Minarchism

The Minarchismus is a political mindset to limit the State in its scope, its influence and its political task in a free society " necessary minimum ". The state should only be strong enough to protect the liberty and property of every individual, to a certain extent limited to a " night watchman state ". The Minarchismus is in the tradition of classical liberalism. Some Minarchisten in the U.S. consider themselves to libertarianism (such as the Libertarian Party ).

General

The mindset has a certain bandwidth. Some Minarchisten want to limit the state to a minimal state, which is responsible only for the parliaments, courts, police, prisons and the armed forces, while others leave it to also public infrastructure such as currency, road or even much more extensive facilities such as schools and hospitals. As anarcho- capitalists, are also the Minarchisten opponents of conscription, compulsory education, the prohibition of drugs and the victims of persecution Loser offenses.

Some, such as Robert Nozick Minarchisten derive their conviction of principle from considerations about the role of the state, while others have put forward utilitarian arguments. This must be noted especially:

• Voluntariness: Minarchisten are generally against mandatory or coercive ( state of the three basic facilities )
• Effectiveness: private facilities could cope with problems usually more effective and less bureaucratic
• Responsibility: the individual is intelligent and sensible enough to decide for themselves what their money is used and what purposes it considers appropriate.

Social

Minarchisten generally advocate the privatization of social services, which are to provide instead of a welfare state by charitable organizations.

Tax policy

Many Minarchisten favor a flat tax, a poll tax and other still others reject any taxation.

Minimal state and Adam Smith

Often, the Scottish economist and moral philosopher Adam Smith, who is considered the founder of classical economic liberalism associated with the minimal state. The is argued, however, that Smith still looked more state responsibilities in addition to protecting the external and internal security, the provision of public goods ( eg roads ) for which no private investor find could and public services ( eg schools) that serve the social balance.

Minimal state of Robert Nozick

Nozick attempts to justify a minimal state based on a modern design in his major work "Anarchy, State and Utopia ." This minimal state, which is limited to the protection of citizens against violence, theft and fraud, the enforcement of contracts, etc., he demarcates against the "ultra- minimal state " in which customers, this protection only willing to pay plays ( "Insurance State"). Later, Nozick distanced from the libertarian program and confessed to a republican- communitarian position.