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| Atlas Shrugged | |  |
Atlas Shrugged is a novel by Ayn Rand, first published in 1957 in the United States. Rand's fourth and last novel, it was also her longest, and the one she considered to be her magnum opus in the realm of fiction writing. Atlas Shrugged includes Rand's most extensive statement of Objectivism in any of her works of fiction. | Photo: Archives |
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There are many colors inside the Libertarian party, from the anarcho-capitalist, right-wing conservative Libertarians (Murray Rothbard, Koch Brothers), to the personal freedom loving, moderate Libertarians (
Ayn Rand, Penn Jillette ), all the way over to the group I call home, the left leaning Libertarian Socialists (Noam Chomsky, Benjamin Tucker).
Unfortunately over the past several months, I have noticed a complete lack of understanding, or purposeful deceit, when it comes to the concept of socialism in the Libertarian party. Most times, it is strictly associated with authoritarian state-socialism, communism, fascism, or even Nazism. Outside of the Libertarian party, telling people you're a Libertarian Socialist is akin to saying your from Mars, so an introduction is in order.
To start Libertarians are anarchist, no not terrorists, even though that is one form of anarchy. Most Libertarians are peaceful anarchists, as long as you abide by the non-aggression-principal, who simply seek the freedoms our natural rights provide for us as human beings.
Libertarians believe in true freedom, to be free of government's burden, free from corporate statehood, or the whims of an ignorant majority. Libertarian Socialism combines that freedom with equality, and strives for free markets where the workers own an ownership stake in the means of production and the products or services they create.
This is not state socialism, or some twisted authoritarian regime that pretends to be socialists, to control and manipulate masses of people, but a brand of Libertarianism, I think most people are more aligned with than they realize.
Libertarian Socialists prefer a stateless society, and an end to government c
| Our current system of wage labor, leads to inferior conditions such as poverty, debt-servitude | | |
reated business monopolies and land monopolies, that prevent a true free market and equality from occurring.
One of the cornerstone philosophies for Libertarian Socialism is the idea of a self-owned labor force. In theory, who would not want to have an ownership stake, and all the benefits that come with it, for the products or services we produce at our jobs?
Instead the profits reaped off our hard work are funneled upwards, only to get dispersed disproportionately back down to the worker, as it finally drips its way into our pockets. Adam Smith once stated, "Under conditions of perfect liberty, markets will lead to perfect equality, and not force people to outside orders, lessening them as humans."
Our current system of wage labor, leads to inferior conditions such as poverty, slavery, debt-servitude, wealth redistribution, and the creation of the welfare state. A self-owned labor force remedies such problems like wealth inequality, the need for food stamps, and social security.
But this is just one facet of the Libertarian Socialist cause, and why anyone who truly seeks freedom, should come to understand the usefulness of Libertarian Socialist ideas and philosophies.
