Should America be the world's policeman?

[MuggedByReality]

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_1XW1kZFo4

[TrueLight]

should america be the worlds policeman: no
disagree with him
i like ron paul much more

[MuggedByReality]

should america be the worlds policeman: no
disagree with him
i like ron paul much more

 But this is about foreign policy, which, as far as I'm aware, Libertarianism doesn't cover thouroughly. (Though I know the most Libertarians usually oppose interventionist wars on principal and advocate small defence budgets.)
 
 And there's no one you like as much as Ron Paul anyway. Well, no one alive anyway; I expect the likes of Smith, Hayek, Friedman, Von Mises and Rand are fairly high in your esteem eh?

[TrueLight]

check out this debate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srlffmLr65c&feature=related
and this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAjZoHZ0gCk&feature=related

no one i like more ? well yeah Ron Paul got me interested in politics and foreign policy to begin with so yep he had a big influence

i like others. rand yeah hes ok rons better... there is peter schiff, marc faber, jim rogers who are more out there in public.. ah and tom woods is brilliant too and robert p murphy

[MuggedByReality]

    u shoudl check out The Adam Smith Institute

[TrueLight]

"The Adam Smith Institute is the UK’s leading libertarian think tank. It engineers policies to increase Britain’s economic competitiveness, inject choice into public services, and create a freer, more prosperous society."
looks good

are you british?

[MuggedByReality]

"The Adam Smith Institute is the UK’s leading libertarian think tank. It engineers policies to increase Britain’s economic competitiveness, inject choice into public services, and create a freer, more prosperous society."
looks good

are you british?

  yeah

[TrueLight]

you live in australia or uk?

do you know if theres anyone else like daniel hannan in uk parliament?

[MuggedByReality]

 uk atm

 Tory backbenchers Douglas Carswell, Shane Greer and Tom Baker, (the latter two of whom were introduced to free-market ideas through an ASI program for young people that I'm [loosely] part of.) Michael Gove, Secratary of State for Education, is perhaps the closest to Hannan of the cabinet; he is behind the imminent introduction of Sweedish-style 'free schools' here, imo the new govt's biggest achievement to date.
  there's the party UKIP, who have largely libertarian economic policies but a more reactionary social policy. (I was hesitating between them and the Tories as to who to vote for.)
  And there's a tiny Libertarian party (led by popular blogger The Devil's Knife http://www.devilskitchen.me.uk/)
     So,all in all, classical liberalism not doing too well here, I'm afraid.
 
   

[TrueLight]

heh well im trying to think of the parties here... i can only think of liberal democratic party
don't know any politicians...
at least the ideas are growing in america...

[Chavi]

American hegemony is good for the West

[Cianyx]

If somehow they can act as a fair and unbiased regulatory body, then yes. But they've proven time and time again to be the exact opposite.

[Chavi]

If somehow they can act as a fair and unbiased regulatory body, then yes. But they've proven time and time again to be the exact opposite.

Not to excuse the US, it is still the best we've got (and historically, the epitome of liberalism and personal freedom). Everyone prefers America's imperfect democracy to despotic totalitarian havens such as Venezuela, Iran and China.

[TrueLight]

same old argument to spread democracy around the world through invading other countries.

http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=36947

[Chavi]

same old argument to spread democracy around the world through invading other countries.

http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=36947

Nobody used that argument, in fact I think any rational person can assume that you can't force a system of government on a people.
I read an interesting article (I forget the title - it was by Johann Hari) that basically argued that governments reflect the people not the other way around.

e.g. in Scandinavia, democracies emphasize socialism, high taxes and free government services. Russia is officially a democracy, but still run within a Soviet paradigm (i.e. not much as changed).
I personally have serious doubts whether you can "force" democracy upon uncivilized peoples - Capitalism is probably the only way to do this (via free-market reform) - and it often takes years (i.e. Vietnam).

But ye - I somewhat disagree with engaging wars on the premise of 'democratic crusades' - and to be all that honest, I think there are other, more compelling reasons NATO is in Afghanistan and Iraq right now, other the lofty-misguided idealism of 'spreading democracy'. This may have worked as a cold-war gimmick to curb Soviet influence, but today it's certainly outdated.

On a side note, I checked out the article, and the "campaign for liberty" and I disagree with all that Ron Paul crap. Don't think he'll ever make US president. Much preferred his cameo in Bruno http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7RnlPQCKBQ&feature=related