Category Archives: Liberty

The State Is Not Your Friend

Posted on by
2

I’ve been informed, in no uncertain terms, that I need to blog more. I’d like to claim that I’m too busy, rather than too lazy, but the reality is that I have the motivation of a doped up sloth at the moment. Thus, to appease my reader(s?), I though I’d put pen to paper* and write something.

I’m fortunate enough to have friends who link me to interesting articles and videos on a regular basis, two of which have really caught my attention in the last few days. The videos are very clear, and somewhat self-explanatory, which is something that appeals to my innate laziness. It’s not immediately apparent that the themes of these two very different videos are at all related, yet upon some closer inspection, they are making the same point in two different ways. Continue reading →

WordPress, Google Apps and Liberty

Posted on by
4

Some time ago, I had an idea to found an organisation for Libertarian students at Otago University. I’m already the Otago Region President of ACT on Campus, which is a group of students who agree with and promote ACT policies. However, I’ve always maintained that my allegiance so not to ACT, but to Liberty. In recent times, ACT has come out with a few things, of which I don’t particularly like the look, especially the social conservatism represented by figures such as John Boscawen. Fundamentally, the issue with ACT is that it’s a political party in a democratic system, unavoidably burdened with the need to get votes. That’s all well and good for ACT, but what I want is Liberty, not politics, and I think a lot of students feel the same.

Continue reading →

The Philosophy of Liberty

Posted on by
Reply

I’m probably going to end up talking about Liberty quite a lot on this blog, so for the sake of clarity, I should probably define here what I mean by Liberty. There are many fine essays out there that present beautifully the concept of Liberty and fundamental rights. One of the best is On Liberty by John Stuart Mill. From Wikipedia:

Perhaps the most memorable point made by Mill in this work, and his basis for liberty, is that “over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign”. Mill is compelled to make this assertion in opposition to what he calls the “tyranny of the majority”, wherein through control of etiquette and morality, society is an unelected power that can do horrific things. Mill’s work could be considered a reaction to this social control by the majority and his advocacy of individual decision-making over the self. The famous Harm Principle, or the principle of liberty, is also articulated in this work: people can do anything they like as long as it does not harm others.

Continue reading →