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From: baba@spar.UUCP (Baba ROM DOS)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Libertarians in Space
Message-ID: <377@spar.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 29-Jun-85 04:53:23 EDT
Article-I.D.: spar.377
Posted: Sat Jun 29 04:53:23 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 1-Jul-85 06:45:19 EDT
References: <446@qantel.UUCP> <454@qantel.UUCP> <293@kontron.UUCP>
Organization: Schlumberger Palo Alto Research, CA
Lines: 26

> There are many motivations besides self-interest and greed --- but there
> are no so certain (sic) to be present in almost all people, almost all the
> time.  The socialists assume that most people will look out for the interests
> of the society as a whole; libertarians assume that most people will
> look out for their own interests.
>
>					Clayton Cramer

Not quite.  The socialists assume that people will *not* look out
for the interests of society as a whole, exactly what you ascribe to
the libertarian position.  The difference is that the socialists assume
that the interests of society as a whole *should* be looked after, and
since they think no one else will, they rightly or wrongly expect 
government to do so.

>                                         If the libertarian is wrong, and
> people are not entirely greedy, those positive attitudes will lead them
> to private social activity for the good of the less fortunate.  

And if your libertarian is *correct*, private social activity will *not* 
replace the role of government, and the poor bastards will just starve in 
the dark.  

Ergo your libertarianism only works if it is fundamentally in error.

						Baba ROM DOS