F.A. Hayek and Libertarianism

Ronald F. White, Ph.D.

Professor of Philosophy

College of Mount St. Joseph

Communitarianism

• Communitarianism- priority of community– Large Groups v. Small Groups– Plato– Judeo-Christian

• Roman Catholic• Protestant

– Machiavelli (utilitarianism)• J.S. Mill, Utilitarianism

– Marx• Global Community

Features of Communitarianism• Priority of Community (Collectivism)• Global Concept of “The Good” (Collective Planning)

– Large Group-– Small Group

• Collective Responsibility• Economic Security

– Social Distribution of Resources• Dominance Hierarchy

– Deliberate Organization– Philosopher King

• Epistemological Certainty-– Truth as Eternal and Changeless– Empowerment of Experts

• Totalitarianism

Individualism

• Individualism- priority of individuals• Hobbes (Contractarianism)• Adam Smith• John Locke

– Private Property

• John Stuart Mill– On Liberty

• F.A. Hayek– The Road to Serfdom– The Fatal Conceit

Features of Individualism• Priority of individuals-Individual Sovereignty• No Global Concept of the Good

– The Good as relative to Individuals (Individual Planning)• Voluntary Community

– Free will – Non-aggression

• Individual Responsibility• Economic Insecurity

– Market-based Distribution of Resources• Epistemological Uncertainty

– Evolutionary Epistemology• Self-Organized Systems

– Truth as Evolving– Skepticism toward Empowered Experts

• Minimal Government– Anarchy-– Minarchy-

Other Philosophical Issues

• Political Freedom– Relationship to Economic Freedom

• Rule of Law– Relationship to rule by individuals

• Democratic Institutions– Tyranny of the Masses

Contemporary Social Issues

• Public Schools

• Healthcare

• Censorship

• Pornography

• Welfare

• Abortion