[lbo-talk] Things I will never understand: Fear of Tax

wrobert at uci.edu wrobert at uci.edu
Mon Oct 20 19:39:53 PDT 2008


If I remember correctly, the term was initially coined by Kropotkin as a more legitimate term for anarchism. However, this really has nothing to do with the way the term gets used in the United States, which is linked to both individualism and an absolute lack of understanding of historical capitalism. I always thought Jello Biafra's description of libertarians as Republican who smoked pot was apt. robert wood

P.S. I haven't forgotten the Adorno elaboration. I'll get something together in the next couple days.


> I don't see libertarianism as radically individualist, although in
> the US many do define it this way. But, strictly speaking, its akin
> to anarchism-opposed to illegitimate authority-i.e., basically all
> authority we are currently subject to.
>
> I think this portrayal of anarchism/libertarianism as being hyper-
> individualist is largely a strawman construction erected those who
> feel threatened by it. If you actually look at the history of
> anarchism, it has been a tremendously well-organized movement.
>
>
> On Oct 20, 2008, at 11:25 AM, Sean Andrews wrote:
>
>>>>> Sean Andrews <cultstud76 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> To take my argument further, perhaps too far for this list:
>>>>
>>>> "too far"...as if...do you read this list?
>>
>> On Mon, Oct 20, 2008 at 9:53 AM, shag <shag at cleandraws.com> wrote:
>>> Sandy is a long time list member ...
>>
>> It was more of a rhetorical question. There are plenty of anarchists
>> on the list and there is generally little sympathy for the state in
>> general so it is strange to see a longtime list member act like this
>> kind of thought is somehow beyond the pale--or that being exposed to
>> it would suddenly enlighten us.
>>
>>> (Sandy's a big open source software guy)
>>
>> I'm always intrigued by this combination: libertarian AND open source.
>> Radically individial yet committed to the collective production and
>> availability of value. I know there are all kinds of articulations
>> which can round out the pegs for the holes, and maybe he's just being
>> provocative: consider me provoked.
>>
>>> the funny thing is, if memory serves, Sandy used to get ridiculed
>>> for his
>>> "lefty" positions on one of those lists. :)
>>
>> I guess this depends on what you mean by "lefty." Marcuse was sort of
>> a lefty, but he was all about the libertarian standpoint, a
>> combination Woj likes to remind us of often.
>>
>>> To my knowledge, there are about a dozen folks here, generally
>>> lurkers,
>>> who aren't necessarily leftists who read the list nonetheless.
>>
>> I know, but shouldn't that mean that they are familiar with it? What
>> was so unique about this interjection? That he talked about the
>> contingent nature of the idea of rights? The coercive function of the
>> state? Broke some puritanical barrier by talking about the sex trade?
>> None of this seems unusual. I'd be interested to know how he would
>> characterize the list, but, in any case, it was more of a rhetorical
>> question/observation.
>>
>> s
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