Apr 20, 2023·edited Apr 20, 2023Liked by Matt Zwolinski
Very excited about your newsletter. Will be reading it and drawing inspiration from it. Nice to have more comrades engaged in a common struggle. Thanks for the plug and you got us right when you said: "But my sense is that in today’s political context, they [The UnPopulist] (rightly) see the gap between Hayek and Rawls as much less significant than that between Hayek and Rawls on the one hand, and Trump and Putin on the other. When authoritarians are knocking at your door, internecine liberal conflicts probably aren’t the most effective use of one’s time and energies." I would go so far as to say that it was really an indictment of modern libertarianism that it put Hayek and Rawls in opposite camps. If they had taken Rawls challenge seriously and defended free enterprise as per his criteria -- namely, based on how it works for its weakest members -- we would have developed not a meritocratic individualism but a social justice libertarianism. Considerations of excellence wouldn't be absent from it but they wouldn't define it either as Rand's individualism did.
For now I'm running solo. Running a group project was an awful lot of work, and the combination of administrative burden and collective action problems probably led to me writing less than I would like to. So, for now, it's just *the* Bleeding Heart Libertarian here.
I'm really happy to see this project rebooted. I'm working on a two-part essay about the roots of the current issues in the LP and have turned to the BHL archives for resources. Here's part 1, would appreciate your feedback: https://campaignkev.substack.com/p/tribalism-edgelords-and-the-death
Unfortunately we have plenty of issues to discuss, both old and new. I have been writing about the right to work for migrants and I look forward to your comments on this and many other topics.
I'm happy you're back. I've missed BHL. In my book, Burning Down the House: How Libertarian Philosophy Was Corrupted by Delusion and Greed, (St. Martin’s Press, 2022), I argue that Democrats such as Obama and Biden are essentially left-Hayekians, and that libertarians ought to join their coalition. I have no idea whether you agree or not. Seems worth writing about.
Very excited about your newsletter. Will be reading it and drawing inspiration from it. Nice to have more comrades engaged in a common struggle. Thanks for the plug and you got us right when you said: "But my sense is that in today’s political context, they [The UnPopulist] (rightly) see the gap between Hayek and Rawls as much less significant than that between Hayek and Rawls on the one hand, and Trump and Putin on the other. When authoritarians are knocking at your door, internecine liberal conflicts probably aren’t the most effective use of one’s time and energies." I would go so far as to say that it was really an indictment of modern libertarianism that it put Hayek and Rawls in opposite camps. If they had taken Rawls challenge seriously and defended free enterprise as per his criteria -- namely, based on how it works for its weakest members -- we would have developed not a meritocratic individualism but a social justice libertarianism. Considerations of excellence wouldn't be absent from it but they wouldn't define it either as Rand's individualism did.
I will continue to miss the legendary Steve Horwitz, RIP.
As a writer and as a human bring, he was one of the best. Few weeks go by that I don't wish I could get his take on something I'm thinking about.
I'm very excited for this! Maybe I didn't read closely enough, but will you be inviting others onto the new BHL or is it a solo venture?
For now I'm running solo. Running a group project was an awful lot of work, and the combination of administrative burden and collective action problems probably led to me writing less than I would like to. So, for now, it's just *the* Bleeding Heart Libertarian here.
I'm really happy to see this project rebooted. I'm working on a two-part essay about the roots of the current issues in the LP and have turned to the BHL archives for resources. Here's part 1, would appreciate your feedback: https://campaignkev.substack.com/p/tribalism-edgelords-and-the-death
Excellent! I'm just getting back from vacation but look forward to reading this soon.
Unfortunately we have plenty of issues to discuss, both old and new. I have been writing about the right to work for migrants and I look forward to your comments on this and many other topics.
I'm happy you're back. I've missed BHL. In my book, Burning Down the House: How Libertarian Philosophy Was Corrupted by Delusion and Greed, (St. Martin’s Press, 2022), I argue that Democrats such as Obama and Biden are essentially left-Hayekians, and that libertarians ought to join their coalition. I have no idea whether you agree or not. Seems worth writing about.