Thursday, April 15, 2010

Why Libertarians support unions...

This is one of those questions that seem to split left and right libertarians. 
 
But here is an argument I've thought about for a while... I wrote up on the fly this morning...
 
1)libertarians believe that individuals and not the state, are best able to make decisions
2) a union is in of it self not a state and is formed by individuals on their own volition outside of state coercion. 
3) unions works to provide/enable things that a state also in theory works to provide---worker safety, equitable treatment, pay...
4) when a corporation/business is contractually obligated to work out these issues in the private sector rather than via government intervention the government itself there is less state intervention and need for government spending on regulatory agencies (or challenges/problems of regulatory capture)
5) libertarians believe a state that does not spend a lot of time/money/energy intervening in the market place via regulatory agencies and litigation provides a market place that provides the most individual liberty and market efficiency
TF
6) libertarians see unions as an opportunity to reduce the power and influence of the state by allowing individuals to provide and protect their rights outside of the public realm
 
I'm not quite happy with this yet... still need to flesh it out some.
By the by if you don't know much about libertarianism you can find more here.

Posted via email from Jim Nichols

No comments:

Post a Comment