Libertarian pirates in Iceland

Manach

Usually my interest in Iceland is in Volcanos. However there seems to be groundswell of support for a Libertarian influenced party in Iceland.
"
The Pirate Party, which started in Sweden, is promising huge changes. They hold three seats out of 63 but recent polls show the Pirates are on track to lead Iceland’s next government. Thirty-four per cent of voters in a recent poll favoured the purple flag of the one-time fringe party.
" - link.

Given the shocks that country has undergone since their banking implosion, it looks to be an interesting times ahead for Iceland.

Lockstep

Certainly very socially libertarian but are the economically libertarian as well? Iceland follows the Nordic model fairly robustly, with state provided healthcare and education to the extent there are barely any private healthcare or schools in the country.
Likewise, alcohol is heavily constrained with the state liqueur store being the only available off license and heavy taxes on alcohol in general.

Brian?

They are libertarian, after a fashion. In that they lean towards a libertarian socialist system, from what I can see. They are not "libertarian" as defined by modern libertarians in the USA.

http://www.piratar.is/policies/?lang=en

http://www.piratar.is/policies/core-policy/?lang=en

I see none of the anarcho-capitalist rhetoric that characterises most modern "libertarians".

Permabear

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Brian?

Permabear wrote: »

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Anarcho capitalists are for the minimum wage? Or have I missed the point of your post?

ancapailldorcha

They have a majority atheist population and didn't bail out financial institutions. They suffered some harsh effects as a result of the latter but it looks like they're well on their way there compared with, say Ireland. However, it's noteworthy that their entire population is only about 330,000 with two thirds of that based in Reykjavik.

Permabear

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Brian?

Permabear wrote: »

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Ah right gotcha.

Went right over my head. Sorry.

Akrasia

Brian? wrote: »

Ahhhrrgg right gotcha.

Went right over my head. Sorry.

FYP

I would like to take this opportunity to point out that Anarcho Capitalists and U.S. libertarians don't have a monopoly over the use of the word liberty or libertarianism.

Libertarian socialism is a real thing and has been for a very long time.

And I for one salute our new pirate equalords.

Direct democracy is a fundamental plank (get-it?) of libertarian socialist ideals. The idea is that we can have an egalitarian society where power is derived by and for the citizens, and not through political or economic elites.

Libertarian socialists favour equality by giving everyone equal access to the decision making process.

Right wing libertarians favour a system where power is almost completely tied to wealth and access to economic resources.

Brian?

Akrasia wrote: »

FYP

I would like to take this opportunity to point out that Anarcho Capitalists and U.S. libertarians don't have a monopoly over the use of the word liberty or libertarianism.

Libertarian socialism is a real thing and has been for a very long time.

And I for one salute our new pirate equalords.

Direct democracy is a fundamental plank (get-it?) of libertarian socialist ideals. The idea is that we can have an egalitarian society where power is derived by and for the citizens, and not through political or economic elites.

Libertarian socialists favour equality by giving everyone equal access to the decision making process.

Right wing libertarians favour a system where power is almost completely tied to wealth and access to economic resources.

I've spent years pointing this out! So much do I automatically assume people are referring to anarcho capitalists when the say "libertarian".

Permabear

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Akrasia

Permabear wrote: »

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Libertarian socialism has been used since the 1860s to describe left anarchism

Even in America The Libertarian League was a left anarchist movement in the 1950s

Permabear

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Manach

Well from what I remember from reading Llewellyn Rockwell on libertarianism, there are numerous strands of libertarian thought but the main strand seems to revolving around the concept that the free market is the best way to produce a peaceful and prosperous social order. Would not quite agree myself, but as apolitical ideology there are worst out there.

karma_

Permabear wrote: »

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We're talking about Iceland, not the United States.