A Review of Limon Real – A Free and Autonomous Region by Dr. Rigoberto Stewart INLAP/Litografia LIL, 255pp, San Jose, Costa Rica, 1999
A New Generation: The first generation of New Libertarians is dead.
Rothbard, Hess, pioneer activists such as Loeffler and many others speak no more. The second generation is preparing to write its memoirs, having expanded from a few living rooms to a presence in over 100 countries; and in the US, a fierce battle for recognition in all 50 States paid for by shoe leather, false arrests, defamation and blood. The Boston Globe accused Libertarians of causing Y2K; a best selling-book calls Libertarian cyber-geeks; an article in Salon viciously claimed to see not a single non-white, non-male, non-establishment face at the recent US convention. Indeed, as I write these words, a Libertarian candidate in Tampa, who scared the wits out of the establishment when he got some 20% of the vote in a major election, saw his businesses raided this morning on trumped up charges. This, a few weeks after declaring he is ready to campaign again.
Now the third and fourth waves are coming to maturity, putting into organization what was overlooked, discussing Libertarian self-management, tying together the purist, pragmatist and inclusive, taking a fresh look at its principles and revisiting dormant ideas. And in countries such as Costa Rica, a new militant first Libertarian generation has arisen. It has learned from American and Canadian errors, put itself forth in textbook style, and upset the government by not only electing four Libertarians, but a fifth as Senator. The dynamic young Senator, Otto Guevara Guth, has become a growing cult figure in Central America as he answers startled constituents and reporters on the first rings of his cell phone, and explains privatization for the People patiently to curious grannies. Simultaneously, the Costa Ricans have set up a think tank and encouraged an independent movement, all while carefully reformulating Libertarian principles to local history. And the Latin Libertarian voice, long dormant, is speaking with awakening verve and clarity, and a clear, ironic passion. Indeed, over 10% of the new US Libertarian National Committee is proudly Latin – and American.
Libertarian Zones of Stability
In the late ’70’s I was among the first to point out, first in local talks and then at a talk hosted by the old Center for Libertarian Studies, that Libertarians had two neglected options. First, to win they needed only to be a militant plurality – not a majority as commonly discussed – since only this was needed to have sufficient veto power to grind all government to a halt. Seeking to become a leading and militant minority was a very different and more imaginable goal. Second, for this to be acceptable to the public, a period of confidence building was likely. We should think of not only demonstrating Libertarian solutions in public office – which nearly 300 Libertarians are patiently doing in the US today alone – but consider Libertarian Cultural Zones. Many Libertarians – who were discussing free-enterprise areas in ghettoes and better protection for intentional communities – naturally found my ideas very agreeable. A bootleg tape of my talks was admired among new country enthusiasts and Libertarian space colony fans. But I was proposing something more fundamental. Building on the Old Spanish Libertarian idea of a free commune or autonomous protected zone, which has ample precedent in Latin common law, I was proposing Libertarian Areas as confidence-building zones of social stability in our decadent society. I proposed them as areas where Libertarians could develop the critical social and cultural skills and knowledges that could make such our ideas effective and comprehensible. It is one thing to praise the Libertarian virtues of private arbitration in the real world, another to develop real world skill to actually arbitrate as virtuous Libertarians. I summarized these ideas by saying we must begin thinking of the separation, not just of Business and State, but of Government and State. Such areas could be built from, or incubate, effective Libertarian counter institutions. Like many concepts from those days, it was discussed and transmuted into several forms, part of the Libertarian bank of ideas, waiting for re-discovery, and its moment.
One Small Step
Now, the irrepressible Economist Dr. Rigoberto Stewart, ex-World Bank wizard, co-editor of the Latin Libertarian collection Ensayos Libertarios and co-founder of the Costa Rican Movimiento Libertario, has reformulated these free-form ideas, added his own, and presented an amazing plan and now much-discussed for not just a Libertarian Cultural Area, but an entire Libertarian Autonomous Province. His book Limon Real – A Free and Autonomous Region, released in both Spanish and English, translated by none other than legendary private community educator Spencer Heath MacCallum, tells how it can be done in the province of that very name. Dr. Stewart gives not only a detailed plan while introducing the reader in a natural tone to Libertarian voluntary structures, but one that is already enjoying support in the province itself. The book is so well written, putting into words and figures this Libertarian concept, that it is a starting point for any Libertarian and Libertarian in public office who wishes to develop the subject in his own government and locality. And wisely, Dr. Stewart presents several Libertarian possibilities, including at the end a “Freeport Compact” by amateur anthropologist Michael van Notten, which serves to show the flexibility of Libertarian thinking for the person new to the concept.
And in Dr. Stewart’s hands, the ideas seem very new, precisely because he is a respected expert in Central America looking at a very specific case. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a more classic case. Limon Real is no patch of desert or coral island for New Country enthusiasts. It is arguably the most multicultural, variegated, naturally resource wealthy province of Costa Rica. Dr. Stewart, an African-American – African-Latin American – writes with almost poetic feeling for this remarkable corner of the world. It has a long history of resistance to central government, and even legal precedents as a semi-autonomous region, from an Indian society with features praised by Libertarian anthropologists as pre-cursors of what they are talking about. Yet the province, basking in the Atlantic beaches, a likely spot for that last refuge of idea-starved developers, tourism, is poor. Why? Are the people stupid? Are they lazy and disorganized? One may live modestly, but it takes something extra to actually feel and look poor in a tropical paradise, after all. Was it a hurricane? No, worse, says Dr. Stewart. The people suffer from one problem. Government. Worse: government that is alienated, coercive, and conceitedly distant, which considering that Costa Rica is geographically small, also takes something extra. Dr. Stewart gives an emblematic example: the government increased power in the province, seized the railroad promising miracles, and then shut it down.
Dr. Stewart explains his Libertarian vision in five lucid parts. First, he takes us in a concise and informative tour of Limon Real. It what is a model of balanced, pleasure to read explanation, he tells us what it is, its history, and the genesis of the present government created mess. In the next two parts, he explains by specific examples what a Libertarian society can do and what semi-Libertarian precedents exist in different countries, and then relates the concepts to Costa Rican realities. Aren’t government police needed? Costa Ricans are seeing a growing crime wave so that the innocent have barricaded themselves in the “virtual jails” of their own homes, Dr. Stewart replies. How will the poor pay – won’t they depend on charity? Don’t kid yourself, says Dr. Stewart, the poor are paying silently more than they ever would – through hidden taxes, crushing regulations, and loss of dignity. Briefly but innovatively, he also addresses the psychological and social solidarity components of Libertarian social processes of change, a concept that US Libertarians are just beginning to outline.
Libertarianism With a Latin Twist
In the last two parts he acquaints the reader with models of statutes and procedures. He shows how in a few simple expansions of principle Libertarian concepts accomplish the good that three million page government statute books promise but do not deliver, and without the evils of government that exempts itself from responsibility for those laws. He goes into some very specific procedures that would allow all this to happen under Costa Rican law. One caution: areas that may seem odd to English speaking Libertarians, such as the discussion of citizenship, reflect broader Latin conceptions of inalienable nationality that are different from Anglo-Germanic common law, and in my view offer solutions to conundrums that puzzle Anglophile Libertarians or are viewed as fantasies here. After all, total drug and prescription legalization and decontrol, or private police forces that work for tips are not only demonstrated, but also they are not uncommon in Latin countries historically.
He also questions the Lockean and contractarian notion, that rights can be delegated or lost even by criminal activity. For years I have been startling Libertarians by saying that that is indeed a Libertarian implication – but Latin Philosophers formulated the concept of inalienable rights to bring Imperial abuses to heel in the 1500’s. Inalienable means, madre mia, inalienable, and they sure aren’t giving up now. In this spirit Dr. Stewart shows no interest in alienating a single one. English readers may chuckle at his description that a Public Defender actually trying to defend citizen’s rights ” is more lost than a reggae singer at a Ku Klux Klan rally,” until they realize that Costa Ricans are still doing better than the mess up North.
Indeed, aside from its interesting references, a real hidden plus, especially on re-reading, in this book for English-speaking Libertarians is to re-discover the Libertarian program with many new insights from an admired thinker who has put the principles to work in a subtly different Libertarian context. More: the last parts of the book read like an action item list, and there can be no doubt that the Costa Rican Libertarians do not plan to sit around. They are already going out there talking to their neighbors of why Limon should be an emporium of freedom, and Latin pussycats can, by setting aside even the poorest region of their countries, be Libertarian development Tigers while preserving local cultures and astounding the world. Stop slandering Libertarians and give them a fair shot, says Dr. Stewart, and this intriguing afternoon’s reading is a leap in making that happen. For Libertarians in every country needn’t wait for Costa Rica to save civilization, but can follow Dr. Stewart’s practical vision into their countries, too.
Spanish and English texts slightly different, indicate which. To order at $19.95, which includes S&H, e-mail [email protected] for instructions or contact LIO at its website.
Michael Gilson De Lemos, known as MG, is Coordinator of the Libertarian International Organization. He believes with Jefferson that, along with Gibbon, Cicero and Tacitus should be read by all grade-schoolers. In Latin.
