Episode 64: Free to Be: The Ethics of Libertarianism
“I’m not going to say that ‘greed is good.’ Greed can be made to DO good, but we’ve got to get the institutional designs right.”— Jason KuznickiWhen people think of freedom, they usually associate it with the idea of being able to do whatever they want… as long as their actions don’t harm others. The political ideology of Libertarianism is particularly concerned with institutional restrictions on freedom, and pushes for the idea of less governmental control.But what if freedom alone isn’t enough? What if some people in our society NEED government support or regulations in order to thrive?This week’s episode of Living Jewishly is an instalment of What Would You Do?, a podcast about ethics in the modern world.In this episode, Dr. Elliot Malamet’s guest is Jason Kuznicki, a senior fellow at The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. Jason is also the editor of Cato Unbound, its online journal of debate and A Free Society, their quarterly journal of opinion.In this conversation, Elliot and Jason explore the idea of using public v. private provisions for assisting those living in poverty, the role of government in medicine and the market, and whether Libertarian psychology can be considered a little too optimistic.“I am skeptical that everybody has that sense of social responsibility… I always saw external monitoring as the necessary evil.”— Dr. Elliot MalametThis episode discusses:
- Whether liberating some people from government interference involves abandoning others
- Areas where government intervention has been more harmful or problematic than the issues it sought to alleviate
- The risks of exploitation in a capitalist system without government oversight and regulations
Highlights: 00:51 Intro03:30 Jason Kuznicki & private provisions05:13 Role of government in medicine07:50 Opioid market example08:58 Libertarian psychology11:08 Exploitation & capitalism15:05 American checks of power17:33 Helping those left behind20:21 Pandethics & Covid-1924:34 Necessary evil & airline example32:00 Freedom of expression36:51 OutroLinks: Technology and the End of Authority: What Is Government For? by Jason Kuznickihttps://www.amazon.ca/Technology-End-Authority-What-Government/dp/3319839950Leave Me Alone and I'll Make You Rich: How the Bourgeois Deal Enriched the World by Deirdre Nansen McCloskey & Art Cardenhttps://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/9780226739663-item.htmlThe Future and Its Enemies: The Growing Conflict Over Creativity, Enterprise, and Progress by Virginia Postrelhttps://vpostrel.com/future-and-its-enemiesTo get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:Visit our website: https://livingjewishly.orgFollow us on Instagram: @living.jewishlyWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzwor send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.Shalom!