We’ll Be So Much Better Without Them

We’ll Be So Much Better Without Them

There are millions of people – a majority in many places – who believe in a liberty philosophy: That the golden rule is the right way for humans to interact, that centralization is a problem, that leaving markets alone is better than rigging them, and so on. But there is a problem: Rather than pushing forward into action, most of these well-intentioned people limp along in uncertainty.

There are many explanations for this, of course, but the root is probably a fear that rulers have some kind of magic. We fear that without them we’d crash and burn. After all, we’ve been trained in precisely that for a hundred generations. Rationally we know it isn’t true, but emotionally we’re not entirely convinced.

So today I’d like to make an important point: That we’ll be better off – massively better off – without them. The nagging fear that we’re missing something is simply false. The better we get away from rulership, the better off we’ll be.

The Numbers
I like crunching the numbers on these things because the failure of rulership is hidden in plain sight, little recognized. Digging into numbers the rulers themselves publish can help break through the blockage.

And so…

In the US, the social safety net costs at least 2.5 trillion dollars per year. If you add up the federal programs ($717 billion back in 2010 and more now), the state programs ($210 billion in 2010), Medicare and Social Security ($1.3 trillion) and perhaps a few smaller items, it comes to that.

Now, here’s what you should know: That annual spending equates to 7 million new houses, plus feeding 100 million families, plus providing health care for 100 million families. The second year we could build another 7 million houses as well as feeding and doctoring almost everyone in the country… again.

If you have a nagging feeling that these numbers can’t be right, please find them and run them for yourself, it’s not that hard to do and it’s likely to help you a great deal.

Now, let’s look at the “keep us safe” expenses.

The US military budget is $686 billion per year. The US intelligence budget is close to $80 billion (but probably more). So, we’ll call it $766 billion.

Given 247 million adults and 127 million households in the US, with $766 billion we could give each adult a .30-06 rifle with scope and gear, 1000 rounds of ammunition, training and a bulletproof vest. On top of that we can add a mortar launcher, a case of 12 shells, training, and a sighting scope for each family… the first year.

The second year we could provide a Stinger missile system to every 12th family. The third year we could give a tank and training to each grouping of 100,000 people. The fourth year, I don’t know… what else do we need?

Again, please run the numbers yourself. Maybe your numbers won’t agree with mine. I used more of a national average on house prices for example, which may be lower than you’re used to. Do it your way and see how it comes out. Maybe you’ll only come up with money enough for 4 million free houses per year. But if so, please remember, that’s four million free houses per year! (Plus food and doctors!)

And bear in mind that none of the numbers above include police departments.

What This Means
What this means is that our superstitions are very expensive, and that they’re holding us down financially. Badly.

It is clear… glaringly obvious… that what the rulers “do for us” (with our own money) is being done horribly. I once wrote a line about governments sending our wealth down the twin sewers of welfare and warfare, and I still think it was well said. None of us who has run a business or a household could survive operating so incredibly stupidly.

Once we see this, and accept that it’s really true, we see that liberation from rulership is not just a liberty issue, it’s a legitimate financial issue, and a big one[1].

So, for an increasing list of reasons, it behooves us to start building our better world, laying aside the fear that we’re somehow missing some crucial ability. We aren’t, and that feeling is merely an old superstition.

To act positively is to expand life. To remain frozen in place is to paralyze life. Pick a spot and start acting.


 FREEMANSPERSPECTIVE