From: Jim Sheehan

Sent: Monday, July 27, 2020 8:59 AM

To: [email protected]

Subject: Forced savings for education of children

Dr Block,

If the government stopped forcibly educating children, wouldn’t some “greedy” parents skimp on education costs and deprive their kids of adequate education? What is the libertarian case for not forcing these “selfish” parents to pay for educating their kids?

Regards,

Jim

Dear Jim:

That’s a tough question. Libertarians do not speak with one voice on this. Possibly, such a parent could be arrested as a child abuser, but I wouldn’t support that. In my view, there are no positive obligations, only negative ones.

Here’s a biblio on this issue:

Block, 1976, 2003, 2004, 2011, 2013; Block and Fleischer, 2010; Evers, 1978A, 1978B; Feser, 2004; Rothbard, 1982, chapter 14.

Block, Walter E. 2008 [1976]. Defending the Undefendable. Auburn, AL: The Mises Institute; http://mises.org/books/defending.pdf

Block, Walter E. 2003.  “Libertarianism vs. Objectivism; A Response to Peter Schwartz,” Reason Papers, Vol. 26, Summer, pp. 39-62; http://www.reasonpapers.com/pdf/26/rp_26_4.pdf  Nambla, child sexuality, child abuse

Block, Walter E. 2004. “Libertarianism, Positive Obligations and Property Abandonment: Children’s Rights,” International Journal of Social Economics; Vol. 31, No. 3, pp 275-286; http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContainer.do?containerType=Issue&containerId=18709; http://www.walterblock.com/publications.php#recent-arts;

http://www.walterblock.com/publications/block-children.pdf; http://www.walterblock.com/wp-content/uploads/publications/block-children.pdf; https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/03068290410518256; https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/03068290410518256?fullSc=1&journalCode=ijse

Block, Walter E. 2011. “Terri Schiavo: A Libertarian Analysis” Journal of Libertarian Studies; Vol. 22, pp. 527–536; http://mises.org/journals/jls/22_1/22_1_26.pdf

December 9, 2013. Debate: Walter Block and Stefan Molyneux, Freedomain Radio on spanking children. Michael DeMarco; [email protected]; skype: michaelmdemarco; 716-533-2171; Video: http://youtu.be/EgCmoVbdYtE

MP3: http://cdn.media.freedomainradio.com/feed/FDR_2552_Walter_Block_Debate.mp3

July 16, 2017. Vancouver, BC, Canada. Walter Block debates Tim Moen, Leader of the Canadian Libertarian Party. https://www.facebook.com/events/1800169280300222/

Topic: Is spanking children compatible with libertarianism? Contact: Victor Pross: [email protected]; or go here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1800169280300222/1831218550528628/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%2229%22%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3A%22admin_plan_mall_activity%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&notif_t=admin_plan_mall_activity&notif_id=1498028247599964. Open to the public. https://youtu.be/J6Kto38tk1I

Block, Walter E. and Michael Fleischer. 2010. “How Would An Anarchist Society Handle Child Abuse?” October 13; https://www.lewrockwell.com/block/block167.html

Evers, Williamson M. 1978A. “Rawls and Children.” The Journal of Libertarian Studies, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 109-114; http://mises.org/journals/jls/2_2/2_2_2.pdf

Evers, Williamson M. 1978B. “The Law of Omissions and Neglect of Children,” The Journal of Libertarian Studies Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 1 – 10; http://mises.org/journals/jls/2_1/2_1_1.pdf

Feser, Edward. 2004. “Self-Ownership, Abortion and the Rights of Children.” Journal of Libertarian Studies. Vol. 18, No. 3, Summer, pp. 91-114; http://www.mises.org/journals/jls/18_3/18_3_5.pdf

Rothbard, Murray N. 1998 [1982]. The Ethics of Liberty, New York: New York University Press. http://www.mises.org/rothbard/ethics/ethics.asp

Best regards,

Walter

2:24 am on October 8, 2020

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