Nobody likes going to the doctor, but if go one must, then we are pretty big fans of MACONY Pediatrics here in Great Barrington. One reason we go is that Dr. Heilig does a good job taking an interest in our childrens’ well-being. Amelia takes to her really well, and she has seen us often as we deal with Isaac’s allergy problems.

But another reason (I think) we like to go is that she is curious about me and Rachel, about our views on various things, and is always engaging when we are there. Being from the Berkshires, her political and ideological beliefs couldn’t be further from mine. After several meetings of me keeping mum about the many big issues with which she is concerned, she managed to engage Rachel in a more direct discussion. Mom was able to sneak in some thoughts about my displeasure with both political parties, among other things, but in order to avoid future misunderstandings, when mommy needs to talk about me, I thought I would make a list of bullets for mommy to put in her wallet. When someone in the future questions my strange ideas, rather than guessing what is important about them, she can simply pull out the following list and read. For elaboration, we’ll visit the issue at the Unbroken Window in a long series of posts in the near future.

Classical Liberal Basics

1. Non-aggression. Do no harm.
2. The rights to the protection of life, liberty and property are God given and unassailable. There are no positive rights beyond these.
3. No special privilege.
4. There is no collective authority, no “we” so to speak.
5. Not everything can properly be framed as “exploiter” vs. “exploited.”
6. Individuals are fallible; but are also not lumps of clay to be molded.
7. All political systems are oligarchical, some hide it better than others.
8. Resources are created, they are not simply there for the taking (and using up).
9. Incentives matter.
10. Changing the method of resource (goods) allocation doesn’t eliminate scarcity or competition.
11. Perfect policy is to pursue policies imperfectly.
12. Broken windows do not cause prosperity.
13. Production is king; money is just a mechanism to make exchange easier.
14. Wealth is whatever it is an individual values.
15. Externalities are everywhere; but that does not mean that governments should (or can) remedy them.
16. Information is highly decentralized and best organized by the price system.
17. Property rights and human rights are indistinguishable.
18. The ultimate resource is/are human beings and their inherent and learned ingenuity.
19. Forced charity is not charity.
20. There is a higher moral authority than the utilitarian “greatest good for the greatest number.”