From libertarian Michael A. LaFerrara:
The basic feature of capitalism, which is integral to Americanism, is individual autonomy and self-governance, within the confines established by the same rights of others. Consequently, the individual needs the freedom of action, as defined by the principle of individual rights, to live by the judgement of his own mind without coercive interference from others, including others as government officials. For capitalism to function, one’s rights should never be at risk in any election.
Democracy is unlimited rule by electoral majority (or its elected representatives). The basic premise of democracy is that the elected government can do whatever it chooses to do to whomever it chooses based solely on the premise that it represents the “will of the people” as expressed by victorious factions in elections. There are no constitutional limits to government power except as determined by government officials, and thus no way to protect individual rights. When majority rule is the standard, there are no limiting principles to that rule. Democracy is the rule of mob might, not objective law. “Freedom” is basically government permission, and individual “rights” can be restricted or discarded any time the government can claim it is acting on the “will of the people: that is, there are no inalienable rights-which means, no rights at all. Democracy, properly understood, is a manifestation of totalitarian collectivism.
No.
The basic feature of capitalism is where ownership lies. In capitalism, ownership is private. Private ownership of resources and the means of production. Capitalism has nothing to do with individual autonomy or self-governance as neither of those things has anything, whatsoever, to do with economics and the economy. Capitalism is, at best, indifferent to individualism. Capitalism doesn’t care if a coal mine is owned by John Osgood or if it’s owned by a Hippy-Dippy co-op, so long as it’s not a government entity.
Another helping of Libertarian Word Salad with Definitions Are What I Want Them To Be in a small caraffe on the side for easy dipping.
I’m also curious as to what an “Objective Law” is. Looking it up, I only find Randian definitions which seem to forget that laws are malleable, alterable and imperfect. It’s like these people think living life is like playing a game of Monopoly. Except these people forget, and get upset, that most people make up their own house rules for Monopoly.
Excellent points, cogently expressed.
Thank you, Trey
If Mr. Intellectual Courage can’t provide cogent points, this blog picks up his slack.
As far as I can tell the electoral college has never protected any minority, racial or economic (whathaveyou) from anything. Nor has it protected the nation from the morally and ethically deranged crowds or leaders. They had every reason and opportunity with Trump but utterly failed.
Of course there is another mechanism designed to protect individual rights; the Constitution.
Capitalism wants control over the market and consumers, monopoly if at all possible. Democracy, with its focus on listening to the people, and the fact that monopolies tend to cause a lot of economic pain, are always going to be in conflict. Capitalism is also always in conflict with free markets. Whereas democracy and free markets work together quite well, often as synergy.
A lesson can be learned, by design, from the game Monopoly. In the end one player has most of the money and is having all the fun. Of course there is one part of the game that often gets overlooked: the end. The part where all the players, even the winner, gives up all their money and it all goes back into the bank so the game can be played again. In the end thew game Monopoly includes the ancient tradition of Jubilee.