I was having a conversation in the pub about social control of private behaviours that harmed no one else.
James Buchanan captures the essence of this mind-set with his phrase “meddlesome preferences”, whereby:
“the elitist, who somehow thinks that his or her own preferences are ‘superior to,’ ‘better than, ‘ or ‘more correct’ than those of other[s], tries to control the behaviour of everyone else, while holding fast to his or her own liberty to do as he or she pleases.”
Much of the culture war over political correctness is about resentment that the other side has had a chance to enact into law their meddlesome preferences when they were last in government.
From “Politics and Meddlesome Preferences”, in volume 13 of the Collected Works of James Buchanan:
Consider the following politically orchestrated regulations:
- Prohibition on private leaf burning.
- Prohibition of the possession of handguns.
- Prohibition of the sale or use of alcoholic beverages.
- Prohibition of smoking in public places or places of business.
- Prohibition on driving or riding in an automobile without fastening seat belts.
- Prohibition on driving or riding on a motorcycle without wearing crash helmets.
It seems quite possible that at least in some political jurisdictions, a majority of voters might be found to support at some time or another in the past each and every one of the six activities above.
In a democracy, politicians respond to the electorate, and electoral majorities may, in a piecemeal fashion, close off one liberty after another. The political process may well work so as to make each and every person in the relevant community worse off with enactment and enforcement of all of the prohibitions listed than he or she would be if none of the prohibitions were enacted.
To add to Buchanan, the progressive left preaches deference to government – reverence for experts and the need to protect society from itself – and the right of democratic majorities, guided by elite experts, to govern very much as they see fit, as long as they do not interfere with their stash of dope and sexual privacy. Free choice for me, but not for thee!
The conservative Right has its own taboos and plenty of meddlesome preferences but is stout in the defence of religious freedom (for Christians and Jews at least).
The powers of government should be limited to the power you would give to those crazies and busy-bodies to the Left or Right of you when they next get their turn in power, as always will happen in 3, 6 or 9 years’ time or so.
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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