The Violence of the Welfare State

Matt Cockerill
Nov 2, 2009 at 9:49 PM
By Matt Cockerill

From my experience, the greatest objection potential converts have to libertarianism is its non-negotiable advocacy of abolishing government "safety nets." People just seem to think it's downright callous to oppose public health care for children, food stamps for out of luck families, and the whole welfare apparatus. 

In seeking to persuade such individuals, I offer you this succinct argument by Mary Ruwart:

...although refusing to help others might not be very loving, pointing guns at our neighbors to force them to help those in need was even less so. Honoring our neighbor’s choice was more loving than the forcible alternative. If people needed helping, I should expend my energy to offer that help, rather than forcing others to provide it.

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My favorite saying against safety nets has to be, "if people are inherently good, government is not needed, if people are inherently evil government wont help."

Those who think we live in such a vicious society that no one will help the poor without government intervention are forgetting that government is a mirror reflection of the society that constitutes it. If the society is vicious, the government is vicious. What people are saying when they advocate  government safety nets is that they have no faith in the goodness of humanity. With that cynical a view, why waste your energy imposing said safety nets? The world seems hopeless.

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Submitted by John M (not verified) on November 2, 2009.

Wonderfully said.

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Submitted by J Junior on November 2, 2009.

well said. 

Not to side track, but the best thing about my libertarian friends is that they devote their energy DIRECTLY making our communites better today, rather than holding up signs asking politicians to make our communities better at some point in the future.  This may not be a fair statement, but I think its time to cut out the middle man =P

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Submitted by Erik (not verified) on November 2, 2009.

this sounds a lot like Ayn Rand.

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Submitted by JYD (not verified) on November 3, 2009.

Ironically, there are people who are debating whether the government can intervene at all during recession. Some believe that government should do nothing, and scale back as far as possible, especially taxation, so that the market can take care of itself.  Others believe the government should launch huge works projects, or works projects that pay as little as possible, so that there's at least a fall back.  However, government butting in on every action does no good save for those doing the butting, and for every action has a consequence.  If there's too much government intervention for debt relief – we cripple ourselves to save ourselves, and empower the wealthy over the working.

 

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Submitted by Brinx C on November 4, 2009.