves as Yes. to Liberty immediately! Stanczyk's publication history, the jour­ ' a shopping center. The newness of a nal was outlawed and had to be distrib­ a One Full Year (6 issues) $19.50 market economy to Poland seems re­ uted through clandestine networks. a Two Full Years (12 issues) $35.00 flected by the ramshackle buildings out Krzysztof said that the philosophy Add $5 per year for foreign subscriptions. of which many businesses are conduct­ expressed in Stanczyk is both economic ed. Nonetheless, on the ground floor of and political - the two being equally name the Palace of Culture and Science itself I important. In economics, he favors com­ address found a rather new clothing boutique. plete laissez-faire capitalism - even to I arranged a meeting with a #lliber­ the point of money and banking being city, state, Zip tarian" student completing a Ph.D. in kept totally out of the hands of the CJ I enclose my check (payable to Liberty) economics at the University of Warsaw, state. In politics, however, he is fiercely a Charge my a VISA CJ Mastercard and also with the publisher of Stanczyk, anti-democratic. His view is that the reputedly "the oldest Polish journal ed­ masses will always vote for socialism ited by Polish defenders of laissez-faire and welfare, and that a free economy signature capitalism." I was a little surprised at can only be achieved through dictator­ account' expires how eager these men were to meet with ship. Chile was his best model. I was a L Send to: Liberty, Dept. L32, .J me - and adjust their schedules. bit too stunned by his position to argue PO Box 1167, Port Townsend, WA 98368 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

with him, but I did ask· by what means the Soviet Union. Degutis translated The the Liberal Party. a stable free-market dictatorship could Road To Serfdom into Lithuanian, and After lunch, he and Wasyl gave me be guaranteed. I didn't get a very satis­ apparently this book was Widely read. a tour of the points of historical interest factory answer. He also publishes a libertarian maga­ in Vilnius, beginning with the TV sta­ The train from Warsaw to Vilnius, zine in Lithuanian called The Speculator tion offices (across from the engineer's the capital of Lithuania, passes through (the issue he gave me contained essays apartment block) where the Lithuanians Byelorussia. My Russian visa (still a by himself, Frederic Bastiat, John had confronted Russian soldiers. I visa for the "USSR," despite the politi­ Williams and Tibor Machan, along with could see pockmarks from bullets on cal changes) was good only for the the walls of the building. We ran into a month of July, so I was forced to fly fellow on the street with whom my from Warsaw to Vilnius. companions exchanged a few friendly I w~s very worried about my trip When I teased Juri that he words. This man had been in charge of through the Baltics. I had written letters Lithuanian counterintelligence against to the "Free Market Institutes" of should go into the currency the KGB just after Lithuania achieved Lithuania and Latvia, but got no re­ business, he replied that he independence. The sense of closeness to sponse. Credit cards and traveler's would get beat up if he did. central government in a small country checks are not accepted in the Balties is almost eerie. and it is impossible to wire money into Vilnius has a few noteworthy cathe­ those countries even in an emergency. drals and monuments, as well as an This meant I had to take ample "Old Town," but I barely saw anyone I one-page excerpts from Ludwig von amounts of "hard currency" (i.e., cur­ would call a tourist. Nor did I see much Mises, Murray Rothbard and Herbert rency for whieh there is an exchange in the way of tourist amenities, like fast­ Spencer). He is a former philosophy market, like Deutschmarks or dollars). food vendors or souvenir sellers. professor, but he evidently knows a Given the stories I had heard about the I returned to an evening meal at the wealthy libertarian who subsidizes his desperation of the people and the prev­ apartment of the engineer's family. This libertarian pursuits - largely transla­ alence of robbery (especially on trains), meal was exactly like my lunches ­ tion of libertarian economies books into I did not feel comfortable. I had also Lithuanian. His personal library is im­ bread, leaf lettuce, small unripe straw­ heard that the trains did not run on pressive. As his views have gotten in­ berries, greasy sausage slices, bits of time - frequently with delays of two creasingly radical, Degutis has come to cheese and some wine. Wasyl phoned days or more. I expected that almost no be disparaged by those in government. Latvia to arrange for someone to meet one would speak English, and I was not His most recent interests were David me in Riga, and the engineer's wife confident I could get by on my poor Friedman's The Machinery of Freedom packed me a lunch for the next day. Russian. and Ayn Rand. These people are so poor by western Except for a one hour delay in By Lithuanian standards, Degutis standards, and yet they kept trying to Latvia, my fears proved unfounded. I seemed to be a fairly rich man. He had a give me things and help me in any way was met at the Vilnius airport by a man new-looking (if small) car, and he could that they could - and it was difficult to named Wasyl Kapkan. The postcard I afford to chain-smoke packaged cigar­ give them anything in return. The ex­ had mailed in Stockholm had been re­ ettes. He picked me up in his car and tremity of their hospitality was ceived and passed on to Wasyl, who drove me to his apartment, where I had embarrassing. agreed to be my guide and to let me lunch with his family. At the train station in the morning, I sleep on the couch in his apartment. We I was quite surprised when Degutis finally met Andrius Buldygerovas, the rode buses to his apartment block, and told me he was a firm Roman Catholic. student libertarian to whom I had sent he apologized for his humble living I asked him how he could reconcile the my postcard. He had been on a camp­ conditions as we walked up the dirty, atheism of Rand's Objectivism with ing party with 40 or so libertarian narrow stone stairway. His apartment Roman Catholicism. He answered that ("neo-liberal," they say) students. We was indeed small. Everything, in fact, he thought Objectivism and Roman got into a conversation about cryonics seemed greatly miniaturized: the kitch­ Catholicism were not incompatible. It and the attraction it has for so many en, the refrigerator, the toilet, the bath, turned out that all the libertarians I met people who have admired Ayn Rand. I etc. (Toilets are usually in separate in Lithuania were Roman Catholic. said it was probably because Rand is so rooms from the bathtub or sink in apart­ Lithuania's Roman Catholicism comes pro-survival, pro-technology, life­ ments of the former Soviet Union ­ from the country's historic close rela­ affirming, pro-reason, and anti­ presumably to allow others to wash or tionship with Poland. In this respect, mystical. Wasyl was evidently im­ bathe independent of toilet use.) Lithuania is quite different from Latvia pressed, because he mentioned that he Almost immediately I found myself (which is more Cermanic) and Estonia was nearly finished translating The Road invited to two lunches. My first host (which is more Scandinavian). To Serfdom into Ukrainian, and he asked was Algirdas Degutis, President of the The host of my second lunch was an me to write an introduction for his edi­ Libertas Institute and a very well­ enterprising libertarian engineer who tion. I protested that Degutis should known man in Lithuania. He was one of had started a business dealing with write the introduction, but Wasyl kept the founders of the Liberal Party and sound systems and acoustics. He was pressuring me until I agreed - warning was influential during the break from also active in the libertarian faction of him that it might take months. Liberty 53 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

I took the train to Riga in a "first school year had just ended, he was speakers. Juri denied claims by the class" (by Soviet standards) railcar, at a happy to be able to be my full-time Russian government that Russians are a cost of about $1.20. I shared my com­ companion for two days. persecuted minority in Estonia. He partment with three other people. One Upon arriving in a new country, one thinks that any Russian who truly fellow owned a cheap-looking pocket of the first problems that must be dealt wants· to be an Estonian citizen should calculator, but one might have thought with is obtaining the local currency. be willing to fulfill the new requirement it was a video game, judging by his fas­ This proved to be more difficult than of fluency in Estonian. He says that cination and the way he kept doing cal­ usual because: (1) I had arrived two most Russians Simply refuse to learn culations. (He really seemed to be hours before the currency exchange of­ the language. playing; I didn't see him taking figures fice opened and (2) the Estonian govern­ While we were in an Estonian natu­ from anywhere or writing down ment had converted from Roubles to ral history museum, I asked Juri about results.) Kroons on the previous week, and the the two large Estonian islands between I was met at the Riga train station in availability of Kroons was still a prob­ the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea. Juri the late afternoon by a middle-aged lem. In front of the train station's closed said that even he would be unable to currency-exchange office there were visit those islands without a personal quite a few currency traders (most of invitation from a resident. Concerning whom were from Russia or the the low population density of Estonia, I got a very strong message, Caucasus). Naturally, they charged an he told me that any Estonian citizen can during my stay in Russia, that exchange rate that was more costly than have a piece of farmland simply by the office. I asked Juri to talk to several making a request to the Estonian the great majority of people traders in order to get the best rate. All Government. Most Estonians living in hate communism and crave a the traders quoted the same rate except Tallinn just aren't interested. market economy. Equally one, who undercut the others by a slight I struggled to make contact with li­ margin. Before a transaction could be bertarians in Tallinn, but had a very strong, however, was my im­ performed, however, another trader hard time. One Estonian student liber­ pression that hardly anyone started yelling, and informed a "boss" tarian was doing graduate work in has the least idea of what a who came over and chewed out the de­ Sweden. He did not think that Estonia viant trader. The deviant's rate immedi­ was ready for libertarian ideas because market economy is. ately came in line with the standard one. the country is so concerned with consti­ I traded currency with a dealer who had tutional issues and relations with other not been involved in this commotion (at nations (particularly Russia). the standard rate, of course). When I I phoned Roger Wessman (the ISIL woman who did volunteer work for the later teased Juri that he should go into representative for Finland) with the Latvian Liberal Party. Professionally, the currency business, he replied that he hope of finding English speaking liber- she was a teacher of geological engi­ would getbeat up if he did. neering at a Riga Technical School. She Juri located a hotel for me that was gave me her business card. (Every "li­ decent, yet cost only $8 per night. He bertarian" I had met in Poland and then proceeded to show me around The publisher of "Stanczyk" Lithuania had given me business cards Tallinn. Tallinn is swarming with tour­ - including Wasyl, whose card was told me that trying to have a hand-printed). Her English was not ists, in contrast to Lithuania and Latvia. conversation with an English­ very good and she seemed almost non­ Estonian language is very close to speaking person. made him ideological, aside from her desire to see Finnish and, with Helsinki just a short the Russians leave Latvia. boat-ride across the Gulf of Finland, 'feel like nigger talking to She did give me an excellent tour of there is a constant influx of Finns seek­ white person." Riga. I noted that anti-tank barricades ing inexpensive entertainment. The remained standing around government Estonians are also influenced by Finnish buildings - as compelling a sign as any television. Although Estonia is still a that Latvians will not rest easy while very poor country by Western stan­ tarian contacts in St. Petersburg and Russian soldiers are still in their dards, it is noticeably richer than Tallinn. Roger is planning to organize country. Lithuania, and there is much more com­ an ISIL conference in Estonia, but he I rode the overnight train to Tallinn, mercial activity on the streets. had no contacts in Russia and could the capital of Estonia, where I was met Estonia is larger than Switzerland, only give me the names of a couple of the next morning at the train station by yet its population is only 1.6 million, Estonians. One of those Estonians was a a 17-year-old boy named Juri, with less than half Lithuania's. Nearly a young banker who was helping Roger whom I had corresponded for six third of the residents of Estonia are organize the conference. I arranged for months. He is both a libertarian (al­ Russian, contrasted with only 200/0 in the banker to have dinner with Juri and though his knowledge is limited) and a Lithuania. Juri told me he could speak me. Mensan (one of the three Mensans in Russian from the time he was seven Even the restaurants in Tallinn are the whole of Estonia). He is fluent in years old, and his fluency was evident still owned by the government. Russian, English and Estonian. Since his from his conversations with Russian Surprisingly, the one we selected had 54 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

fine food. The banker was an enterpris­ conference the ACM had sponsored in chase. In cradle-to-grave socialism, ing young man who works 16-hour the former Soviet Union. there is no point in saving money for days to help establish an Estonian com­ I had arrived early so that I could retirement. mercial bank. I asked him about the explore St. Petersburg before the confer­ I bought $125 worth of roubles at a International Monetary Fund (IMF) in­ ence started. The conference coordina­ rate of 105 roubles to the U.S. dollar (al­ volvement with the new Estonian cur­ tor asked me if I wanted the services of though I later heard I could have gotten rency. Evidently there was no direct a translator at the cost of $20 for 8 125 on the street). This was more than involvement at the beginning - the hours, plus $5 to the agency. I accepted enough to last me for 3 weeks. Thinking Kroon was being backed entirely by this offer, and was introduced to a fel- of a rouble as being worth less than a Estonian government reserves of Hhard penny helped me to evaluate costs. currencies" (especially Deutschmarks A subway ride in St. Petersburg cost and dollars). The IMF nonetheless was one rouble, and a telephone call cost 15 planning future involvement, and was It would be nice to think kopeks. But making a telephone call demanding that the Estonian govern­ was not easy: I couldn't find anything ment raise taxes - something vigorous­ that with the decline of the that cost less than a rouble, and no one ly opposed by a coalition of the Liberal Soviet state, freedom and enter­ had change. Ivan had a source for and Conservative parties. prise would prevail. But a host change that he wouldn't tell me about, I paid about $5, tip included, for the of extortionists and protection although he did sell me coins for the excellent dinner for the three of us. pay phones. Considering that the food was so good, rackets emerged, exercising Although there is still negligible pri­ I found it curious that the restaurant control over anyone who ven­ vatization of large enterprises, on the looked so empty. The banker told me tures to engage in any kind of individual level there is enterprising al­ the front door is usually closed, and most everywhere in St. Petersburg. that it was only an accident that it was business. Outside every subway stop are rows open when we arrived. Perhaps em­ and rows of kiosks, and people are sell­ ployees of state-run restaurants aren't ing things on the pavement, on tables, so eager for business. etc. On Nevsky Prospekt (the main low named Ivan, who was fluent in The banker invited us to go to his of­ drag) near the Big Department Store, Russian, English, French and Spanish. fice so that he could try to find libertari­ the sidewalk merchandising reaches a Ivan was also a historian, with particu­ an contacts for me in Russia. From his fever pitch. Against both sides of the lar expertise in the history of St. office, the banker got a phone call sidewalks, people stand side by side of­ Petersburg - as was obvious by the through to a journalist in St. Petersburg fering the most ridiculous items for way he could rattle off dates and ex­ who he hoped could help me locate li­ sale: high-heel shoes, kittens, blood bertarians in that city. The journalist pound at length about almost every pressure kits, etc. Bananas are sold from couldn't understand why anyone monument, cathedral or mansion we boxes piled on the sidewalk - a very would want to meet such people, but passed. The $20 fee was a bargain as far popular item. Bananas cost more here provided the address and phone num­ as I was concerned, but by Russian stan­ than in the government stores, but gov­ ber of the Free Democratic Party of dards - the average monthly pay is ernment stores are usually out of them. Russia. about $20 - Ivan was being richly paid. A serious problem for tourists in St. I took a night train to St. Petersburg. For over 30 years follOWing WorId Petersburg is the fact that the drinking The total cost of my train fares from War II, there was almost no inflation in water is infected with the Giardia lamblia Vilnius to Riga to Tallinn to St. Russia. During that period, a ride on parasitic amoeba - which can cause se­ Petersburg amounted to less than $5, in­ the Moscow or Leningrad subway cost rious illness and diarrhea. The residents cluding the 25~ I had to pay for bed­ 5 kopeks. Most workers had maintained know to boil water before they consume ding. Predictably, I was awakened in the same salary for 30 years. Then a few it - and tea-drinking is common. Since the night when we crossed the border years ago, the economy began to crack. I do not like drinking sugary soft-drinks into Russia. Unpredictably, the inspec­ Prices have moved more towards reali­ or alcoholic beverages, my search for tors were only interested in my pass­ ty, but only in a very qualified way. mineral water took on an almost des­ port and visa - they didn't even look With almost everything still owned by perate quality. I tried tonic water, but I at my suitcase or backpack. I later the state, it is difficult for prices to reach am not keen on quinine. Ivan and I fi­ learned that Russian customs officers at a Htrue market level" (as Ludwig von nally did find some mineral water. the St. Petersburg airport are as diligent Mises so trenchantly demonstrated in Despite its murky brownish color, I as ever. his famous essay "Economic bought six bottles and poured them into When I arrived in St. Petersburg, I Calculation in a Socialist a large plastic bottle I carried in my took a taxi directly to the center where Commonwealth"). Oblivious to the backpack. my APL computer-language conference rampant inflation, the Russian State Peter the Great had an interest in was being held. This conference was Banks continue to pay 5% interest on science which is rarely seen in those sponsored by the Association of deposits, as they have for decades. As with political power. I visited the Computing Machinery, with headquar­ far as I can tell, there was no incentive Antropology Museum that he commis­ ters in New York City. It was the first to save money except to make a big pur- sioned in 1718 to house his collection Liberty 55 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

of "curiosities." I saw a skeleton of a that Ayn Rand was born in St. the Gulf of Finland which ended with a calf with two heads and one hip and Petersburg, and had influenced contem­ reception on the Kronstadt Naval Base. numerous skeletons of. Siamese twins. porary libertarianism more than any Only a year earlier the base had been The jars of deformed fetuses were re­ other person. off-limits to non-military people. The markable not only for their oddities ­ Once the APL computer conference conference delegates traveled to and cyclops eye, face fused into a single ori­ began, I could almost have forgotten from the hovercraft and directly back fice, etc. - but for the degree of preser­ what country I was in. Russian partici­ from Kronstadt, aboard a convoy of vation. (peter once presented his wife pation in the conference was less than I buses that were led and followed by with the preserved head of one of her had expected. Many of the Russian police cars with flashing lights and lovers.) APLers spoke no English, even though screaming sirens. One delegate com­ I wanted to get some materials all of the sessions were held in English. mented that the Russians seemed less which could help me learn Russian, so I came to appreciate that virtually all concerned about photography on Ivan took me to the largest bookstore in Russian software is pirated, probably as Kronstadt than the American military St. Petersburg, located in a building the result of U.S. efforts to prevent ex­ would be at an American naval base. A built by the Singer Sewing Machine ports of computer technology to the few of the delegates were led to a care­ Company at the tum of the century. USSR, and the inability of the Russians fully locked room containing PCs Bookselling is a very popular private to pay for it. which had evidently never been used merchandising activity, tables loaded Most of the conference involved - and took delight in installing APL with used books are seen on sidewalks, computer ideas. Nonetheless, there software. outside subway stations and around the were a couple of plenary sessions that I went directly from the APL confer­ railway stations. were of general interest. One was by an ence to a conference on computer edu­ We also went to the largest distribu­ expert in economic planning, who was cation held on a cruise ship. During this tor of cassette tapes and video record­ now using his APL libraries to con­ conference, the boat went up the Neva ings. I had Ivan select recordings of struct models. He thought a market River to Lake Ladoga (the largest lake popular Russian music for me. It was economy was simply a different kind of in Europe) and Lake Onega. As with ed­ possible to obtain Russian-dubbed planned economy - with supply and ucation about education everywhere, videos of almost any popular American demand curves. He cautioned against much of the conference was a bore, and movie. I selected Bladerunner, Star Trek, the danger that was posed by instabili­ I took the opportunity to catch up on among many others. I had to wait a ty in Russia. During the question peri­ some rest. Most of the Russians were week for my order to be filled. I was od I asked him if he was talking about from the Moscow Institute of New slow to realize that these films were all political instability or, if not, what crite­ Technologies, and quite a few of those being copied illegally (ignoring the FBI ria does he use for determining that ec­ were writing software packages for use warning!) by a business run by the onomic instability exists. He didn't give in education, which I did find Russian government. me a straight answer. interesting. I made my way to the office of the I got a very strong message, during At one stop I had the opportunity to Free Democratic Party of Russia. Only my stay in Russia, that the great majori­ explore a small Russian village. one person (a guy named William) ty of people hate communism and Another stop was on Kizhi Island, with spoke English, so I talked with him. I crave a market economy. Equally its famous wooden architecture. In par­ asked William what books his views strong, however, was my impression ticular, the Church of the Trans­ were based upon, and he said there that hardly anyone has the least idea of figuration, constructed entirely of were no books. I asked him if he knew what a market economy is. wood, is both spectacular and humble. of libertarians in St. Petersburg who Another plenary speaker had been Its onion-shaped cupolas, constructed spoke English, and he said he knew of working for the KGB for many years in from aspen, have a striking silvery ap­ no others. He affirmed his support for a the field of cryptography and cryptoa­ pearance. The Russians are experiment­ free market, and said that privatization nalysis. He emphasized that the KGB ing with methods of preserving these had not .even really begun in Russia. was not simply a team of spies and tor­ wooden masterpieces by chemical William said that his Party was in con­ turers, and that he was glad he could means. I was disappointed to hear my tact with ISIL and the Republican Party now speak openly about his scientific computer colleagues disparage "artifi­ in the United States. He said that his work. He said that "the enemy" had cial chemicals" in favor of "natural Party currently had 2,500 members been richer, and used expensive equip­ methods." (mostly in St. Petersburg), and 3 seats in ment, whereas the Soviets had been We were given the opportunity to the Russian Parliament (out of about forced to use their minds. During the view Kizhi in an old-looking Russian 1,000). question period someone asked if cryp­ Army helicopter. I took a chance. Ten of William gave me some pamphlets toanalysis could be used to decipher us paid U.5.$5 each for a 20-minute heli­ (written in Russian) on his party's prin­ how the brain works. The speaker liked copter tour of the island. After the trip, ciples. He wrote his name, address and the idea and asked the questioner if he the pilot tried to sell us his watch. phone number on the front cover. I was interested in co-operating with the The Valaam Islands were also of in­ gave him copies of several of my essays, KGB. terest for their historic monasteries a copy of the latest issue of Liberty, and On the second evening of the con­ (used as hospitals after World War IT). a copy of Atlas Shrugged. I mentioned ference, there was a hovercraft cruise in The buildings were being given back to 56 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

the church, but the number of TV anten­ Police service is terrible in this erst­ the floor for the last several decades. nas still greatly exceeded the number of while police state. When an apartment The Museum of Religion and crosses. Women entering the cathedral is broken into, the police merely record Atheism had also been given back to the were supposed to cover their hair with the matter in their books. Ivan said that Church, and is now (as it was before the scarfs and wear long skirts, but our ir­ apartments only tend to get broken Revolution) the Kazan Cathedral. There reverent group wore baseball caps and into by people who have reason to be­ were still Christian works of art on dis­ jackets with the arms tied around their lieve that there is something valuable play, but many sections were roped off. waists. Someone suggested that, if chal­ inside. The glass cases containing torture im­ lenged, the women could claim to be With the police so weak, a powerful plements of the Inquisition were empty, men and defy the monks to check. The Mafia has arisen. It would be nice to and the artifacts of other religions and cathedral inspired as much reverence as superstitions were likewise gone. a construction zone - there was lumber Nonetheless, the Chesma Church and scaffolding everywhere. was still a Museum of Naval Warfare, In the ship's bar-and-party room, I Women entering the cathe­ and the St. Nicholas Church still con­ was approached by a Russian who had tained the Museum of the Arctic and written software that allowed high dral were supposed to cover Antarctic. The loss of this last museum school students graphically to construct their hair with scarfs and wear would be a particular tragedy, because and manipulate chemical models. He long skirts. Someone suggested it is unique. said that I was the only person who had that, if challenged, the women The Museum of the October ever shown him errors in his software, Revolution had been converted into a and he asked whether I was a chemist. could claim to be men and defy wax museum of terrorists, revolution­ After answering his question, I took the the monks to check. ists and reformists. As with practically opportunity to ask him if he believes in all museums we visited, there was one God. He said that he did, but not in the entrance rate for Russians and another God of any organized religion. When I for tourists. I paid 15 roubles for Ivan asked him what percentage of Russians think that with the decline of the Soviet and 100 roubles for myself. Lenin was believe in God, he estimated only 100/0. state, freedom and enterprise would portrayed as one among many terror­ ists, although the bitterness that was ex­ But to his surprise, when he started pol­ prevail. But a host of extortionists and pressed towards him in particular was ling his Russian computer compatriots, protection rackets has emerged, exercis­ very great. The museum guide also had they almost invariably gave the same ing control over anyone who ventures unkind words for the wax figure of answer he had given. to engage in any kind of business. I Brezhnev, saying that he had not earned I had made arrangements for Ivan, went with Ivan to some Kolkhoz mar­ many of the military decorations he my translator, to find me an inexpen­ kets - which have more fruits and veg­ loved to wear. sive place to stay in St. Petersburg after etables than can be found elsewhere. I had a strong urge to visit Piskarov my return from the boat cruise. This Ivan told me these markets are con­ Memorial Cemetery, where nearly half a turned out to be a flat belonging to the trolled by a Mafia of Georgians, and million people were buried during the others from the Caucasus. When I asked daughter of a woman living in Ivan's 900-day siege of Leningrad in World him why the Caucasians have such apartment building. The daughter was War II. Ivan persisted in his attempts to power, he replied it is because they are away, and I had to promise I would re­ talk me out of going, saying there is more ruthless and uncivilized. spect her possessions and make no in­ nothing to see there. But I would not be ternational phone calls. The flat had all Ivan told me that there are many stopped. It was somewhat difficult to the amenities: bed, TV, telephone, toi­ "Mafias" in Russia, and these have no reach by bus, but I noticed that people let, bath, kitchen and refrigerator. For direct connection with the Sicilian in St. Petersburg frequently stand on the this I paid $10 for two days. Mafia. A woman from Moscow, on the curb and extend their arms as an invita­ Considering that Ivan paid $2 per other hand, told me that the KGB had a tion for anyone driving by to become an month for rent, I could see that the long history of paying the American impromptu taxi-driver. I encouraged transaction was mutually advanta­ and Sicilian Mafia for dirty work - and Ivan to do this, and we soon got a ride. I geous. (A hotel room in St. Petersburg that the old KGB-M1fia alliance has cen­ let Ivan do the talking, because other­ is typically at least $60 per night - for tral power over much of Russia's Mafia. wise it might have cost me a lot more foreigners.) As with my room in the The museum situation is in a state of than 25 cents. conference center on the other side of flux - there had been many communist The cemetery consists of rows and town, warm water was sometimes museums in the city, yet I was unable to rows of mounds, which cover vast pits available, sometimes not - for no ap­ find one. The Lenin Museum had been into which bodies were thrown. The parent reason. You could always tell located in the Marble Palace, but this mounds are only designated by number the warm water from the cold water ­ building was being given to the Russian and year. A granite wall bears the in­ the warm water was brown. Museum to display Russian paintings. scription: "No one is forgotten, nothing The doors to my apartment provid­ St. Isaac's Cathedral had been returned is forgotten." ed another insight into St. Petersburg to the Church, which promptly re­ For Ivan, being in the cemetery was life: there was an outside door and an moved the Foucault pendulum that had depressing. He blamed Stalin for inside door - both heavy and locked. been swinging from the inner dome to continued on page 76 Liberty 57 typed and in his back pocket. So, after throwing a temper tan­ trum on the plane and taking a few days off to sulk, Mulroney invited all the premiers, including Bourassa, to Meech Lake once again. Because Will Canada Fall "Meel~h Lake" entered the vocabulary of English Canadians as a noun synon­ ymous with the phrase "pig in a poke," Mulroney's spin doctors taste­ Apart on October 26? fully renamed the summer home "Harrington Lake." by Scott /. Reid Once assembled, the premiers were presented with their framework deal, which by virtue of Clark's earlier nego­ tiating ploy included every goofy po­ ike an out-of-control locomotive from English Canada. litical idea that pop culture has L approaching a gully with a Clark's task was complicated by dreamed up since platform shoes went washed-out bridge, Canada is rushing the fact that Robert Bourassa, Premier out of style. Though Bourassa had towards its inevitable breakup with in­ of Quebec, refused to participate in aimed to get rid of a few of the sillier creasing speed. The national disease, a any further constitutional negotia­ bits, he managed only to get a few spe­ personality split along linguistic lines, tions. Having been humiliated in 1982 cial privileges of his own written into is approaching its terminal phase, as is and again in 1990, Bourassa warned, the revised text. revealed by the tragicomic story of the province would now demand pen­ Meanwhile, Mulroney's new strate­ Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's five­ ance from Canada, which must dis­ gy was becoming clear. He knew that year-long effort to amend the cern and cater to its demands in its the premiers would never be able to constitution. absence. Despite this impediment, draft a deal by Quebec's looming Mulroney's effort will probably Clark went about his task in a work­ deadline, and he knew that Bourassa come to an end, along with his career manlike fashion. lacked the political support at home to and possibly with Canada's unity, on By June 1992, a series of meetings push back the date of the referendum. October 26th, when his latest package between Clark and the nine English So he presented the package of half­ of amendments will probably be de­ speaking premiers had failed to pro­ finished, mostly self-contradicting feated in a national referendum. duce a deal. With only three months amendments to the nation. He called The constitutional crisis has been left on the referendum deadline, the for a national referendum to be held brewing since June 24, 1990, when the on the date of Quebec's deadline: infamous "Meech Lake Accord" ­ newspapers began to report that Mulroney had a new strategy: to have October 26. named after Mulroney's summer Clark publicly advocate consensus, It is on this basis that Canada faces home, where Mulroney managed to a national "referendum" - really a while letting the premiers squabble coerce Canada's premieres into sup­ non-binding plebiscite - for only the themselves into incoherence. Then porting his first set of Constitutional third time in its history. In the past, Mulroney would sweep onto the amendments - expired for lack of Canada's democracy-shy leaders have scene, brush aside the premiers' pitiful support in the provincial legislatures. only held referenda OQ issues that split and imcomplete list of amendments, Since that time Mulroney has been the country neatly on English and and announce a national referendum frantically seeking some way of ap­ French lines (alcohol prohibition in the on a new set of amendments that he peasing Quebecois interests, and fail­ 1890s and military conscription in the ing miserably. Indeed, his mach­ had developed on his own. 1940s). In past plebiscites, English inations have fanned the fires of But the unthinkable happened. On Canada voted Yes, French Canada Quebec separation as much as any­ July 7, the premiers announced that voted No, and the federal government thing has. they had agreed on a tentative pack­ ignored the results. This referendum When Mulroney chose former age to offer Quebec. will follow suit. Prime Minister Joe Clark to be his new Well, it wasn't a package exactly. From the Quebec point of view a Minister of Constitutional Affairs, the There was no legal text. Nobody had No vote makes perfect sense, given marching orders were simple: save signed anything. It was more of an that the package of amendments was Mulroney's career by producing a con­ agreement to come to an agreement, mostly negotiated in Quebec's absence stitutional deal - any deal, no matter but it was enough to derail Mulroney's and has virtually nothing in it address­ how stupid or destructive its long­ plans. Rumor has it that Mulroney ing Quebec's concerns for the preser­ term results - in order to have some­ learned about the agreement while on vation of the French language and thing to offer Quebec in time for its the plane back to Canada from a culture. Meanwhile, in seven of the October 26 referendum on whether to European conference, with his "The nine English provinces the Yes side is accept any more Constitutional offers Buck Stops Here" speech already continued on page 76 58 Liberty Rethink

Libertarianism, Christianity, and Other Religions by Jan Narveson

In the July issue, Doug Sandow labored mightily to show that Christianity is compatible with liberty. Unfortunately, Jan Narveson argues, he got it totally wrong.

Doug Bandow's article on "Libertarians and Christians in a Hostile World" calls for some comment. In particular, there is an important misconception at the outset, correction of which may make some difference to his libcumenical views; and from the Christian side, there are also a couple of problems. First off: To say that libertarianism is "merely a political philosophy re­ ploy, what ends to try to bring about the view is simply untenable. It cannot garding the relationship of man and by them, and of course more generally be too strongly emphasized that the state" is not true, or at any rate ex­ what we will do, and how we will feel untenability is a logical matter, not a tremely misleading. This is not just be­ about this and that, all of which might religious or a moral one. cause states, after all, are composed of also be said to belong to morals in a Philosophers have gone around men, but more importantly because more general sense. And the libertari­ about the foundations of morals at there can be no coherent political phi­ an view certainly leaves it up to you great length - and rightly so - but losophy that is not also a moral philos­ which other moral beliefs you will virtually all contemporary ones appre­ ophy. The belief that the exercise of have, of course; what defines a moral ciate the difficulty I have in mind. (It's State power is typically wrong is view as libertarian is its special con­ not basically new, going back to founded on the belief that the exercise cern about what justifies and what Plato's Euthyphro.) The problem can be of power (that is, coercive power) ex­ doesn't justify the use of force. briefly summarized as follows. If we cept in defense of persons and proper­ Most religious people believe that (Christian, Muslim, Hindu, or atheist, ty, is ,wrong. It would be crazy to there is a being, "God," who wields an it doesn't matter) ask, "Well, why think that it is morally wrong for gov­ infinite amount of force, and this should we accept that x is wrong on ernments to force people to surrender brings up special, interesting questions the strength only of the fact that God their property, yet not wrong for pri­ about not only the general relation of says so?" we are faced with two op­ vate criminals to do so. "Wrong" in morals to religion, but quite specifical­ tions. On option one, which we may these last sentences means wrong ­ ly about religion and the use of force. call roughly the "Nazi" option, we are not, for instance, "politically inept" or Christians have characteristically be­ to obey God simply because God is a "illegal" (it may be neither, in a given lieved not only that certain sorts of terribly powerful being. The religious case). things are right and wrong, but also person needs to ask why this would To be sure, beliefs about the that the reason why they are right or be a good answer - especially since wrongness of exercising coercive wrong is that an almighty Creator has few religious persons are ready to con­ power are not the only moral beliefs decreed them. This last is a philosophi­ cede that might makes right. There has to have. For in addition to what we cal belief, one of enormous influence, to be something more to it than that! may use force or fraud to bring about, and every thoughtful person of what­ The other option is that we should there is how we should use whatever ever religious persuasion needs to be obey God because God is, after all, a other influences we may be able to de- aware of the powerful arguments that morally good, indeed perfect, being. Liberty 59 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

This, I think, is clearly the right option Any view that proposed "eternal" pun­ claim about religious morality is dis­ and the only one that really makes any ishments for anything is going to have putable in essentially the same way sense. On all the important views (as I a hard time with that one. (Humans, and for the same reasons as are claims like to call them) about god (e.g. after all, are finite; no matter how about secular morality: it is because at Jewish, Christian and Muslim), it is ab­ much evil they do, it is necessarily fi­ root they are about the same subject. To solutely central to the whole idea that nite. An infinite penalty of any kind try to fall back on a "religious argu­ there be just one god, and that this one could not possibly be right on any rea­ ment" is simply to stop arguing; it is god be both all-powerful and good. An sonable standard of just punishment.) not to produce another and terrifically all-powerful maniac, sadist, or whimsi­ Notice, too, that to say that something good argument, for whatever it is the cal tyrant just isn't on. (I discuss only is wrong because it is proscribed would religious person is trying to propose. be to succumb to the problem noted Is there any reason to think that above; it would be to buy the Nazi Cod would be against homosexuality Is there any reason to think view. (The statist analogue is someone or abortion, or any of the other things who says that we have a moral duty to which Christians Widely suppose he that God would be against ho­ obey the law no matter what it is or (or she ...) is against? There has been a mosexuality or abortion, or any how outrageous the government.) "natural law" school of ethics that of the other things which Now one of the things that means is thinks so, and thinks it can back this Christians widely suppose he that somebody who says, "Well, ac­ up with nontheological arguments. But cording to my religion, such-and-such this idea is also hopeless. The view that (or she . ..) is against? is wrong," not only can be but must be nature doesn't approve of our doing asked, "Well, how do you know?" The this or that is, taken in itself, meaning­ respondent will almost always proceed less: nature just isn't the sort of thing that can approve or disapprove of any­ the "high-brow" religions, the religions by citing some allegedly sacred text. But the word "allegedly" is used advis­ thing. Those who think that there is a of the thoughtful; nobody, so far as I "natural basis" for a given moral rule know, defends the "gods" of the edly (and not pejoratively) here. Some people wrote that book, and they wrote need to be quite a bit more specific. Mayans or for that matter the Creeks.) And often what they have turned out The trouble is, though, that as soon what they supposed Cod would think as you say that Cod is good, you have about this or that - but how could we the problem that unless "good" has know they got it right? True, religions often put out the impression that the some independent meaning, then you Small wonder that there don't know what you're saying about prophets, etc., had a direct phone line the thing you call god. Which is pretty to the Deity, but it does not, I think, were such things as the serious, since the main point of relig­ take a great deal of perception to see Inquisition and the Thirty ion, for almost anybody, is to provide a that that is really nonsense. (It is, how­ Years' War. If the eternal wel- guide of life, a moral focus for life. But ever, a story that is exceedingly useful to then, it turns out that religion cannot the priesthood, the Administration, as fare or punishment of your autonomously do that. A moral view we may call it, of the religion in ques­ soul is at stake, then how could has to make sense on its own before it tion. Religions are supposed to be anything we can imagine on can make sense to suppose that an infi­ about the relations of people to their nitely wise being would go for it. god, but inevitably it is about the rela­ this earth not be justified as a Religion, therefore, has to be derivative tions of people to a small number of means to securing it? from morality, not vice versa. A relig­ people's views about god, and those ion incorporates some views about mo­ people have extraordinary influence rals; it does not support those views. over the "flock" who cleave to their The religious person characteristi­ doctrines.) to mean (see the work of Aquinas, for cally also supposes that his god admin­ They also tend to make it quite example) is that Cod meant the fact isters morality somehow, usually by clear that the question is not welcome, that there is this or that natural feature some sort of enforcement (fundamental­ and anyone who raises it is automati­ or set of features of us, and or things ists hold that it is done by eternal bliss cally one of the bad guys and so forth. we are related to, which imply that cer­ or punishment - nothing in between, That, of course, is a self-serving move tain things are right or wrong. It is pro­ for some reason - and I am unclear on the part of the priesthood. But the posed that Cod supplied his creatures what modern theologians think on idea that we can't question Cod's mo­ with penises in order to procreate, and these matters). How this is to work is tives because it's sacrilege to do so is not, say, for sexual pleasure - espe­ unclear, but we may note that the fun­ not only deeply question-begging but, cially if the pleasure be derived from damentalist conception appears to when you think of it, insulting, both to any other source than sexual inter­ make Cod a Singularly inept justice you and to the supposed deity. course with a duly legally acquired who has, for instance, no use whatever I mention this logical point about spouse. But how does whoever think for any principle that a punishment the relation of religion to morality be­ they know that? After all, penises can should be proportionate to the crime. cause of the need to point out that any supply sexual pleasure in other ways: 60 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

that's the way they're built. So God doesn't mean that we get to do any­ they don't have, defy this principle, might have intended them for both, in thing necessary to make them do it. Of and are asking for (and, of course, get­ principle. Or neither, for that matter. course, what is necessary (or sufficient) ting) trouble. Who knows? The only intelligible way is another matter, and the Christian Can a person be both a Christian to proceed is to try to figure out wheth­ can try Wiggling out of responsibility and a libertarian? Well, sure - provid­ er there is any inherent objection to for the Inquisition by invoking some ed that he thinks that Cod is also a li­ using penises for one purpose rather such doctrine as that fire and the bertarian, and so either renounces or than another, given the interests, that fiddles with certain familiar Christian is, the values, of the possessors and doctrines, and modifies the rest so that those they relate to. No independent ap­ the overwhelmingly paternalistic and, peal to the supposed preferences of the Religion has to be derivative indeed, totalitarian implications of Deity makes any sense at all here. from morality, not vice versa. Christianity as it is often understood Which takes liS back to the moral by professed adherents, are side­ significance of libertarianism. What­ A religion incorporates some tracked. But the same goes for every ever you may think on the first point views about morals; it does not other religion, of course. - that is, whatever values you ulti­ support those views. Meanwhile, there is only one prop­ mately subscribe to regarding this and er basis for rules about how people are any number of other matters - liber­ to relate to each other, and that is the tarianism says that you may not use interests of humans themselves. Some those values as a basis for forcing oth­ sword only touch the body and belief of those humans claim to have an inter­ ers to go along. The separation of is a matter of the soul, and so on. est in God, on the side; others of us are church and State in this sense is, in the (Maybe so, but it sure looks as though puzzled as to what this supposed inter­ liberal view, absolute. things you can do to the body can be est is, considering the baffling nature There is a familiar problem with pretty efficacious in affecting people's of what are said to be religious "be­ most religions, including Christianity, beliefsf) liefs." (Normally beliefs are amenable in regard to such points. Christianity is This last thought, though, or some­ to at least some kind of evidence, but normally interpreted as requiring peo­ thing like it, can be invoked by all par­ in the case of religious hypotheses, evi­ ple to believe certain things, on pain of ties in moral controversies, to dence is essentially not in the picture at damnation - which was formerly important effect. We can suggest that a all, except for confused beginners who thought of as a pretty severe penalty, morality, which is a set of rules or re­ don't realize what they're getting into.) when you get right down to it. Clearly quirements for all to follow (in the But whatever we may do about if God were serious about that, then community whose morality it is to be), that, the basis for the rules that you and He would be violating a fundamental needs to be reasonable. In order to be I should accept for adjusting our mutu­ tenet of libertarianism in the most that, it has to be something that is al relations cannot be your beliefs or wholesale way one can readily ima­ guided by reason, and the only reason my beliefs, but rather our respective in­ gine. We may certainly punish men for there is is the reason of you and I and terests and natures, as reasonable be­ their actions, but punishing them for every other human individual. Each of ings with interests to pursue and lives their beliefs, just as such, is clearly un­ us needs to have reasons for support­ to live. And above all, of course, that acceptable to anyone with any interest ing a given rule, if it is to be a reason­ basis cannot lie in beliefs that make no in liberty. In addition, religions claim able moral rule. Of course it is public sense and are not amenable to that their beliefs are of ultimate, tran­ reasonable to support it, given that public evidence or reason - as no re­ scendental importance to the individu­ everyone else does so too - that's ligion can be. al, and that nothing could conceivably what makes it all interesting (and im­ Clarity about those points would matter as much as the eternal welfare portant). In regard to religious belief, greatly aid our pursuit of the proper of his soul. This lends powerful sup­ for example, the only rule that we can course for us to follow in all sorts of port to the use of any methods availa­ all adhere to in a human community is important domains, as well as the re­ ble for converting sinners and other that of religious freedom: each person ligious one. 0 deviants from the True Path. to decide in his own soul Small wonder that there were such what he's going to be- things as the Inquisition and the Thirty lieve, if anything, on such Years' War. For after all, if the eternal matters, and nobody's welfare or punishment of your soul is permitted to try to con­ .---' at stake, then how could anything we vert anyone by force. can imagine on this earth not be justi­ Those who instead insist fied as a means to securing it? For on fomenting religious Christians, the fundamental command­ wars or lobbying for re­ ment is Love Ye One Another, and the ligiously-slanted laws, status of that as a commandment is pret­ forcing others to act as if ty difficult to make sense of if it they had beliefs which Liberty 61 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992 Dispute Did Rand Stack the Ethical Deck?

In our July issue, David Kelley criticized a recent reformulation of Ayn Rand's moral theory for stacking the deck in favor of its authors' objec­ tives. Gregory Johnson turns the same criticism against both Rand and Kelley.

Now this is a stunning claim, for it survival - the stark choice of life or When Fuzziness Pays in effect consigns Virtually all decisions death - either. By Kelley's standards, about what is right, good and virtuous then, they are arbitrary. But this con­ aeritique by to the arbitrary. I think that Rand's su­ demns the vast majority of important human questions to the arbitrary. H Gregory R. Johnson preme values (reason, purpose, and self-esteem) and their correlative vir­ ethics is to be an art of liVing, however, tues (rationality, productiveness, and then it should do more than simply I wish to protest four points made by pride) are objective requirements of hu­ counsel "Whatever you arbitrarily David Kelley in his review of Douglas man survival. (At this level of abstrac­ Rasmussen and Douglas Den Uyl's Lib­ tion, hardly anyone, not even St. erty and Nature ("Post-Randian Aristote­ Augustine, would deny that.) But lianism," July 1992). Rand's values are extremely abstract I think that Rand's supreme First, Kelley argues that Rasmussen and her virtues are adverbial; they coun­ values (reason, purpose, and and Den Uyl's concept of the standard sel us to act rationally, productively, self-esteem) and their correla­ of moral value, human "flourishing" ­ and with moral ambition, but they do tive virtues (rationality, pro­ as opposed to "mere" survival or "self­ not counsel any particular actions. preservation" - departs from Rand's Granted, it is clear that there are ductiveness, and pride) are position. Rand, however, clearly states some actions and values that cannot be objective requirements of hu­ in "The Objectivist Ethics" that "man's undertaken with rationality, produc­ man survival. At this level of survival qua man" does not mean "mere­ tiveness, and moral ambition - run­ ly physical survival" or "survival at any ning around vandalizing other people's abstraction, hardly anyone, price" (The Virtue of Selfishness, paper­ property, for instance - so Rand's eth­ not even St. Augustine, would back ed., p. 24). Whatever the shortcom­ ics does exclude many possible values deny that these virtues are re­ ings of their position, then, it is not clear and actions. But this still leaves a wide that on this point it departs from Rand. range of options for what to do with quired for survival. Second, Kelley goes on to argue that one's life. Should one become a folk­ Rasmussen and Den Uyl "pack all the singer, a magazine editor, a pop psy­ cardinal values and virtues into the fun­ chologist, or what? Should one join the choose to do with your life, do it damental end [human flourishing]" counter-culture or become a' good-ol'­ rationally." which avoids "the need of proving that boy? Should one spend one's time lis­ Rasmussen and Den Uyl have, I they are necessary means to the end [sur­ tening to Elvis or Beethoven? Is it really think, a much more classical and inclu­ vival]." Kelley also admits that Objecti­ an arbitrary matter that one chooses sive conception of ethics. They seem to vists have not fully carried out this marriage and family over the single hold that ethics can recommend more process of connecting up values and vir­ life, monogamy over promiscuity? Are features of a well-rounded existence ­ tues to the requirements of survival, but there some ways of life that are better once we abandon Rand's and Kelley's that "it is an inescapable task, for only or worse, nobler or less-noble, than overly stringent and narrowing con­ the alternative of existence or non-existence others? ception of moral justification. In short, can sustain a nonarbitrary normative judge­ These choices are not merely mat­ they trade some justificatory fuzziness ment that something is good, right, or virtu­ ters of "taste." Yet they cannot be de­ for more substantive moral content. ous" (emphasis added). cided by reference to bare human Bravo! 62 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

Third, Kelley claims that Rasmus­ chan, however, has convinced me that survival, we must act to satisfy the psy­ sen and Den Uyl's derivation of indi­ this criticism is unfair. Academic books chological needs that arise from the na­ vidual rights is defective. Kelley thinks go through several stages of writing, re­ ture of reason, including needs for self­ that Rasmussen and Den Uyl succeed fereeing, editing, and rewriting. Often esteem, aesthetic enjoyment, and in showing that the protection of indi­ one of the conditions for final publica­ friendship. vidual rights is necessary for human tion is to deal with the comments and "Man's life qua man" is therefore flourishing; negative liberty is neces­ objections of reviewers, which usually the only standard that will promote sary for man qua man. Kelley, however, means dealing with other thinkers. (Per­ believes that this is not sufficient, for haps Kelley has not run into this prob- "it doesn't show why we should re­ lem.) The real question, then, should be, spect the rights of others. Even if I un­ "Are the polemics judicious andillumi­ Morality tells me to rely on derstand that your freedom is good for nating?" In my view, they are. reason, to hold my own life as a you ... I don't yet have a reason for re­ I should mention that these are not garding your freedom as good for me." the remarks of a fervent adherent of Ras­ sacred value, and to seek orga­ I call this the, "Yes, but what's in it mussen and Den Uyl's argument. Al­ nizing purposes in my life. for me?" argument. It has been floating though this is not the place to argue the These principles rule out a around Objectivist circles for years, point, I believe that Rand's argument for great many ways of living ­ and frankly I was shocked to discover a free society fails. Though I believe that that Kelley subscribes to it. The basic Rasmussen and Den Uyl considerably including, I must add, the self­ argument is, "Yes, x is a fact of reality. improve Rand's case, I still have reserva­ abnegating life offaith that St. But why should I be concerned with it? tions about whether they can reconcile Augustine demanded. What's in it [reality] for me?" From an Aristotelian ethical naturalism with the Objectivist, this argument is shocking, absolute conception of autonomy that • _ given the central importance that Rand undergirds their commitment to libertar- gives to reason, i.e., the recognition of ianism. My point here is simply that, survival over the course of a lifetin1e. the facts of reality in both thought and whatever its faults, Rasmussen and Den As Roger Donway has put it, it tak~:::; a deed. If reason is man's means of survi­ Uyl's argument is a lot better than David julllife to ensure mere life. There is thus val, then there need be no further rea­ Kelley claims it is. 0 no dichotomy between these two stan­ son for us to recognize and act upon dards, as Gregory Johnson implies, or the facts of reality over and above the any need to introduce a new standard facts ofreality themselves. (Tibor Machan How Principles Work over and above survival - a standard debates this very point with Eyal Moz­ of flourishing, self-realization, well­ es in much greater detail in an impor­ author's reply by being, or whatever. But if one does in­ tant exchange in the latest issue of troduce such a standard, and does not Reason Papers.) David Kelley explain how it relates to survival, then Finally, Kelley takes Rasmussen he has the philosophical obligation to and Den Uyl to task for spending too Ayn Rand held that values derive from explain what other fact gives rise to it. much time discussing the views of oth- the conditional nature of life, the fact In the absence of such an explanation, that every organism must maintain its we have a free-floating, ungrounded, existence through goal-directed action. non-objective standard - Le., no stan­ If this is the link between fact and value, dard at all. Ifethics is to be an art ofliv­ "is" and"ought," then the clear implica­ Johnson is also concerned that the ing, then it should do more tion is that every value, every standard, broad principles of the Objectivist eth­ than simply counsel "Whatev­ every virtue, every normative judgment ics will not yield specific advice about whatever must be established by show­ choosing professions, friends, lifestyle, er you arbitrarily choose to do ing its relationship to the fundamental etc. But this is a different issue. Moral with your life, do it ration­ alternative of existence or non-existence. standards are concerned with the needs ally." Rand goes on to argue that the moral and capacities of man as such, the standard for human beings is not "a mo­ things that are common to all humans. mentary or merely physical survival." Morality tells me to rely on reason, to Since we are conceptual beings, we must hold my own life as a sacred value, and er thinkers and relating their argu­ guide our actions by principles that iden­ to seek organizing purposes in my life. ments to them. This, Kelley argues, tify our needs and the actions necessary These principles rule out a great many works to the detriment of the presenta­ to satisfy them. Since we can project the ways of liVing (including, I must add, tion of a systematic case for their the­ future, we must choose our actions in the self-abnegating life of faith that St. sis. This is a point that I made in my light of an entire lifespan, not just our Augustine demanded). But of course review of Tibor Machan's Individuals survival in the next moment. Since we the principles, as abstractions, also al­ and their Rights in Liberty (liOn the are not merely physical beings, and low for many possibilities. How do I Rights Track," September 1990). Ma- since reason is our primary means of continued on page 76 Liberty 63 Hill Rat: Blowing the Lid OffCongress, aid - in Oliver North's contra resup­ byJohn L. Jackley. Regnery Gateway, 1992. $21.95. ply network. The villains in the story are Democrats, yes, but they're villain­ ous for reasons that might not strike conservatives as all that evil. 50 Jackley doesn't mention them, and appears to be in full agreement with Pat Robert­ son's agenda; on camera, their only dis­ Election Year Expose pute is over the author's frequent use of profane words. I don't blame Jackley for knowing his audience and being a good sales­ man. I do think it funny, though, that character who would be all things to all he is campaigning for this book the Jesse Walker people, and spent their time keeping same way he campaigned for his for­ that fictitious beast, played in public by mer boss. In effect, he is letting his The bipartisan consensus has finally Representative Ron Coleman, in office book be used in a battle between politi­ shattered. Our Republican president and in piles of dough. I do not exagger­ cal powers on the assumption that it blames Congress for the nation's prob­ ate. According to Jackley, Rep. Cole­ will ride one side's coat-tails to success lems; the Democrats of Congress blame man rarely showed up at the office, had - something that Coleman did all the the president. The boogeyman of 1992 virtually all of his public statements time. He probably doesn't know that has become divided government; each crafted for him by his staff, and let he's doing this. I think he's just follow­ party assures us that if only it con­ wealthy special interests replace his ing old habits - let's see, I've got some- trolled both White House and legisla­ conscience. In one of my favorite ture, peace, prosperity, and tax relief scenes, Coleman is interviewed about would be just around the corner. the Clean Air Act by USA Today. So Both campaigns, then, have two Jackley, the man responsible for Cole­ Rep. Ron Coleman rarely tasks - one easy, one hard. The easy man's official position, hastily scrawls showed up at the office, had part is convincing us that the other side answers for the congressman as the lat­ virtually all ofhis public state­ is incompetent and corrupt. The hard ter - completely unfamiliar with "his" part is convincing us that they them­ "own" position - fumbles his way ments crafted for him by his selves are not. Inevitably, the spectre of through the conversation. /IRon Cole­ staff, and let wealthy special hypocrisy has emerged. The same peo­ man" is no more a real statesman than interests replace his con­ ple who defended John 5ununu to their "Milli Vanilli" is a real pop group. He last breath are suddenly assaulting is an information-age simulacrum. SCIence. Congress for its tax-funded perks. The Though it deserves to be judged on same people who hiked taxes, pro­ its own merits - which are many ­ duced the biggest deficits in history, and not on its utility as a political tool, thing to sell to the public, how do I do this? and multiplied labyrinthine regulations it would be dishonest for me to review - without noticing what a familiar as soon as. they got into the White it without noting the context of its re­ trail he's on. House are now attacking Congress for lease. Jackley, by all appearances a lib­ At any rate, this is a good book. The taxing, spending, and regulating. And eral, has had no difficulty appearing on opening chapters include an unfortu­ the folks who denounced the kiss-and­ such venues as Pat Robertson's The 7m nate level of hubris and cliche, but once tell genre all the way through the Rea­ Club to push his book, and apparentl.l our author gets down to telling us what gan years have suddenly started push­ has had no qualms about tailoring his happened on Capitol Hill in the 1980s, ing a whole new set of kiss-and-tell message to that audience. When he the book becomes a smooth and eye­ books themselves, with Congress as the talks to that crowd, he doesn't bother to opening account of power and deceit in target. mention, for example, his chapters Washington, D.C. Hill Rat gives us all John Jackley's Hill Rat is one such about the collusion of Congressional the gory details of taxpayer-subsidized book. It chronicles how Jackley and Democrats - including many who pre­ reelection campaigns, porkbarrel privi­ other congressional aides created a tended to lead the fight against contra lege, the power of moneyed interests, 64 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992 the extent of Congressional perks, and I recommend this book, but have no sociation [whose members profited by the utter refusal - nay, institutional­ illusions about it. Jackley bends over the combination of drug prohibition ized inability - of the American legisla­ backwards to avoid ideological state­ and prescription law], and influential ture to deal with the problems of the ments; Hill Rat can be read by liberals, physicians" (52). In support of his he­ nation. The book is well-written, too; conservatives, moderates, libertarians, retical position, Szasz quotes a member once we get past the embarrassing in­ and commununists without offending a of the Committee on Narcotic Drugs of troduction ("But we all reach our soul. But it is clearly being used by one the American Medical Association in crossroads in life, and with me it really faction for its own purposes, with Jack­ 1921 as rejecting "the shallow pretense did come down to the children" ­ ley's de facto consent. So I join with that drug addiction is a 'disease,' ... [a ack!), we find a well-crafted tale of the that group, the Republican Party, in de­ falsehood that] has been asserted and corrupt and ever-more surreal pro­ nouncing the Democratic Congress. But urged in volumes of 'literature' by self­ ceedings that constitute the legislative let's not forget the evils of our Republi­ styled 'specialists'" (122). In 1990 a process. can executive, either. 0 Yale professor of psychiatry wrote: "Medically, abuse is often defined as nonmedical use" (139). Our Right to Drugs: The Case for a Free Market, Having exposed the bad founda­ by Thomas Szasz. Praeger Publishers, 1992, xvii + 199pp., $19.95. tion of the Drug War, Szasz mixes the concrete for his own foundation. The Drug War, besides being a boon to doctors, is an atavistic ritual relying on scapegoating to bring the commu­ nity together. "[A]s a propaganda tool, dangerous drugs are therapeutic Tinkerers Be Damned? for the body politic of the nation, welding our heterogeneous society to­ gether into one country and one peo­ ple, engaged in an uplifting, self­ medicalizing deviant behavior - often purifying, moral crusade" (115). Szasz Daniel Klein with drugs and without consent - not shows the taboo against publicly ad­ as a benevolent and compassionate sys­ mitting to drug use of any kind, even Sometimes what we believe is tem, but as a reprehensible sham with­ aspirin or alcohol, and the taboo based on such a bad foundation that its out any solid scientific basis. linguistic superstructure suffers from Now 5zasz challenges the semantic unstable posts, uneven panels and edifice standing at Drug War Place. crooked crossbeams. We must decide Our Right to Drugs has little of the fa­ Szasz's thesis strikes John whether to renovate the building, like a miliar arguments about drug prohibi­ Doe as audacious because after carpenter, or to plan an entirely new tion leading to increased street crime, Unearly a century of medical­ edifice, like an architect. youth gang influence, unsafe drugs, po­ This choice is between playing the lice corruption, congested courts, and statist infantilization and ty­ bargainer and playing the challenger. overcrowded jails. Szasz challenges rannization, our language in The bargainer wears a friendly face drug prohibition itself as a selfish and reference to drugs reflects our and works within the official communi­ disgusting indecency perpetrated ty, tinkering where he can. The chal­ against the American people by politi­ drug control history." lenger names his enemy and lets the cians and other meddlers. wrecking ball swing. Often, however, His attack goes to the core of con­ the challenger never gets a permit to ventional thinking, challenging "the be­ against reasoned discussion of current work his changes. The ball misses wild­ lief that our drug regulations rest on a policy. The Reagans' II moronic anti­ ly and his new edifice exists only in ab­ rational, scientific basis" (p. 82). He ob­ drug slogan" - IIJust say no to drugs" stract design. Challengers - like serves that in 1906, "although virtually - Szasz describes as a IIritual incan­ Copernicus, Darwin, Spencer, Marx, all of the drugs of which we are now tation" (77). Spooner, Einstein and Mises - usually deathly afraid were freely available, Szasz's redescription covers virtual­ have to hope to influence future gener­ there was nothing even remotely re­ ly every aspect of the drug issue. Recre­ ations of carpenters. sembling a 'drug problemlll (34). Szasz ational drug use he benignly calls Thomas Szasz is one such challeng­ details the gradual undoing of the "pharmacological self-pleasuring," and er. He has spent much of his life strug­ once-free market in drugs, and shows buying treatment for ailment without gling to wrest the hammer of language that the process was hardly founded on consulting a doctor is simply "self­ from the established authorities in his scientific bedrock. "Support for federal medicating." The drug warrior uses the field, psychiatry. In over a dozen books drug controls came mainly from wom­ terms "drug trafficker," "pusher," "ad­ he has fought to describe the system of en's groups, the American Medical As- , dict," and IIdrug abuser," and these Liberty 65 November 1992

terms are applied even to the most re­ moral consequences it is prodUcing; he UPfrom UBERTARIANISM sponsible individuals, who happen to details the subtle historical transforma­ 4th Edition by D.G. Lesvic be breaking the law. "Drug education," tion of drug use from something pro­ ...from statism's first line of defense against new ideas, the intellectual closed shop of says Szasz, "is the name we give to the tected by constitutional interpretation libertarianism, the contradictions and confusions of its Old Guard, Rothbard state-sponsored effort to inflame peo­ to target of government war; he notes repudiating "tax illusion" and then using it, ple's hatred and intolerance of other the shared prohibitionism of the Left White repudiating "mutual determination" and then using it, the confusion of money people's drug habits, which is as inde­ and the Right; he devotes a chapter to prices with real costs, price determined with cent as it would be to inflame people's price determining demand, MPP with MRP, the racial aspects of drug prohibition anything to deny new ideas in Austrian hatred and intolerance of other peo­ (e.g., drug enforcers are far more likely Economics and liberation from the "official" monopoly of it... ple's religious habits and call it 'relig­ to accost blacks than whites); he sug­ $5.00 ppd ($7 overseas) ious education'" (90). Szasz remarks gests a connection between drug prohi­ The Political Economy Oub of Los Angeles that "civil court proceedings" for drug bition and the personal dread of the users is "a euphemism for psychiatric availability of an easy and pleasurable incarceration" (104). Szasz's redescrip­ way to commit suicide; he remarks on ...... tion strikes John Doe as audacious be­ the link between drug prohibition, pre­ ------The Liberty Poll cause after "nearly a century of scription laws, and the doctor racket; medical-statist infantilization and ty­ What Libertarians Think and he discusses how pain killers are rannization, our language in reference tragically underused because doctors The first detailed study of what libertari­ to drugs reflects our drug control fear drug enforcers. ans think about life, government, God, sex, (97). heroes ... and how they would deal with history" Sometimes Szasz strikes me as too some serious moral problems. Now com­ But Szasz's most central redescrip­ strident and even intemperate. But plete with data from the original poll to Lib­ tion is that drug use, rather than being Szasz the extremist draws the design erty subscribers and the poll of Libertarian an immoral act, is a moral right. He in­ that others subconsciously work by, Party members. vokes Locke, Jefferson and others on $4.00 each, ppd.; and nurtures the seed of passion to $3.00 each for 5 or more copies. the matter of life, liberty and property, stick to the task. and says that laissez faire in drug trade And then there is the question of the AynRandand lies squarely within such "inalienable beauty of the design itself, and the en­ rights" (2). I don't see how such funda­ nobling effect it has on those who see it, Her Movement mentalist libertarian declarations add even if it never finds worldly form. In In an exclusive interview, Bamara Bran­ much to his more earthly arguments den reveals intimate details of life inside and eloquent expressions of honest Rand's circle. The fascinating topics in­ contempt. Szasz cites Jefferson to better clude the weird psychological manipula­ tions within the group, the expulsion of effect in reproducing his statement: According to Szasz, drug members in kangaroo courts, the glaring er­ "Were I to commence my administra­ rors in Nathaniel Branden's memoir about tion again, the first question I would "legalizers," who compromise his affair with Rand, and Rand's fight in a ask respecting a candidate would be, when advocating a relenting of posh Manhattan restaurant with Alan Greenspan. 'Does he use ardent spirits?'" Szasz re­ the Drug War, "are in fact This account, expanded from its original marks (85): "More afraid of the teetotal­ printing in the January 1990 Liberty, in­ er than the alcoholic, Jefferson - a lnedicalizers and thus, de facto, cludes information that cannot be found in connoisseur of wine - suggested this paternalistic prohibitionists." any other source. And it is available only 40 from Liberty Publishing. drug test to avoid the threat posed by $4.00 each, ppd. the moral meddler." Szasz's redescription project gets a Liberty Publishing his exquisite little book on his hero Karl PO Box 1167 bit out of hand when he turns his ham­ Port Townsend, WA 98368 Kraus, Szasz explains: L ..1 mer on fellow liberalizers. Drug "legal­ izers," who compromise when Because his task is to bring men to advocating a relenting of the Drug themselves, not to him, the noble rhetorician ought not to be judged War, "are in fact medicalizers and by his manifest effect on others at thus, de facto, paternalistic prohibition­ all. Rather, he ought to be judged Learn at Liberty ists" (99). He attacks Milton Friedman by the clarity and steadfastness with Liberty offers full-time internships as a pussyfooter, although the dust­ which he proclaims his counsel. to students of all majors interested in jacket bears a warm endorsement by Should not a single person heed his journalism, writing, political philoso­ Friedman. Szasz has plainly forgotten advice, the noble rhetorician would phy or public policy. Positions are the crucial role played by the bar­ still have to be judged successful in available at all times of the year. gainer. proportion as he succeeds in per­ For further information, write to: Szasz offers novel insights that I can fecting his own soul by perfecting Liberty only mention. Throughout the book he his own language.' So judged, POBox 1167 explores the moral basis from which Kraus's success is as imposing as Port Townsend, WA 98368. drug prohibition has grown, and the that of his adversaries whom he so Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

"unsuccessfully" opposed. For, in tank society. (Karl Kraus and the gin, polemical contexts in which differ­ the final analysis, what Karl Kraus Soul Doctors, p. 57) ent liberals formulated their ideas, pos­ sought was to purify himself by But for the fact that Szasz is still itive versus negative liberty, and the purifying his own language. He very much alive, more appropriate balance struck between individualism achieved his goal. He died a se­ words could not have been written for and egalitarianism. Chapter Two traces mantic saint in a semantically sa- Szasz himself. 0 the roots of liberalism from the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance to the Enlightenment. Chapter Three sur­ Liberalism Old and New, by J.G. Merquior. veys the classical liberalism of Locke, Twayne, 1991, xiv + 182pp, $24.95 hb., $11.95 pb. Constant, De Tocqueville, and Mill, characterized by constitutional govern­ ment, economic freedom, and individ­ ualism. Chapter Four covers "Conservative Liberalisms," by which Merquior means self-consciously elit­ ist, anti-democratic, and anti­ New Liberalisms for Old? egalitarian strains of liberalism, from Edmund Burke and Herbert Spencer to Max Weber, Benedetto Croce, and Jose Ortega y Casset. Finally, the fifth chap­ ter deals with the two leading schools between the lines of his other books, of twentieth century liberalism: left lib­ Gregory R. Johnson particularly Rousseau and Weber: Two eralism - characterized by the rise of Studies in the Theory of Legitittzacy and bureaucracy, the welfare state, eco­ Jose Guilherme Merquior (1941­ Western Marxism. 2 nomic interventionism, and the pursuit 1991) was a Brazilian diplomat, an in­ Given these high expectations, Liber­ of equality of opportunity and out­ come over individual liberty - and li­ tellectual historian, and a prolific writ­ alism Old and New is a disappointment. bertarianism, which represents a er. His twenty books and dozens of It is a slender volume, the text compris­ reappropriation of classical liberal in­ essays, articles, and reviews cover top­ ing barely 150 pages. Long on exegesis sights in the light of advances of eco­ ics ranging from Brazilian literature to and thin on argument, analysis, and nomic theory and the political French poststructuralism, from the so­ criticism, it is written on a fairly elemen­ experiences of the twentieth century. ciology of modernization to Western tary level for the series Twayne's Stud­ Merquior's account is also remarka­ Marxism. ies in Intellectual and Cultural History. ble for its cosmopolitan breadth. He Merquior's writings are unified and The book is intended as an introductory treats not only the standard French, animated, however, by a single project: level synoptic overview of liberalism, a English, and Scottish thinkers, but also the passionate defense of modernity sort of map and compass for orienting and liberalism. Merquior was a radical Russian liberals such as Alexander more in-depth reading and thinking. Herzen; Italian liberals such as Giu­ individualist, a liberal in the classical Read with these more modest expec­ seppe Mazzini, Benedetto Croce, and tradition. He was also one of the few tations in mind, however, Liberalism Old Norberto Bobbio; Latin liberals such as classical liberal thinkers to confront the and New must be judged a success, one Domingos Sarmiento, Juan Bautista AI­ challenges posed by Western Marxists with many virtues. Outstanding among berdi, and Jose Ortega y Gasset; little­ such as Georg Lukacs, Theodor Ador­ these is its historical rather than ideo­ known French liberals from Charles de no, Herbert Marcuse, and Jiirgen Ha­ logical approach. Instead of treating lib­ Remusat to Ernest Renan; and libertari­ bermas, and French post-structuralist eralism as a set of decontextualized ans such as Mises, Hayek, and Nozick. thinkers such as Jacques Derrida and doctrines, Merquior treats it as a com­ Yet another virtue is Merquior's in­ Michel Foucault.! Although Merquior's plex historical and social phenomenon, clusion of specifically sociological ap­ critiques are sometimes excessively po­ one which arose in various European proaches to liberalism, as opposed to lemical and off-target, he still deserves nations in response to concrete social the more common philosophical and credit for going where few dassicallib­ and political problems and which bears economic arguments. Thinkers falling erals have gone before. to this day traces of both its national ori­ under this rubric include Max Weber, Liberalism Old and New is Merqui­ gins and the conflicting values of its Raymond Aron, and Ralf Dahrendorf. or's last book, his literary epitaph, com­ originators. Although Liberalism Old and New is pleted shortly before his untimely Chapter One briefly defines the con­ thin on argument, it still advances a death in January of 1991. I had been led cepts and concerns that unite liberals: definite conclusion, one that unfortu­ to expect Liberalism Old and New to be a liberty, freedom, the relationship of in­ nately amounts to an apology for the major work, a positive theoretical state­ dividuals and the state. Merquior also contemporary welfare state and mixed ment and defense of the political phi­ describes the dimensions along which economy. Merquior asserts that "our losophy that Merquior only intimated forms of liberalism vary: national ori- society remains characterized by a con- Liberty 67 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

tinuous though changing dialectic pe­ interventionism and the welfare state. in short, an excellent example of what tween the growth of freedom [Le., indi­ Because Merquior simply took these Hayek called a "constructivist rational­ vidualism, negative liberty] and the contradictory preferences as given, he ist." Merquior's constructivism is sur­ thrust toward greater equality [i.e., believed that the market must be sup­ prising in light of his familiarity with egalitarianism, positive liberty] - and plemented by social democracy, and respect for Hayek's work, which liberty seems to come out of it en­ bureaucracy, and even the democrat­ argues that our power to understand hanced rather than weakened" (151). In ization of the workplace in order to de­ short, Merquior sees liberty as consist­ liver the goods. ing of both positive and negative liber­ How, though, are these conflicting ty, egalitarianism and individualism, aims to be balanced? How are the Even if our modern states interventionism and the free market. goods to be delivered? I believe that were to be staffed by level­ Although each member of these Merquior's answer is revealed in his pairs exists in tension with its opposite, book on Rousseau and Weber. Part of headed, well-intentioned tech­ in his account one should not seek to Merquior's critique of Weber's theory nocrats like Merquior himself, resolve that tension in favor of one side of legitimacy is a long discussion of a they still could not overcome or the other. For instance, one should type of regime neglected by Weber: not attempt, as libertarians propose, to charismatic bureaucracy, a form of the systematic, unintended institutionalize negative liberty, indi­ technocratic "steering" in which social problems of the welfare state vidualism, and th~ free market through scientists harmonize the "general will" and mixed economy. strict constitutional limitations on the (the conflicting political demands char­ power of government in order to assure acteristic of modernity) both with the the protection of individual rights. "will of all" (as expressed through Rather, the life of liberty lies in keeping democratic elections) and with the so­ and control society is far more modest the tensions characteristic of the cially and politically possible. They than Merquior seems to allow. "mixed" economy alive, in achieving achieve this by carefully crafting the Merquior's trust in intellectual elites an equilibrium between opposed political initiatives presented to the leg­ is also remarkable given his vast forces. islators and populace for approval. knowledge of the contemporary Left. The reason for this view is not clear Charismatic bureaucracy is legitimated With the towering exception of Haber­ from Liberalism Old and New, but I be­ ultimately by its bureaucratic side: by mas, the contemporary Left is, to say lieve that it can be gleaned from a care­ its ability to deliver the conflicting the least, not characterized by a sober, ful reading of Merquior's other works. goods demanded by the populace. In scientific, rational approach to social Merquior was a classical liberal insofar time, though, it gains "charisma" tooi problems. Rather, most contemporary as he thought that social and political its activities cease to be valued solely strands of Western Marxism, post­ for instrumental reasons and take on a Marxism, and frustrated Marxism are sheen of intrinsic value, such as the characterized by an abstract egalitarian mystique surrounding participation in moralism, which diagnoses social prob­ Merquior sees liberty as con­ democratic elections. The contradic­ lems and proposes policies without tions of the welfare state cannot be re­ first asking what is socially and politi­ sisting ofboth positive and neg­ solved, then, but they can be contained cally possible. Furthermore, most social ative liberty, egalitarianism through the prudence and scientific scientific criticisms of the contemporary and individualism, interven­ knowledge of sober-minded techno­ Left's diagnoses and programs are not crats. answered by its members, but simply tionism and the free market. Like John Stuart Mill and Josf?ph evaded through relativistic epistemo­ Schumpeter, Merquior was led to em­ logical filibusters. brace the welfare state through two Given the nature of our intellectual tragic flaws. First, as' we have seen, he elites, then, Merquior's trust in their institutions should arise out of, ex­ is insufficiently critical of the conflict­ prudence seems astoundingly naive. press, and satisfy the value preferences ing moral tendencies of the West that Furthermore, even if our modern states of self-interested individuals. He was give rise to the mixed economy. He were to be staffed by level-headed, not, however, a libertarian. He was crit­ simply accepts the contradictory prefer­ well-intentioned technocrats like Mer­ ical of what he called (quite unfairly) ences for liberty and equality, freedom quior himself, they still could not over­ the "rabid 'statophobia'" of Hayek and and interventionism as given. Politics come the systematic, unintended Nozick (146) and believed that the mar­ then becomes simply a coordination problems of the welfare state and ket alone could not adequately express problem to be solved by social engi­ mixed economy pointed out by Mises, and satisfy the values characteristic of neering, which brings us to his second Hayek, and countless others. Now, I do modernity: the desire for both individ­ problem. Merquior possessed an ex­ not think that it is possible to create a ual freedom and equality, positive and traordinary optimism about the power "mechanistic" political order that can negative liberty, the free market and of science to understand society and sustain itself completely without pru­ the security allegedly gained through the power of elites to order it. He was, dential statesmanship and public vir- 68 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992 tue. But given the power of unintend­ cost of depth and detail of analysis, I can't escape attention that Mr Dixon is ed consequences and the tendency of have encountered no other work of its amazingly prolific for an author who intellectual elites toward utopian mo­ kind that so effectively and economi­ must be pushing ninety, what with one ralism, there is good reason to try to cally conveys both the underlying uni­ book from the original and five to ten approximate such a mechanistic sys­ ty and dazzling multiplicities of books from the new series coming out tem as closely as possible. Even the liberalism. 0 each year. most prudent and sober-minded tech­ The Hardy boys themselves have a nocrats should be subordinated to the 1. See Merquior's books Western Marxism past, or at least one of them does. mechanisms of constitutional govern­ (London: Paladin, 1986), From Prague to Frank Hardy was once a book agent, a ment and the spontaneous order of a Paris: A Critique ofStructuralist and Post­ book salesman who worked for pub­ Structuralist Thought (London: Verso, free society. lishing houses trying to get stores 1986), and Foucault (Berkeley: University In sum: Merquior's Liberalism Old of California Press, 1987). around the country to take on their and New deserves a qualified recom­ 2. J.G. Merquior, Rousseau and Weber: Two books. What is this? The famous boy mendation. Although it is slightly Studies in the Theory ofLegitimacy (London: detective with another career? marred by a questionable and un­ Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1980). The Young Book Agent, or Frank Har­ argued conclusion, its actual presenta­ 3. For a reading ofwhat lies between the dy's Road to Success was published by tion is remarkable for its historical and lines of these books, see my essay"A Horatio Alger, Jr. in 1905, one of the cosmopolitan breadth. While such Friend of Reason" Jose Guilherme Mer­ last of the 125 books written by him. quior," Critical Review 5, no. 3 (Summer breadth is inevitably purchased at the 1991): 421-446. The protagonist of the story, a tradi­ tional rags-to-riches Alger hero, has at first glance nothing in common with Somebody has kidnapped the Hardy Boys and put insipid imposters in their place ... who would do such a thing, and why? the son of Fenton Hardy except the name and a strong sense of go­ gettedness. It would be tempting to say that here was a mere coincidence of names and look elsewhere for clues. The Mystery ofthe But this is a mystery where each clue turns up more mysteries, and Frank Hardy, the book agent, is true to form. Missing Detectives As I said, the book was published in 1905, late but not last, in the list of books written by the prolific Alger. This fact alone is sufficient to make a there are not one but two current Har­ good sleuth look closer, because Hora- David Justin Ross dy Boys series, the original one and a new one called "the Hardy Boys Case­ The small town of Bayport, located files," which is written for older boys. on Barmet Bay somewhere on the At­ A quick trip to the Encyclopedia Bri­ Ifa real (though dead) writ­ lantic coast, was all a-chatter with the tannica yields ... nothing. The writer of er's books could be written news. Frank Hardy, the brown-haired the most popular current series of boys eighteen-year-old son of world-famous literature, and the best-selling one of all anonymously from fictional detective Fenton Hardy, and Joe, his time, is not even mentioned, although outlines, why couldn't a fic­ blond, blue-eyed younger brother, Horatio Alger, Jr. rates a third of a tional author's books be writ­ were missing. At least, some people page. What is going on here? Maybe claimed they were missing, replaced by there is some evidence in the books ten anonymously from real clever impostors. Others maintained themselves. outlines? that, no, the boys were just growing up, The first Hardy Boys book was The changing with the times. Tower Treasure, published in 1927. Also What had happened to the Hardy that year Franklin W. Dixon's first Ted boys? What mystery is this? To find Scott Flying Story was printed. Ted tio Alger died July 18th, 1899 and thus out, we must investigate the origin of flew off into the wild blue yonder in couldn't possibly have written a new the Hardy boys. 1943, never to return, but he left behind book in 1905. Where to start? With the author and twenty books detailing his adventures Prolific and well-known authors ­ his biography, of course. Franklin W. around the world. To date, Mr Dixon is and Alger's 125 titles and 400 million Dixon is one of the more popular au­ credited with these twenty, plus nearly books sold qualifies him on both thors in America. Even today, the Har­ 120 volumes in the original Hardy Boys counts - often leave books in various dy Boys series is second only to Nancy series, plus more than fifty of the Har­ states of completion. Sometimes their Drew in sales of juvenile fiction, selling dy Boys Casefiles. 190 books, and no literary executors or their publishers nearly a million volumes a year. In fact, mention in Britannica? Hmmm. Also, it contract to have their works-in- Liberty 69 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

progress completed and published as a plane, or the radio. They were also of all published juvenile fiction. way of keeping the stream of money wealthy enough and had enough free When Stratemeyer died, his daugh­ flowing. Such was the case here with time to pursue these hobbies and stum­ ters Harriet and Edna took over the The Young Book Agent and ten other Al­ ble into adventures while doing so. Syndicate. Evidence of their continuing gers. The Street and Smith publishing This type of hero - and especially her­ success is the Nancy Drew series. Stra­ company had on hand an author nearly oine - was a clean break from the do­ temeyer wrote the first three books just as prolific (and nearly as dreadful) as mestic romances of the 19th century. before he died, but their growth into Stratemeyer had learned the lesson the Syndicate's best selling series was from Alger (whose heroes were gener­ the work of his daughters. Harriet Ad­ ally on their own as well) but he ap­ ams continued to direct the work until By the time Stratemeyer plied it universally, mirroring the new­ her death in 1982. found independence (and technological died in 1930, he was a million­ Leslie McFarlane savvy) of the turn-of-the century Amer­ The ad said "Experienced Fiction aire who had started more than ican upper-middle class. Writer Wanted to Work from Publish­ Had Stratemeyer stopped there, he 56 series, seven in 1926 alone. er's Outlines."t It was the spring of would have made a reasonable contri­ Twenty-two of them were still 1926 when a young Canadian newspa­ bution to early 20th century boys' liter­ perman named Leslie McFarlane an­ going when he died, account­ ature. He had produced a new kind of swered the advertisement in "Editor 80 hero and heroine, independent both in ing for nearly per cent ofall and Publisher." Mr Stratemeyer wrote circumstance.and attitude, technologi­ published juvenile fiction. back, sending books from two currently cally competent, and every bit as self­ successful Syndicate series. The first assured as anyone from Alger. But he was from "The Nat Ridley Rapid Fire didn't stop there. He also made an in­ Detective Series," and the other was Alger who was willing to finish up the vention that revolutionized juvenile about "Dave Fearless," who tended to incomplete Alger manuscripts - Ed­ fiction. fall into adventures beneath the sea and ward Stratemeyer. high up in the mountains, escaping Before he was done with Alger, The Stratemeyer Syndicate mainly through luck and pig­ Stratemeyer had written eleven of his Edward Stratemeyer had learned a headedness rather than brains. Strate- books, the first from partially­ valuable lesson while writing Alger's fi­ completed manuscripts, the last creat­ nal books. If a real (though dead) writ­ ed from whole cloth. While he was er's books could be written busy creating new works for dead au­ anonymously from fictional outlines, thors and extending his own "Old Clo­ why couldn't a fictional author's books All the changes can be re­ ry" series, Stratemeyer also found time be written anonymously from real out­ duced to two: Moral judgment to start another series, "The Rover lines? This idea came to Stratemeyer is gone and the books are Boys," which he wrote under the pseu­ around 1906, and four years later he donym of Arthur M. Winfield. Over formalized it by incorporating the Stra­ dumbed-down. The publishers, the next seventeen years, Stratemeyer temeyer Syndicate. of course, are providing' the turned out twenty of these stories Before long a pattern emerged that public with what it wants to about Dick, Tom, and Sam Rover as ca­ would hold for more than 60 years. dets at Putnam Hall and students at Stratemeyer would outline three books buy, and can honestly say they Brill College. So popular was this se­ to start a new series and contract with are just appealing to popular ries that it spun off two others. The an author to flesh them out. Payment tastes. first was "The Putnam Hall Cadets" averaged $100 per book and the con­ which ran from 1901-1911 (with a final tract demanded anonymity. Copyright volume issued in 1921). The second was held by the Syndicate. was another Rover Boys series about His shrewdness paid off abundant­ meyer suggested McFarlane read the the four sons of the originals. It ran ly. Stratemeyer, writing under, his own books and choose one. from 1917 to 1926 and was still in print name and those of Bonehill and Win­ McFarlane chose the Dave Fearless and selling as late as the 1950s. field, wrote 200 books, easily surpass­ book, and for a time became Roy Rock­ Two things were new in the Strate­ ing Horatio Alger's 125. The Syndicate, wood. Rockwood's most famous series meyer books. First was a conscious ef­ however, produced a thousand more, was "Bomba the Jungle Boy," a highly­ fort to have young people, ultimately with sales to date of two hundred mil­ successful Tarzan rip-off that ran both boys and girls, in situations lion copies and rising. By the time Stra­ through 1938 and was briefly re-issued where they were not under substantial temeyer died in 1930, he was a in 1953. Dave Fearless did not fare as adult supervision. Second, nearly all millionaire and had started more that well, lasting perhaps a dozen books. Stratemeyer heroes and heroines were 56 series, seven in 1926 alone. Twenty­ When that series ended in 1927, Strate­ interested in the new technology of the two of them were still going when he meyer told McFarlane about an idea for day, whether the automobile, the air- died, accounting for nearly 80 per cent a new series. 70 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

In his letter was the customary out­ Motor Boys, and Tom Swift, but usually writers an advance on future work, line, plus a note that since the new se­ the mysteries are plot devices to keep something they had never done before. ries would be cloth-bound instead of the heroes busy during their adven­ In 1930, Edward Stratemeyer died paper, and therefore more expensive tures rather than the direct point of the at the age of 68. Though distant from (65 cents instead of fifty), the manu­ stories. This is different in the Hardy his writers and careful to keep them ig­ script fee would be $125. McFarlane Boys. The two sons of Fenton Hardy norant of how well the series sold, he was glad to see the last of Dave Fear­ were, in his word, born IIdetectiving." was nevertheless a decent man. He sent less. The Hardy Boys was at a some­ That this is their only purpose is made McFarlane $25 when McFarlane mar­ what higher level, after all. No more clear in the first two paragraphs of the ried and an equal amount when McFar­ fighting giant octopuses while trapped first book: lane's first daughter was born. In his in beds of seaweed and surrounded by IiAfter the help we gave dad on that will he left each of his writers an man-eating sharks. Instead, the Hardy forgery case I guess he'll begin to amount equal to one fifth of their earn­ boys faced foes of the two-legged va­ think we could be detectives when ings from the Syndicate. riety who were generally thieves, we grow up." The Hardy Boys books are familiar swindlers, or pirates. McFarlane had IiWhy shouldn't we? Isn't he one of to nearly every American. If they don't no idea when he sat down to write The the most famous detectives in the own them themselves, they've seen Tower Treasure in 1927 that he was giv­ country? And aren't we his sons? If them in some cousin's back bedroom, ing birth to the most popular boys ad­ the profession was good enough for sitting in rows of blue-bound volumes. venture series ever. him to follow it should be good The series has been running for 65 enough for us." 2 years and is still going strong, a run The Hardy Boys There were strict rules about what second only to Laura Hope's "Bobbsey There isn't much biography to give could and could not happen in a Har­ Twins," now in its 89th year. on the Hardy boys. Their only known dy Boys book. Violence is kept to a Fathers buy the books for their sons relatives besides each other are their minimum. Not until very late in the se­ to read, remembering their pleasures father Fenton, a detective so world­ ries is anyone killed, and though the with them and hoping to instill the famous that he is generally off on brothers are often in mortal danger it is same love of reading and adventure in some case and therefore nowhere to be from fire or falling off cliffs, never by their own sons. But once in a while, seen, their mother Laura who manages being shot. one of the fathers actually re-reads one the Hardy household during her hus­ H there is little violence, there is no of the books and finds there is some- band's long absences (and whose su­ hint of sex. It isn't clear whether the pervision of the boys is limited to· boys ever kiss lola Morton or Calley preparing large heaps of sandwiches), Shaw; if they do, it certainly isn't while :.~;._~:"."': :::.::.~: ..:::t.~": ..::.:..:.:::.:::.. .. :: ..::.:...•::: :::..::.:..' :: .•.....:: ..:: :: ::. and Aunt Gertrude. a reader is watching. But what with all •• I ••·••• Th•• JotJrnalof:.r.'_.·:rtran&humaniat1"l1ollgl1t Gertrude Hardy is one of those clas­ those abandoned buildings in Bayport, Extropy(andournewsletterBlponenf)carrysana­ sic characters that would be trite if she you never could be sure what was real­ IytlcatIntelligentarticles on topics like: market-ori­ weren't so much fun. She is dour, tight­ ly going on.... ented solutions to environmental problems, computational problems and decision-making; lipped, and utterly convinced the Har­ The three original volumes \\Tere The Nanocomputers,AI, and uploadingofconsclous­ dy boys' adventures are going to get Tower Treasure, The House on the Cliff ness to computers; Physlcallmmortallsm and cry­ them killed. Because her brother Fen­ and The Secret of the Old Mill. These onics; Digital economy (electronic money and markets);Spontaneousorders (markets,neuralnet­ ton is rarely home, she takes it upon were followed by The Missing Chums, works, evolutionaryprocesses); Braln-computerIn­ herself to move in and help Mrs Hardy Hunting for Hidden Gold, The Shore Road tegra1bnandfechnologlcalenhancementstohuman run the household. Alas, this is a Strate­ Mystery, The Secret of the Caves, The Mys­ capacities; Memetlcs;Artificial life;Smartdrugsand cognttlveenhancement;Cosmologicalenglneerlng. meyer book, which means that adults tery of Cabin Island, and The Grea t Air­ Extropy #9 (Summer 1992) contains: will have next to no impact onthe activ­ port Mystery. All of these were written The Extropian Principles 2.0 (More) ities of the teen-aged protagonists. by Leslie McFarlane and all in the first Persons, Programs, and Uploading Aunt Gertrude succeeds in doing little three years of the series. When he got Consciousness (Ross) butbeing a foil for the boys' pranks. the outline to What Happened at Mid­ Nanotechnology and Faith (Hall) The Making of a Small World [Fiction] The town of Bayport is anonymous night McFarlane decided that, when it Genetic Algorithms (Levy) in the extreme. Over the course of the was completed, he would tell Strate­ Time Travel and Computing (Moravec) series it remains a place of about meyer to find himself another ghost Futique Neologisms 3 [Futurist lexicon] 50,000 souls, destined to draw an end­ writer. Exercise and Longevity (Finney) less parade of baddies to plague its in­ What Happened at Midnight was com­ The Transhuman Taste -- Reviews of The Anthropic Cosmological Principle, The habitants. It also has an unusual pleted and mailed, but the resignation Blind Watchmaker, Bionomics, and three number of abandoned buildings ­ letter was not with it. Because of What books by Julian Simon. just the right setting for a mystery. Happened in October 1929, McFarlane Extropy Institute membersreceive Extropytwlce a The Hardy Boys series was special was happy to continue writing the year,thenewsletter Exponentslx times a year, and discountson tapes,books, conferences,etc. from the beginning. There is a lot of books. The payment fell, but the pay­ $4.50 ~tor #9, or $9/year; $30/year for Exl mystery solving in other Syndicate se­ ments kept canting. Early in the Depres­ membership from Extropy Institute, PO Box ries, in particular the Rover Boys, the sion, the Syndicate paid each of its 57306, Los Angeles, CA 90057-0306. Tel: 1(213) 484-6383. E-mail: [email protected] Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992 thing missing. The characters, never wrote. what they are about to do, reasoning really deep, seem more cardboard, the There are many reasons for the re­ out their course of action. They may language which had been vivid if over­ writes, and some of them are good have been cardboard, but the charac­ blown is dull and there are no places in ones. The Great Airport Mystery begins ters still had feelings and were capable the books to rest and catch your breath. with the boys talking about how they of introspection. All that is gone now, They are all action. hope someday to go up in an airplane removed in the interest of speeding up What few fathers realize, indeed and how great it would be. They boast the books. The characters now have no what few people besides collectors insides at all. know, is that the blue-bound books are The worst changes of all were inten­ not the original Hardy Boys. There are tionally made to dumb down the in reality six different sets of Hardy This extended contempla­ books, to aim them at a less bright and Boys books: The Originals, The Re­ less well-educated public. Long words writes, The Revisions, The Continua­ tion of death, written in were removed and short ones put in tions, The Casefiles, and the Reissues. breathless, short, incomplete their place, description of scenes and sentences owes more to the im­ people was cut or eliminated. The Originals Here is how Joe Hardy discovers Leslie McFarlane wrote the first 26 probably long climaxes of por­ Chet Morton's missing car in the origi­ Hardy Boys before passing the torch to no novels than to the original nal of The Tower Treasure. The Hardys other writers. The original series was and their friends are picnicking at Wil­ bound in either red or tan and contin­ Hardy ,Boys. All is action, all low Grove. ued until 1959 when The Mystery at Dev­ is thrill. iI's Paw was published, 38th in the The day passed in the usual fash­ series. When number 39, The Mystery of ion of such days. They swam, they ate, they loafed about under the the Chinese Junk came out the following trees, they played games at immi­ year, there was little to indicate any to each other that they wouldn't be nent risk of life and limb, they ex­ scared. In 1930 when this was written, great change. Anyone who today goes plored the woods, and otherwise the airplane was a novelty and flight into a bookstore to buy the Hardy Boys enjoyed themselves with all the hap­ will need a careful eye to see the change was considered dangerous and adven­ py energy of healthy lads. Joe Har­ that took place between numbers 38 turous. By the time the book was re­ dy, who was an amateur naturalist and 39, since there, to the left of number vised in 1965, the airplane was in his way, went roaming off by 39, bound likewise in blue, is its prede­ commonplace, and the discussion in himself during the afternoon while cessor. But take a look at the copyright. the original book no longer made the other boys were enjoying their The brown-backed edition of Devil's sense. Removing it is understandable. third swim of the day, and penetrat­ Paw has "Copyright 1959." The blue­ There were other such changes, pri­ ed deeper into the woods. back has "Copyright 1959, 1973." What marily to update language and setting. He poked about in the under­ is going on here? By the 1960s automobiles were called growth, examining various flowers "cars" instead of "roadsters" and a per­ and plants that came to his atten­ The Rewrites son who drove one was a "driver" not tion, but discovered no specimens The double copyright is particularly an "automobilist." These simple chang­ that he had not seen before. He was confusing since a glance at the first 24 es had no real effect on the books. just on the point of going back to the books, up to The Short Wave Mystery, in­ At this point, however, the rewrites other lads when he saw before him a 3 dicates no second copyright. Instead, cross onto more dubious ground. By small clearing. they are all copyright sometime be­ the time the seventies rolled around, Joe finds tire tracks and eventually tween 1959 and 1974. "sensitivity" was all the rage and it they recover Chet's car. Meanwhile, Sometimes, especially with the earli­ was discovered that - Gasp! - some we've had a chance to catch our breath est books in the series, the following of the villains in the Hardy Boys books and have learned that Joe is interested paragraph appears beneath the copy­ had foreign-sounding names and in wild plants and animals. Compare right: "In this new story, based on the spoke with accents. These must go, that passage to its equivalent in the original of the same title, Mr Dixon has never mind that criminals do some­ rewrite: incorporated the most up-to-date meth­ times have accents and come from for­ During the meal the boys ex­ ods used by police and private dete:c­ eign countries. It wasn't as if semi­ changed reports on their mornings tives." Often, even this warning is coherent foreigners were the norm for sleuthing. All had tried hard but missing, and the switch can be found Hardy Boys' victims, but lest someone failed to find any trace of the miss­ only in the change of copyright - and take offense, most references to vil­ ing car. content. lains' race, ethnicity, and origin were "Our work hasn't ended," Frank re­ These books, nearly all of thf! first deleted. minded the others. "But I'm so twenty-four and a few of the later ones, Besides the politically correct modi­ stuffed I'm going to rest a while be­ have been completely rewritten.. They fications, there were other changes fore I start out again." are not the books that Edward Strate­ which gutted the books. In the old All the other boys but Joe Hardy meyer outlined and Leslie McFarlane books, characters stop and think about felt the same way and lay down on 72 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

the grass for a nap. Joe, eager to find means is that the series had been deteri­ higher exist only in paperback. The out whether or not the woods to orating all along (probably starting current number is above lID, and their right held the secret of the when McFarlane stopped writing it), climbing. missing car, plunged off alone and the rewrites and revisions were to There is nothing particularly re­ through the underbrush. bring the older books down to the later markable about these books except the He searched for twenty minutes books' standards. number of them. Somehow the Hardy without finding a clue to any auto­ Because the blue-bound books have boys manage to keep solVing the same mobile. He was on.the point of re­ gone through several editions, it is often cases over and over. It is doubtful that turning and waiting for the other hard to tell exactly what you have. The any boy or girl has in recent years ever boys when he saw a small clearing earliest blue editions of the first 38 read all the books. Even an exceptional­ ahead of him. 4 books were just reprints of the originals. ly fast reader would grow out of them Gone is the interest in botany. Sometimes (but not reliably) these earli­ before he could possibly finish. Gone too is any interest or pastime by est editions can be spotted by looking at a Hardy that has nothing to do with the back. If the back blurb says"Any­ The Casefiles being a detective. Even gone is the one from 8 to 14" or just has a list of Simon and Schuster knew a devel­ swimming by Frank and his friends ­ books, then the book is probably a re­ oping market when it saw one, and in in the rewrite the water is too cold. It write (if number 1-24), a revision (if 25­ the eighties the "Young Adult" market is as though once off-screen, characters 38 or The Detective Handbook), or a exploded. Since no one over about the must be dormant. The world away post-revision continuation (39-58). age of thirteen was reading the original from the act of sleuthing does not Sometimes, however, for books 1-38, if Hardy Boys series, Simon and Schuster exist. the back says"All boys from 10 to 14," produced a "Young Adult" Hardy Boys In the originals, the Hardys are or­ the book is an original. A check inside series called the Hardy Boys Casefiles. dinary boys with the interests of their will make sure. If the copyright is 1959 There is a corresponding Casefiles for age, with friends whose company they or earlier, the book is an original. If it Nancy Drew and a more recent equiva­ enjoyed. In the rewrites, the Hardys has two copyrights, it is a revision, and lent for Tom Swift. The aim of the Case­ are detectives who may have substan­ if it has a single post-1959 copyright it is files is to recapture the mid- and late­ tial knowledge of many fields, but only a rewrite.s teen readership at which the series was as it appertains to sleuthing, and originally aimed. whose friends are there to be stolen The Continuations Nowhere does the Casefiles series from and abducted by the villains. While the revisions and rewrites tell you the ages of the lads, but the gen­ Everything in the rewrites is directly were going on at the rate of two or three eral subject matter is more "grown up." aimed at the business at hand. There is books a year, new Hardy Boys books What that means is, for the first time, no time for the little details of a normal were being released as well. Regular as people die in the series, and there is life. clockwork, a new one came out each some indication that the Hardy boys' year from 1960 (#39) to 1979 (#58). At glands may have finally turned on. The Revisions the end of the seventies, Simon and If the rewrites sped up the pace, the Some of the rewrites are completely Schuster bought the Stratemeyer Syndi­ Casefiles make it downright frantic. different books, and if they are "based cate. Subsequent editions of the blue Here is the start of Casefiles #1: on the original," it means they use a books indicate that copyrights were "GET OUT OF my way, Frank!" Joe few of the same characters and the transferred from Grosset and Dunlap to Hardy shoved past his brother, same title. Others are only slightly the Stratemeyer Syndicate in 1980. shouting to be heard over the roar of changed, looking more like the revi­ Though there have been editions later the flames. Straight ahead, a huge sions they purport to be where lan­ than 1980 for all the previous volumes, fireball rose like a mushroom cloud guage and setting are updated and the no new blue books have been issued over the parking lot. Flames shot fifty sometimes-turgid prose of the origi­ since then. Books numbered 59 and feet into the air, dropping chunks of nals stream-lined. I have somewhat ar­ bitrarily called the ~ooks with a single copyright "rewrites" and those with If you agree with Robert Hutchins... two copyrights "revisions," but the terms serve to illustrate the differences at least between extreme examples of " knowledge without wisdom has each type. The revisions are later books, brought us to the edge of destruction and where little change in language or set­ may at any time push us over the brink." ting was needed to bring them into line with the rest of the series. By the ...... '." ," ," - ,',., -.-.' "" ,", - . ···PLEiAsE···GET··lri··Toocli··WJm························:· . time The Mystery at Devil's Paw was re­ ...... •...... :...•...... :...... •....:: ::.....•.:.: ..:.:..•...... •...... •:..:::...•...: : ::: :...•....•....•....•.. vised in 1973 (the original is 1959), it is difficult to see the changes at all. This ~1i~i.AT~[J'~~~~I$s~~~~~~< isn't particularly good news. What it <. (~15)Z44:P~1~:~:.fNC14i~4()1~·:<::>::·;'·· Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992

wreckage - wreckage that just a mo­ improbably long climaxes of porno something morbid about it too. For the ment earlier had been their yellow novels than to the original Hardy Boys. reissues only have the appearance of sedan. "Iola's in there! We've got to The Casefiles take the long-time trend life. They are like cleverly-prepared get her out!" 6 to its logical conclusion. All is action, death effigies of once-living people. On It is abundantly clear that the Strate­ all is thrill. The characters serve pre­ display, they show what the departed meyer Syndicate is gone. The Casefiles cisely the same functions as their coun­ was like, but they cannot bring him series starts with lola Morton, Joe's girl­ terparts in pornography. They are there back. The reissues do serve one pur­ friend for sixty years, getting blown to to experience thrills vicariously for the pose. At least the fathers buying books bits by terrorists. In the course of the for their sons can now find the books Casefiles, numerous people are shot, they so loved. stabbed, and otherwise done to death, Needless to say, the usual suspects and the boys themselves are threatened The original Hardy boys are are unhappy even with the corpse's in ways they never were in the old se­ fresh clothes. Sharon McDonald, librar­ ries. (Something of the old reticence re­ dead, first poisoned by their ian, is "troubled" that some of the bad mains, for though Joe and Frank may creators at the Syndicate, and guys have accents, while others have hold someone at gunpoint, they have finally done to death by Simon protested the "simplistic" morality yet to kill anyone, and though they re­ and Schuster. (knowing right from wrong) that per­ fer to kissing their girlfriends, that meates the old books? If a man is seems to be about the limit.) known by the enemies he keeps, at The Casefiles have been coming out least Zuckerman is on the right track. at a rate nearly as frantic as their inter­ reader, to be the means of his titillation. nal pace. First issued in 1987, there are What it All Means If the Hardy brothers still fight for 'the now more than fifty of them in print. If All the changes can be reduced to right side', they no longer seem to two: Moral judgment is gone and the anything, they are more formulaic than know why it's the right side. books are dumbed-down. The publish­ the originals, and if they are technically better written, it is at the expense of The Reissues ers, of course, are providing the public with what it wants to buy, and can style. The turgid and sometimes inva­ The series that our fathers loved is honestly say they are just appealing to sive prose of the originals is gone, but gone without hope of bringing it back. popular tastes. so is anything that gave character or in­ The secure, innocent world, where even Gone with the removal of contem­ dividuality to each book. The introspec­ evil had manners and limits, is gone as tion that was stripped from the well. The great experts who contem­ plation of action is any sense of moral outrage or moral virtue. The original originals in the rewrite is back, after a plate matters of child psychology at fashion, but this introspective passage government expense tell us that the Hardy boys were virtuous because vir­ tue was the right way to live, because from Casefiles #4, The Lazarus Plot, new, more realistic children's literature it was the result of careful training and hardly qualifies as either explication of is better for the kids, better at helping informed choice. The new Hardy boys the character's feelings or as his careful them live in the nasty world they didn't are still virtuous, but it is the em­ consideration of possible action. Frank make. And so we breed a generation for and Joe are confronted with the sudden whom the romantic idea - the idea balmed virtue of Disneyland. There is no reason for it, it just is. At least the appearance of a well-armed opponent. that art and literature should work to make a person better than he otherwise sentiment remains. More "up-to-date" Instantly Joe knew what he had to juvenile literature, especially the junk do. He charged straight into the bar­ would be - is a complete stranger. Judy Blume turns out, has thrown out rel of the Lazarus leader's Smith and And we wonder at the results. the concept of right action for right rea­ Wesson .38 - a pistol that looked as Phil Zuckerman, president of Ap­ sons. In the two new Hardy Boys series big and as deadly as a cannon. Joe plewood books, doesn't like the chang­ didn't kid himself, though. He knew es in the Hardy boys, and in particular the idea of virtue still lingers on which he didn't have a chance. But he also doesn't like the conscious fraud Simon counts for something. didn't have a choice. Maybe, just and Schuster is perpetrating by calling The reasons for the dumbing-down maybe, Frank could seize the advan­ the new books by the originals' names. are more complex. The boys have aged tage while Joe was being blown He thinks the originals ought to have two years since the series began, Frank away. It was worth trying, better another chance. He has purchased the going from sixteen to eighteen and Joe than nothing. And their chances rights to the first three volumes and re­ always a year younger. Ironically, would be nothing if they surren­ issued them, complete with the original while the protagonists were growing dered. Joe charged, waiting for the artwork and McFarlane's involuted older, the readership was getting bullet to rip through him, wondering prose. younger. Originally, the books were how bad the pain would be and how Because the world they portray is aimed at boys just a little younger than long it would last before it all ended. long gone, it is unlikely the reissues will the Hardy boys, fourteen to fifteen This extended contemplation of enjoy great sales. There is a certain fas­ years old. By the time the famous blue­ death, written in breathless, short, in­ cination in seeing bright and fresh cop­ cover editions were issued in the complete sentences owes more to the ies of the originals, but there is 1960s, the rear book blurb reads, "All 74 Liberty Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992 boys from 10 to 14 who like lively ad­ tined for a long run in their stolen pp.45-46. venture stories ... will want to read roles. Times and people change, and 5 To further cloud the issue, the rewrites everyone of the Hardy Boys stories list­ the world of the twenties and thirties is and revisions were only approximate­ ed here."s Later, "All boys" was long gone, perhaps mostly for the bet­ ly done in the original order. Some­ changed to "Anyone," and "10 to 14" ter. What has vanished with it are the times later books were rewritten first was changed to "8 to 14." heroes of that more innocent day, and and the break between rewrites and When Simon and Schuster bought that indeed is a shame. 0 revisions is not clean. Book #37, The out the Syndicate and stopped issuing Ghost at Skeleton Rock, has a single cop­ new blue books, their publicity litera­ notes yright, indicating it is a rewrite, even ture further reduced the age of prospec­ though the books around it are tive readers to "from 8 to 12." 1 "Leslie McFarlane, Ghost of the Hardy revisions. Boys" (New York: Methuen/Two One reason for the decline in read­ 6 Franklin W. Dixon, Deathgame (New Continents Publications, 1976), p. 1. ership age involves the nature of the York: Simon and Schuster, 1987) p. 1. Hardy boys and any other escapist ad­ 2 Franklin W. Dixon, The Tower Treasure venture literature. To some extent, such (New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1927) 7 "Hardy Once Again," People, August p. books are fairy tales. They are set in an p.l. 5, 1991, 7l. unchanging world which is familiar 3 ibid. pp. 47-48. 8 Franklin W. Dixon, The Tower Treasure and secure and from that base their 4 Franklin W. Dixon, The Tower Treasure (New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1959), protagonists go forth on adventures (New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1959), rear cover. that just don't happen to normal mor­ tals. Like travellers to Faerie, the Hardy boys are unaging (or nearly so) and cer­ tainly unchanging. With the general loss of innocence Classified Advertisements during and following World War II, the toleration and enjoyment of innocent Classified Advertising is available for 25~ per word, plus $1.00 per insertion. 100/0 disconnt. fantasy fell to younger and younger for six or more insertions. Payment must accompany order. Please specify classification. kids. When it came to the choice of add­ ing violence and sex to continue to ap­ out of step A journal of individualist polemics Books and exchanges produced in memory of Frank peal to older readership, or preserving Chodorov and other freethinking journalists. innocence and targeting younger boys, First Edition Ayn Rand & Others. Free cata­ log. Others include Browne, both Brandens, rare $10/4 issues. $l/sample copy. 146-A N. Canyon the Stratemeyer Syndicate remained Hazlitt, Mises, Murdock, Paterson and Smith. Blvd, Monrovia, CA 91016. true to their founder's Christian morali­ Dennis Bohn, 10111 Marine View Dr., Mukilteo, Directory ofLibertarian Periodicals. Updat­ ty and opted for innocence. Later, Si­ WA 98275 or fax 206-347-7757. ed latest edition, lists around 150 titles, with ad­ mon and Schuster would have no such dresses, other information. All believed to be restraints. Business Opportunities presently publishing. $3.00 postpaid, $4.00 over­ Another, paradoxical reason for the Free!! Work-at-home information packagef!! 1­ seas. Jim Stumm, Box 29-LB, Hiler Branch, Buffa­ 800-274-4274, ext. A132.i. dumbing-down is the arrival of univer­ lo, NY 14223. salliteraey. As a higher and higher frac­ Collectibles Living Free newsletter discusses practical methods for increasing personal freedom. Forum tion of youth could read, the average Folk Flutes/Pan Pipes, mathematically opti­ for freedom-seekers, libertarians, survivalists, an­ learning and intelligence of the readers mized, no moving parts, over 300 varieties. Cata­ archists, outlaws, since 1979. Lively, unique. log $3. Lew Price, Box 88(L), Garden Valley, CA fell. Since the Stratemeyer books were $9.00 for 6 issues, sample $1.00. Box 29-LB, Hiler 95633. always aimed at the mass market, the Branch, Buffalo, NY 14223. publishers followed their readership Literature The Voluntaryist. Sample copy for two first­ downward in reading ability and gen­ The Voice of Pro-Free Market Farmers. class stamps. Box 1275, Gramling, SC 29348. eral knowledge. Because so many kids This unique video documentary tells how the bil­ Thomas Paine Review: newsletter on books read the Hardy Boys books, the "dumb­ lions spent annually on government farm pro­ for the lover of freedom, reason, and human ing down" both fed and fed off of this grams and subsidies are harming farmers and achievement. Six issues $9; sample issue $1.50. trend. cheating consumers. Produced by Cassalea Address: 84 Washington St. #138, Penacook, NH Farms, RR#2, Cassadaga, N.Y. 14718. To order 03303. So the mystery is solved. The origi­ send $21 or ask for a free brochure. West Coast Libertarian: Canada's premier li­ nal Hardy boys are dead, first poi­ Multigovernment Governed by choice not bertarian publication. 6 issues (1 year): $15. Sam- soned by their creators at the chance. Explore "New Dimension of Freedom" ple: $2. Greater Vancouver Libertarian Syndicate, and finally done to death by with sampling of literature. $6 to LeGrand Day, Association, 922 Cloverley St., North Vancouver, Simon and Schuster. Even their corps­ Box 177, Reseda,CA 91337-0177. BC, V7L 1N3 es, colorfully decked in the clothing Periodicals Cross verbal swords in The (Libertarian) they used to wear, are on public dis­ Connection, open-forum magazine since 1968. Plague Watch: World-wide reader-interactive Subscribers may insert one page/issue free, un­ play. In their places are two sets of im­ tracking of extremely infectious maladies; physi­ edited. Lots of stimulating conversation. Eight is­ postors who, coasting on the cal, spiritual, intellectual. Humor. SASE for sam­ sues (one year) $20. Strauss, Box 3343z, Fairfax, reputation of the originals, seem des- ple: POB 1287 Houston, TX 77251-1287. VA 22038. Liberty 75 Volume 6, Number 2 November 1992 Ben Best, continued from page 57 companion) for U.S.$5O per day. ty of the Russians' railcars. The Finnish trusting Hitler to honor their pact and Valentin said that Russians are un­ customs inspector went through all my for letting them be so vulnerable to Hit­ dergoing a grave spiritual crisis. After baggage with very great care. ler's attack. Ivan had not been to this ce­ years of economic security guaranteed In Helsinki, walking into an air­ metery for a long time, and he found it by the government, people are facing conditioned Western self-serve super­ bitterly ironic to see the Russian flag fly­ economic insecurity. market again was ecstasy -I could ing. In this one case he would have pre­ Valentin was very pained by the hardly restrain myself from buying ferred a Soviet flag - to keep the troubles his scientific colleagues were much more than I needed. I hadn't seen responsibility for this colossal tragedy suffering. Many fine scientists are un­ a fresh orange in weeks, and all the where it belongs. able to find work. Valentin has a data­ fruit and vegetables looked wonderful. Not long after my return from the base of scientists who would gladly Coming from Russia (where things boat cruise, I phoned Valentin Yemelin, work for $100 per month in their own are ridiculously cheap) to Finland a networking expert whose number I laboratories (supplemented by West­ (where things are ridiculously expen­ had been given. Valentin had spent ern equipment, if necessary). He was sive) was a shock. I bought two paper­ many years as a research scientist, until most eager to market the services of back books (marked on the back to total the current economic crisis drove him computer scientists. eleven British pounds) for $50. Roger out of that work. To take advantage of I left Russia by the same railroad Wessman, the ISIL representative for his fluent English, his computer skills station where Lenin made his famous Finland, told me that Helsinki is the and his networking ability, he started a entry - Finland Station. Many of Le­ place to find the fine Russian restau­ travel agency. Tourists traveling to Rus­ nin's statues have fallen, but the one in rants that would have existed in St. Pe­ sia no longer need to be under the wing front of Finland Station still stands. tersburg had there been no Revolution. of the state Intourist agency. Valentin The Finnish railway cars were by far I treated Roger to a meal in a "moder­ can arrange for invitations and provide the most beautiful and modern­ ately" priced Russian restaurant, only complete custom-made itineraries in looking I have ever seen. I almost think to discover it cost me $150. Russia (including food, accom­ they were purposely luxurious, to em­ I flew from Helsinki back to Toron- modations, travel and a translator- phasize the contrast to the dirty, pover- to, via Zurich. Cl

Scott Reid, continued from page 58 so far from being able to agree on a is the fact that most Canadians don't in the lead. But this time, the implica­ real text that can actually be voted on yet know it - largely because they've tions of the national split may be too by prOVincial legislatures and by Par­ been completely confused by the sur­ much for the federal government to liament, that the negotiations over a fi­ real debate over amending the paper over. nal text would almost certainly end in constitution. But even a Yes vote from coast to confusion, discord and another "hu­ For what it's worth, I'm advising coast probably wouldn't result in Cana- . miliation" to Quebec, driving it at last my friends not to go out and buy that da adopting a new constitution. The to declare itself independent. National Geographic atlas of the world package on which Canadians are vot­ All signs indicate that Canada's se­ just yet, since I expect the maps of ing is so far from being a legal docu­ cession crisis has begun and the only Canada to be out of date within five ment, and the various negotiators are thing still holding the country together years. Cl

David Kelley, continued from page 63 help to adopt "justificatory fuzziness" are available to me only if I act in accor­ choose among them? By considering a - whatever that means - as a stan­ dance with a principle of rights. wide range of facts about myself and dard of cognition. It's true that at a fundamental level, my circumstances. The choices I make Finally, in regard to the derivation my need for freedom and my need to will be objective insofar as they are of rights: The fact that human beings respect the freedom of others have the based on facts, but not universal, be­ need to act on the basis of reason does same foundation. It is only in the condi­ cause the relevant facts pertain to my not, as Johnson implies, immediately tion of freedom that humans can create unique constellation of talents, inter­ entail that I must act to satisfy that the values which make peaceful ex­ ests, and opportunities. need in others by respecting their free­ change a positive-sum game. But the There is much more to be said about dom. Human beings also need food, fact that exchange is a positive sum the process of applying the Objectivist shelter, love, and many other things, game, the fact that interests do not con­ ethics to one's own life. But this is not a but I have no unchosen obligation to flict at any fundamental level, must be matter of adding "more substantive meet these needs of others. A crucial made explicit. Were it not the case (as it content" to the ethics itself. If there aspect of the case for rights is that the is not the case in emergency situations), were, a prinCiple of flourishing would benefits of peaceful, voluntary ex­ then no principle of rights could be es­ be of no help, since it is just as abstract change vastly outweigh any short-run tablished. At some point, any egoist eth­ as the principles of reason, purpose, advantage one might seem to derive ics must be prepared to answer the and self-esteem. And it certainly won't from plunder, and that these benefits question "What's in it for me?" Cl 76 Liberty Notes on Contributors \.

Chester Alan Arthur is Liberty's political correspondent. University of California, Irvine. Gunnar Bergstroln, a cartoonist living in southern Cali­ Richard Kostelanetz is a critic, multi-media artist and fornia, became a libertarian to annoy his liberal author of Merce Cunningham, Writing About John democrat parents. Cage, John Cage: Writer and numerous other books. Benjamin Best is a computer programmer and globe­ Loren E. Lomnsky is the author of Persons, Rights, and trotter living in Toronto. the Moral Community. R. W. Bradford is editor and publisher of Liberty. Rex F. May is a cartoonist usually billed under the ru­ bric Baloo, but appears also as Shiong. Stephen Cox is Associate Professor of Literature at the University of California, San Diego. Jan Naroeson is Professor of Philosophy at the Univer­ sity of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ontario, and the au­ Brian Doherty is a journalist and sometime musician thor of The Libertarian Idea. now living in the nation's capital. Ralph Raico is Professor of History at the State Univer­ Robert Ethier is Research Assistant at the Foundation sity of New York, Buffalo. for Research on Economics and the Environment. Scott J. Reid is the author of Canada Re1napped. He lives Karl Hess is the recent recipient of a new heart and can­ in Ottawa. didate for governor of West Virginia. Sheldon L. Richlnan is editor at the Cato Institute in Gabriel Hoclnan is a physician living in Czechoslovakia. Washington, D.C. He states that English is his "fourth or fifth" language. Jalnes S. Robbins is a foreign policy analyst and lecturer living in Massachusetts. John Hospers is the author of Understanding the Arts, Humnn Conduct, An Introduction to Philosophical David Justin Ross is chairman of RAP Technologies Analysis, Libertarianisln, and many other works. where his pattern-recognition expertise keeps bread and coffee lattes on the table. George Jochnowitz is an American professor who taught in and remains an observer of China. Paul Terhorst is a retired CPA living in Texas. Gregory R. Johnson is a graduate student in the School Jesse Walker is a writer living in Michigan. of Philosophy at the Catholic University of America. Tholnas D. Walls is an anarcho-federalist studying Ger­ man and Business Administration at the Universi­ David Kelley, author of The Evidence of the Senses, is the ty of Florida. director of the Institute for Objectivist Studies. Leland B. Yeager is Ludwig von Mises Distinguished Daniel Klein is Assistant Professor of Economics at the Professor of Economics at Auburn University.

Coming in Liberty .! ••

• "A Feminist Defense ofPornography" - Wendy McElroy saves sex, porn~graphy, and feminism from the radical feminists.

• "The Workers Take Over" -Jesse Walker evaluates the worker cooperative movement, and considers just how right some of these leftists may be.

• "The Case Against Open Immigration" - R. K Lamb challenges a libertarian shibboleth.

• "Peter Drucker: Austrian Economist?" - Mark Skousen considers the case that the ,dean ofmanagement the­ ory is an Austrian economist. Baghdad Moscow Saddam Hussein experiments with a mixed economy to bring re­ Disturbing development in one of the most holy places of the lief to his country still suffering from the war and the U.N.-sanctioned century's greatest religion, as reported by Knight-Ridder Newspapers: elnbargo, as reported in the Seattle Times: Because the Communist party can no longer pay the operating costs Unhappy with the aggressive competition and speculation in food of the Lenin museum, it ha.c; rented it's third floor to a Western style commodities, Hussein had 42 merchants hung for "profiteering" tJlis modeling agency. Long-legged models in modern clothing go in and July. out of tJle museum to tlle sounds of rap and rock-and-roll. Washington, D.C. Austin, Texas News dispatch from the battle-front of the gender war, as report­ Learning is a lifetime quest, as reported in the Lone Star state's ed in the New York Times: Times Record News: A high-school graduate is suing her former school for injuries she TIle biographical portrait released by the office of Texas Railroad received playing fullback in a pre-season football game. No one had Commission Olairperson Lena Guerrero report~ that in 1980 she earned warned her or her mother tJlat football can be dangerous. a B.A. in communications from the University of Texas, where she was a member of the honor fraternity Phi Beta Kappa. In response to ques­ Brasilia, Brazil tions from tlle press, Olairperson Guerrero explained that she had "just Political techniques from the land of the Bossa Nova, as report­ learned" tJlat she had only a C average and had not graduated from the ed by the Chicago Tribune: university. Brazilian President Fernando Collor de Mello has enlisted "Spiritualists, clairvoyants, Afro-Brazilian priests, Protestant Ottawa preachers, Roman Catholic padres and a well known Brazilian Progressive trend in Canada, as reported in The Daily News Imentalist'" who claims he can bend spoons and other objects frOln Halifax, Nova Scotia: with brain waves" in his battle to prevent his impeachment on "Somebody who defaces a Canadian flag should be put in jail for grounds of grand larceny. He also has adopted a strict clothing, life," said one MP. Another MP, le..~s zealous but more multicultural, diet, candle and flower regimen to help channel positive energy argued tJlat tJle burning of tlle flag of any country ought to be a felony. his way. Memphis Charleston, South Carolina Consumer protection in the Volunteer State, as reported in the Congress moves to preserve our historic heritage, as reported by Bank Note Reporter: Dollars & Sense: At tJle Memphis International Paper Money Convention, Hickman In an amendment to an appropriation for the National Park Service, Auctions was required by state officials to hire a local cattle auctioneer Sen. Ernest Hollings of South Carolina proposed to honor Palmetto to "call" tJle auction. Because tJle cattle auctioneer's chanting style was State native Charles Pinckney by acquiring and restoring tJle "Pinckney unintelligible to tlle bank note collectors present, Hickman Auctions House" near Olarleston at an acquisition co..~t of $1 million and an an­ hired a local person to act a.c; translator. nual operating cost of $325,000. When it was argued tJlat Pinckney neitJler lived in nor built the New York City house - and tllat in fact the house was constructed after Pinckney's Evidence in the case against privatization, as reported by the death - Sen. Hollings defended his proPo..~al a.~ a way to "interpret" the New York Guardian: life of Pinckney. Five workers from New York's Department of General Services took just tJuee days to change six fluore..~cent light~ at tJle Queens Crim­ Washington. D.C. inal Court: one day to erect scaffolding, one day for electricians to re­ Heart-rendering appeal to help those less fortunate than place tlle bulbs, and one day to remove tlle scaffolding. ourselves, from an ad in the Washington Post: Being in congress is tougher than everyone tJlinks, and all the media Atlantic City, N.J. does is make fun of those poor congressmen. Plea.~e enclose a donation Outstanding qualifications of one candidate for office, as report­ for "TIle Friends of Congress Foundation." We go where it hurtc;. ed by the Associated Press: Kandace Williams, Miss Mississippi, claimed to be a human mag­ San Francisco net, because of a unique "electrolytic body chemistry." She also New improved customized trials now at the Federal Appeals claimed to be a second-cousin of Kenny Rogers and a descendant of Ju­ Court, as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle: lius Caesar. She,was not chosen to serve a.c; Miss America. A Nevada man was granted a new trial by the Appeals court, because at his original trial he wasn't allowed to testify because Milwaukee, Wise. he refused to take the oath. In his retrial he'll be allowed to use Disaster planning in America's Dairyland, as reported in the his own oath: "}'ll defend myself with fully integrated honesty, Milwaukee Journal: only with fully integrated honesty and nothing but fully integrat­ It readc;: "Tornado shelter: Employees only." ed honesty." (Readers are invited to forward newsclippings or other items for publication in Terra Incognita.) 78 Liberty • IIAlbert Jay Nock: Prophet of Libertarianism?" by Stephen Cox • "P.C. or B.S.?" by Meredith McGhan Mittd! • "Acid Rain and the Corrosion of Science," by Edward C. Krug • "Who Really Wrote Little House on the Prairie?" by William Holtz yoUf ~eS Plus writing by Ross Overbeek, Karl Hess, Sheldon Richman, Jane Shaw, te 1, 5 t cover Lawrence White, Randal O'Toole and others; and an interview with . ... .la \5 O tt1'l't"'" IS 1)acto-TIl i1'\Side fr l1 Pat Buchanan. (72 pages) S . LibertY col1til1ued fro May 1992 1 • "Clarence Thomas: Cruel and Unusual Justice?" by James Taggart V<1 tb January 1991 • "Hong Kong: Where Everyone Has a Job," by Mark Tier • "Meltdown: The End of the Soviet Empire," by • liThe Economics of the Emergence of Humanity," by Vernon Smith David Boaz, James Robbins, Ralph Raico and Jane S. Shaw • IIDivorce, Czechoslovak Style," by Vojtech Cepl and Ron Lipp • "Skatepunks, UFOs, and Guerilla Capitalisrn," by Lawrence Person Plus writing by Eric Banfield, Karl Hess, David Horowitz, Daniel Klein • "Gordon Gekko, Michael Milken, and Me," by Douglas Casey and others; and fiction by J. Orlin Grabbe. (72 pages) • "The Hope in the Schools," by Karl Hess Also: articles and reviews by Michael Christian, Ralph Raico, Loren Lo­ July 1992 masky and others; plus special election coverage. (80 pages) • "Christians and Libertarians in a Hostile World," by Doug Bandow • "Returning America's Roads to the Market," by Terree Wasley March 1991 • "The 'Lock' on the Electoral College," by David Brin • "The Myth of War Prosperity," by Robert Higgs Plus commentary on the L.A. Riots, and writings by David Kelley, Le­ • "The Life of Rose Wilder Lane," by William Holtz land Yeager, George H. Smith and others. (72 pages) • "The Unintended Consequences of Jesse Helms," by Richard Kostela- netz • "Old Whine in New Bottles," byJan Narveson Volume 6 • "The Strange Death of the McDLT," by R.W. Bradford Plus articles and reviews by Jane Shaw, Richard Weaver, Linda Locke, September 1992 Krzysztof Ostaszewski and others. (72 pages) • "War on Drugs, War on Progress," by James Ostrowski • "Virulent Green Growth," by Fred Smith May 1991 • "Property Rights Before and After the Lucas Decision" by William H. • "Christiana: Something Anarchical in Denmark," by Ben Best Mellor III • "Rescind Gorby's Peace Prize," by James Robbins • "Wilderness, Church and State," by Robert H. Nelson • "Journalists and the Drug War," by David Boaz Plus writing by Martin Morse Woooster, Ethan O. Waters, Jane S. Shaw, • "California's Man-Made Drought," by Richard Stroup J. Neil Schulman, Stephen Cox, and others; and an index to back is­ Plus writing by John Baden, Scott Reid, Leland Yeager and others; and sues. (80 pages) a short story by Lawrence Thompson. (72 pages) ~ Information concerning the first volume (6 issues) of Uberty can be found on page 45. July 1991 • "Say 'No' to Intolerance," by Milton Friedman • "1 Am a Casualty of the War on Drugs," by Stuart Reges send me the back issues of Liberty • "DePOlluting the USSR," by James Robbins r------, Plus articles and reviews by David Friedman, Loren Lomasky, Sheldon I Please I have marked. I Richman, Karl Hess, Richard Kostelanetz and others; and Mark (foreign orders, add SOt per issue) Skousen's interview with Robert Heilbroner. (72 pages) I Sept. '88, $7.00 __ Nov. '90, $5.50 __ I I Nov. '88, $4.00 -- Jan. '91, $5.50 -- I VolumeS Jan. '89, $4.50 __ Mar. '91, $5.50 __ I Mar. '89, $5.50 -- May '91, $5.50 -- I September 1991 May '89, $4.00 __ July '91, $5.00 __ • "AIDS and Marijuana," by Robert O'Boyle I July '89, $6.00 __ Sept. '91, $4.00 -- I • "Stalking the Giant Testes of Ethiopia," by Robert Miller Sept. '89, $5.50 __ Nov. '91, $5.50 __ • "The Unraveling ofCanada," by Scott Reid • "GNP: A Bogus Notion," by R.W. Bradford I Nov. '89, $4.50 __ Jan. '92, $5.00 __ I Plus articles and reviews by Bart Kosko, Mark Skousen, Frank Fox, I Jan. '90, $4.00 -- Mar. '92, $4.00 -- I John Hospers, James Taggart, Karl Hess, William P. Moulton and Mar. '90, $3.50 __ May '92, $4.00 __ others. (72 pages) I May '90, $4.00 -- July '92, $4.00 -- I November 1991 July '90, $5.50 __ Sept. '92, $4.00 __ • "The Road to Nowhere," by David Horowitz I Sept. '90, $5.50 __ Shipping: $1.00 I • "Women vs. the Nation-State," by Carol Moore Total: • "Thelma and Louise: Feminist Heroes," by Miles Fowler I 0 My check is enclosed I • "The Boycott of American Psycho," by Panos Alexakos and Daniel Charge my 0 VISA 0 Mastercard Expires: _ Conway Plus writing by Robert Higgs, Leland Yeager and others; and a short I Account # I story by J. E. Goodman. (80 pages) I Signature I January 1992 • "The National Park Disgrace," by R.W. Bradford I Name I • "Sex, Race, and the Single Gentleman," by Richard Kostelanetz • "Beyond Austrian Economics: Bionomics," by Michael Rothschild I Address I • "America's Bipartisan Apartheid," by Brian Doherty Plus writing by Leland Yeager, David Friedman, Henry B. Veatch, Jane I C~ I Shaw, Bill Kauffman, Karl Hess Jr. and others. (80 pages) I State --Zip Phone I March 1992 Liberty, Dept. B32, PO Box 1167, Port Townsend, WA 98368 ..I • "Hong Kong After TIananmen," by Kin-ming tiu L ------({(jive Me II Libertx II

or (jive Me 1Jeath. 11 -Patric/(j-{enryl 1776

Old Pat really was an extremist ... especially when it came to Christmas presents! The odds are good that your friends are less fussy about the gifts they receive .. · And chances are excellent that they would genuinely appreciate a gift of Liberty!

This winter, why not give a special friend This is the ideal gift ... it is so easy, and so the sheer pleasure of individualist thinking inexpensive: and living ... ~tes/ ... the state-of-the-art in libertarian analy­ Specia{!J-{Oaaay sis ... the free-wheeling writing of today's To encourage you to give gifts of Liberty leading libertarians ... the joy of pulling the this holiday season, we offer gift subscriptions rug out from under the illiberal establishment. at a special rate: the lowest price subscriptions These are a few of the little pleasures we we have ever offered! provide every other month. Wouldn't it be fun First Gift (or your renewal) . .. $19.50 to share them with a friend? Second Gift...... $17.00 In the past year, Liberty has published the Each Additional Gift...... $15.00 writing of Karl Hess, MjIton Friedman, John Act Today! These special rates are availa­ Hospers, David Friedman, Richard Kostela­ ble only through January 15, 1993. And re­ netz, Loren Lomasky, Mark Skousen, David member, your own subscription or renewal Boaz, Jane Shaw ... The most exciting libertari­ qualifies as one of the subscriptions. an writers providing a feast of good reading! Use the handy coupon below, or the special You pay a compliment when you give the coupon/envelope inside. Or call this number gift of Liberty. Send us your gift list today, and with your gift and credit card instructions: we'll send your gr~tiJlg with every issue! We'll also send a handsome gift card in your 800-321-1542 name to each recipient. What could be easier-or better! r------,, Pat Henry was right! Please send Liberty to I Yes. my gift list as directed below. Enclosed you Name I will find my check (or money order) for the full Address _ I amount. City _ I

I o First Gift 0 Renewal State Zip _ I I I Name _ Name _ I Address _ Address _ I I City _ City _ I I State Zip _ State Zip _ I I I Send to: Liberty Gift Department, PO Box 1167, Port Townsend, WA 98368. ~------~------~---~