Minarchism
Encyclopedia : M : MI : MIN : Minarchism
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Factions Agorism Geolibertarianism Left-libertarianism Minarchism Neolibertarianism Paleolibertarianism
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The term was coined in 1970 or 1971 by Samuel Edward Konkin III, an anarchist. [link] [link]
Minarchists agree that the guiding principle in determining what should or should not fall into the domain of the government is the maximization of individual liberty. Minarchists often disagree on exactly how to accomplish this. Many minarchists usually agree that government should be restricted to its "minimal" or "night watchman" state functions of government (e.g., courts, police, prisons, defense forces). Some minarchists include in the ideal role of government the management of essential common infrastructure (e.g., roads, money). In general, minarchists favor expansion of power in a government of a small jurisdiction (like a city or county) over a larger jurisdiction (like a state or nation). This leaves individuals who wish to avoid living or working under the expansion more options (it's easier to move to another city or county than to move to another state or country). Minarchists are generally opposed to government programs that either transfer wealth or subsidize certain sectors of the economy. However, many minarchists support some level of taxation and thus some redistribution of wealth and subsidies to the state.
Some minarchists explain their vision of the state by referring to basic principles rather than arguing in terms of pragmatic results. For example, in his book Anarchy, State and Utopia Robert Nozick defines the role of a minimal state as follows:
- "Our main conclusions about the state are that a minimal state, limited to the narrow functions of protection against force, theft, fraud, enforcement of contracts, and so on, is justified; that any more extensive state will violate persons' rights not to be forced to do certain things, and is unjustified; and that the minimal state is inspiring as well as right. Two noteworthy implications are that the state may not use its coercive apparatus for the purpose of getting some citizens to aid others, or in order to prohibit activities to people for their own good or protection."
Other arguments for minarchism are natural rights, contractarianism and egalitarianism.
Prominent minarchists include Benjamin Constant, Herbert Spencer, Leonard Read, Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek, James M. Buchanan, Milton Friedman, Ayn Rand, John Hospers, Robert Nozick, George Reisman.
Organizations with minarchist members and supporters include Reason Foundation, [International Society for Individual Liberty], and Bureaucrash.
Some believe that minarchism is inconsistent with libertarian belief and is a contradictory philosophy. Libertarians, by definition, oppose the initiation of force or fraud against the person or property. In order for a state to fund itself, it would have to tax people. Since taxation is theft, this amounts to an initiation of force. Some libertarians argue that anarcho-capitalism is the only logically consistent form of libertarian belief. But supporters of minarchism counter that the government could survive on private donations and the creation trust funds without any form of taxation whatsoever.
See also
External links
Minarchist organizations
- [International Society for Individual Liberty]
- [Bureaucrash]
- [Cato Institute]
- [The Foundation for Revolutionary Enlightened Emancipation]
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