Care Quote by Bob Black
“[Libertarians] don't denounce what the state does, they just object to who's doing it. This is why the people most victimized by the state display the least interest in libertarianism. Those on the receiving end of coercion don't quibble over their coercers' credentials. If you can't pay or don't want to, you don't much care if your deprivation is called larceny or taxation or restitution or rent. If you like to control your own time, you distinguish employment from enslavement only in degree and duration.”
About This Quote
Libertarians oppose state actions regardless of the actor, yet those most harmed by coercion often lack interest in libertarian ideas because immediate survival outweighs ideological concerns.
In simple terms: People harmed by coercion may ignore libertarianism.
Address immediate needs before ideology.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- activism
- policy debates
- community organizing
- education campaigns
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can libertarian ideas be made relevant to the oppressed?
- What practical steps can alleviate immediate suffering?
Ideological solutions may seem irrelevant to those in crisis.