Collectivism and Libertarianism

"There is no libertarian reason that people cannot act or be governed 'collectively' as long as this is done on an opt-in and contractual basis."

collectivism  1) In a broad ^*political sense, this is treating ^*persons and ^*property (especially ^*capital) as ^*resources for the use of the ^*state. This is ostensibly in the name and interests of the people or ^*society as a whole (or the real tyranny would be admitted). This can be contrasted with treating persons as ^*sovereign individuals whose real ^*consent (if not current then originally ^*contractual) must be obtained, with their property being ^*private. Advocates of ^*democracy usually hold that such “collectivism” refers only to ^*socialist, ^*communist, or relevantly similar systems. But it is really a matter of degree: all states must ^*initiate this imposition on their ^*subjects and all property to some extent.

2) There is no ^*libertarian reason that people cannot act or be governed “collectively” as long as this is done on an opt-in and contractual basis, as happens with some non-political collective (or ^*cooperative) ^*organisations. But there are logical and ^*efficiency problems with such collective or ^*social choice. Thus, this sense of “collectivism” is compatible with the ^*individualism with which it is often contrasted.

(This is an entry from A LIBERTARIAN DICTIONARY: Explaining a Philosophical Theory [draft currently being revised]. Asterisks indicate other entries.)