Murray N. Rothbard vs. the Philosophers - Ludwig von Mises Institute
Murray N. Rothbard vs. the Philosophers - Ludwig von Mises Institute
Murray N. Rothbard vs. the Philosophers - Ludwig von Mises Institute
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MURRAY N. ROTHBARD VS. THE PHILOSPHERS: UNPUBLISHED WRITINGS<br />
58 ON HAYEK, MISES, STRAUSS, AND POLYANI<br />
have turned out to be weaklings? And how many Americans<br />
have risen from <strong>the</strong> ranks of <strong>the</strong> poor and ignorant? Let us<br />
never forget that Beethoven was <strong>the</strong> son of a confirmed<br />
drunkard, a man “unfit” by any eugenic standard. If Dr. Cutten<br />
or o<strong>the</strong>r “rugged” would-be murderers had been permitted<br />
to do <strong>the</strong>ir work in that era, <strong>the</strong> world would have lost<br />
a Beethoven. How many unborn geniuses would similarly be<br />
slaughtered by <strong>the</strong> “scientific” rugged eugenists?<br />
When it comes to sterilization, Mr. Rugged Individualist,<br />
“kindly include me out.” I’m sure my sentiments will be<br />
heartily echoed by all <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> nonrugged or<br />
antirugged individualists. If, Mr. R.I., you grieve because you<br />
cannot impart your gift to <strong>the</strong> world, remember that “charity<br />
begins at home.”<br />
5. The Fallacy of <strong>the</strong> “Improvement of <strong>the</strong> Race”<br />
A fallacy committed by many groups of political philosophers<br />
is that somehow an individual living in <strong>the</strong> present is<br />
of far less importance and value than some hypo<strong>the</strong>tical person<br />
living in <strong>the</strong> future.<br />
People of <strong>the</strong> present are supposed to have a sacred duty<br />
to sacrifice <strong>the</strong>mselves on <strong>the</strong> altar of <strong>the</strong> “future,” for <strong>the</strong><br />
benefit of some man of <strong>the</strong> future. Thus, <strong>the</strong> Marxists justify<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir unconscionable slaughter as <strong>the</strong> inevitable birth<br />
pangs of a better and happier world of <strong>the</strong> future.<br />
Aside from <strong>the</strong> fact that <strong>the</strong> Marxian-Stalinist future<br />
would not be a happy one, I strenuously object to a doctrine<br />
that holds a person of <strong>the</strong> present expendable for <strong>the</strong> benefit<br />
of <strong>the</strong> future.<br />
The Rugged Individualist, however, justifies slaughter of<br />
<strong>the</strong> present because future individuals are supposedly benefited.<br />
“Was nature unkind to <strong>the</strong> negro when she quietly got<br />
rid of <strong>the</strong> malaria-susceptible members of <strong>the</strong> race and<br />
developed race immunity?” 12 This is merely one example.<br />
12 Cutten, “Rugged Individualism,” p. 70.