On the False Friends of Liberalism

I use the word “libertarian” to describe this blog’s intellectual position because the word “liberal” is used by almost anyone and everyone – and these are almost entirely false friends.

Take the case of Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) of the Lok Satta Party (LSP). He was the centre of attention at the “liberal symposium” in Delhi last week – and the news today has it that the LSP, under his leadership, is spearheading a campaign to shut down 1,50,000 “illegal” liquor shops in Andhra Pradesh. This is not liberalism at all. And do note that these “illegal” liquor shops must be giving the “legal” liquor shops stiff competition. A truly “liberal” public policy position would be to make the issuance of liquor shop licenses free and easy. Then all liquor shops would be “legal” and they would be equal under Law. The Law would prevail. We are forced to conclude, therefore, that JP’s LSP is illiberal.

Why does liberalism have so many false friends? The answer lies in an “attitude” that infects politics in India: the idea that there is something wrong with “the people” and that The Politician must step in to correct this wrong. The people are smoking. Terrible. The people are drinking. Even worse. They visit dance bars. They smoke ganja and charas. They gamble. They patronize prostitutes. Horrible! The politician therefore masquerades as a social reformer and steps in with State action. It is here that illiberalism begins.

To the libertarian, society is imperfect and doomed to remain so. The role of The State and The Law is not to alter society towards perfection. On the contrary. The role of The State and The Law is to allow society to continue to do what it is doing – but under equal legal protection for all. This is Liberty Under Law. Thus, if you sell spurious liquor or nakli ganja you are guilty of a tort. The illiberal would pervert this idea of Law and force all these legitimate businesses underground.

Of course, there are some spineless and brainless commentators like Mihir S Sharma who welcome illiberal dictators because they force him to stop smoking. Here is this dud actually thanking ramadoss. It is well said that the worst tyranny is that which comes under the guise of “this is for your own good.” If Mihir wanted to stop smoking, he should have done so himself, demonstrating his own will power. Now, he is actually condoning dictatorship on other smokers.

The true “liberal” in India must veer towards the libertarian label if he wants to preserve his freedom. There are too many false friends under the liberal banner.