The Politics of Freedom

From a Lecture By: David Boaz, learnliberty.org

• Libertarianism is the application of reason and science to the study of politics and public policy
• Need to focus on actual effects of policies, not the desired effects or intentions
• Private property, free markets and tolerance are all vital elements of a prosperous and free society

Frederick Hayek was born in 1849 - "When I was young, only the very old people still believed in the free market system. When I was in my middle years, I was the only person who I knew to be for free markets. And now that I have the pleasure of living long enough I see once again that young people are again believing in free markets."

• Things happen for a reason, reality matters
• Need to discover the rules that govern the world - life, liberty, pursuit of happiness
• Don't hit people, don't take their stuff (ie. taxes), keep your promises

Thomas Jefferson - "the natural movement is for liberty to decline and to yield and for government to gain ground" (and destroy freedoms)

What is the Meaning Of Freedom?

Three potential options:

• Wealth, gives us options
• Openess, gives people more options
• Actual political liberty

Effects of Widespread Wealth

• Things are cheap
• You can choose where to live and work
• Less constrained by necessity of eeking out a living

• Wealth is not liberty, but having more reasources feels like freedom
• Liberty involves responsibility, not just choices

Effects of Open Society

• Classical liberalism is always for a society of merit, not status
• Get rid if priviledges of monarchy and aristocracy
• Remove barriers to races, creeds, women etc

Effects of Political Freedom on Liberty

• In many ways we are more free than in the past
• We don't have military conscription, 90% tax rate, wage and price controls, restricted access to transportation and communications

"The struggle of freedom is never over."

"Always love your country, never trust your government." - Bob Novak