LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
“Democracy faced its most serious crisis in decades... as its basic tenets – including guarantees of free and fair elections, the rights of minorities, freedom of the press, and the rule of law – came under attack around the world.” The grocery store requires free speech to advertise its specials. You could be paying twice as much for the corn tortillas as you would have paid at the other grocery store down the road. Except, without property rights, there might not be another grocery store down the road. In fact, there might not be any grocery stores at all. You’ll have to wait for dinner until there’s a government taco handout. Furthermore, absent rule of law, just how old is that guacamole? And lastly, although you might not think representative democracy would come into play at the checkout counter, what if Elizabeth Warren becomes America’s Julius Caesar and the kid who’s bagging your groceries gets denounced O tempore! O mores! for not sequestering your carbon?
county building inspector to check if the electrical wiring is safe? Not when a large group of activists with pitchforks and torches is available to chase Dr. Frankenstein back to the local urgent care facility and make him provide Medicare for All. As I mentioned, the collapse of Classical Liberalism is by no means just an American problem. The same Freedom House that brought us the good news about the growth of democracy since World War II brings us bad news in its most recent report, “Freedom in the World 2018:” • Democracy faced its most serious crisis in decades... as its basic tenets – including guarantees of free and fair elections, the rights of minorities, freedom of the press, and the rule of law – came under attack around the world. • Seventy-one countries suffered net declines in political rights and civil liberties, with only 35 registering gains. This marked the 12th consecutive year of decline in global freedom. And how will the end of the Classical Liberal world affect free enterprise and free trade? Imagine even a trip to the grocery store without Classical Liberalism. How about Mexican tonight? But first, you need civil liberties just to leave your house. And no matter what you think about immigration, if Latin-Americans didn’t have civil liberties, you wouldn’t know squat about Mexican food. You’d be making tacos by rolling liverwurst in Aunt Jemima pancakes and seasoning it with pumpkin pie spice.
12
May 2019
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog