How libertarianism helps the poor

  Author: Matt Zwolinski

  Associate Professor, University of San Diego

Everybody knows that libertarians are greedy capitalists who favor the maximization of profit above all else. “Taxation is theft!” they cry, but the exploitation of the working classes fails to elicit any similar moral outrage. Libertarians, everybody knows, care about the rich to the utter neglect of the poor and vulnerable.

But everybody is wrong.

The reason for the common misperception, of course, is that libertarians oppose many of the governmental policies that are commonly thought to benefit the poor and working classes. Libertarians oppose redistributive taxation, oppose the minimum wage, oppose workplace safety regulations, antitrust laws, and many other restrictions on business. But none of this means that libertarians are indifferent to the plight of the poor. After all, just because you care about something doesn’t mean you want the government taking care of it.

People make three important errors when thinking about libertarianism and the poor.

Read the rest at the original source: Daily Caller

  Matt Zwolinski is an Assossiated Professor at University of San Diego. Follow him on Twitter.

  Original source: Daily Caller