Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: $Revision: 1.6.2.16 $; site inmet.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!cca!inmet!nrh
From: nrh@inmet.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Re: What is "capitalism"? (Explorati
Message-ID: <28200018@inmet.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 23-Jun-85 12:07:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: inmet.28200018
Posted: Sun Jun 23 12:07:00 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Jun-85 08:25:28 EDT
References: <166@pedsgd.UUCP>
Lines: 46
Nf-ID: #R:pedsgd:-16600:inmet:28200018:000:1943
Nf-From: inmet!nrh    Jun 23 12:07:00 1985


>/**** inmet:net.politics.t / pedsgd!bob / 11:04 am  Jun 20, 1985 ****/
>Organization : Perkin-Elmer DSG, Tinton Falls NJ
>
>>
>>Perhaps I can only suspect what's best for me.  But who can consistently
>>know better, and how?
>>
>>							Mike Sykora
>
>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. 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.

Amusing.  On the other hand, relatively few people understand what
libertarianism is all about.  Even libertarians do not hope that
individuals will know about alternatives they've never heard of,
or have understood poorly.  Libertarians are doing their best to inform
people, and it's paid off.  We're the third largest party in the US
(yes, including Republicans and Democrats).

I think the point has been conceded that one may not always know the
absolute best action to take, but the point remains that private
individuals perceive their own interests more directly than their
politicians perceive those interests, and thus, ordinarily, more clearly.

>
>On a lighter note, I recall a saying " Democracy is based on the
>notion that 1000 people are smarter than any 1" ( or something
>like this. Does anyone know where this comes from? ). It seems
>to me that Liberterians believe that every individual is smarter
>than any group of 1000. I find this just as dubious.
>/* ---------- */
>

Not ANY group of 1000, but certainly any random group of 1000 politicians! :-)

(I believe the quote was from H.L. Mencken, who, as I understand it, was
quite libertarian in his outlook).