Christmas and Libertarianism

Richard Ebeling emails:

Dear Bob,

I participated in the December 22, 2015 “Libertarian Angle,” webinar sponsored by the Future of Freedom Foundation, with the Foundation’s president, Jacob G. Hornberger, on the topic: “Christmas and Libertarianism.”

The discussion this week focused on the difference between benevolent and charitable giving as an ethical element and choice in the free and voluntary society vs. the compulsory “charity” of government redistribution in the name of “social justice” or “social welfare.”

There is no ethics at the point of a gun, and there is no meaning to benevolence and good-will toward others through government forced “taking” to give to selected others by those in political power and control.

Furthermore, it is a hallmark of free societies, as seen in American and British history before the modern welfare state, that out of freedom and market-based prosperity came an ocean of generosity and “helping-hands” to those less well-off.

These properly human sentiments are weakened if not almost eliminated the more the state takes on the role of provider and benefactor for vast segments of the population through interventionist-welfare state.

This is a lesson that should be learned and remembered at this Christmas time of the year.

Best,
Richard