Simon Heffer is a libertarian. Maybe
January 31st 2007 @ 3:52 pm Society & Religion

On the subject of the Manchester ’supercasino’.

I am a committed libertarian. It is why I write here, week in, week out about the need for the small state, low taxation, the diminution of welfarism and the promotion of individual responsibility

Thats OK. Then we have this,

Libertarianism can only go so far.

Also OK. And we conclude with this,

After all: can somebody explain to me the difference between legalising casinos?

I can’t. A sort of consistency compels you to accept the legalisation of prostitution and drugs if you allow casinos. But Simon Heffer doesn’t feel so compelled. He argues that the function of a state is to protect me from “preventable evils”. This is even more doctrinaire than libertarian paternalism, which at least allows individual freedom.

-william
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