The New Libertarianism: Anarcho-Capitalism by J. Michael Oliver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
[Disclaimer: I am a friend of Mr. Oliver and his family. I am not normally predisposed to reading books on economics, politics, or objectivism—indeed, I have never read any of Ayn Rand’s books, and I did not know what objectivism was until I read this book. I do not self-identify as a Libertarian. I read the book because I wanted to understand more about the underpinnings of Mr. Oliver’s economic and political views than we have been able to discuss in our conversations during social gatherings. All this is to say that I do not feel as qualified to judge the merits or shortfalls of Mr. Oliver’s arguments as would someone who is more knowledgeable in these subjects.]
Oliver’s book is divided into three broad sections, covering Objectivism, the State, and Capitalism/ Voluntarism. I’ll start my discussion with the second section, which launches into the evils inflicted on mankind by the kinds of governments we create and which rule us by “implied threat of force.” No argument from me that the institutions that mankind creates are often dismal failures. As soon as two or more people are engaged in any activity, power struggles emerge. I found myself objecting to Oliver’s assertions that governments rule by force—but it is an uncomfortable truth. We can change our leaders but not our government itself without its explicit permission to do so.
The first section traces the development of the objectivist philosophy and prime tenets upon which libertarian ideas are based. Prime among these are that men and women must engage in “productive action” to sustain their physical and mental well-being. The third section’s description of how life might look without a government-run police force or court system is very interesting but scary to think of in terms of mankind’s current penchant for grabbing all we can. The anarcho-capitalist society posited seems to be to be thoroughly impossible in our current level of evolution, without assuming that people will work to produce for their own well-being and will not harm others through violence or fraud. The utopian society described in the book seems more like something possible in the period of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” when there are no longer material shortages of anything and people can be fully self-actualized.
How do we achieve this vision? Well, Oliver says, Libertarians can’t give you a plan for getting there, because planning implies that someone is directing the show, which runs counter to pure libertarianism. Apparently we just have to assume that we’ll all eventually come to our senses someday. (In conversation with Mr. Oliver, he has alluded to meltdowns such as the 2008 financial crisis as anarcho-capitalistic opportunities for people to see the failings of government writ large and to do finally something about it. That is, someday there will be an economic crisis so large that government will not be able to provide the answer. Then true change will come.)
Hence I was left with a sense of uncertainty about exactly what I am supposed to do with the information and ideas planted by in my brain the book. It did give me a lot to think about, however, and I’m glad I read it. I believe that students of political theory will find interesting material in here, no matter what their political leaning. Oliver points out early in the book that it is unfortunate that Libertarianism has become associated with the Republican Party, because the GOP is, just as the Democrats, an institution operating within the framework of The State.