Javier Milei and the minarchist movement in Argentina – Javier Milei is a significant figure in Argentina’s political landscape, as he is currently the favorite in the country’s presidential elections.
The media often label him as an “extreme right” candidate, but he prefers to define himself as a minarchist.
Minarchy, or night-watchman state, is a political philosophy that advocates for a minimal state, with the government providing only military, police, and judges to protect life and property.
It protects people from harm, theft, and fraud, and ensures property laws are followed.
This makes it a sub-type of libertarianism, a broader philosophy that emphasizes the primacy of the individual over the state.
Milei, an economist and university professor, has previously explained that there are three types of libertarians: classical libertarians, minarchists, and anarcho-capitalists.
Classical libertarians, such as Milton Friedman and Adam Smith, support a state that respects private property and economic freedom but may provide more than just police and judges in certain circumstances.
On the other hand, anarcho-capitalists, like Murray Rothbard, desire a society completely free of state power, with all human relations governed by voluntary exchanges of goods and services.
Minarchism, influenced by thinkers like Ayn Rand and Robert Nozick, falls between these extremes.
It advocates for a state that only prevents people from violating others’ lives and property, leaving everything else, from road construction to education and health services to the market.
Milei, a Catholic with a deep interest in Judaism, supports the right to bear arms and the legalization of drugs, provided that users bear the financial consequences of their actions.
He opposes abortion and has been critical of gender ideology.
He also plans to abolish the Ministry of Education and the Central Bank, reducing the government to just eight ministries.
However, implementing minarchism in Argentina, a country plagued by decades of economic populism that has severely damaged its economy, seems highly unlikely.
The massive support for Milei appears to reflect more popular dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs than a conscious adherence to the ideas of Nozick and Rand.
The first round of Argentina’s presidential elections is scheduled for October 22.