Are most traders Libertarian leaning?

[Andronichuk]

This may be a long shot, but from my experience in trading so far...
most traders I have talked to really seem to be Libertarians/Libertarian leaning.


Does anyone share my experience?


I suspect that perhaps because we are so actively involved in The Market...
we would be logically some of it's strongest defenders...
although I did hear that John Maynard Keynes was himself too a successful trader...

so what do you guys think?


If your not "Libertarian", how would you describe your political views.
(just as a matter of interest)

 

[robster970]

anarcho-capitalist

 

[Andronichuk]

anarcho-capitalist

Nice, I just started reading some Murray Rothbard...
thought I would look into his views. :smart:

Are you a member of LPUK by anychance, seeing as your in the UK?

 

[robster970]

Nice, I just started reading some Murray Rothbard...
thought I would look into his views. :smart:

Are you a member of LPUK by anychance, seeing as your in the UK?

No. I am a political island and not active in any sense. The Rothbard view of the world is just the most aligned view I can find to explain my own.

Ultimately it is a free-market, passive, libertarian derivation though.

 

[Dommo]

What did Rothbard have to say about law and order, and policing?

 

[Andronichuk]

What did Rothbard have to say about law and order, and policing?

Well he represents the most extreme/radical form of Libertarianism...
the anarcho-capitalist wing.

His view is that pretty much everything should be left to The Market.
He would abolish government completely and have private courts, police, army, navy etc.

I personally do not think it works, but I still havn't finished reading his arguments in favour of this, I hear his arguments are cristal clear raw reason, so looking forward to hearing it

 

[Dommo]

Thanks - I'm all for smaller govt but a privately established court sounds pretty wild to me.

 

[Dommo]

Thanks - I'm all for smaller govt but a privately established court sounds pretty wild to me.

On the other hand, if I substitute the term "BigCorp" for National Govt and "MediumCorp" for local govt, and these start demanding payment for services...

 

[Andronichuk]

On the other hand, if I substitute the term "BigCorp" for National Govt and "MediumCorp" for local govt, and these start demanding payment for services...

I think that is sort of the way he looks at it, but I am not an expert.
My personal view is pretty Libertarian...

I think we need a small government, market economy, sound money and a peaceful foriegn policy.


One of the reasons behind this post is to try and get like minded people (hopefully based in the UK) introduced to the UK Libertarian Party (of which I am a member).

I figured that seeing as I have met sooooo many Libertarians on trader forums and blogs, perhaps they may be interested in this party.


www.lpuk.org


Young and small, but making progress and growing.

But apart from that, I am generally interested in the general political views of traders.

 

[gooseman]

an elected government would be a nice start. so would an election turn out greater than the number of w*nkers voting in the x-factor.

 

[robster970]

On the other hand, if I substitute the term "BigCorp" for National Govt and "MediumCorp" for local govt, and these start demanding payment for services...

But you inherently get competition and choice even with bigcorp and mediumcorp. You get no choice with local and national govt.

With regards to law and order, creation of legislature is a problem, private policing less so. You telling me that the police are not politicised already and state abuses legislation and the creation of legislature for its own political means?

Amateur and pro photographers get arrested under prevention of terrorism acts for taking pictures of things in public.

The public no longer really have a right to protest as the police use aggressive tactics that are not commensurate with freedom of speech.

State abuses it's right to deploy armed forces against the general will of the populace for political means.

You telling me that's not wild? Problem is we live in these conditions and become desentisized to just how state controlled much of our life is and how little we're allowed to exercise our own judgement and free-will without state intervention or scrutiny.

 

[robster970]

an elected government would be a nice start. so would an election turn out greater than the number of w*nkers voting in the x-factor.

I agree wholeheartedly. Nobody exercises their rights any longer, preferring to be spoon fed by the state and then start crying when it doesn't do what it wants.

 

[Dommo]

Robster - I'm not arguing for or against anything you mentioned (man, what a can of worms!), but I do wonder how you would establish competing courts of law, and/or legislatures (as you acknowledged).

As a thought (only, and I don't propose to follow this up!), in the distant future I can imagine state government becoming naturally less and less relevant as (i) essential services are automated/improved and (ii) people form themselves into like-minded groups without regard to geographical proximity (which seems to me to be a key aspect of governments). In a mild form, I think (ii) is evident today - eg look at this website.

It seems to me that nowadays, possibly a majority of workers (in the west, anyway) are employed to render some service that doesn't really produce anything concrete, but satisfies some data/administrative burden (just think 'office job' generally).

Anyway, this thread was very thought provoking but I for one don't want to discuss at length (because this could run and run!)

Cheers

 

[robster970]

Don't worry, I've no intention of continuing on the argumentative track

To echo goose's point, it just disappoints me that we live in a world where people can't even be bothered to vote, never mind discuss political/philosophical/social ideoligies.

 

[dcraig1]

an elected government would be a nice start. so would an election turn out greater than the number of w*nkers voting in the x-factor.

As a matter of interest would you support the Australian system where voting is compulsory?

 

[Andronichuk]

As a matter of interest would you support the Australian system where voting is compulsory?

It's an interesting idea...
I personally wouldn't support it though.

Whilst I agree that it is bloody annoying that in today's world people don't tend to give a flying monkies about what is happening in the world, making voting compulsory won't solve this fundamental problem in my opinion.

I think perhaps a radical de-centralisation of power may inspire people to vote more actively if decision making takes part closer to them and they can see the result's of their votes.

 

[Dommo]

As a matter of interest would you support the Australian system where voting is compulsory?

No - if someone doesn't want to vote, or can't form an opinion, or can't be bothered, don't force them. If less people vote, my vote counts for more (not much, but more). I don't want to see legions of unmotivated people forced to get out and vote (prob the wrong way).

 

[gooseman]

i am v proud to be british but at the moment i can honestly say i am looking for jobs outside of the country. this labour govt coupled with the EU has crippled us.