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From: josh@topaz.ARPA (J Storrs Hall)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: freedom, democracy, etc
Message-ID: <421@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 28-Jan-85 22:44:42 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.421
Posted: Mon Jan 28 22:44:42 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 30-Jan-85 06:25:24 EST
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Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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> But it isn't really ignored by the Libertarians, it is a central point of
> most of their arguments even though they refuse to admit it.  The major
> thing most Libertarians seem to rail about is paying taxes.  
> ...  The only argument *against* paying taxes is that it
> *reduces one's income* and therefore reduces one's freedom to spend
> as much money as you might like on whatever.  But if *reducing* one
> person's income *reduces* their freedom, then *increasing* another
> person's income correspondingly *must* increase their freedom.
>   tim sevener    whuxl!orb

I think this is a straw man.  Libertarians don't value "freedom" in
the abstract, general sense: They value freedom from coercion
(specifically, government coercion).  Otherwise they would agitate
for all kinds of "free" services from the government like the socialists.

Another problem with this analysis is that it presumes the utilitarian
point of view, namely that one should strive to maximize some  "good"
over the sum of all society, a view that is abhorrent to libertarians
(who prefer the concept of individual rights).  Thus the argument is 
circular.

--JoSH