Lind sums up his well-cited takedown of libertarianism's leading lights thusly:
The dread of democracy by libertarians and classical liberals is justified. Libertarianism really is incompatible with democracy. Most libertarians have made it clear which of the two they prefer. The only question that remains to be settled is why anyone should pay attention to libertarians.
The basic problem libertarians have with constitutional democracies is that, no matter what country or culture you look at, over time the mean majority tends to vote for things which take resources from some people with a lot (taxation) and give them to other people with less (redistribution), which libertarians equate with tyranny, while normal people call it fulfilling the social contract and promoting the general welfare.
And since we live in the real world and not an Ayn Rand novel where there is nowhere for our libertarian masters to run away to, they have to stay put and pout about how unfair it all is. And CATO, Mises, etc., are their well-funded and credentialed pouting, er, think tanks.
By Michael Lind
August 30, 2011 | Salon
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