Libertarian Alliance Conference
The U.K. Libertarian Alliance Conference will be held in London on the weekend of 27-28th October this year. See the full schedule and book your place here.
Discussion topics include;
Why the Sea should be Privatised
Private Law Enforcement: Libertarian Ideas on the Future of Justice
Towards a Surveillance Society
Anarcho-Capitalism Versus the Minimum State
Thoughts on Building Campaigns for Liberty
At the conference, the winner of the annual essay contest will be announced. This year’s question is ‘Does the UK need a Libertarian Party‘?
The same question could be asked in Australia. The view from within the LA, apparently, is that there is no need for a libertarian party in British politics. Their approach to date has been confrontational, even hostile, to mainstream politics and politicians. I completely disagree with this approach and will be submitting my 2,000 word essay for the $2,500 prize.
Change is most effectively brought about by a combination of ideas (think-tanks and blogs), effective marketing of those ideas (funds) and power (seats). The same is true for Australia.
If you want to find out more about the Libertarian Alliance, contact Sean Gabb at sean@libertarian.co.uk
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I would agree with you, Poms – a libertarian party is a necessary component in the fight for liberty.
“Why the sea should be privatised,” sounds like an interesting topic… something I hadn’t given much thought to – but now that I do seems full of potential. I would love to hear more on this in an Australian context.
John Humphreys wrote a good essay called “Taking Classical Liberalism to the People” in the Autumn 2007 edition of the CIS Policy magazine. In it he explored the need for a classical liberal political party to challenge the status quo (social democracy). Its a good essay (even my better half though so) and well worth a read.
Also worth thinking about is New Zealand. They have two political parties that are positioned away from the centre of politics:-
1. ACT
2. Libertarianz.
Libertarianz is a very pure libertarian party. ACT seems to be more moderate without capitulating to the centre. ACT has had more political success (ie members elected) and it represents my prefered mode of agitating for political change. New Zealand is quite quite blessed in having two such parties. However it’s electoral system is quite different to both Australia and Britian.
There are those libertarians who think that using government only makes the problem worse.
But I think since government is the main clog on liberty, to regain that liberty is going to take action in the legislature, to trim the lantana bush.
Ron Kitching in this excellent book ‘Understanding Personal and Economic Liberty’ relates the history of the Whigs who, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, repealed about *four-fifths* of the laws that had been passed since the thirteenth century, thus greatly increasing personal and economic liberty, definitively ending the feudal age, and ushering in the modern age.
Repealing four-fifths of the laws: aaah, that’s music to my ears. I think it’s about time the great broom-cupboard of state got another clean out.
As for privatising the sea, I can see why it should be privatised. But how would you do it?
Terje
Do you have a link to John’s article?
No but I have a photocopy of it. Also you should be able to get Policy magazine back issues. Or else whisper sweet things to John and see what happens.
http://www.policymagazine.com/