Albert Meltzer on Right-Libertarianism
Here are a couple of extracts from Albert Meltzer's Anarchism : Arguments
for and Against
"Liberal-Democracy seldom voices any arguments against anarchism as such --
other than relying on prejudice -- because its objections are purely
authoritarian, and unmask the innate Statism and authoritarianism of
liberalism. Nowadays conservatives like to appropriate the name
'libertarianism' to describe themselves as if they were more receptive to
freedom than socialists. But their libertarianism is confined to keeping
the State out of interfering in their business affairs, i.e. exploitation.
Once anarchism makes it plain that it is possible to have both social
justice and to dispense with the State they are shown in their true
colours. Their arguments against State socialism and Communism may sound
'libertarian,' but their arguments against Anarchism reveal that they are
essentially authoritarian. That is why they prefer to rely upon innuendo,
slanders and false reporting, which is part and parcel of the Establishment
anti-anarchism, faithfully supported by the media." [pp. 47-48]
"Stealing from anarchism is done. . . by the 'libertarian right,' who are
willing enough to add the denunciation of anarchism as criminal of itself.
They deny the virtues of government when it infringes on business or is
used for the extraction of tax from the propertied class. Ideally, for
them, government should be bought by the rich and used against workers in
defense of ruling class interests. It should resemble a hired, privatised
police force affordable only by the privileged. 'Anarchist' sounding
slogans are used by them just as they were used by Lenin, and for the same
reason."
http://flag.blackened.net/liberty/meltzer-rightlib.html
