The Privatization of Roads and Highways - Ludwig von Mises Institute

400 The Privatization of Roads and Highways
One of the questions I am often asked is: as a libertarian who
urges separation of state41 from highways and streets, am I not
afraid that the minions of the government will read my material,
adopt it to their institutions of road socialism, and thus improve
this misbegotten system? Is this not something I would regret?
My answer, to myself and to others is that yes, I would regret
it if the government bureaucrats read my publications and
improved the operation of their roadways. I realize that there is
some slight “danger” of this very thing occurring. However, that
will not stop me from writing about it. For my intention is not to
marginally improve the present transportation system, but rather
to replace it, root and branch, with free-market, private property
right institutions. 42
The difference between Poole and myself is that my suggestions
about highway safety are not at all an attempt to help the
road socialists. They are not even addressed to the present highway
authorities. Rather, they are part and parcel of an attempt to
make the case in behalf of roadway privatization. True, during
this process all sorts of nuggets appear that might be of use to
them. 43 Am I supposed not to write in behalf of private streets
since the road planners might peruse this material? 44 In contrast,
41I, of course, advocate separate of church and state, education and state,
police and state. Indeed, I regard the government as a sort of virus. The
more we can separate ourselves from its baleful influence, in whatever of
its manifestations, the better off we shall be.
42This does not mean, either, that I counsel attempts to undermine the
present road system, to hasten its alteration to one based on the principles
of free enterprise. It is already quite bad enough; with friends of the ilk that
it now has, it hardly needs any “help” from libertarian enemies in further
undermining it.
43Would I willingly and happily see a copy of the present book sold to
them? No, I would not. On the other hand, it would be exceedingly difficult
to ensure that it did not fall into their hands.
44As a practical matter, the odds of our roads masters delving into truly
libertarian literature on this issue are exceedingly small—think, Soviet collectivized
planners reading about private property farming.