Devastating critique of libertarianism

[Narkos]

Forward to all of your Randroid buddies!
http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=widerquist

[stopbush]

1. No Libertarian I know is going to read a 51-page essay that contradicts their beliefs.

[Narkos]

4. I know, but I'm going to try to make it a book club of the month thing

for one of my friends. Go through it a little at a time. It would be enlightening.

[Warpy]

2. Too many words. It would make their heads hurt.

My own criticism has been a little more succinct: Rand's philosophy suffers from exactly the same thing Marx's does; for either to work, the human race must be perfected first.

They hate that.

[longship]

3. Libertarian arguments

Rand: Name one good thing government does!

Opponent: Do you use the Interstate Highway system?

Rand: Name one good thing government does!

Opponent: The US hasn't been invaded by a foreign power since 1812.

Rand: Name one good thing government does!

Opponent: I notice that you're kinda old. Do you draw social security?

Rand: Name one good thing government does!

Lather; Rinse; Repeat.

Popcorn time.

[PoliticAverse]

5. Rand was not an anarchist nor was she a libertarian...

"So-called libertarians are my avowed enemies, yet I've heard many reports on their attempts to cash in on my name and mislead readers into the exact opposite of my views." - Ayn Rand

[longship]

6. Well, I meant Rand as a surrogate for today's libertarians

Many of whom nearly worship Ayn Rand. Some even name a child after her.

I did not imply that Rand herself thought those things. However, in arguments with manu of today's libertarians you never hear something like my cartoonish version.

Your point is well taken. I should have labelled it differently.

[Mairead]

7. um, capital-L Libertarians, please.

Small-L libertarians are people like Chomsky, Zinn, and me.