Libertarianism

Libertarianism is a political philosophy that SD.net has recently been focusing on more.

Libertarian belief is all about a minimal state, the government is to be limited in it's funtions and capacity, and alot of emphesis is put on individual rights and freedom.

Common Libertarian Beleifs

• - Reduction of state run programs down to as few as possible (Generally in favour of police forces and a (reduced) standing army, some support public schools in some for or another)
• - Defederalization
• - Very Capitalistic and plan on removing regulatory laws on corperations such as anti trust laws and minimum wages
• - Abolition of Wellfare programs
• - Militantly anti gun control
• - Nonconfrontational foreign policy
• - Strong beleivers in seperation of church and state
• - Elimination of victemless crimes from the lawbooks (prostitution, drugs, seatbelts ect.)
• - Taxation should be kept to a minimal, if at all (the extreame end of this being seeing taxation as theft)

A closely related concept to Libertarianism is Anarcho Capitalism (most notably expounded by one L. Neil Smith), which advocates abolition of government and replacing it with corperations. Anarcho-Capitalists are for all intents and purposes religiously devoted to the concept of “the Invisable Hand of the market”. Even among Libertarians, these guys are seen as lunatics, as their knee jerk responce to any critisism often starts with "hey, i am a Libertarian, but not one of those Anarcho-Capitalist morons".

Critisism

Even with a few self described “Small l libertarians” in the board’s established population, Libertarianism is for the most part is highly critised by SD.net's population for its lack of regulation and wealth re-distribution would lead to the emergence of a few corporate monopolies, the fact that it removes enviromental codes which would lead to massive ecological damage, the effects of legalization of hard drugs on society, the fact tht sometimes it makes sense to drag someone away from doing and effectively making the government small, dumb and weak, especially making it vulnerable during wartime.