Letter: History shows Libertarian ideas are winning
History shows Libertarian ideas are winning
Since the founding of the United States of America (The Great Experiment) the world has evolved from where only “Nobles” had rights, were landowners, and there were no free markets. Today, the world generally has religious freedoms, personal freedoms, freedoms of speech, property rights, free markets, and the rule of law prevails.
For most of our world’s history, no country had those things. There was little to no economic growth, human rights or justice. Emperors, kings, and dictators ruled, enslaving people, stealing property, and waging wars that would last for decades.
Around the time of the founding of the United States as if by magic, limited government, property rights and free markets appeared in the world. There was a sudden increase in markets expanding, common people could petition local authorities for justice, more tolerance of different religious beliefs.
Today, people who wish to stir the pot tell us that “the poor get poorer,” however, this is not true. To put things into a better economic perspective, a poor American today is 30 times richer than a noble (rich person) was when the United States was founded.
When private property is allowed and protected and markets are free, innovation happens in ways that allow ordinary people to live better. Over time, that innovation multiplies. It is why, today, most of us live better than emperors, kings and dictators once did.
Emperors, kings and dictators had hundreds of servants who prepared them meals. Today, my supermarket offers me a buffet they could not imagine. Thanks to trade, property rights and free markets, each one of us lives as if we had more servants than kings.
The direction of history over these past 200 years or so has been in the direction of free markets, personal freedom, human rights, rule of law, democratic governance, and that is what Libertarians advocate.
As a Libertarian, I also advocate teaching people correct principles then letting them govern themselves.
-- Don Butterfield, Salt Lake City |
