Progress

I like to think of myself as a progressive and liberal sort of person. I believe that the state should not interfere with individuals except where their activities interfere with unwilling/unconsenting others. While this may sound a simple line to follow there are complications.

For me abortion and suicide are straight forward civil liberties. After that a whole pile of cavitates come into play. Consumption of drugs (including alcohol, nicotine, prescription drugs and illegal narcotics) are fine so long as the cost of the product includes what ever societal cost are associated with the drug of choice and obviously the person taking the said drugs are not harming others (driving cars, being obnoxious etc). Basically I believe you can happily indulge whatever whim you have so long as it does not impact on other who have not or are unable to give their legal consent. And by impact I don’t mean it offends your religious or moral sensibilities.

So what about the progressive part of my belief? This is harder for me to explain but, in a nut shell, society should continually evaluate the data at hand to improve the lot of the people. Repressive law or societal customs that prevent individuals reaching their potential are wrong. Laws that entrench certain interest groups are wrong. Failing to take care of those that can’t take care of themselves is wrong.

I don’t believe that the free market works without guidance and restrictions to prevent to much power to accumulate in to few hands but I do believe that the market is the best way to deliver goods and services. I feel that governments are extremely inefficient at supplying services are but that companies (or individuals) that dominate a given market gouge customers. So yes let the market figure out a way to deliver but regulate it to prevent monopolies and price fixing.

Like wise with labour laws.