minarchism
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In civics, minarchism, sometimes called minimal statism or small government, is the view that the size, role and
influence of government in a free society should be
minimal — only large enough to protect the liberty and property of each individual. Many minarchists consider themselves part of
the libertarian tradition, and claim that what they call minarchy continues the
traditions of classical liberal philosophy. The term is perhaps most often used to
differentiate libertarians who believe it is possible to have a state that protects individual liberty without violating it
itself, from the
The term was coined in 1970 or 1971 by Samuel Edward Konkin III, an anarchist. [1] [2]
Overview
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 and money). In general, minarchists favor the administration and funding of government services in a small jurisdiction (like a city or county) over a larger jurisdiction (like a state or nation). This is favored because decisions are presumed to be more efficient when the decision-makers are closer to the subjects of the decisions (the citizens), and this leaves individuals who wish to avoid living or working under an expansion of government more options (it's easier to move to another city or county than to move to another state or country) - thus inducing more downsizing political pressure on the government. Minarchists are generally opposed to government programs that either transfer wealth or subsidize certain sectors of the economy. However, most minarchists support some level of government funding, including perhaps taxation in some limited cases, as long as individual liberty and the non-aggression principle are not compromised. [3]
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 minarchists instead use utilitarian arguments. They might use theoretical economic arguments, like Ludwig von Mises's contribution to Austrian economics, or statistical economic research, like the Index of Economic Freedom.
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.
Criticism
Some libertarians argue that anarcho-capitalism is the only logically consistent form of libertarian belief. It is also contradictory to state that violence is immoral, yet still maintain violence in the form of a government. Such views are often voiced by "rights libertarians", though consequentialist libertarians may argue that minarchism is more compatible with utilitarian values (in the manner of von Mises or Milton Friedman)
But supporters of minarchism counter that a government could survive on private donations and the creation of trust funds without any form of taxation whatsoever. Even if a government could be voluntarily funded, then it still amounts to an authority with a monopoly of force over a given area, and as such would dictate and control. The mere existence of government, irrespective of how it is funded, undermines one's self-ownership, since to govern is to control. Minarchists, however, depart here from anarcho-capitalists in philosophical beliefs, believing that the government should indeed be the sole arbiter of force in law and military matters, on the premise that competing law systems would inevitably lead to chaos, where no libertarian principles could possibly reign.
Also, some libertarians believe that the concept of "constitutionally limited government" is a fallacy. The American Founding Fathers' approach of limiting the inherent force linked with government (in respect to the United States Constitution) has not worked[dubious ]. The size and scope of the contemporary US federal government probably is far greater than what the Founding Fathers intended or envisaged.[citation needed]
A number of minarchists state that human beings naturally gravitate towards leaders, hence making anarchism untenable and not viable. As such, they believe that the existence of government is inevitable and people should only be concerned with limiting the size and scope of the state as opposed to opposing its existence.
Some minarchists believe their approach to be more pragmatic. However, Hans Hermann Hoppe has argued that the only form of state that can pragmatically be restrained from expanding is a monarchical (privately owned) state.
See also
- Classical liberalism
- Capitalism
- Objectivist philosophy
- Libertarianism
- Minarchists
- Anarcho-capitalism
- Starve the beast
Anarchism - Anarcho-individualism
Minarchist organizations
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