Two Definitions of Socialism

From: Rama Sobhani

Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2020 7:43 AM

To: [email protected]

Subject: NAP and homesteading

Dr. Block,

First, I’d like to tell you how much of an admirer I am of your work. I’ve been reading your work for years and anytime I get into a discussion with someone about how a libertarian society and legal system would function, I inevitably point them to your writings.

I know people write to you from time to time and that you respond sometimes. If you don’t want to respond to me, I understand but I thought I’d drop a line an get your opinion on an argument I got into recently with some closet communist on Twitter (the bastion of great thought).

The argument started out being me contending that libertarian Marxism (or socialism) cannot exist because at some point it will require initiating force and violating the NAP. Anyway, it devolved into being about homesteading and property rights.

I like to think I know the theory well enough to debate it but as I hold you in the highest regard, I’d like to ask your opinion on the debate and, specifically, whether I represented libertarian philosophy well, as judged by Dr. Block.

The link to the chain of tweets is here: https://twitter.com/vvcooldude/status/1304224393086853120

I know, it’s Twitter and I should know better than to engage these people. Sometimes I can’t help myself. Also, how well can one expound a deep philosophy 280 characters at a time? It’s all useless but I’m curious about your take, anyway.

Keep up the great work, hope you’re doing well,

Rama Sobhani

Thanks for your kind words.

Sorry, I don’t have time to go through all of those tweets.

Let me just say this. If socialism is defined as the government owning all the means of production, obviously, that is incompatible with libertarianism.

On the other hand, a large voluntary commune is compatible with libertarianism. It undoubtedly would not function well, for reasons given by Mises, Hayek, Rothbard, but that is entirely a different matter.

If marxism is defined as “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need” as long as this is voluntary, it is compatible with libertarianism. And, it can function well, economically, if the group is small enough, for example, the typical family with mother and father and a few kids.

Best regards,

Walter

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5:44 am on March 13, 2021