This was a gathering of the "nationalist left", but I noted that Pat Kane did describe the web as being a creation of "civil society". Very good. But later there was a reference to the awful prospect of school privatisation. Needless to say I support the privatisation of schools, but perhaps we libertarians need to improve our marketing.
What I should have done is to stand up and say that it's the de-statistisation of schools that we want. I have no problem with all schools being owned by private companies, or with them being owned by parents, or with them being owned by teachers' co-operatives. Just as long as the mixture of school ownership emerges voluntarily from Pat's civil society. Getting schools out of the deadly hand of state control is what matters. For the record, I have no doubt that a free society would see all three types of ownership that I've described as well as others that I can't begin to imagine. That's the beauty of liberty.
2 comments:
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David Farrer
So the solution to the collapse of a failed free market is a genuinely free market?
No, the solution to the collapse of a failed governmentally imposed system is a genuinely free market.
Here's an article I spotted earlier today from Professor Kevin Dowd:
"My point here is each of these pillars of the current system—central banking, limited liability, inconvertible currency, the managed economy, deposit insurance and financial regulation—represents a major and profound state intervention into the economy, i.e., the opposite of a free market."
There are dozens of books that explain how governments are the cause of the financial crisis that we now face. They're are also numerous works on the environment and the necessity of private property rights for its preservation.
This site is a huge resource for libertarian ideas.
3 December 2009, 21:18:42 GMT
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Mike
So the solution to the collapse of a failed free market is a genuinely free market? I see. And presumably the environmental problems created by our consumer culture would be solved by the same mechanisms?
3 December 2009, 09:22:59 GMT
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David Farrer
Mike,
Libertarians are certainly 100% in favour of abolishing the surveillance/police state in Britain/Scotland/anywhere else.
There's no unbridled free market in banking. The whole system is fraudulent and based on the creation of fiat money through the government managed fractional reserve banking system which couldn't possibly exist in a genuinely free market. Just as before 1929, libertarians were the only people to forecast the events of last year and are also the only ones with the correct solution.
1 December 2009, 18:23:30 GMT
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Mike
Surely libertarians should be in favour of the break up of the British state and all the surveillance / police state it represents?
Confused also about your position on privatisation. Do you think the unbridled free market has been a great success in, say, the banking sector?
1 December 2009, 10:54:43 GMT
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David Farrer
Sorry about that Mike. I'd arranged to meet someone for a drink at 1pm.
30 November 2009, 18:32:56 GMT
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Mike
Hi David
I wish you'd made yourself known - we could have talked! Sorry about the freezing venue!
Mike
29 November 2009, 21:52:03 GMT
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Philip Hunt
The problem with LPUK is they're too extremist. I've been described cas ca libertarian by others, and I'm more liberatarian than 90% of the UK public, & I think they're too extremist.
29 November 2009, 10:47:16 GMT
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subrosa
I'm all for the privatisation of schools. Large schools need to be broken up into smaller more effective places for pupils to learn. Vocational subjects need to be given a far higher profile instead of being looked down on by the more academic pupils.
Headmasters need a free reign to run their schools without being tightly controlled by tick boxes. They can then employ the teachers they want.
Rid ourselves of most of the over-staffed council education departments and give the money to the schools.
Sorry I'm ranting.
29 November 2009, 01:17:00 GMT
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David Farrer
Hi Jeff,
It was briefly mentioned by (I think) Joe Middleton. With a shudder rather than an explicit comment.
It was even colder in the big room outside where I had a pre-meeting coffee. I had to take a more meaningful beverage afterwards...
From what you were saying I may have to buy the News of the World tomorrow.
28 November 2009, 22:15:39 GMT
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Jeff
Great to meet you David, albeit briefly.
I wonder if a Scottish Libertarian Party could work, it seems to be an increasingly popular philosophy.
As we discussed, I don't see things from that viewpoint but I totally see where you're coming from.
Incidentally, I can't recall school privatisation being discussed let alone it being an "awful prospect" but maybe I was too busy shaking with the cold at that point!
28 November 2009, 22:00:08 GMT
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David Farrer
I know. I wanted it to rhyme with privatisation...
28 November 2009, 20:09:58 GMT
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Glaswegian
"What I should have done is to stand up and say that it's the de-statistisation of schools that we want"
Yeah, but the word 'de-statistisation' doesn't roll off the tongue very easily.
I think a better word is needed!
28 November 2009, 19:08:23 GMT
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