Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version nyu B notes v1.5 12/10/84; site acf4.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!cmcl2!acf4!mms1646 From: mms1646@acf4.UUCP (Michael M. Sykora) Newsgroups: net.politics.theory Subject: Re: What is "capitalism"? (Explorations of "self-interest") Message-ID: <2380046@acf4.UUCP> Date: Mon, 24-Jun-85 21:32:00 EDT Article-I.D.: acf4.2380046 Posted: Mon Jun 24 21:32:00 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 29-Jun-85 01:39:43 EDT References: <298@spar.UUCP> Organization: New York University Lines: 27 >/* bob@pedsgd.UUCP (Bob Weiler) / 11:04 am Jun 20, 1985 */ >I find it interesting to note that the libertarian ideal that the >individual knows better than anyone else what is good for him apparently >pertains to economics and health, but not to politics. This is not an ideal but a belief. Moreover, it is not clear that such a belief is inherent in libertarianism. >I would like to point out that : >1) Each citizen knows what is in his best interest. >2) In the US, citizens legally have the right to vote for almost anyone, > including Libertarians, and the overwhelming majority choose > NOT to do so. >3) Therefore, Libertarianism is not in each citizens best interest. Your earlier description was that "the individual knows better than anyone else . . ." But 1) above doesn't say this. Therefore, the conclusion is unjustified. >It seems >to me that Liberterians believe that every individual is smarter >than any group of 1000. I find this just as dubious. Please explain how you arrived at thi ludicrous conclusion. Mike Sykora