Peace and Freedom!

Exactly one year ago, what propaganda calls a special operation began, repressive laws forbid calling it a “war”, and for millions of peaceful people it became just their grief and pain. Then we immediately called for peace and an end to aggression. This call is valid even today, but much more has become known about what happened in a year than it was on February 24, 2022.

Now it is clear that the Kremlin's aggressive gamble took place in the calculation only for a quick victory and the absence of resistance. The declared goals, such as the "denazification" of Ukraine and the protection of the civilian population, as expected, turned out to be just propaganda slogans. The armed conflict did not become an imaginary "salvation" from anything for the inhabitants of Donbass and south-east Ukraine, but only drove through this land with another bloody roller. And could it be otherwise? Aggression does not save lives.

Faced with desperate resistance from the enemy and rapidly growing international isolation, the Russian authorities have found themselves in a situation from which they are very eager to get out, afraid to get out - and do not know how to get out. Dozens of cities have been captured or destroyed, tens of thousands of people have been killed, many thousands are fighting and dying, millions have become emigrants and refugees. Relatively peaceful life on both sides of the border ended overnight.

All this blood is on the conscience of politicians who have transcendental power, who do not want to accept the loss of face and the collapse of their plans based on geopolitical fairy tales. The call for peace certainly means that the perpetrators of the aggressions and deaths must be punished. The world is paying an impossibly high price for the carnage.

It is already clear that this armed conflict, no matter how and how it ends, will significantly change world politics. The fate of Ukraine will be decided by the Ukrainians themselves; the only judgment we can make here is to express support for all who stand up for their lives, liberty and property in the face of any unprovoked aggression. But the future of our country, Russia, we must first of all take care of ourselves.

A "special military operation" will leave our society with a swooping economy on artificial life support, severed foreign economic ties and production chains. It will leave us murdered justice, broken international conventions, vile censorship and cruel repressive laws. Thousands of people, cut off from their homes, will settle in emigrant dispersion. Thousands of others will return from the fronts with crippled bodies, crippled destinies, a new Afghan syndrome and a lack of peace prospects. It is possible that some of them will voluntarily take part in war crimes, while others will forcibly fall under mobilization, unable to escape state coercion. This is not about rewards and punishments, but about the fact that all these people are part of society, and they, like all of us, will need rehabilitation and resocialization in one form or another.We need a society where we can live.

To create and maintain such a society, to prevent inevitable defeat by compromise and cessation of bloodshed - such would be the task of any more or less sane government. Our current government is flying at full steam to the cliff, because it sees no other way out for itself, and is pulling us all along. Huge, unimaginable resources, an immense political, propaganda and power machine are working day and night to fan the conflict, from which she herself does not see a good way out. Here is a clear example of what the super-concentration of power in the hands of the state leads to.

Whoever gets into the Russian government after the current regime, these people will have to think, first of all, not about dividing up portfolios and implementing their wonderful ideas, but about much less pleasant things. It would be naive to think that the reputation and credit history of the Russian state in the domestic and international arena will start from scratch as soon as the current dictatorship evaporates. Credit history doesn't work that way, and the institution of reputation doesn't work that way. Together with power and a short carte blanche to act, the new politicians will inherit the bad reputation of the current aggressor - a reputation that they did not create, but which now they will have to do something about. The damage to the victims of the aggression must be compensated, and not at the expense of those who were not involved in the aggression. From a country that allowed aggression due to the over-centralization of power in one hand, there will be a separate demand: what will she do so that this does not happen again? Whether we like it or not, the first tests for the beautiful Russia of the future will look like this or something like this.

This leads us to the assertion that the best program for the subsequent restoration and healing of Russian society will be precisely the program that is consistently libertarian. The problems generated by centralization will be solved by real federalization, the rejection of the “vertical of power”, the transfer of powers into the hands of regions, cities, and people. The economy will be saved not by convulsive directives of the Central Bank, but by deregulation and freedom of action. The best defense against becoming an aggressor is not autarchy, but strong trade ties, valued above empires and conquests. Libertarianism is not an intellectual fashion, fit for peaceful leisure, but forced to retreat in a moment of serious crisis. On the contrary: if we are convinced that it is freedom - personal, creative, economic - that leads to the prosperity of people and nations,then this approach should become even more consistent in difficult times. Especially when right now there are battles and people are dying.

Stop shedding blood. We demand peace and freedom.

Federal Committee of the Libertarian Party of Russia

February 24, 2023

Original: https://libertarian-party (dot) ru/posts/88586ecf-e996-4142-a546-ac5a7ecedabf

— What was February 24th like for you?

– I woke up in the morning and found out that Putin had decided to invade Ukraine. I was terribly outraged and unsettled. I consider this war completely unfair. I poured out my emotions in a big post that I posted on the social network. I wanted all this to end as soon as possible and for the people of Ukraine to stop suffering. On behalf of the party, we published an appeal to libertarian organizations around the world and said that this war cannot be considered the decision of all citizens of Russia.

– How does the LPR continue to work now?

• On February 24, we opposed the war and continue to do so. Now we have focused on human rights and legal assistance. We participated in municipal elections in Moscow and Saratov. Our candidate was not registered in Saratov, but four candidates were registered in Moscow, and they took second place after United Russia. After Putin announced the mobilization, we began to help with consultations those Russian citizens who do not want to fight.

• How do you, a libertarian, live now in a country where every day there is less and less freedom?

• If freedom was severely restricted at one moment, then I would be in a state of shock. But, unfortunately, a noose has been thrown over our country for a long time, it is being tightened more and more. I look at it with regret, but I'm not surprised.

– Do you think the libertarian idea has a future in Russia?

– The response to libertarian ideas in Russia is stronger than you might think. In my opinion, Russia has gone through many political experiments, including those related to the actions of a former KGB lieutenant colonel. Russian citizens know from their own experience how dangerous the state can be. We as a people are used to self-reliance, and we have a libertarian understanding that the state brings misfortune and we must rely only on ourselves. The Russians lack solidarity - propaganda played a big role in this. Libertarianism implies cooperation and voluntary exchange. But I see Russians striving for solidarity. I'm sure it will soon become stronger than the voice that says: "You are alone, you do not mean anything, and Big Brother will decide everything for you."

Here's the original, which Chrome will translate. I've only copied a few parts, and it's very worth reading the full interview. https://www.svoboda.org/a/nasha-strana-raskololas-libertarianetz-v-strane-nesvobody/32137885.html

Dozens of libertarians were elected across the country in it's most recent municipal elections yesterday. Most of those elected were running for councilor of several of Brazil's 5,500+ municipalities. These libertarians were elected in the more populated areas, most notably cities such as Rio, Belo Horizonte, and Porto Alegre. As for the election of mayors, there are two big municipalities, Mogi das Cruzes and Joinville, where a libertarian candidate has advanced to the second round of voting which takes place in two weeks.

Stickied Announcement link (Not the AMA itself :)!): https://np.reddit.com/r/Anarcho_Capitalism/comments/7sye9p/stephan_kinsella_ama_thursday_february_1st_7pm/

Bring a friend!

Previously there were a couple AMAs with Stephan Kinsella on /r/libertarian: https://www.reddit.com/r/Libertarian/search?q=stephan+kinsella+ama&restrict_sr=on

I am trying to get involved with my local Libertarian Party affiliates but have not received an answer.

Any chance any Long Island, NY Libertarian Party members on here?

I am the UK Independence Party (UKIP) candidate in the English Borders Constituency. We are a party on the Model House of Commons (/r/MHOC).

MHOC is a simulation of the British Parliament, and is welcome to anybody with an interest in it, British or not. We are currently holding a General Election for a new government, and I would like to ask for your vote. It only takes a minute and helps UKIP beat parties who would see us become little more than a star on the EU flag, and little more than a state in the Federal Republic of Europe.

The UK Independence Party are on the ballot in every constituency in the country, and we are the only party standing up for the ideals of Liberty and Freedom. We want to get the government out of your bedroom and your wallet. The Conservatives, CNP and the Nationalists won't get out of your life, and the Liberal Democrats won't get out of your wallet. Only UKIP will get out of both, and leave you to live how you see fit. A vote for UKIP is a vote for true Libertarianism in Parliament, who will say no to unlimited government spending, and no to draconian social laws.

Thank you for your time, I hope you will consider voting for UKIP in the election, it really helps us out!

VOTE HERE

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