revolution as business

Re: The Libertarian Business Machine

Jeff — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 16:02:44 GMT

You left the t off of .net in the link...

Re: The Libertarian Business Machine

Mark — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 15:33:26 GMT

Jaunas:

Here is the challenge to the wider Libertarian movement, how do we begin to establish businesses that fit this definition? Where do I find the literature to move concepts into concrete and practical business plans? If there is such a place that has all this, or that I simply skipped over it or was too blind to notice it, please do tell. I want the manuals, the proposals, the organizations, the ground work and the know how to get the machine pumping.

I want to initiate the beginning of collaboration between like-minded entrepreneurs, innovators, academics, engineers, artists, business owners, students, computer programmers, accountants, lawyers, doctors, carpenters, investors and every other manner of working or non-working Pro-Liberty person to start moving beyond concept and into action. Our greatest power is our understanding of human nature, morality, natural rights and the most efficient way to allocate resources, we understand that humanity is free, but sadly is in chains. Let’s take that knowledge and make it work to our advantage. Make money and revolution.

I set up the AnCap Entrepreneur Network website just before last year's Austrian Scholar's Conference. I need some help from early adopters to start growing a wiki with different business plans for different sectors. If you want to get involved, or know of similar projects I can partner with, please visit the site and get in touch with me. --Mark

Re: The Libertarian Business Machine

Chris Belchamber — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:31:48 GMT

Jaunus On the subject of developing Austrian principles, the issue often comes down to how does this extend to others when it is such an independent individualistic philosophy. Is this a contradiction? Or are there natural Austrian alliances that can grow organically, if structured appropriately? Surprisingly, I believe that there is a relatively simple model that is already working very effectively. Lets start at the beginning. The starting point is a small business, where there is good clarity about ownership, decision making, interaction with clients and suppliers, product and so on. The Austrian ideal is clearly set out in the earlier sections of Murray Rothbard's "Man, Economy, and State". It is based on free market interactions and "non-invasive" behavior. The question is, though, how can this model work sustainably for a collection of businesses as well as develop and grow. The main building block to introduce is property ownership. Individually and by district. It is clearly possible to identify all local businesses in a district, or any chosen area, where local means at least 50% ownership and autonomy of the business. An alliance of these businesses, with permanent residents, then forms a truly local entity in that district. Anyone else could be invasive or extractive to some extent of the district without being a true participant. In any case this formula provides a means of identifying who really lives and works in the district, and therefore who are naturally the property owners of the district. This local entity should then form part of the basis for local decisions. Even if they do not immediately influence all decisions they will soon at least provide a significant and truly local counterweight. Also they will then be able to make decisions about trade with other communities and become part of a network of like-minded communities and businesses. There is nothing stopping any of us from starting to freely engage others with a model like this. Indeed there is a movement that has been doing so for 10 years now and has 80 communities across the US. It is called BALLE - Business Alliance of Local Living Economies. Take a look at this video: http://www.pbs.org/now/fixing-the-future/picture.html I am not aware of anyone else drawing a link between Austrian ideas and BALLE, but I have been studying Austrian Economics for several years and engaging with BALLE for the last 18 months, and attended their annual conference last May. Most would not at first sight consider BALLE a naturally Austrian movement, but on examination you might well be surprised. Cheers, Chris.

Re: The Libertarian Business Machine

Christy Ann Welty — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 22:22:10 GMT

A solid understanding of contract law is essential for the "machine" you are talking about. Most people don't understand how law affects them, and how they can write their own "laws" in the form of contracts. Substituting contract law for statute/judiciary is the foundation for sovereign interactions.

Re: The Libertarian Business Machine

Jaunas — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:44:55 GMT

Thank you FeedMeLiberty for the reply,

I am pretty new to liberty activism, and glad to hear that there are other people and organizations who are thinking the same way. You are completely right that the wheel doesn't need to be reinvented, but I feel that we need to invent the axle. This is going to be an interesting experience, and hopefully if we broaden the the scope of our endeavors, and allow as many different professions and perspectives too collaborate and establish small operations, we open a new front in the struggle for Liberty. We still have great strength in being decentralized, we can adapt, reinvent, and are a harder target to hit.

I will look forward to talking to you about future ideas, and hopefully you can highlight some things that I missed, such as in this example.

Re: The Libertarian Business Machine

FeedMeLiberty — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:05:42 GMT

Jaunas,

I have been thinking along similar lines, my $0.02....

1. I would suggest picking one target audience - perhaps one profession or community within the group of entrepreneurs, innovators, academics, engineers, artists, business owners, students, computer programmers, accountants, lawyers, doctors, carpenters, investors.

2. There are some groups out there already, rather than reinventing the wheel it would make sense to try and work with some of those existing groups. Our movement is already very splintered.

3. Keep in mind that many of us call ourselves liberty activists, there are some stark differences on what liberty means. However we are all evolving in our positions. I think what works best is a big tent approach that does not take sides in the politics game - but rather promotes a diverse set of liberty views/ideas.

4. From my few years examining this movement the biggest holes in liberty circles exist within the graduate business schools, corporate/larger businesses and the high tech community. Mackey, the Whole Foods CEO could use some to stand by him. The Koch Foundation has some activity in this area but I think they can do more.

Anyway - please pm me, I'd be happy to talk some more.

The Libertarian Business Machine

Jaunas — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 07:16:01 GMT

Imagine hundreds if not thousands of new businesses of varying size competing directly and indirectly with governments, challenging their authority, competing with their services and all the while creating a fertile soil for liberty to prosper. Discussions of this very idea have occurred, most notably by Samuel Edward Konkin III in his “New Libertarian Manifesto”. The idea that “counter-economics” can cause a peaceful and gradual pro-liberty revolution is extraordinarily appealing. However, what is disheartening is the lack of available literature and organization within the Libertarian movement to initiate what I will refer to as the Libertarian Business Machine.

What is the Libertarian Business Machine, or what even constitutes a Libertarian Business? A Libertarian Business is a for profit organization that through its’ operations of production or service, reduces the authority of the state, or outright replaces it. Each one of these individual businesses delivers a small wound or cut to the legitimacy and efficiency of the state, and acts as one cog in a larger “machine”. This Libertarian Business Machine is nothing more than the sum of all those businesses acting in respect to property rights and delivering death by a thousand cuts to the state. In summary, the Libertarian Business Machine is the means, or “machine” to regain our freedom by being active in the marketplace.

Here is the challenge to the wider Libertarian movement, how do we begin to establish businesses that fit this definition? Where do I find the literature to move concepts into concrete and practical business plans? If there is such a place that has all this, or that I simply skipped over it or was too blind to notice it, please do tell. I want the manuals, the proposals, the organizations, the ground work and the know how to get the machine pumping.

I want to initiate the beginning of collaboration between like-minded entrepreneurs, innovators, academics, engineers, artists, business owners, students, computer programmers, accountants, lawyers, doctors, carpenters, investors and every other manner of working or non-working Pro-Liberty person to start moving beyond concept and into action. Our greatest power is our understanding of human nature, morality, natural rights and the most efficient way to allocate resources, we understand that humanity is free, but sadly is in chains. Let’s take that knowledge and make it work to our advantage. Make money and revolution.

If you feel in any way inspired, begin doing what Libertarians do best, read. Read economics, accounting, how-to manuals and even the laws of your own country, and of others. Let’s begin with bridging the gap between those concepts and what we can put into action. Discuss the feasibility of these ideas with other Libertarians, and who knows, you might have a working business on your hands. No idea is too small or too big; brewing your own beer to avoid taxes to the establishment of private currencies. I would find it improbable that these tasks are impossible for us, even given that we have an authority acting to prevent it. Let us start in the direction to work for our freedom.

I have been bitten by the bug to get the ball rolling. Contact me if you feel the same way. Let’s get the great exchange of ideas going to get the steam roller running!

In Liberty,

Jaunas