The Rules Must Be Changed

When false theories are allowed to run amuck, the “natural order” of society breaks down and there is chaos. This is the case with the false theories of socialism and communism that deify “collective property” like the PSUs.

The correct theory is that property is all privately owned. And it can be exchanged at the Liberty of the owner.

So if there are disputes, they are settled in a court of law.

Now look at Singur. The latest says Mamata has been “offered” 70 acres and she will not relent on her “agitation” unless she gets 300 acres.

The root cause of all this “excessive politicization of economic life” is the false theory that The State is to be an intermediary in the sale and purchase of land. Or to decide its use. This is a “commanding heights” kind of argument, but pertaining this time not to Steel, but to Land.

The only permanent solution is a free market for land.

The role of The Government (at the local level) should be to bestow clear titles to verified owners. This should be the new lex terrae – the Law of the Land.

But this requires dumping a false theory – by the judiciary.

We need to alter the kanoon-vyavastha – the Administration of Justice.

This will change the “rules of the game” – and give everyone Security and Liberty. With these two essential blessings of the “right rules,” rules that are in harmony with the laws of nature, including human nature, every Indian will have a better chance to succeed in life.

We need to THINK how to bring this about.

Can we do this through public dissemination of our ideas alone?

Or do we need an organized political party? – which is still illegal.

That is my question.

If you have any ideas, do keep the comments flowing.

Democracy Is Coming... To The USA!

Allow me to also recommend a blog – the one belonging to Lew Rockwell, who is president of the Ludwig von Mises Institute.

If you are a serious libertarian, you would be well advised to subscribe to their “daily article” from www.mises.org.

Lew Rockwell’s blog, however, is a must read because it covers libertarian politics – especially the campaign of that other Republican candidate, Ron Paul, the senator from Texas who has a huge fan following.

Ron Paul stands for a non-interventionist foreign policy (get the troops back home), and he also stands for sound money – the abolition of the federal reserve.

Whereas Ron Paul lost the Republican nomination to John McCain, that has not stopped his “Campaign for Freedom.” He held a huge convention recently in Minneapolis – where one of the songs performed was Donovan’s “Universal Soldier” – one of my favourite anti-war songs.

While the world is hooked on to the Obama-McCain non-debates – what Rockwell calls “The Great Distraction” – Ron Paul has managed to snatch a phenomenal political victory from the jaws of defeat.

He has roped in all the third party candidates and got them to agree on 4 major policy issues. The idea is to bring into the political debate those vital issues that concern all Americans – which the major parties would like to keep under covers.

Here is Lew Rockwell’s post on this great event, which has been completely missed by our Reichwing press, all besotted by the grand distraction.

“The Republican/Democrat duopoly has, for far too long, ignored the most important issues facing our nation. However, alternate candidates Chuck Baldwin, Cynthia McKinney, and Ralph Nader agree with Ron Paul on four key principles central to the health of our nation. These principles should be key in the considerations of every voter this November and in every election.

We Agree:

Foreign Policy: The Iraq War must end as quickly as possible with removal of all our soldiers from the region. We must initiate the return of our soldiers from around the world, including Korea, Japan, Europe and the entire Middle East. We must cease the war propaganda, threats of a blockade and plans for attacks on Iran, nor should we re-ignite the cold war with Russia over Georgia. We must be willing to talk to all countries and offer friendship and trade and travel to all who are willing. We must take off the table the threat of a nuclear first strike against all nations.

Privacy: We must protect the privacy and civil liberties of all persons under US jurisdiction. We must repeal or radically change the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, and the FISA legislation. We must reject the notion and practice of torture, eliminations of habeas corpus, secret tribunals, and secret prisons. We must deny immunity for corporations that spy willingly on the people for the benefit of the government. We must reject the unitary presidency, the illegal use of signing statements and excessive use of executive orders.

The National Debt: We believe that there should be no increase in the national debt. The burden of debt placed on the next generation is unjust and already threatening our economy and the value of our dollar. We must pay our bills as we go along and not unfairly place this burden on a future generation.

The Federal Reserve: We seek a thorough investigation, evaluation and audit of the Federal Reserve System and its cozy relationships with the banking, corporate, and other financial institutions. The arbitrary power to create money and credit out of thin air behind closed doors for the benefit of commercial interests must be ended. There should be no taxpayer bailouts of corporations and no corporate subsidies. Corporations should be aggressively prosecuted for their crimes and frauds.”

This is surely a great day for libertarian politics in the USA.

While the mainstream Reichwing Indian media has ignored this development, Russian television has not: here is a link to the news report on Russia Today.

Song of the Day: Leonard Cohen’s “Democracy Is Coming - To The USA!”.

For Real Ahimsa, Not Gandhigiri

Thank you, Amit Varma, for endorsing my blog – and a warm welcome to all who have tuned in to Antidote after reading his hearty recommendation.

My chosen topic of the day is Gandhi Jayanti – and the news report that there is going to be a massive celebration on the theme of ahimsa or non-violence in the city of Nagpur on G Jayanti this year.

Yet, on the same day, throughout India, the health dictator’s diktat, employing State force, which is violence, will enter private spaces in order to tyrannize smokers. The health dictator is also seeking Gandhi’s blessings for his violence.

Indeed, Gandhian prohibition of alcohol, as in Gujarat, is enforced by police violence.

Gandhian preference for khadi has meant a “textile policy” that used force against all mill owners.

Gandhian self-sufficiency has been imposed by the coercive and violent means of the customs department.

Away with this bogus ahimsa!

How can we have real ahimsa then?

Very simple: It is only when we interact in markets as individuals, buying and selling goods and services, that no force and violence is used upon anyone.

Every exchange is voluntary – no force, intimidation, coercion or threat is used.

So let us leave maximum space to The Market – and the natural result of this will be the end of all violence.

And let us reduce The State to a minimum – because it is the Gandhian state that is wedded to unjust violence.

Note that Gandhi borrowed the ahimsa concept from Jainism. Jains are invariably businessmen – and only business communities understand the need for peace and non-violence.

Free market zindabad!

Bharat sarkaar murdabad!

On Demand: Podcast On Common Law

Since two of you have specifically requested for it, here is a podcast entitled "Introduction to Common Law."

I hope others too find it useful.

To download and hear the podcast, click here.

In the next podcast I would like to cover the criminal justice system as it has evolved to what it is today. But do feel free to request for other topics that may interest you. If I know something about that area of knowledge, I will surely satisfy your query.

This blog believes in keeping the customer satisfied!

End Arbitrariness On Immigration

The news today has it that skilled Indian chefs are to be allowed into the UK, but not software techies.

My objection is: This is arbitrary. It is decision making on economic issues by baboos. It is like central planning. It is Big Brother knows best.

But Big Brother never knows best.

Note that the news story mentions the hectic politicking that was required to get the chefs in. It says:

“People from the Indian restaurant industry recently took to the streets in London and Glasgow to protest against new immigration measures that prevented them from recruiting chefs from the Indian sub-continent…. Several representations were also made to the government by MPs and associations of restaurant owners.”

If this hectic politicking had not been done, the British baboos in charge of immigration would not have “seen” that there was indeed a shortage of chefs. It was public action that made them "perceive the fact" that the UK needs chefs. Their statistics on employment were of no use. This is precisely the "knowledge failure" that planners inevitably suffer from.

So thay have said OK to cooks. But what of motor mechanics? Or plumbers and electricians? Or taxi drivers? Or nurses? Or whatever?

Note that the effect of these restrictions is to keep wages artificially high in Britain. But that only hurts the Brits as consumers of labour. And this hurts Britain’s competitiveness. No English gent can afford a butler like Jeeves today because of these restrictions.

What is the way out?

One good way is to auction the right to immigrate: a visa auction. At least this will put a market price on the visa and take away government arbitrariness.

Another way is to staple a visa on the passport of anyone who buys property there: get a property title, get a visa. The unsold housing in the USA would all get sold if the USA used this procedure to award visas, instead of leaving it to its baboos.

Of course, I favour the extreme:

That is, allow in anyone with a valid credit card guaranteeing his identity and his creditworthiness. We could then get rid of ALL the baboos on the borders, not just the customs guys, but the immigration chaps too. “Imagine there’s no country.”

Paradise on Earth.

The Vision Statement

There have been some discussions of late on a libertarian “vision”. Many say that this is unnecessary since each Indian should be free to have his own vision, and the Liberty to chase his dream.

But this is missing the point of “political action.”

There must – repeat, must – come a stage – soon, I hope – when India’s liberals and libertarians will cease all this definitional chatter and take up political action against the socialists, communists and communalists. These political forces have destroyed this country.

For any such political action a “vision statement” is essential. Further, all the groundwork of political action is principally concerned with the task of communicating this vision to the broad mass of people.

Do read Thomas Sowell’s classic A Conflict of Visions: The Ideological Origins of Political Struggles.

Even if you don’t read the book, the title says it all. You cannot engage the numberless masses in a political struggle for Liberty unless you generate a “conflict of Visions” with your political message.

The liberal/libertarian vision is of an urban India. This comes into immediate conflict with the ruling vision of villages and “rural development.” Where Gandhi spoke of millions of “self-sufficient village economies” we speak of hundreds and thousands of free trading and self-governing cities and towns, with the maximum of them along our 2500 mile coast.

Thus, we need a coastal expressway. And many “hubs-and-spokes” expressway systems in the mainland.

These are the 3 Ts of Prosperity:

Trade
Towns and
Transport

On transport, the book/pamphlet that was launched on Friday the 5th is titled “Four Wheels For All.” I argue the case for universal automobile ownership in India. It is a “vision” of prosperity based on free trade – the duty-free import of used cars.

On Towns I have written a piece entitled “Bungalows For All” for a think tank for presentation at the next UN Habitat conference. This is based on the fact that there will be no shortage of urban land if we build more and more urban areas – all linked by roads. The public builds the roads, the private people drive their cars. The population spreads out. More and more land is colonized for urbanites – and this solves the habitat problem. You need a handkerchief sized plot of land to build a modest cottage near a city or town. You need acres and more to survive in rural India. And there is enough land in India.

The idea of free trade is best expressed in the slogan “Duty Free Shops For All.” Without customs duties (better called “import taxes”) all shops would be duty free. Good for the shopkeeper; even better for the consumer. We are firmly on the side of the consumer.

I hope this contribution to the debate on “vision” is useful to India’s budding liberal movement.

Luckily, we still have time to think things through.

On Bijli

At the book launch on Friday the 5th, Rene Klaff, sitting in the audience, asked the question: “Why are issues like automobilzation and roads not on the agenda of any Indian political party?”

He gave the example of the German FDP in North-Rhine Westphalia who achieved great electoral success by campaigning on the slogan “Free Movement For Free People.”

I replied that an element of power is the ability to keep certain issues out of the political discussion. The people are shouting for bijli, sadak, paani – but the political discussions are all about “education,” employment guarantee, loan waiver, and the great nuclear deal.

Of course, I also said that cars and roads are things that the liberals of India must articulate from the political soapbox. This can be our USP.

We emphasize transportation – not education.

Shubh Laabh and Shubh Yatra!

Our entire urban vision rests on a “hub-and-spokes” transport network.

But what do we say of bijli?

Manmohan pyaray has gone nuclear – and this will be under the ownership of The State. They will generate power as efficiently as they make steel.

We will privatize and allow entrepreneurs to choose the fuel for their power plants: coal, lignite, hydro, naptha, gas… whatever.

This is the only way by which anyone can get bijli – by paying for it.

There can be prepaid bijli connections just like with mobile phone cards today.

As I explained to one of my rural smokey friends last night, for millennia Indians have been lighting oil lamps in their houses at dusk. Some bells tinkle, Lakshmi is praised.

And they have been able to light these lamps only because they bought the oil from the local merchant.

Similarly, they will always have bijli if they buy it.

With government ownership (including nuclear) our nation’s bijli problems will never be solved.

One question: Would you like a nuclear power plant coming up in your city, town or village?

I bet there will be a great NIMBY reaction when the government proposes locations for their atomic power plants.

NIMBY stands for “Not In My Back Yard.”

Think about it.