Is Libertarianism Dead?

For decades, libertarianism has been the port in the storm for disgruntled political refugees, fleeing the leftist takeover of all facets of political life.

But a new force has arisen.

The ascendancy of Trump and the Alt Right has triggered as many libertarians as it has leftists.

Is Libertarianism dead?

Libertarianism, embracing the non-aggression principle and a general abstention from party politics – is by definition a passive philosophy. People must be willing to listen to arguments for a smaller state and voluntarily give up their handouts for a state to become libertarian.

A group of migrants from Eritrea have recently arrived in Britain. They speak almost no English. They have not the faintest idea about our history, unwritten constitution or traditions.

I tell them, ‘I want to have dialogue with you on the limits of government power. I think the state should be smaller – we should have less taxes, fewer government programmes and more personal responsibility. Would you consider campaigning for liberty?’.

They beat me and steal my black and yellow shirt.

The whole concept of personal liberty, was born from European individualism. It has little to do with wealth or technological advancement. Japan has no tradition of liberty – because East Asians are generally more collectivist and embrace uniformity, and as such are willing to accept the state power. Non-Europeans almost never vote for smaller government.

Libertarians who believe that the entire human population can be persuaded into accepting a Euro-centric, individualist, liberty based political philosophy are extremely naive.

Many non-Western nations cannot sustain democracy, never mind a libertarian state. The neoconservatives’ failed attempts to spread democracy in the Middle East are testament to this damning fact.

That is why libertarians, should, by default, reject open borders. Immigration from non-European countries to a democracy makes a small state impossible. If your political philosophy is such that it willingly destroys itself – your philosophy is a failure.

Even with closed borders, libertarian democracies can implode.

When the United States was founded in the late 18th century it had an entrenched constitution which guaranteed a small federal government and an immigration policy that only allowed free whites of good character. Fast forward to 2016 the US is $20 trillion in debt, business is either smothered by regulation or exported to cheaper countries and the founding peoples will soon be a minority. In just over 200 years the Republic is facing an existential crisis.

It is any wonder then, that in some esoteric corners of the internet the viability of democracy is being called into question?

Many on the right embrace libertarian economic principles – the end of corporatism, fiat currency and fractional reserve banking. These are to be welcomed.

But free market capitalism has been used as cover by the global establishment to allow free movement of peoples to drive down wages for big business and disenfranchise native populations.

Some libertarians do reject open borders. Others have set the philosophy aside to join the Alt Right or other reactionary movements.

I consider the case for closed borders to be obvious.

The much more interesting question is, however, would a libertarian state suffer the same cultural ills which currently plague us?

It is true that many of Western society’s ills have stemmed from Cultural Marxists hijacking public institutions. Postmodernists infest tax-payer funded academia. It is likely that in a system of privatised academia these parasites would fail to take hold as there is no economic demand for their destructive ideologies.

But the libertarian state is indifferent to a positive national ethos. It is poised dangerously close to nihilism.

Pornography epidemic? Sure, why not?

Widespread drug use? Sure, as long as I’m not paying for treatment.

Degenerate pop culture? Doesn’t hurt anyone.

Gay marriage? No problem, kiddo.

Promotion of tradition? Not on my watch.

Preservation of the nation’s environment? No way, except, of course, if it causes someone to lose money.

National identity? Disgusting. Nation states do not really exist.


In the end we return to passivity. ‘Don’t tread on me’. But they have done – and will continue to do so.

You’ve offered no meaningful resistance to creeping leftism in the past, what makes you think you can be effective in the future?

Your enemies are highly organised ideologues, bent on the destruction of your way of life.

How can you use non-aggression in the face of aggression?

Some of us are ready to fight back. Trump and Brexit – just the beginning.


Leave a Reply


You are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change )

Google photo


Twitter picture


Facebook photo


Connecting to %s