4 ms·

I’m saying it right now. Public libraries like the ones we currently have should not exist. That’s the stance I’m taking, you should not have the right to force

I’m saying it right now. Public libraries like the ones we currently have should not exist. That’s the stance I’m taking, you should not have the right to force me to buy you books whether they are books that align with my politics or not. If it’s voluntary because it was voted for, surely anything else voted for by the same governments that voted for taxation is also voluntary right? Shall I enumerate a few examples to check your consistency?

joshuamorton 3y ago
Thanks for clarifying :) I never said anything about voluntary. I believe that one of the core functions of government is to exist as the legitimate body by which we compel other people to do things. The exact mechanics vary from government to government (for example libertarians might limit government to compelling people to obey the NAP and meet their contractual obligations, while other forms of democracy obligate people to do whatever the electorate decides (which, technically, is also what happens in a libertarian society!). This is true whether or not I agree with a particular policy of the government. Governments are legitimate even when they do things I, personally, disagree with. And in fact I generally think that to effectively function governments must be able to operate with a bluntness that will leave some people unhappy (you're free to read that as "I don't believe a libertarian society can effectively function at scale). Just to check, what do you propose society do with people who do not have the economic resources to access published works normally? Should the lower class be limited to only propaganda provided by the upper classes? If not how do we ensure free access to information for everyone and prosperity and general welfare of those less fortunate? Or, actually, since as far as I can tell your objection applies to all taxation, how does a government maintain funding? Like on your framing it isn't ethical to force me to pay the salary of a bureaucrat I don't elect, so how do you maintain the judiciary and executive needed to function?

joshuamorton 3y ago

Thanks for clarifying :) I never said anything about voluntary. I believe that one of the core functions of government is to exist as the legitimate body by which we compel other people to do things. The exact mechanics vary from government to government (for example libertarians might limit government to compelling people to obey the NAP and meet their contractual obligations, while other forms of democracy obligate people to do whatever the electorate decides (which, technically, is also what happens in a libertarian society!). This is true whether or not I agree with a particular policy of the government. Governments are legitimate even when they do things I, personally, disagree with. And in fact I generally think that to effectively function governments must be able to operate with a bluntness that will leave some people unhappy (you're free to read that as "I don't believe a libertarian society can effectively function at scale). Just to check, what do you propose society do with people who do not have the economic resources to access published works normally? Should the lower class be limited to only propaganda provided by the upper classes? If not how do we ensure free access to information for everyone and prosperity and general welfare of those less fortunate? Or, actually, since as far as I can tell your objection applies to all taxation, how does a government maintain funding? Like on your framing it isn't ethical to force me to pay the salary of a bureaucrat I don't elect, so how do you maintain the judiciary and executive needed to function?