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Featured · Government · Politics

Building a Libertarian Paradise

0000Prominent libertarians have been making the news with various proposals to build libertarian paradises free of government control. Venture capitalist Peter Thiel has perhaps been the most vocal, with his support for building floating free cities in international waters well known. While such grand visions may be possible to achieve, they are still a ways off from fruition. If you are looking for a libertarian refuge in the here-and-now, however, there is a place for you to go: New Hampshire.

The Free State Project (FSP) is busily seeking to transform New Hampshire, already a very individualistic state, into a full-on libertarian society. The aim of the FSP is to encourage the immigration of libertarians from other states into New Hampshire in order to develop a critical-mass of voters that can mandate the permanent roll-back of government power over citizens’ lives. The project’s goal is to create a society in which the state is at its most minimalistic: its sole function will be the maintenance of people’s lives, liberty, and property.

The FSP has seen some success. More than 1,000 people have already moved to New Hampshire, and nearly 16,000 more have pledged to eventually do so. There are currently 11 members of the FSP in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. The organization has succeeded in making major inroads into the New Hampshire social and political scene. The dream of the FSP to completely transform the state in a libertarian image is far from realized, though its leaders are optimistic for the future.

All is not entirely well with the project, however. New Hampshire is a state whose citizens have a clear and proud identity not only as individuals, but also as New Hampshirites. As with much of New England, the people of New Hampshire do not take too kindly to carpet-baggers coming in from out of the state to tell them what to do. The reasoning for concentrating like-minded people in order to further libertarian aims may be sound, but the very independent streak on which the Free State Project relies generates the risk of a backlash from the broader populace the greater the larger and more vocal the FSP becomes.

If there is a perception that FSP supporters, particularly those who are not natives of the state, are trying to force massive changes on the people of New Hampshire, even if they are changes in keeping with a large segment of the population’s philosophy, then there will be a very negative response.

If the FSP hopes to succeed it needs to be more than an aggressive libertarian movement. It has to adopt New Hampshire’s cultural and historical legacy, or at least acknowledge and respect it. It has to treat New Hampshire and its people like a true polity, and not just a useful means to an end. If they can do that, perhaps New England will be the cradle of individual liberty once again.

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John Engle

— John Engle

John Engle, a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, is an intern in the communications department at The Heartland Institute.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Keith

    In New Hampshire, we take Live Free or Die very seriously. 2/3s of our post college age population was not born here. We don’t care where you moved from, but whatever you do, do not submit a bill to create a personal income tax or general sales tax in New Hampshire.

  • Tim Freeman

    Is asking that 1 out of the 50 states be completely free too much to ask? If true freedom is undesirable then NH’s population will decrease much like socialism has decreased Detroit’s population. My guess is when the FSP has succeeded (it is inevitable at this point) there will be a population explosion.

  • Bob_Robert

    When framed in terms of New Hampshire’s tradition of Yankee bull-headed cussedness, policies that enhance individual liberty are generally accepted.

    By saying “libertarian utopia”, you’re alienating people needlessly.

    It’s generally recognized that the New Hampshire Advantage is the relatively low taxes and regulations compared to the neighborhood. So just say “make the New Hampshire advantage even greater”.

    Rather than say “abolish the police”, which frightens some people, talk about expanding people’s choices to include private security and adjudication options. America already has more private security than govt police, and private mediation/adjudication has always existed and has been expanding as the govt courts have gotten clogged with ever more trivial crap like victimless drug prosecutions.

    And so on.

    Those who fear Liberty do so because they believe “without government nothing will get done”. The most effective thing anyone interested in Liberty can do is just to DO. Show that Liberty works. Live Free.

  • Bob_Robert

    When framed in terms of New Hampshire’s tradition of Yankee bull-headed cussedness, policies that enhance individual liberty are generally accepted.

    By saying “libertarian utopia”, you’re alienating people needlessly.

    It’s generally recognized that the New Hampshire Advantage is the relatively low taxes and regulations compared to the neighborhood. So just say “make the New Hampshire advantage even greater”.

    Rather than say “abolish the police”, which frightens some people, talk about expanding people’s choices to include private security and adjudication options. America already has more private security than govt police, and private mediation/adjudication has always existed and has been expanding as the govt courts have gotten clogged with ever more trivial crap like victimless drug prosecutions.

    And so on.

    Those who fear Liberty do so because they believe “without government nothing will get done”. The most effective thing anyone interested in Liberty can do is just to DO. Show that Liberty works. Live Free.

    • perogi

      ^ this.

    • perogi

      ^ this.

  • porcupinerealtor

    What a great idea this is! Libertarians in most places feel like an oppressed minority. In New Hampshire, the local, native “Yankee conservative” values mesh well with most freedom-loving people’s desire to be left alone by an overbearing government that spends, taxes and controls too much.
    I wouldn’t say that New Hampshirites don’t like carpetbaggers; places like Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and UNH attract great talent from all over the world. So do world-class private schools like St. Paul’s and Exeter Academy. What people eschew is those who come across the border to make NH more like where they came from, with their collectivist mentality and love of bigger government. Anybody who believes in “live and let live” is generally welcomed by New Hampshirites.
    Live Free or Die should be more than just a slogan; we can all hope that the state becomes freer by the day.

  • porcupinerealtor

    What a great idea this is! Libertarians in most places feel like an oppressed minority. In New Hampshire, the local, native “Yankee conservative” values mesh well with most freedom-loving people’s desire to be left alone by an overbearing government that spends, taxes and controls too much.
    I wouldn’t say that New Hampshirites don’t like carpetbaggers; places like Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and UNH attract great talent from all over the world. So do world-class private schools like St. Paul’s and Exeter Academy. What people eschew is those who come across the border to make NH more like where they came from, with their collectivist mentality and love of bigger government. Anybody who believes in “live and let live” is generally welcomed by New Hampshirites.
    Live Free or Die should be more than just a slogan; we can all hope that the state becomes freer by the day.

    • Keith

      I don’t think carpetbagger is even an accurate term to describe free staters anyway.

    • NH vision

      The Free Staters responding here in the comments section are apparently
      tone deaf to the astute statement in Mr. Engle’s article: “If the FSP
      hopes to succeed it needs to be more than an aggressive
      libertarian movement. It has to adopt New Hampshire’s cultural and
      historical legacy, or at least acknowledge and respect it. It has to
      treat New Hampshire and its people like a true polity, and not just a
      useful means to an end.” These Free Staters are demonstrating why NH
      residents are responding more and more negatively to their movement to
      transform our state.

      • https://www.facebook.com/MikeLorrey4NHLeg mikelorrey

        “NH Vision” is a liberal transplant from another state trying to radically transform NH into a suburb of Massachusetts liberal hell hole.

        • NH vision

          Not true Mr. Lorrey. I’ve lived here for over thirty years, so I have enough perspective to provide the comments I did.

      • Keith

        I agree with you that it would be helpful if more free staters studied the state maps, followed the Union Leader online, read Granite Grok, and volunteered with an already existing community service. I will continue to encourage them to learn the culture here.

        But mostly, what free staters try to do in NH is raise families, be productive, be good neighbors and strengthen the New Hampshire Advantage. Unfortunately, a lot of folks from NY, NJ and CT moved to NH over the last two decades and have been trying to reduce and in some cases, eliminate the New Hampshire Advantage. Thankfully, free staters are starting to reverse that horrible trend!

  • io11341

    I’ve met multiple free state project movers over the years. I appreciate that all of those that I have met are willing to put their lives, their fortunes (however small) and sacred honor on the line for what they believe in rather than just sitting home and shouting at the keyboard.

    There is a lot to love about New Hampshire and even if the unfair ‘utopia’ charge were true (I don’t think it is) it seems like a great counterbalance to the forces that seem to want to make New Hampshire into a ‘utopian’ New Jersey.

    My only complaint is that I don’t think there are any free state movers in my neighborhood and I could use a little backup.

  • io11341

    I’ve met multiple free state project movers over the years. I appreciate that all of those that I have met are willing to put their lives, their fortunes (however small) and sacred honor on the line for what they believe in rather than just sitting home and shouting at the keyboard.

    There is a lot to love about New Hampshire and even if the unfair ‘utopia’ charge were true (I don’t think it is) it seems like a great counterbalance to the forces that seem to want to make New Hampshire into a ‘utopian’ New Jersey.

    My only complaint is that I don’t think there are any free state movers in my neighborhood and I could use a little backup.

  • EWorrall

    You are only free if you are not only beyond the borders of the state you wish to repudiate, but beyond range of their guns as well.

  • bdross

    “If the FSP hopes to succeed it needs to be more than an aggressive libertarian movement.”

    The only thing the FSP has to do to succeed is persuade 20,000 people to move to the State of New Hampshire.

  • https://www.facebook.com/MikeLorrey4NHLeg mikelorrey

    I was one of the people here in NH that encouraged the FSP to move here. The only people here complaining about them are themselves liberal transplants from other states. State Rep Cynthia Chase, for instance, only moved here a few years ago from Rhode Island, yet she’s one of the most vocal calling for draconian laws to be passed to discourage porcupines from moving here. Don’t trust the claims of the complainers, the FSP is just reinforcements for those of us who grew up here to fight off the big government liberal hordes from the flatlands….

  • Mike Ruff

    Every NH Native I’ve met (and I have met a lot of them) has been really happy about the FSP. The folks who are anti-FSP are mostly a small but EXTREMELY vocal group of folks who moved to NH from MA and RI, are extreme socialist control freaks, and several of them moved here more recently than I did (e.g. Cynthia Chase).

  • faceshaker

    The idea of totally rolling-back government control is naive at best and foolish at worst. Such an idea might have worked before the Industrial Revolution, but now society is more complex than ever before and because of that complexity, the physical law of entropy is as active as ever: the more complex a system becomes the more possibility it will descend into chaos. That’s what strikes me odd about Libertarians in general (lots of nice people though): So much of what Libertarianism considers “overweaning” is designed to protect individuals from the ravages of systems imposed within democracy. Capitalism, unregulated, is worse than Communism.