Walter Block: What Hans-Hermann Hoppe gets wrong about Javier Milei

The president of his country, Javier Milei, is the last best hope for Argentina, and not only in terms of its economics, which promises to be profound. He also introduces for the first time in a long time a sense of ethics and propriety to that neck of the woods. Totalitarianism and socialism are simply morally wrong, not merely only non-efficacious, ineffective, uneconomical. In addition he constitutes a healthy shot in the arm for the psychological well-being of the citizens of this nation. He demonstrates, over and over again, the personal mental benefits of freedom, justice and private property rights. In so doing, he improves their well-being in many other dimensions as well, and immeasurably so.

But the benefits of his efforts will not be limited, by any means, to Argentina alone. And not only to all of Central and South America either. The entire world will be his oyster. If he can rescue Argentina with free enterprise, and so far he is on a direct path to do so, the entire world will be more likely to accept laissez faire capitalism than ever before.

One would think that with so much at stake, all advocates of libertarianism would salute him, would thank him, would congratulate him, would support him, would organize ticker-tape parades in his honor.

If you thought that, you are due for a rude awakening. Hans-Hermann Hoppe, a leading libertarian, instead, cocks a snook at this miracle worker. (I use that phrase advisedly. What else can we call it; imagine, radical free enterprise emanating from the very top of the political system!). Hoppe gives Milei the back of his hand. He criticizes him for doing too little, too late. Why, the president of Argentina has been in power for serval months now, and this nation has still has not yet reached the Galt’s Gulch level of free market capitalism of Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” opines Hoppe, in effect.

This world class Austrian economist and libertarian theoretician simply does not understand how difficult it is to turn around a country mired in inflation, socialism, fascism, egalitarianism, wokeism, interventionism, regulationism, price controls. Yes, Mr. Milei has supporters. He would not have been elected to his present office were this not so. However, in some limited sense, he is but a one man band; there are very few others in all of Argentina with his radical sense of mission. Moreover, there are entrenched interests in that country fighting him every step of the way. Hoppe does not take cognizance of the power of inertia. Even those Argentinians who do not rabidly support the previous system might “reason”: hey, things are not so bad here. Yes, there is inflation, but we’re still alive; our children are growing. Jumping in to free enterprise is like diving into a swimming pool before making sure there is water available in there.

If Trump does half as well as Milei is doing to turn his country in the direction of economic freedom and prosperity I shall be delighted. This prognostication does not look too good, give his predilection toward tariffs, “the most beautiful word in the English language.” Ron Paul is of the same ilk as Javier Milei, but he never rose to the presidency of the United State, a position from which, I expect, he would have emulated the latter. Had this been the case, and the United State did not fully embrace laissez faire capitalism after a few months in office, one can only wonder at the apoplexy Hoppe would have exhibited at this supposed failure of a President Paul. (My, that last phase has a nice ring to it).

It is sometimes said that Hoppe is a follower of Rothbard’s. This is not at all the case on issues of this sort. Compare and contrast how each deals with a possible new recruit to the anarcho-capitalist philosophy, one who is not quite 100% there yet. I refer to Rothbard vis a vis Pat Buchanan and Hoppe regarding Javier Milei. There is a night and day difference here. Rothbard is a sweetie pie in his treatment of Buchanan; he was supportive, complimentary, welcoming. Hoppe is anything but, in his assessment of Milei. (Actually, this is but an imperfect analogy; Buchanan supported tariffs, a gigantic no-no for this philosophy; Milei is guilty of no such violation of the good and the true.)

A good example of an excellent follower of Rothbard in this regard is David Gordon in his slightly critical but very complimentary treatments of both Sharma and Macintyre. Hoppe, however, fails this test, abysmally.

Is Milei perfect? No. No one who puts his pants on one leg at a time can attain such a status. But he is far and away the best thing that has happened to the movement for liberty and economic freedom in a long, long time. All libertarians should tip their hats to him and wish him God speed. No, correction: the entire world should do so.

Originally posted here.