If we lived in a perfect world where adults were truly free to make independent decisions without external influences, then I’d likely agree with you. Unfortunately we live in a broken world where women in particular are often the victims of abuse, sexual slavery, intimidation, trafficking and forced prostitution.
Sure, men might be free to choose if they purchase her services or not, but usually for the woman involved it’s not so straight forward. You say that prostitution is ‘not an injustice’. Are you really quite sure about that?
The State has the right to use force in order to perform its legitimate functions. See Romans 13.
Defending vulnerable citizens from harm, be it internal or external threats and if necessary using force to do so is one of the few legitimate roles of the State.
Homosexuality harms no one? … those most harmed by the gay lifestyle are gays themselves.
The authority to defend vulnerable people from harm resulting from the use of drugs and prostitution is justified by a clear understanding of the human condition, combined with a good helping of common decency.
It’s a conservative perspective. While I most certainly don’t share it, libertarian thought does seem to endorse the idea that one of the legitimate functions of the State is defending vulnerable people from such harms as these. How else does a libertarian justify a legal age of consent and a legal purchase age for alcohol and other recreational drugs?
Libertarianz supported the Prostitution Law Reform Bill :-
Libertarianz objects to some parts of the Bill that criminalise prostitution for those aged between 16 and 18 (and other provisions that unnecessarily regulate the industry) but in principle the party supports the Prostitution Reform Bill.
That’s not government doing nothing! That’s government doing something.
My answer is that government should do nothing.
It’s not our place to give punishments for prostitution because it’s is not an injustice.
And regulation would effectively be an endorsement of wrong (and there is no god given authority to enforce regulation).
Hi Reed
If we lived in a perfect world where adults were truly free to make independent decisions without external influences, then I’d likely agree with you. Unfortunately we live in a broken world where women in particular are often the victims of abuse, sexual slavery, intimidation, trafficking and forced prostitution.
Sure, men might be free to choose if they purchase her services or not, but usually for the woman involved it’s not so straight forward. You say that prostitution is ‘not an injustice’. Are you really quite sure about that?
Forced prostitution would be a kind of rape.
Who would you see punished for prostitution not involving force ?
Remove all taxation.
Nothing.
Brendan thinks woman are weak fragile creatures who need protecting. I guess he isn’t married.
Nothing.
Brendan states his position here (and here).
It’s a conservative perspective. While I most certainly don’t share it, libertarian thought does seem to endorse the idea that one of the legitimate functions of the State is defending vulnerable people from such harms as these. How else does a libertarian justify a legal age of consent and a legal purchase age for alcohol and other recreational drugs?
While we’re on the topic of Whores and Gangsters … added to blogroll.
Libertarianz supported the Prostitution Law Reform Bill :-
That’s not government doing nothing! That’s government doing something.