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From: orb@whuxl.UUCP (SEVENER)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Libertarianism in One Lesson
Message-ID: <287@whuxl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 12-Oct-84 13:05:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: whuxl.287
Posted: Fri Oct 12 13:05:00 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 13-Oct-84 07:34:43 EDT
References: <28100018@uicsl.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs
Lines: 44

> 
> Libertarianism is the philosophy of the Declaration of Independence and the
> American Revolution. Most people, most of the time, deal with each other on
> the libertarian basis of mutual respect. Two groups don't: criminals and
> government. Libertarians challenge the notion that government can
> legitimately coerce the rest of us through taxation, regulation,
> conscription and criminal penalties imposed upon peaceful, voluntary conduct.
> 
> -Shaun

This is a common way in which Conservatives (which Libertarians basically are
whether they admit it or not) have expropriated the American Revolution for
their own ideological purposes.  People leading the American Revolution did
NOT believe that there should be no government or that the only legitimate
government was one which only dealt with crimes such as murder.  Rather
they believed in a "Commonwealth"--one will note that many states are still
known as "Commonwealths",e.g. the "Commonwealth of Massachusetts".
In fact they were very innovative in putting this idea into practice-
Benjamin Franklin, for example, founded the first Fire Dept., and also
was instrumental in establishing the U.S. Post Office.
The Northwest Ordinance Act of 1787 was very innovative in establishing
the basis for the first public educational system in the world--for
every parcel of acres of a certain size (I think it was 320 acres?)
land had to be set aside for a school.  This was done to encourage
an educated and enlightened citizenry--I think that most people would agree
that, for all its failings, the American educational system has been very
effective in promoting a basic literacy rate ,helping assimilate vast numbers
of immigrants, and providing access to valuable skills and training for ALL
Americans.  The economist, Dennison, has estimated that a major portion of
economic growth in the past has been due to increased education and training-
MORE than increases simply in the amount of physical capital.  That is
preciously what advanced technology is about--doing things more intelligently 
increases productivity and efficiency.  To do things more intelligently requires
more intelligent people to do them.
The leaders of the American Revolution also engaged in numerous public works
projects--building canals and roads to encourage trade.  
The justification was the ideal of the Commonwealth--while people should be
free and elect their own leaders they realized that some goals required
collective effort and cooperation.
It is simply wrong to claim that the leaders of the American Revolution
were Libertarians.
Whether Libertarianism is right or not, please do not try to claim the mantle
and mystique of the Founding Fathers to justify it.
Tim Sevener  whuxl!orb