[PEN-L:1835] Fwd: Re: Re: Redutio ad Absurdum boundary="part0_914344462_boundary"

[Nativejmc@xxxxxxx]

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IMHO this is wonderfully argued and quite historically accurate--and an
excellent and concentrated metaphor. The libertarian "voluntarism" is the a
priori, hypothetico-deductivist or de jure coupled with no notion or
concern--summarily assuming away--for the de facto effects and realities. Some
small "concessions" to "asymmetric" information or "asymmetric" factor
mobility with "given" initial resource endowments and "given" institutions,
and no concession or even mention of class, race, gender, history, power, we
get the grand tautology "everything tends to the best in the best of all
worlds." Deviations or failures are simply ascribed to the anthropomorphized
market not being market-like; in order words, the answer to any "failures" of
market-based processes and illusory choices is simply more and "more free"
markets and illusory choices.

The reason I see Auschwitz as an inexorable metaphor/expression of
libertarianism is on the plane of the sterile, cold, calculating, selfish
calculus of maximization, "optimality", "efficiency" dog-eat-dog and rat-race
individualism embodied in the libertarian perspective coupled with the de jure
illusions of  market-driving "choice" hiding the tyrrany and brutality of
market-based de facto realities and consequences on the many in service of the
profits/power of the few.

Jim Craven



In a message dated 12/22/98 7:25:24 AM Pacific Standard Time, sokol@xxxxxxx
writes:

<< he absurdity of the voluntarism requirement becomes evident that the case
 for "voluntary" participation can be made in virtually _any_ situation,
 even Auschwitz.  The fact of the matter is that people (Jews & others)
 often _volunteered_ for the camps, duped by the Nazi deceptive advertising
 them as "resettlement."  The victims were led to believe that they would be
 resettled to Eastern Europe and given a chance to work.  To be certain, the
 Nazis fulfilled that part of their promises - they merely added an
 unadvertised special, the gas chamber.

 Moreover, Judenrat - the Nazi administration of Jewish affairs staffed by
 Jews - often participated in spreading that deception.  They believed that
 if they cooperate with the nazis they will demonstrate the usefulness of at
 least some part of the Jewish population for the Nazi war machine and thus
 save them form the extermination.
  >>


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From: sokol@xxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 10:23:25 -0500
>Subject: [PEN-L:1830] Re: Re: Redutio ad Absurdum
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At 04:36 PM 12/21/98 -0800, Ken Hanly wrote:
>This is quite a different situation than people voluntarily trading to an
>equilibrium in a market. No libertarian would approve of Auschwitz. It is
a clear
>violation of rights. Jews didn't voluntarily work in the labor camps or go
to the
>gashouses as a result of some trade.


The issue of voluntarism is a smokescreen to coverup the totalitarian
nature of the market institution.  It is totalitarian because, as you
correctly point out in the remainder of your post, it makes decisions based
on value, that is, accumulated wealth - hence the haves will always
prevail.  Voluntarism, on th eother hand stpulates the excuse "people
apparently accept that state of affairs" - hence th emarket seems to be a
morally good institution.

The absurdity of the voluntarism requirement becomes evident that the case
for "voluntary" participation can be made in virtually _any_ situation,
even Auschwitz.  The fact of the matter is that people (Jews & others)
often _volunteered_ for the camps, duped by the Nazi deceptive advertising
them as "resettlement."  The victims were led to believe that they would be
resettled to Eastern Europe and given a chance to work.  To be certain, the
Nazis fulfilled that part of their promises - they merely added an
unadvertised special, the gas chamber.

Moreover, Judenrat - the Nazi administration of Jewish affairs staffed by
Jews - often participated in spreading that deception.  They believed that
if they cooperate with the nazis they will demonstrate the usefulness of at
least some part of the Jewish population for the Nazi war machine and thus
save them form the extermination.

So the case can be made that the camps were to some degree voluntary - if
only resulting from constraining of other alternatives and deceptive
advertising.  But that is standard business practice under capitalism, no?

Heil Market!

Wojtek


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