Marxist Libertarianism? Is This Possible?!

Think about it...

1. Both Karl Marx and Adam Smith felt that governments were inherently suspect, useless or counter-productive. [Don't confuse Marx with "Marxist-Leninsim" -- there's a reason for that dual name, you know!]

2. Both of them believed in the virtues of captialism. [For Marx it was a necessary stage for all nations to go through.]

3. Both of them presuppose the "Labor Theory of Value." [The worth of something is directly proportional to the labor invested in it.]

4. Both acceted the same fundamental notion of a just distribution: From each according to h/h abilities; to each according to h/h wants or needs.

5. Both had the same ideal of each individual seeking h/h own ends or goals.

6. Both believed in the desirability of people helping others in need.

7. Both affirmed a realm of privacy and freedom for each person.

Sure....they may have supported these things for different reasons, but, nevertheless....there's a lot of commonality here.

Differnces, ah yes, there were a few:

1. Marx assumed that humans were social beings ["socialist" -- get it!] and Smith rejected this idea [societies are human constructs, not natural].

2. Marx was more optimistic about humans behaving nicely together without external direction. He saw all governments eventualing "withering away." Smith was not so optimistic; he felt a small government would always be necessary.

Most important:

3. Marx had a beard...