On Wed, 26 Mar 2003, Peter Smitt wrote:

> So I'd like to know what the position of the objectivists on this list
> is. Either they agree with Peikoff and think that libertarians are the
> archenemy of objectivism, or they agree with Branden (who calls
> himself a libertarian) that objectivism is just one particular brand
> of libertarianism.

There is a world of difference between libertarianism as a political
philosophy and the Libertarian Party. In my experience, the LP tends to
more anti-government than pro-liberty. Far too many of its participants
are motivated by a rebellion against authority and a desire to smoke dope
et al legally than a genuine regard for individual rights. I have neither
love nor respect for the LP.

Small-l libertarianism is a political philosophy of individual rights and
minimal government. Some attempt to justify it in wrong ways, but that
doesn't make libertarianism itself any more problematic than egoism is as
a moral theory. And without a doubt Objectivism's political philosophy is
a libertarian one. However, that doesn't imply that Objectivists must
accept the arguments of non-Objectivist libertarians, although many of
them are compatible with Objectivist and worth attending to. The point is
merely a descriptive one.

So I'm not a Libertarian, but I am libertarian -- and so are other
Objectivists, whether they recognize it or not.

diana.

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