Libertarianism and Socialism

Among the Libertarian circles, Socialism andthen, I began to investigate the matter of rights
Communism are frequently regarded as the greatestmuch more. Libertarians, like many Capitalists, believe
evil -- that is, to say, the greatest opposition tothat Animal Rights Activists are opposed to Free
liberty, and anything to oppose freedom mustEnterprise, in that they want to make it illegal to
considered an evil. Essentially, Libertarianism is a basispurchase or kill animals. The fault with this
for obtaining an opinion on social issues: those thingsunderstanding of rights is that it applies only to
which encroach upon personal liberty are to behumans. A person would be even more Libertarian if
opposed. The Libertarian thought represents a greatthey thought it should be made legal to kill human
deal of progressive ideals, as well as conservativebeings and sell their body parts as food and
ideals. Simply put, Libertarianism does not placedecoration. Those who had a Libertarian mindset in
emphasis on liberal versus conservative, or newthe 1800's, they would believe that such rights are
versus old. Rather, it is based on the one idea ofexcluded to women. To promote a woman's right to
liberty, hence the title. For gay rights, Libertarianism isautonomy, they may argue, would be "to destroy a
supportive of it, since it promotes a person's right toman's right to property, in his partner." In the 1700's,
their own private activity. For Censorship, it isthose who argued for the abolition of slaves would
opposed, since demotes a person's right to theirbe opposed by the Libertarians. To promote any
individual liberty. In these ways, Libertarianism is similarman's right to autonomy, they may argue, would be
to that of progressive ideals. As far as Free Trade"to destroy the slaver's right to slavery in his
and Capitalism go, Libertarianism is supportive, again,subjects." A modern Libertarian may argue against
based on the fact that just as a person ought tothese comparisons, "But today we recognize the
have social and political liberty, they must also haverights of all men and women!" That may be so.
economic liberty, and right to sell and purchaseRegardless, the point remains: what a Libertarian
without hindrance. In this way, Libertarianism is closerunderstands "the right to property" to mean is apt to
to conservative rather than liberal values. However,change with the changing social values.Thus, we
as I stated earlier, Libertarianism is not based oncome to Socialism, or Communism, where a person's
promoting or demoting ideals based on whether theyeconomic rights are curtailed by legislation. I confess,
are new or old, liberal or conservative, radical orit is an infringement of liberty -- but of what liberty?
archaic. Libertarianism is based solely on the idea ofOf the liberty to provide men with only one option:
opposing laws and regulations which interfere withof sacrificing eight hours of their days so that they
personal liberty.Yet, for this statement to have anycan live on the brink of poverty while their children
meaningful context, one must understand anotherstarve on the streets as beggars. The Communist is
question: what is personal liberty? If I were to saynot blind. He knows quite clearly what the Capitalist
that Libertarianism is based on promoting individualsystem is: exploitation by coercion. The Capitalist will
liberty, I would be withholding the entire story. Thereargue, "But the worker has but a thousand
are certain liberties which Libertarianism specificallyemployers he can seek out! He is free and
restrict. The so-called personal rights are promoted,independent!" Whatever guise or illusion you put over
where a person is not allowed to steal or to killthe same system, the odor of contradiction and
another. This is the great contradiction ofmisery are not snuffed out. Yes, the worker can quit
Libertarianism: a man may do whatever he pleases,his job, but he must forever be tied to a job,
so long as he does not infringe upon the rights ofoffering his labor power in exchange for subsistence.
another -- these rights often defined in a variety ofTo say that the worker is free to quit his job is
ways, but always by the Libertarian thinker himself.synonymous with "the worker is free to starve, if he
They great failure of these thinkers is simple: theyis unhappy with the circumstances." The freedom to
have not been able to intrinsically denote thestarve -- that is what Capitalism offers, and that is
difference between "the right to protection fromthe liberty that Communism wishes to ameliorate.
theft" and "the right to protection from economicInstead of workers employed in creating wealth for
exploitation," or "the right to protection from beingtheir masters, the system of masters will be
offended by another's sexual preference." A personcompletely overthrown, and the workers will work
may argue, for instance, that to walk nude in publicfor themselves. The wealth of their labor will go
will offend them, and cause them harm, just as muchdirectly to themselves, and not to some idle king,
as someone stealing their property. Yet a Libertarianwhose right to property has given him a right to
thinker would respond that the nudist has his rightsexploitation.I am a Communist, but I still believe in a
while the thief does not. The problem is that there isperson's individual rights. There was once a time
no argument to promote one right and to debasewhen liberty involved the right to enslave another, be
another. It is just assumed that the "natural rights"they man or woman. Today, liberty means the right
are opposed to theft and murder. Essentially, theto enslave another, namely the worker. By
problem of its ideology is this: it fails to make thedestroying this right, we are fulfilling justice and duty,
distinction of the right of not being offended to thejust as the revolutionaries of centuries past, whose
right of life -- that Libertarianism will promote libertygoal it was to see the chains taken from the slave --
when it's to go nude, but not when it is to steal.so that a person will be recognized for who they are,
There may be some inane, erroneous work whichand not as property. Slavery has debased the soul by
attempts to justify "natural rights" of life anddenying that an individual is incapable of passion,
property, but I've yet to find anything substantial tobeyond the scope of thought and foresight.
defend these rights over any others.When growingCapitalism has debased the mind and the body; it fills
up, and developing my initial theories of justice andus with the lies that a corporate thief has the right
fairness, I could typically be classified as a Libertarianto the wealth we create, and it steals from us those
in the classical sense: I believed that a person'seight hours, those precious moments where we could
individual liberty ought to be respected. At this time, Ibe with a loved one, where we could be admiring the
did not understand the whole nature of rights -- I didcreations of artists and musicians -- Capitalism puts us
not understand that while I promoted the right toin those brutish conditions of work, in those
nudity, I was demoting the right to theft, and thatceaseless hours, making us produce their wealth. "But
there was no intrinsic way to justify one withoutwe should have the liberty to sell and buy as we
justifying the other. By justifying one or the other, Iwish! It doesn't matter if 99% of the world is
meant justifying them on the basis of Libertarianism,relegated to misery, poverty, and want! It is our
which is "to promote liberty." I believed in theliberty!" So the Libertarian may argue. But
freedom of opinion, in the right of a person to do asLibertarianism isn't about individual thought, but
they wished, without interference to others. Theindividual rights, and if that means the subjection of
basic conception of liberty that I had was that a manwoman to man, of african to white, or even of
can do as he wishes, as long as he does not impactworker to employer, then it will confess to such
on the liberty of others. Of course, this left a greatmonstrous cruelties... It is the job of every
deal of questions unanswered. I believed in personHumanitarian to oppose the Capitalist system.
and individual liberty. Anything to impose upon this,Life,Punkerslut (or Andy Carloff) has been writing
whether it stemmed from religious or moral bias,essays and poetry on social issues which have
ought to be disallowed. If a man wanted to dress upcaught his attention for several years. His website
like a woman, wearing a dress with an image of aprovides a complete list of all of these writings. His
man burning an American flag, while walking down thelife experience includes homelessness, squating in
street advertising free sexual acts -- if a manNew Orleans and LA, dropping out of high school,
wanted to do this, it is his right to do this, just as it isgetting expelled from college for "subversive
a man's right to walk down the street, dressedactivities," and a myriad of other revolutionary
normally, keeping completely quiet and to himself.Butactions.