*SHOW NOTES* EP. 024 - Understanding The Non-Aggression
1/23 - Understanding The N.A.P.
1. What is it?
- A concept in which "aggression", defined as initiating or threatening any forceful interference with either an individual or their property is inherently wrong.
- Asserts that "aggression" is inherently illegitimate.
- The NAP does not forbid forceful defense, unlike pacifism.
- Defining the principle of Libertarianism while being prominent in anarcho-capitalism, classical liberalism, minarchism, and voluntaryism.
- traces of it can be found in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as in Eastern philosophies such as Taoism.
2. Historical Thoughts on the NAP:
- "No man has a natural right to commit aggression on the equal rights of another, and this is all from which the laws ought to restrain him." - Thomas Jefferson
- "The precondition of a civilized society is the barring of physical force from social relationships. [...] In a civilized society, force may be used only in retaliation and only against those who initiate its use." - Ayn Rand
- "No one may threaten or commit violence ('aggress') against another man's person or property. Violence may be employed only against the man who commits such violence; that is, only defensively against the aggressive violence of another. In short, no violence may be employed against a non-aggressor. Here is the fundamental rule from which can be deduced the entire corpus of libertarian theory." - Murray Rothbard
- "Being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions." - John Locke
- "Natural justice is a symbol or expression of usefulness, to prevent one person from harming or being harmed by another." - Epicurus
3. Center of Libertarianism:
- One of the things that has always impressed me about the libertarian movement is remarkable consistency.
- The reason being is because the guiding philosophy is incredibly simple but profound.
- I've always held that at the heart of the libertarian movement is empathy. Meaning being able to put yourself into the shoes of others.
- This empathy comes directly from the NAP, just like the golden rule, you wish to treat others as you would want to be treated.
- It's respecting the natural rights of each individual as you expect them to respect yours.
- This simple principle is what keeps our political ideology consistent, it's simple to understand and foundational for everything that stems from our movement.
4. This is the Price we Pay
- You often hear how taxes are the price we pay to live in a civilized society. So theft at gunpoint is the price we pay to live in civilization? That's propaganda at its finest. The price we pay to live in a civilized society is abiding by the non-aggression principle.
- The price you pay is to not hurt others, to not steal their property, to live in a truly moral way i.e. the non-aggression principle.
- THAT IS THE PRICE OF LIVING IN A CIVILIZED SOCIETY