Status quo
- We live in a world with laws that permit or even require violating the Legal Principle.
- A substantial portion of our society has been created, built, and supported through coercive means such as taxation. Like a heroin addict, immediately ending these harmful practices would be dangerous. These practices are so ingrained that we cannot be changed overnight. There must be a steady transition to freedom.
- We need to think creatively and with compassion and empathy to carefully transition our world to one where peace and prosperity result without causing more chaos and suffering in the interim.
- changing course from a society based on involuntary transactions to one based on voluntary transactions will require imperfect solutions to fix the problems created by our fatally flawed system. There is no way to unwind the current coercively based approach entirely justly.
Currently coercively funded services
- Every country today adopts a blend of socialism & capitalism that involves some degree of coercion.
- The clear goal is that every country should adopt entirely voluntary interactions, but disentangling the coercive practices requires careful planning, so as to avoid unnecessary suffering to those who have adapted to the old ways.
- In particular, welfare systems that depend on coercion need to be gradually and carefully replaced with voluntary support systems.
- Going too slow is also not a good option, given that welfare systems are vulnerable to deteriorating national finances, with inflation and recession being the symptoms of such financial stress.
- Like an alcoholic going sober, the transition isn’t easy, but the rewards justify the effort.Entitlements / Social Security
- Social Security retirement programs have been funded by forced contributions from working people – denying retirees these payments would be doubly wrong.
- Having been forced to contribute over their working lives and now are entitled to reap the benefits.
- Governments have since spent and wasted these funds, risking the ability to pay what was promised to retirees. In this way, politicians have been running a Ponzi scheme.
- This situation does not result from a flaw in the 3L Philosophy… it exists because we have not adhered to the 3L Philosophy.
- We should insist the government deliver the promised retirement benefits to those that were forced to pay for it. There are ways this can be achieved:
- Early lump sum payment: Many current recipients would accept a reasonable single cash buyout payment at today’s value rather than receiving continued payments over time. most people forced to pay into the system today would find it in their financial interest to pay a reasonable lump sum to immediately exit the scheme while relinquishing any claim to future benefits.
- The government debts that are legitimate and should be honoured need to identified, so that a funding plan to meet those obligations can be carefully devised.
Government Schools
- Immediately terminating the coercive tax schemes that fund these government schools would result in tremendous social upheaval.
- A civilized society requires affordable education responsive to the needs of involved and concerned parents. Over time, one voluntary funding is secured, all schooling can be provided without coercion.
- Real competition among schools, like competition among restaurants, will eventually result in better overall choices that the market of consumers prefers.
Healthcare
- A transition away from state-run healthcare systems cannot be rushed, given the vital nature of the service. Voluntary (free-choice) systems will take time to grow as the coercive systems are unwound.
- Social Security retirement programs have been funded by forced contributions from working people – denying retirees these payments would be doubly wrong.
