Two Kinds of Exchange; L. E. Read

THE RATIONALE: society has a first lien on the fruits of everyone's labor. THE DEVICE: the agency of organized force - govern ment. [376 ] There are not many 100 per cent Libertarians. Few per sons, even if they could, would go so far as to relegate government's part in the market to the suppression of fraud, misrepresentation, predatory practices, and violence - to the use of repellent or defensive, as distinguished from initiated or coercive, force. In short, there are few persons who believe that government can properly have no rights not possessed by individuals. The person who really believes that others can control their creative activi ties better than he can control them is rare indeed. In the practical politics of our day, the 100 per cent Libertarian presses toward desocialization. He looks to conditions and the time when government will grant no special privileges; when government will defend the life and livelihood of all citizens equally; when anyone can do precisely as he pleases as long as he does no injury to others; when the fruit of one's laboris one's own to use, to give away, or to exchange.

Socialists - believers in organized force as a means of directing creative activities of citizens - are believers in unwilling exchange. As examples: Regardless of my un willingness, they believe that I should be forced to ex change some of my earnings for the "prosperity" of Ten nessee Valley residents; or for fl government promise of benefit payments in myoId age; or for the rehabilitation of alcoholics in Washington, D. C.; or for "free" wheat to India and Pakistan; or for the public ownership of butter, in order that the dairymen's price may be sustained; or for - the list is. beyond comprehension. These unwilling exchanges run into the hundreds of millions annually. [377 ] Their number could be tabulated only if all government "benefits" and "services" were put on a shelf, so to speak, as in a grocery store, and then a count made of the ones not bought. What an inventory there would bel Two persons are involved in every exchange. If it is to be willing exchange, obviously each party to the exchange must be a willing participant. This is the kind of exchange Libertarians favor.

The Socialist seems to look upon government as an end in itself, while the Libertarian looks upon government merely as the means to counteract the evil of anyone's practicing violence, fraud, and so forth. The Socialist tends to look upon government as the major source of "the com mon good." The Libertarian distrusts government and watches it closely at all times to make sure that it does not itself become predatory under the guise of defending the life, liberty, and property of the citizens. The Socialist puts his trust in the force of government. The Libertarian puts his trust in himself and other free men who meet in a market place where no person has the power to force any other person to conform to his view point or desires in any respect except "Don't aggress against me." Socialists believe that if services and goods were ex changed only if and when mutual willingness prevailed, society would suffer; that people, by and large, would not attend to their own interests; that they would not make the "right" decisions. Socialists are fallible folks, even as you and I. But in spite of that obvious fact, Socialists believe that society is improved when their wills are imposed on [378 ] the rest of us; that society is menaced if you and I and others go without controls over our affairs. They believe they can direct my life in ever so many areas "better" than I can direct my life myself. Socialists have little faith in what free men can and would accomplish.

Libertarian beliefs are quite the opposite. They have faith in the potential accomplishments and the moral right ness of willing exchange. Indeed, a Libertarian cannot be an authoritarian. He limits his own belief in force to repel lent or defensive force against those who aggress against him. And he believes in a government limited to the use of this same force, administered equally and justly for all. The Libertarian leaves all else to private initiative and to willing exchange. [379 ] EDUCATION FOR 1984 No belief is more firmly held in the United States than be lief in education. But belief is not enough. We must under stand education as well as believe in it. The thing that counts, after all, is not the number of schoolrooms we have, but what goes on in them. Our civilization requires of every man and woman a variety of complex skills which rest upon the power to read, write, and calculate, and upon sound knowledge of science, history, economics, and other fundamental disciplines. InM tellectual training is essential for the survival of our civili zation, because civilization itself has been built by intellec tual effort.