Libertarians After listening to a Libertarian, it would seem that they represent a philosophy of less government and more individual rights. These are among their core beliefs; however, I would not call it a philosophy. Libertarians are unable to explain why they believe what they believe. “Because it seems good, I guess.” There is also a dangerous sentiment of a “duty” to one’s fellow Men. The following is a prime example of a lack of philosophic base, a lack of individual self-interest, and a misunderstanding of what is moral. These passages are from Dan Griswold, associate director of the Cato Institute’s Center for Trade Policy Studies (www.freetrade.org) in “Seven Moral Arguments for Free Trade”, CATO Policy Report July/August 2001 Vol. XXIII No. 4. -“Free Trade Encourages Individuals to Cultivate Moral Virtues: To be successful in a free and open marketplace, producers must serve their fellow human beings by providing goods and services others want and need. And the most economically successful will be those who provide not just for a select few but for a broad segment of consumers.” -“In addition to such character traits, trade encourages good manners and the decent treatment of others.” -“Religiously motivated conservatives who want to repeal normal trade relations with China would undermine progress on human rights by removing one of the most positive influences in Chinese society. Granted, the Chinese government today remains an oppressive dictatorship, a bad regime that jails its political opponents and interferes in the private lives of citizens. But for all its unforgivable faults, the Chinese government today is not nearly as bad as the government was during the totalitarian rule of Mao Tsetung, when millions were killed and the entire social order was convulsed by the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution.”