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Originally Posted by ratbastid
The second question is: What makes a Libertarian trust the free market when what we get over and over again from the free market is companies screwing the little guy in the name of profits? Enron was far and away the most flagrant of these, but it happens in lots of little ways in many more companies. It seems naive to me to believe that the Smith's "invisible hand" really guides companies to do what's best for the world--we have plenty of evidence that the opposite is the case. Companies pollute, cheat, manipulate, and steal. So the question is: what am I missing here that has Libertarians have such faith in the free market?
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It is the individuals that make up the corportation that create problems. But, I'm not really sure how a free market would change anything in the energy, phone, cable, or oil industries? And hopefully there would still be some laws and restrictions in place on what companies can and can't do.
Bad press in the media might make them think twice before ripping off the customers.
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Originally Posted by ratbastid
Would you say that modern-day Libertarians have any real hope that this corporation-free minimal-government ideal will ever be realized? When I read your first post, I couldn't help but think, "Yeah, right!" I mean--it sounds nice in the abstract, but it would be a massive piece of work to undo thousands of years of governmental and financial structures. I can't even imagine what that would take.
Which, it seems to me, relegates modern Libertarians to the role of quixotic complainer--forever outside the mainstream, doomed to rail against it without any real hope of effecting the change they want to see, at least, not in their lifetime.
What do you think about that? I suspect that you will find that an inaccurate characterization, and I'm interested in why.
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It takes time for things to change. The Libertarian Party was only started in 1971, and most of the voters are just interested in making their team win at the polls (or making the other side lose), regardless of who it is running. Change is difficult, and only happens when absolutly necessary. But, if enough people aren't doing good, and they want a change, at least it is possible in this country to vote for a different plan.
The biggest problem is that government gives a few people the ability to choose what everyone does. And enough voters (50.1%) get together to ban guns, abortions, gay marriage, and drugs, it can effect the lives of everyone in the country. And there are plenty of people who don't care what the politcians views are besides their one issue. For instance, they don't like abortion, and they don't want to live in a community that aloows abortion. However, they should only be allowed to determine how they live their life, and not prevent another person from making whatever choice they want. But, there still is disagreements when does the featus or baby get rights for itself?