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Coercion or Freedom: Make Your Choice

Submitted by pencils2 on Tue, 04/06/2010 - 12:09

Daily Paul Liberty Forum

http://FreedomChatter.com

What is the free market? What is capitalism? The short answer is they are both freedom. They are not a system of strings meant to be pulled by a select group of powerful individuals, they are simply the keys to a life of freedom and an individual pursuit of happiness. One of the greatest misunderstandings about capitalism and free markets is that they are locked into a certain setting. The “Invisible Hand,” supply and demand, or any other explanations given for capitalism make it sound like a man-made system or some mystical network mysteriously established in ways that only economists can understand.

Free markets are not rooted in the creation of man; they are not the creation of people or an act of government. Free markets are rooted in freedom and exist only due to freedom itself. Freedom is the natural state of mankind, it is the neutral being that governs existence. Freedom comes naturally, any other government or economic system must come forcefully. The beauty is that freedom not only “allows” but encourages creative solutions to common problems, it does not suggest or mandate that we only look for the “Invisible Hand” or supply and demand to solve an issue that might arise.

A free market is not a system set in stone: it’s not as if the success of the free market hinges on the success of a certain product or business. A free market is merely an extension of the gifts of freedom; everything, whether it be exchange, living styles, or those who you involve with, is based on voluntary action. Freedom thrives on non-coerced and voluntary decisions. When one person or a group of people use force to push forward one objective or another, freedom is assaulted.

Freedom provides the foundation for full individual and group creativity, which the human condition thrives upon. Each individual is uniquely creative, and only in a truly free society can that creativity be unleashed. Freedom is not a mere “system” of government. Freedom does not mandate that you are a “capitalist,” it merely limits your abilities to use force upon others (which would destroy the freedom they too are born with). The only thing freedom restrains is aggressive force.

All measures or goals that require aggressive force are unnatural. Peace is the natural state of being; anything that can expand or thrive only through coercion (such as taxation, subsidies, or wars) is in no way natural. With freedom you must convince and demonstrate, not coerce, your beliefs. President Obama (and many preceding presidents and politicians) would have to clearly demonstrate how Americans are better off paying into a system that in turn forces them to purchase certain products and services. Government programs and institutions are built on the pinnacles of force and survive only through extortion of the American people. If the IRS, Department of Education, Social Security, and the barrage of D.C. institutions are so pivotal to the U.S., why not make their survival depend upon voluntary contributions rather than forceful taxes? Surely if people are better off by contributing to the institutions they will voluntarily do so. The truth is that they cannot last because they are not legitimately natural, necessary, or sustainable.

http://www.freedomchatter.com/2010/03/coercion-or-freedom-ma...

panarchy

Submitted by limelemon on Tue, 04/06/2010 - 13:25. Permalink

Freedom is not a mere “system” of government. Freedom does not mandate that you are a “capitalist,” it merely limits your abilities to use force upon others. The only thing freedom restrains is aggressive force.

Panarchy

Panarchy, was a term used by a botanist.

Submitted by beesting on Tue, 04/06/2010 - 15:03. Permalink

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panarchy

Plants that are inert and have little choice on who pollinates who.

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beesting

That is not the way I see it.

Submitted by Henry on Tue, 04/06/2010 - 13:52. Permalink

Freedom is self ownership, as opposed to slavery where others own you, or at least think they do.

Freedom, where you can freely act as you choose, so long as you do not commit acts of aggression against others, includes both personal freedom and economic freedom; they are inseparable.

You cannot be free without capitalism because capitalism involves the free choice to own the elements of capital and use them without control of others. All other economic systems involve force, hence are not part of freedom.

I agree with pencils2 that other systems are not self sustaining; there is always resistance, and in order to maintain one of the systems of slavery the masters must expend added energy. The current system of plunder and control in the US is becoming increasingly expensive to sustain. Ron Paul has said repeatedly the US empire will end because it is breaking the treasury. I think we are in the early stage of this coming to a head, and within the next 15 to 20 years the issue will be no longer be in doubt, one way or another. I don't expect it to be pretty (revolution or civil war).

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"The deepest sin against the human mind is to believe things without evidence." Thomas H. Huxley

Capitalism is a natural extension of freedom

Submitted by pencils2 on Wed, 04/07/2010 - 11:42. Permalink

but as limelemon, there is nothing to prevent voluntary agreements. It does not matter what system you accept so long as you don't force anyone to do what you feel is best. People have the right to choose for themselves, and this philosophy and principle is rooted in freedom. Capitalism is an extension of freedom but it's primary trait is that of voluntary exchange rather than the usual "Invisible Hand," supply and demand, etc.

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consent

Submitted by limelemon on Tue, 04/06/2010 - 14:39. Permalink

I agree with everything you said, except where you say "you cannot be free without capitalism…"

If a group of people voluntarily agree to live under a socialist system and they do not force it onto others, then everyone is free, because they are giving their consent to be "stolen" from. Aggression only exists when there is initiation of force without consent. Panarchy is 100% consistent with the non-aggression axiom and the principles of self-ownership.

I agree that capitalism is the best system and I believe that a voluntary socialist system will achieve inferior results, but everyone should be able to choose for themselves and be able to opt in or out of any voluntary system.