Tom Woods on what it means to be a libertarian

Here's what libertarians think: you shouldn't commit acts of aggression against peaceful people.

That's it.

It has nothing to do with a hatred of rules, or even "wanting to be left alone," or individualism, or selfishness, or anything else. Some libertarians may indeed hate rules or be selfish, but these qualities do not follow from the central libertarian principle.

Which, again, is simply: no violence against the peaceful.

Now when you put it that way, libertarianism sounds at least intriguing, even attractive.  Which is why our critics never do put it this way.

Can society operate, and even flourish, without aggressive violence?

If we imbibe what we're told from grade school onward -- that we'd all be helpless boobs without the wise stewards who to our good fortune have agreed to rule over us -- then of course we already know the answer: why, of course not!  We need violence, and we need political leaders handing down orders, in order to enjoy civilized life.

Really?

I'm not so sure.

I think the opposite is true.

~ Tom Woods, September 30, 2019