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Time to retaliate by taking Libertarian activism up a notch. Here's an example how: Stores in a Berlin tourist neighborhood began opening on Sunday all at once

Time to retaliate by taking Libertarian activism up a notch. Here's an example how: Stores in a Berlin tourist neighborhood began opening on Sunday all at once. The council let them because it would be too embarrassing to fine them all. They found a niche where the law says government has power, but Realpolitik says it does not. I swear I'm going to find as many of those as I can in my everyday life, and I will use them. Who's with me?????

polymatter 13y ago
Taking on the local council over stupid historical-accident religon-based laws that actively damage a major local industry during difficult economic times is one thing. Taking on your national government, and directly challenging the authority and interests of the US at the same time, is quite another. I'm not trying to be defeatist, but you'd need massive civil disobedience Ukraine-style before NZ decides to soften its stance on "piracy" (or more properly, copyright infringement).
- rainmaking 13y ago
  I believe your assessment is correct. Massive civil disobedience is to the local council as hitting a home run on national television is to batting practice.
icu 13y ago
I think the problem in NZ (like most of the western world) is that individualism has overtaken collectivism and the climate for collective social revolution isn't present anymore. People may stick it to the Man in a personal way, but not collectively. Your example of the businesses banding together isn't quite a Libertarian example, more like a Capitalist response of maximizing profits in the face of constraining government regulation. If life was harsh, or the political institutions totalitarian or corrupt, then collective social revolution would eventually appear. New Zealand is so far away from that type of environment that I doubt it will ever see the type of Libertarian activism that would be required to make lasting social change. 1. Lifestyles in NZ are good, and it really is quite a lot more egalitarian than the USA or UK. New Zealand ranks 11th in the world for Quality of Life Index. 2. Political institutions are not totalitarian or corrupt. New Zealand ranks the lowest in the world for corruption (equal to Denmark) in the Corruption Perceptions Index [http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2013/results/ http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2013/results/].
- rainmaking 13y ago
  This is not about revolution. That would not be prudent; the inevitable destabilization frightens people into agreeing to more centralization of power. This is about widespread ignoring of government, which is then forced to agree to save face.

polymatter 13y ago

Taking on the local council over stupid historical-accident religon-based laws that actively damage a major local industry during difficult economic times is one thing. Taking on your national government, and directly challenging the authority and interests of the US at the same time, is quite another. I'm not trying to be defeatist, but you'd need massive civil disobedience Ukraine-style before NZ decides to soften its stance on "piracy" (or more properly, copyright infringement).

rainmaking 13y ago
I believe your assessment is correct. Massive civil disobedience is to the local council as hitting a home run on national television is to batting practice.

icu 13y ago

I think the problem in NZ (like most of the western world) is that individualism has overtaken collectivism and the climate for collective social revolution isn't present anymore. People may stick it to the Man in a personal way, but not collectively. Your example of the businesses banding together isn't quite a Libertarian example, more like a Capitalist response of maximizing profits in the face of constraining government regulation. If life was harsh, or the political institutions totalitarian or corrupt, then collective social revolution would eventually appear. New Zealand is so far away from that type of environment that I doubt it will ever see the type of Libertarian activism that would be required to make lasting social change. 1. Lifestyles in NZ are good, and it really is quite a lot more egalitarian than the USA or UK. New Zealand ranks 11th in the world for Quality of Life Index. 2. Political institutions are not totalitarian or corrupt. New Zealand ranks the lowest in the world for corruption (equal to Denmark) in the Corruption Perceptions Index [http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2013/results/ http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2013/results/].

rainmaking 13y ago
This is not about revolution. That would not be prudent; the inevitable destabilization frightens people into agreeing to more centralization of power. This is about widespread ignoring of government, which is then forced to agree to save face.