Libertarianist OCP from Robocop?

[Papa Smurf]

Split from: Communism%3A+From+Trotskyism+To+Stalinism

May 29, 2008 8:25:14 GMT -5 Timothy said:

May 28, 2008 16:32:57 GMT -5 Papa Smurf said:

I dont think it can work for a large country for 2 reasons.


first, as any communist group gets larger, more and more time resources have to be used in the process of divvying up supplies between individuals. Eventually a group has to take charge of the divvying and that group has a power that no other group has. That leading group can easily become currupt and the communism quickly becomes an oppressive regime.

I've recently come to the realization that Communism, like Libertarianism, is founded on one huge assumption; that if everyone thinks the same way, there will be no corruption. If you look at communism's track-record, we can see that this has happened with every major movement. (An excellent hypothetical example for Libertarianism would be OCP from RoboCop *Please fork this thread if you wish for me to elaborate*)

I's sorry but that one about robocop just flew over my head in the same way that bricks, coconuts, and lawn darts don't. could you explain?

[Timothy]

Jun 6, 2008 2:51:04 GMT -5 Papa Smurf said:

Split from: Communism%3A+From+Trotskyism+To+Stalinism

May 29, 2008 8:25:14 GMT -5 Timothy said:

I've recently come to the realization that Communism, like Libertarianism, is founded on one huge assumption; that if everyone thinks the same way, there will be no corruption. If you look at communism's track-record, we can see that this has happened with every major movement. (An excellent hypothetical example for Libertarianism would be OCP from RoboCop *Please fork this thread if you wish for me to elaborate*)

I's sorry but that one about robocop just flew over my head in the same way that bricks, coconuts, and lawn darts don't. could you explain?

Be glad to! The Libertarian philosophy is to create smaller government which would be reduced to provide the bare minimum for citizens, thus reducing tax expenditures. With that in mind, the free-market would provide for policing, fire departments, libraries and the like. This is where the danger comes in; if corporations run the police, who polices the corporations? Will libraries feature all books, or only the books executives deem "acceptable"?

In the film, RoboCop, the corporation of OmniConsumerProducts (OCP) controls hospitals, libraries, banks, military contracts and even the entire Detroit Police Department. Now, according to the strictest interpretation of Libertarian philosophy, this is a blessing; tax-payers don't have to worry about supporting these institutions because they're privately owned and operated. RoboCop 2 shows that if this very same corporation were allowed to privatize an entire city, there would be disastrous consequences for all involved. The police department went on strike because their salaries were reduced 40% and budgets were cut, not to mention the fact that OCP stated that civilians would be able to participate in local government by purchasing corporate stock... If they could afford it.

In both film examples, the "Old Man" who runs OCP is extremely corrupt; a man who cut funding for the police department so that he could foreclose and take the city private. This is a man who operates completely outside the law; why would he ever wish to adhere to a moral code?

[Papa Smurf]

So that was the bad side of libertarianism, but that seems to be the trouble with any government. It's all fine and well until the powerful get greedy.
kudos for the great film interpretation.

[Timothy]

Jun 8, 2008 23:14:47 GMT -5 Papa Smurf said:

So that was the bad side of libertarianism, but that seems to be the trouble with any government. It's all fine and well until the powerful get greedy.
kudos for the great film interpretation.

Thanks man! Yeah, I realize that it sounds like I'm a pessimist when it comes to Libertarianism, but someone has to think realistically instead of rhetorically or abstractly in regards to Libertarianism in practice. There are too many greedy, corrupted businessmen and women out there who would exploit rather than help more people under this system.