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Success 99 NotebookKnee-Jerk LibertarianismIncreasing Your Credibility as an LP SpokespersonAs Libertarians, we frequently encounter comments from statists that strike us as ill-founded, poorly considered, poorly supported, and (in some cases) abysmally stupid. Sometimes we describe these comments as "knee-jerk", meaning that the comments are offered reflexively, rather like the jerking response of one's knee to the tap of a mallet. Most Libertarians find such comments irritating; some Libertarians have little patience with such comments. However, Libertarians are not immune to the problem of offering knee-jerk responses. I submit that "knee-jerk libertarianism" is no more appealing than "knee-jerk liberalism" or "knee-jerk conservatism." Furthermore, knee-jerk libertarianism can make us appear stupid, intellectually sloppy, or unconcerned about the welfare of our neighbors. Unfortunately, since there are still relatively few Libertarians, we do not have the luxury of being able to make ill-considered remarks on a regular basis. In this article, I shall identify some important types of knee-jerk libertarianism and suggest corrective measures. For the purposes of this article, I define knee-jerk libertarianism as a reflexive, ill-considered comment about some aspect of libertarianism. Note that the comment may be factually correct, but inappropriate in some manner. Please bear in mind that it is very easy to engage in knee-jerk libertarianism. Indeed, every Libertarian I know (including myself) has exhibited symptoms of the disease at some time; in some cases, the symptoms are mild, whereas in other cases the patient may be beyond help. Types of Knee-Jerk LibertarianismIn the interest of brevity, I'll restrict myself to the most common and important types, each of which I have identified by a pithy phrase. As the reader will discern, many of the types overlap.1."The Free Market Will Take Care of It"I suspect most readers are aware of the joke: "How many Libertarians does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: None. The free market will take care of it." Unfortunately, the punchline of this joke is frequently the response one hears from Libertarians in response to difficult questions about the environment, medical care, welfare, and Social Security, and many other important areas.The free market has many virtues, but perfection is not one of them. There are plenty of cases where a free market mechanism may not produce someone's desired "optimal" outcome. In a market-based society, it is possible that some people will be unable to obtain life-saving medical procedures, that old-growth forests may be logged, that buildings of unique architectural or historical significance may be leveled in order to build a parking lot, that some types of flora and fauna may become extinct due to human activities, and so forth. Of course, in most cases there is little (if any) reason to believe feasible non-market arrangements will produce superior outcomes. In any event, Libertarians should understand the limits of markets. 2. "In a Libertarian Society, We Shall All Be Beautiful, Healthy, Smart, and Rich!"A closely related type of knee-jerk behavior involves overselling the product. I attended an event in which an LP candidate for national office claimed that in a Libertarian society, real economic growth rates would be 10-20% per year. This assertion may be true, but no evidence was offered in its favor; I found the assertion to be extremely optimistic, as did others in the audience.While I believe a Libertarian society will be better than conceivable alternative institutional arrangements on both moral and prudential grounds, it will not be Utopia. Libertarian societies will have all manner of serious problems, some of which may be intractable. Furthermore, the costs of moving from where we are to where we want to go may be very high. For example, if we were to eliminate Social Security tomorrow, some people might be badly hurt. 3. "Often Wrong, But Never in Doubt"One of the most common (and irritating) types of knee-jerkism involves Libertarians who offer apodictic opinions concerning matters of public policy about which they are ignorant. A Libertarian acquaintance of mine gave a speech in which he blasted the Food & Drug Administration for causing pain, suffering, and death as a result of its review process for new drugs and medical devices. Unfortunately, he had virtually no knowledge of the actual FDA approval procedures, and offered precious little rigorous analysis or peer-reviewed data in support of his argument against FDA fiat and in favor of consumer choice. As a result, even though his basic point (FDA regulations can, and do, injure people) is correct, regulation supporters were able to obscure that point by using his errors and poorly supported assertions to cast doubt about his condusions.4. "Government Workers Are Lazy, Incompetent, Venal, Statist Scum"One of the more damaging forms of knee-jerk behavior involves making unwarranted assumptions about government employees. First, many of the LP's best activists receive a government paycheck. Second, government employees frequently are the best sources about the day-to-day problems and failings of government action. Third, flippant derogatory comments about government employees may insult prospective members.An example of this was relayed to me by friends: During a public speech by an LP candidate for national office, the candidate suggested that "members of the Armed Forces are postal workers in khaki." While the remark was evidently an attempt at humor, a U.S. Army captain in attendance who had indicated a desire to learn more about the LP was not amused. He left the event without seeking additional information about the party. Fourth, comments which cast unjustified aspersions upon government workers may not resonate with the general public. An example: When I was growing up in my hometown of Pulaski, Virginia, the Post Office employees were among the nicest folks in town. They were polite, helpful, dedicated people who worked hard to do a good job. I attended the public schools of Pulaski; the overwhelming majority of my teachers were wonderful, intelligent people who really cared about the children whose education they assisted. Some of the sarcastic comments I've heard by Libertarians concerning government employees just won't play in Peoria (or Pulaski.). 5. "What Has the Government Ever Done for Us?"A contender for the title of "most frequently-displayed type of knee-jerk libertarianism" concerns the failure to understand how most people perceive the benefits of government. While Libertarians may see certain government programs as costly activities of questionable benefit that should be provided by the market (if at all), our neighbors may see substantial benefits at a reasonable cost from a benevolent government doing the job for which it was established. This should not be surprising, since the benefits are usually easy to see while the costs of government are frequently difficult to calculate.6. "What You Say Ain't What They Hear"A type of knee-jerk behavior that is difficult to avoid involves assuming that your comments will be understood as you intend by your audience. When I discuss ending the power of the FDA to regulate the choices of consumers, I envision the typical benefits of freedom of choice: Lower prices, more diversity, more information, less suffering. However, some who hear my comments may have a different vision: Thalidomide-deformed children, improperly-tested medical devices, botulism, salmonella, etc. In connection with point #5 above, many people may see the FDA as the protector of the people against dangerous drugs, faulty medical devices, and tainted food, without realizing that FDA protection also produces victims.7. "What Part of the 'Libertarianism is Wonderful' Syllogism Don't You Understand?"This type of knee-jerk libertarianism usually manifests itself in a lack of patience with those who are not immediately convinced of the justice and/or prudential benefits of a libertarian society. I must work constantly to keep my knees from jerking violently in this matter, since much of my outreach effort involves explaining libertarianism to college students. Some of the students respond with hideously illogical or inaccurate comments as to why libertarians societies won't work, or why libertarianism shouldn't be tried. It is a struggle to refrain from dismissing these students as hopeless; fortunately, I have learned to keep my mouth shut until my knees stop jerking and my brain starts working.My own story may be instructive. When I first encountered the libertarian perspective as a college student, I found some basic moral appeal in libertarianism but didn't immediately accept the philosophy. It took roughly three years before I became a Libertarian. When I now encounter a student who seems hostile to libertarianism, I ask myself whether today's Dr. Lark would have dismissed Mr. Lark of 1976 as unworthy of further attention. Corrective MeasuresFortunately, the major corrective procedures are easy to describe. Unfortunately, they are sometimes hard to implement, typically because of the time and effort required.1. Maintain the highest degree of intellectual integrityThose who advocate a libertarian society must be scrupulously rigorous and honest in their analysis. As stated previously, honesty and accuracy will build credibility; a lack of intellectual integrity may make us look like fools or charlatans. (How do you react when some statist offers an inaccurate, illogical, or dishonest defense of his position?)2. Do your homeworkIn conjunction with the preceding point, if you are going to criticize government programs on prudential grounds, it is incumbent upon you to get your facts straight. Don't make errors upon which opponents of the libertarian perspective can pounce and thus deflect attention from your major points.In doing your homework, develop a set of easily digested/easily remembered examples that illustrate your points. 3. Learn the importance of rhetoricThe term "rhetoric" has come to have a somewhat negative connotation. However, the term originally meant the process of structuring an argument so that it takes its most effective possible form. In particular, the argument is structured so as to flow in a natural, easily understood fashion. Advocates for liberty should invest the time to prepare a basic argument in favor of a libertarian society; a useful method is to write out the argument as if you were to give a lecture on the subject. A related point: Examine your vocabulary to determine how your advocacy can be improved. Try to determine how your comments are interpreted by non-libertarians.4. Be patient with your audienceMany of the arguments in favor of libertarianism (or against statism) are not easy to understand; indeed, in some cases, the arguments seem counterintuitive. It should be no surprise that it takes people time to consider fully our arguments. There are several extremely bright people in the LP who took several years to evaluate the libertarian perspective before coming to accept it. A little bit of patience with a prospect usually pays off handsomely; even if you can't convince someone to become a Libertarian, you may be able to keep that someone from becoming hostile.When you challenge a statist to accept the libertarian perspective, you may be asking that person to reject assumptions and positions held for many years. Indeed, that person may be faced with the prospect that he has advocated programs that have actually hurt people the programs were meant to assist. This can be an extremely painful process, and we should have compassion (or at least understanding) for those undergo this process. 5. Practice, practice, practice!There is simply no substitute for this: to improve your advocacy efforts, you must practice. This is true whether your efforts involve discussing libertarianism with friends during a coffee break or addressing a lecture hall filled with unsympathetic people.About the author: James W. Lark, III is an adjunct professor in the Dept. of Systems Engineering at the University of Virginia. He is currently serves as advisor to the student Liberty Coalition at that university. He advises college and high school libertarians throughout the country on promoting libertarian ideas on campus. He has lectured and conducted workshops on the subject of campus organizing at several state Libertarian Party conventions, and at the Libertarian Party national conventions in 1987, 1991, and 1996. He is also is the vice-chairman of the Libertarian Party of Virginia, and serves as secretary of the Jefferson Area Libertarians (Charlottesville, Virginia). |
