Is there any flavor of libertarianism that even in theory makes sense? I lump libertarians together which I guess is unfair but I only talk to them online and they always seem to so similar however they define themselves with nuance. I find them to be ridiculous, obnoxious, and selfish.
For example - at Bluesky I just had an argument with a self-described socio-libertarian who was against "disruptive" protests against climate change. The character limit at Bluesky makes an actual discussion pointless in a situation like this. But they were an asshole anyway so that limit did me a favor. And I didn't need to her some kind of fantastical thinking about the magic of the free market solving climate change.
Here's what Wikipedia has to say about libertarian socialism...
Libertarian socialism is an anti-authoritarian and anti-capitalist political current that emphasises self-governance and workers' self-management. It is contrasted from other forms of socialism by its rejection of state ownership and from other forms of libertarianism by its rejection of private property. Broadly defined, it includes schools of both anarchism and Marxism, as well as other tendencies that oppose the state and capitalism.
Putting my neck out again, hopefully not getting dogpiled THIS time...
I believe I fall into this category. I want us to get to that theoretical goal called Communism: A stateless, classless, moneyless society. In order to get there I believe we need a state that is as unrestrictive as possible, while still protecting people from being harmed by others.
The law is a threat by the state. It means "do this and we will lock you up". I want less reasons for cops to exist. I want less excuses to oppress people. I want a state that leaves people alone as a rule unless it's absolutely necessary to intervene.
The speed limit is a good example. This is possibly the most commonly recognized, visible law in the world. There are signs posted with a limit of how many miles or km per hour you can drive, and if you go over that you're supposed to be fined. Do it a lot and you lose your privilege to drive, or spend time in jail.
In reality this doesn't happen. I drive on highways a lot, and there are lots of people who are driving 20-30mph over the limit, weaving in and out of lanes, being super dangerous! Do they get caught? No. Meanwhile when I do see someone pulled over, they tend to be from a minority group. Guess which part of the US I live in
This law isn't keeping people safe because it is selectively enforced. Worse, it's mainly used as an excuse to harass POC, leading a demographic down a path that leads to legal slavery (via prisons) and a lifetime of oppression.
Should we get rid of speed limits? Probably not. But I would be in favor of making them more flexible, making them higher, and coming up with ways to indiscriminately punish people who go over the more reasonable limits.
Now to the reason I got piled the other day: online gambling. I thought about it some more, and I realized I had an ableist take on addiction. Some people literally can't help themselves from getting into this to the point of throwing away their life savings, ruining their families in the process.
Here's the controversial part: I'd support restrictions on online gambling / sports betting / casinos but not outright bans. I don't believe it's fair to completely ban something for people who enjoy it, can do so responsibly, and aren't harming others from that casual enjoyment. Peggle is my game, but I get why people love Poker and slots and betting on who will score a touchdown in the 3rd quarter. I also get some people take it too far.
So what should we do? Ban online gambling completely? No. Instead I could see some sort of restriction on the amount individuals can bet per month. Maybe that's $50 at first and tied to inflation. Or we require banks to stop payment after a certain monthly limit is hit. Or we initially cap betting at a low amount, requiring counseling to increase that amount. Let people play the games without betting real money. I'm sure a happy middle-ground exists where the casual users can have their fun and the addicts get cut off before it becomes a big problem.
I'd apply the same thing to cigarettes, beer, and other "vices". Enjoy in moderation. I'm never going to support prohibition or completely banning tobacco use even though it has ruined countless lives.
No, this doesn't mean I support "voluntary" human trafficking or other nonsense people accused me of. I want governments to generally leave me alone as long as I'm not hurting other people with what I'm doing.
The main reason is I don't trust the government to do anything good. In fact, I'm afraid of what a more powerful government can do to hurt me and my family! A government that can force apps off my phone can take away my speech, control where I go, control what I can say, control who I can associate with, and more. I'm afraid of these things happening here where I live. The government is already too strong and law enforcement in places around here have literal military equipment on hand to keep us obedient.
Why should I want a government that is banning books and bombing kids overseas have more control over my life? Ultimately what Libertarian Socialism means to me is self-defense against systems of oppression. That means I want the workers to control the means of production (self-defense against Capitalism / bourgeois control) AND I want a minimal state to protect us and do what small groups of people can't realistically do (self-defense against state control).
You are conflating a dictatorship of the proletariat and a dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. Please read The State and Revolution as soon as possible, I think it would do you a lot of good.
I will check it out. Added to reading list
Glad to hear it! If while reading you have any questions, I’m sure people at !genzhou@lemmygrad.ml or !asklemmygrad@lemmygrad.ml would be willing to help. I assume Hexbear has similar communities as well, but idk about those ones.