Interesting Video on Libertarians in the Military
November 13th, 2009 Posted in US Politics by Sara Scarlett
3 Responses to “Interesting Video on Libertarians in the Military”
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November 13th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
How can a libertarian join the military?
The job of the military is not to defend freedom but to be a tool of the state.
You sign up to kill people for the ruling classes. Not to defend your families and community (you don’t need a standing army for that – the radical Whiggs stood against a standing army because it is a tool of oppression by the ruling classes).
Its good that these recruits are questioning authority, but that does not make them libertarian.
November 13th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
I’ve not played the video (can’t, here) but I’d like to respond to Tristan’s comment. I see his point, but there is a danger of being too doctrinaire about the use of the term “libertarian”.
Firstly, in the US it has a particular political connotation. Not all libertarians (let alone Libertarians) are completely anti-state. I suspect that many are simply anti-tax (or anti-high tax). If one is a minarchist rather than an anarchist one could argue that a standing army for purely defensive purposes, staffed on a voluntary basis, is compatible with a free society.
Secondly, there a plenty of people who do not live the dream. I’m sure there are libertarians working throughout the public sector. One can desire a better world while accepting that one must live in this one in the meantime. And joining the army can be a rational economic choice for many people.
I accept that fighting wars of aggression is incompatible with libertarianism, of course.
November 13th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Ah! See the reason I posted the video was because I tend to agree with Tristan regarding “Libertarians in the Military.” Which is why I was surprised to find any material on the matter full stop let alone a full video!!