Libertarians are increasingly present on the political stage. From Donald Trump to Elon Musk or from Pierre Poilievre to Javier Milei – libertarianism is finding more and more supporters in Argentina. Even Québec Solidaire, which flirts with various anarchist currents, is close to several libertarian ideas.
Libertarianism is not easy to define as there are several left and right variants. The best way to understand it is to look specifically at what it offers. The political program that Milei proposes for Argentina is an excellent example of libertarian politics.
Mieli’s crazy program
Milei wants his country to abandon its currency and use the American dollar. His goal is to reduce government spending by at least 15%. He advocates abolishing half of the Argentine government’s ministries, including the ministries of education, health, women and culture. He wants to legalize the sale of all drugs and the carrying of weapons. He is even in favor of creating a market for selling children!
Milei, like many libertarians, therefore advocates a state reduced to the absolute minimum. No market should be restricted for him. The most important thing is to enable maximum individual enrichment without any constraints.
Milei is very Catholic and against abortion. He believes that there is no problem with equality between men and women in his country. Milei is also a climate skeptic.
In this sense, Milei is a libertarian who leans socially to the right.
Libertarians often receive support from fundamentalist religious organizations because the withdrawal of the state from the community sphere means its at least partial replacement by religious organizations. Libertarianism allows them to expand their influence and thereby enrich themselves.
This is the first reason why evangelical sects support candidates like Trump.
The consequences of libertarianism
If Milei becomes president of Argentina, as polls predict, the country will enter a new dark era.
By abandoning the national currency, the country is deprived of an important economic management instrument. The Argentine leadership has undoubtedly abused this tool for years, as evidenced by the country’s 125% inflation. But Milei’s logic is like suggesting a construction worker throw away his hammer because he hit his knuckles.
In the long term, the disappearance of important ministries will lead to increased costs, particularly in health and education, impoverishing Argentines. A large part of the cultural market is in danger of disappearing.
The implementation of libertarian policies in Argentina should prove to A + B the danger of this political orientation. Unfortunately, this evidence may not come to light until after the elections in the United States and Canada.
