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Published: December 23rd 2006
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This one goes in the mad, ranting journal entry category, for sure. I guess I've had basically the same political values and held similar principles from way back. As a playground leader, teenage activist, precocious college student, and now explorer of exotic lands, I've been revising and expanding these same ideas in my head. Much of it came out on paper in a mad rush halfway through Friday, December 22nd, 2006. If you've ever wondered exactly what goes through my head when I vote, here it is.
The Nic Nakis Manifesto
I am a
Libertarian Socialist.
Libertarian because I believe strongly in civil liberties and in the shrinking of government and it's bureaucracies. This is the old-school American, Wild West notion of the eminence of the individual.
Socialist because I believe in the equitable distribution of a society's resources and prosperity. Also because of the value I place on peace, unity, solidarity, and equal rights and oportunities from birth.
I see this perspective to be evolved from the Classical Liberalism of our founding fathers and the thinkers that influenced them, also from the old-school Republicans who used to keep this torch burning, and from many of the quintessentially American political movements that have affected the course of our world and which I have always admired: American populism, labor unionism, the civil rights movement, and Native American, African-American, and Chicano cultural revivals and quasi-revolutionary groups.
Some people might conclude that I am an anarchist. I would resist that accusation by stating that I do not advocate the violent dissolution of the state, but I do dream of an age of man where we are able to abide peaceably and prosperously together without the burden of government and the chains of authority.
A Kind of Conservatism I personally advocate a kind of conservatism that includes conservationism; historical understanding and respect; preservation of culture, livelihood, and way of life; and belief in the power of local government. I feel that social and moral conservatism is important to the succesful living of many individuals and communities, but that these personal matters should not influence the actions of government.
The scope and activity of government should be restricted by ideology. Federalism--the coexistence of multi-tiered local, regional, and federal governments--requires severe limitation of the powers at the highest level in order to function properly. The powers of each tier must be used decisively and consistently.
Wherever possible, non-governmental solutions should be supported, along with the spread of strong values. The development of these solutions and values comes most effectively through researched study, open discourse, and practical action. Where values and solutions are born that help to better the world, they should be supported by the efforts and words of leaders and politicians, but not through direct government action--and increasingly less through public funding.
Taxation is a form of authoritarian coercion. It needs to be decreased and reformed. Elevation of the individual's personal responsibility to the world, and belief in the power of the individual role should be taught and practised throughout society. In corollary, the current role of government taxation and redistribution should diminish as individuals and their organizations (unions, churches, charites, syndicates, guilds, parties, etc.) seek equitable distribution of resources through their own independent devices.
Moderated reform and improvement should always be sought in government. Change is inevitable; this chage should be proactive rather than reactionary.
Scholarly Leadership Economic science has provided immense understanding of human behavior and has led to vast improvement in the overall human standard of living. Furtherance of this science and consideration of its findings and continuing innovations will bring opportunities for future improvement.
However, balanced growth is crucial, relying on the knowledge of all the social sciences. An anthropological understanding of the world and a historically-minded perspective is essential to proper leadership.
Consideration for and understanding of our home the Earth is also critical. Viewed in its entirety, the Earth is a struggling organism. The condition of the world we reside upon will greatly determine our own condition, and its fate will be our fate. Respect for the natural environment should inform and temper all of our actions. Increased understanding and consideration of the natural sciences may help us to predict and prevent tragedies, while also helping to ameliorate their consequences.
We must learn from the mistakes of history and from our own mistakes in policy. We must look to the teachings of history and the sciences, and heed the wisdom of philosophy, religion, and spirituality. We must see our world and our people as one and work towards the success of the whole.
Religion and Beliefs, in Perspective I am overwhelmingly agnostic, embracing religions and secular traditions from throughout the world and its history. I believe that the most gain for all comes through understanding, coexistence, and cooperation. Individual beliefs come most purely through the exercise of free will, and this will point you to your own salvation.
Religion should be a guide to government, but not a determinant of its actions. The same goes for all moral systems, philosophies, and sciences. A government's determining guidelines should be its explicit principles. Only.
Populism should guide us, but popularity is not the apex. Let our knowledge, our principles, and our perspective be our compasses. A perspective looking forward will reveal our goals and foresee our coming trials. A perspective looking backwards will guide our judgement. A perspective on the present creates action.
Peace, Coexistence, Multiculturalism I respect the strong traditions of militancy throughout the world, but believe this kind of nationalist violence, state violence, and revolutionary violence to be a primitive holdover of archaic necessities, no longer relevant, valid, or constructive to our species.
Downsizing of military efforts, and reforms in prison and policing, coupled with increased not-for-profit activity and charitable culture could help knit together the peoples and factions of our society while giving rise to effective cures and preventions of our ills. State provision of resources for healthcare and education will help to ensure the equalization of opportunities and securites for all.
Along with a belief in the loosening of borders, of trade restrictions, and of immigration laws, I also advocate for peacable seperatism and the establishment of homelands. These, coupled with representative and secular democracies, could pave the way for cultural parity throughout the world. Local, representative, accountable government is the key.
The modern world shows us--everyday--the ways in which space can be made for all beliefs and all walks of life. And this space will be made, whether we like it or not, through pure economic, social, and evolutionary necessity.
Honesty and Integrity Finally, Honesty and Integrity are the foundations of leadership, not just pleasant extra adornments.
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Chani
non-member comment
Interesting
"...the burdens of government and the chains of authority." Hmmmm. I agree with much of what you wrote about. I think your comment about violence and anarchy are a little harsh, but it's hard to know exactly what you mean simply from reading this. I think it's interesting to point out that many libertarians, such as Jefferson and Hamilton and indeed Franklin, would say that it is our "duty" to oppose our government when our "inherent" rights our violated/oppressed, etc. The right to bear arms is rooted more in our own revolution against the rule of the new colonies than it is in protecting ourselves/individual property. Understanding that leads me to believe that even rational intellects of their times (who happen to be former presidents and revolutionists) knew that ultimately it can come down to an actual fight for their beliefs, employing weapons to secure their lives/livlihood. I do not believe in violence, but I think that violence is different from defence. I do not believe any man can control any other man. The rights we are born with are not actually able to be separated from us, as we did not give them to ourselves. Therefore, they can't be usurped or manipulated or taken. When persons, agencies, governments, etc. commit acts overtly, write policies, etc. that interupt an individual's ability to fully exercise their rights, that person/agency/government is guilty of the highest crime. When it is known that this act/policy will occur and/or they have been occurring and persons take actions to defend themselves, I don't disagree with their having done so. I too would like to see more people seek real self-actualization and not confuse it with what they've been brainwashed to believe it is. Only focusing on ourselves (what we absolutely can change) can bring us to changing the environment we live in. That plus time.