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The Libertarian Credo
Collection StructureFiring Line broadcast records > Episode guide > The Libertarian Credo
Item Title The Libertarian Credo
Guest Van den Haag, Ernest
Guest Machan, Tibor R.
Host Buckley, William F., Jr. (1925-2008)
Date CreatedApril 02, 1982
Description

According to Mr. Machan, the libertarian credo is actually quite simple to state: "The government's business is to protect the rights of the people of the society from foreign aggression and from criminals. Anything else that needs to be done should be done by the people of the society." A zestful exploration of some of the implications-- from, Can we have a CIA? to Would you let orphans starve? to this exchange, which begins with the examiner*, Ernest van den Haag, saying, "For instance, we prohibit necrophiliac action; in other words, you cannot legally try to go to a cemetery and have intercourse with the dead. We prohibit--" WFB: "Would that be a victimless crime?" EvdH: "According to Mr. Machan it would be. That's my point." TM: "Why didn't you ask me before you said that?" EvdH: "I will ask you in just a moment." TM: "You would have invaded a cemetery, so it would be trespassing, number one, right?" EvdH: "I suppose it is a--" TM: "That's not a victimless crime." EvdH: "No. The dead have no juridical personality, but let that go."

Language(s)
Country of Origin
Place RecordedNew York City, New York, United States
DimensionsDuration: 60 minutes
FormatMoving Image
Medium television programs
Aspect Ratio
4:3
Color
color
Soundtrack
sound
Hoover IDProgram S0503
Record Number80040.745
NotesVideo available through Amazon.
RightsCopyright held by Stanford University. This copy is provided for educational and research purposes only. No publication, further reproduction, or reuse of copies, beyond fair use, may be made without the express written permission of the Hoover Institution Library & Archives on behalf of Stanford University.
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