A Quasi-Libertarian State You Never Thought Of

Granted it has a long ways to go–It’s voluntarily funded, endorses debate on ending punitive prisons, the death penalty and war–and voluntarily provides free health care, career training-full employment and poverty help for not only its own population but millions abroad. Its dolce far niente lack of border control means visitors 10x its population swarm in each day.  It’s small but maintains it’s own army–which it hires from abroad–and a large diplomatic and humanitarian corps. On the downside for some the official language is French, mon ami.  Give up? It’s:

The Vatican City State , which despite some intemperate denunciations of Libertarianism by officials, recently has begun publishing Lib thinkers: http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/106045.html  and let’s not forget LIO blessed Catholic Anarchism (LIO is of course rigidly secular and issue neutral, welcoming dialogue and activist Friends on all benevolent social arrangements that are voluntary and seek to be rights-respecting).

COMMENT: What makes a society Libertarian-based is aware libertarianism–conscious use of voluntary facilities by pledged Libertarians and people more or less conversant–but many societies were originally begun as no-government communes and have endured as quasi-libertarian nations: Liechtenstein and San Marino–praised by Lincoln as the great model for free republics– come to mind. Others have many characteristics of Libertarian society that many people say will never work. (Low crime, high satisfaction Switzerland has highly direct local democracy, requires the falsely accused to be compensated, and encourages people to own an assault rifle in the home).

The Vatican is an officially French-speaking country with open immigration (Citizenship generally requires lengthy ndotrination and evidence of good charcter, however; and they do lock up at night), no foreign expeditionary military, run entirely on voluntary contributions by admirers, which began legally as a dinner and philosophy/burial club in Roman times (and as far as we know, still is), whose leader said it’s run in some respects as a business in a PBS profile (he was referring to overseeing its many charitable and voluntarily financed activities that support a vast library and museum by selling postage stamps etc.), is highly influential politically, is leading campaigns against war and the death penalty, and recently people there have inquired with us about starting a Libertarian study club.

Now imagine a world as a Federation of similar communities to their citizen’s tastes. Anyone anywhere in the world can get a job and be a citizen (or in their world communty of electors potentially) after a rigourous moral and intellectual training program where you get the equivalent of 2 free BA’s, have the opportunity to learn several languages and enjoy free travel on thei many projects, and a doctorate and learn useful skills. Could your community learn something from it?

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