The Libertarian Exit

In a recent Harpers essay, Hari Kunzru writes an insightful essay about the libertarian desire for freedom. Kunzru shows us how freedom-lovers feel that the systems and cultures in which they reside are limiting their liberty to choose and thus sparking a desire for exiting those cultures. (He also points out the irony that the culture they desire to leave is often what enabled their success in the first place). The root of this desire stems from valuing the "freedom to choose" above all else (Kunzru points us to Milton Friedman as the source here) which inexorably leads libertarians to want to remove themselves from everything that might constrain their choice. 

While I find some libertarian principles alluring in theory, the libertarian groups that I see display their beliefs in selfish words and actions that prevent me from subscribing to them. I believe societal and political constraints are there for a reason; we've seen how unadulterated capitalism (or unconstrained freedom of any kind for that matter) leads to huge inequities of power. Those without power need systemic protections or they will get trampled. An easy example of this are overtime laws that protect hourly workers from businesses overworking them without fair compensation. Libertarians say that these hourly workers can choose to work at these jobs or not, a disingenuous argument that ignores the reality that many of these workers (for a variety of reasons) often don't have the power or ability to move between jobs (i.e., to choose). The argument often continues that laws like this constrain businesses from choosing the best way to operate their business, or from employing people who want to work longer hours. This seems to be easily countered with one of the innumerable examples of businesses that, absent any effective implementation of constraints, end up in unethical or inequitable positions.

Look - many of these laws and constraints libertarians complain about may be poorly implemented, or have unintended side effects. But it seems to me that we should strive is to adapt these rules to work better for everyone, not to throw them out entirely. Until the power in this country is more fairly distributed, rules and laws that constrain employers will remain essential. As Kunzru closes: "Exit is not a benign withdrawal. It imposes costs on those left behind, and the freedom of Exiters substantially depends on the unfree labor of others."