Freedom, Society, and State - Ludwig von Mises Institute

accidents, whether by technologIcal innovations,
better rules of th'e road, improved
methods of selecting out drunken and other
undesirable drivers, etc.(14)
I n b r i e f, far fro rn rna king d r i v i n g rn 0 r e ha z a r dous, the
1 ibertarian believes that private roads would result in
a substantial reduction in death and injury tolls.
Such is the libertarian proposal for a privately
run road system. What can be said in the way of evaluation?
First, the fact that private roads flourished
in eighteenth century England and in nineteenth century
United States until they were nationalized by the governrnent,(15)
does not, in itself, demonstrate their
pract ical ity or desirability today. In the nineteenth
century land was open and could be obtained rather
cheaply. Today, however, it is neither open nor cheap.
Second, since there can be only a limited number of
r 0 ute s bet weenan y two po i n t s the a b iii t Y 0 f compe t i ­
t ion t 0 ins u reI ow pricesand h i gh qualit Y s e r vicererna
ins somewhat quest ionable. Next, the response of the
libertarian moralist to the problems of eminent domain,
wh i len 0 ton I yin g e n i 0 usa n d bas i c a I I Y sou nd, rna y
nevertheless be overly optimistic. Would it really be
as simple as libertarians apparently feel either to
meet the demand of everyone whose home lay in the path
of some future road or to circumvent the problem of the
individual holdout by merely building over, under or
around hIm? Whether or not a system of private roads
co u I d pro v ide sol uti ons tothesediff i cui tie s r ema ins
to be seen. Yet, on balance, the libertarian has acquitted
himself well. In trying to determine whether
or not an anarchist society could work, we must focus
not so much on its desirability as its feasibility.
Thus, even if the elimination of eminent domain would
in fact raise the cost of road construction, this could
place its desirability in question, even though such a
system would still be feasible. And while a private
road system may not be quite as desirable as the libertarian
depicts it, he has, I believe, been able to demonstrate
Its feasibility.
2. EDUCATION
Libertarians oppose compUlsory state education for
a number of reasons:
1. PubliC educat ion is viewed as a very dangerous
Instrument by which the state is able to seize control
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