A CRITIQUE OF “A CRITIQUE OF LESTER’S ACCOUNT OF LIBERTY”: A REPLY TO FREDERICK 2013

Frederick 2013 (the critique) offers criticisms of the Escape from Leviathan (EfL) theory of libertarian liberty and also of its compatibility with preference-utilitarian welfare and private-property anarchy. This reply to the critique first explains the underlying philosophical problem with libertarian liberty and EfL’s proposed solution in a concise and precise way. It then goes through the critique in detail showing that it does not grasp the problem or the solution and offers only misrepresentations and unsound criticisms. 1. What the “compatibility thesis” really states. 2. What “initiated imposed costs” really are. 3. Paradoxes solved. 3.1 Why the forced reduction of the population would not increase liberty. 3.2 Why illiberal measures would not increase liberty. 4. How liberty relates to property. 4.1 How liberty relates to self-ownership. 4.2 How liberty relates to initial acquisition. 5. How liberty relates to free markets. 6. Understanding the solution requires a prior understanding of the problem.