Everything Voluntary – Foreword
Voluntaryism is a simple concept and one many people agree with superficially. Ask most people if they believe in forcing an individual to act according to another’s whim and they are likely to say “No.” “Live and let live,” or “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” – the Golden Rule – are common aphorisms that communicate voluntaryism. So, if most individuals agree with the Golden Rule, why aren’t we all voluntaryists?
This book will show you why. Voluntaryists take the Golden Rule very seriously and apply it to everyone, regardless of status or role, whether teacher, parent, ecclesiastical, professional, or governmental leader. Thus, confusion arises not primarily from misunderstanding the principles supporting voluntaryism – private property and the non-aggression axiom – but in how to apply those principles to the wide and complicated variety of situations found in everyday experience.
In this volume, Skyler unravels that complexity by his inclusion of key articles that apply voluntaryism to Politics, Religion, Economy, Education, and Family. These are foundational areas that not only affect everyone, but are also extensively influenced by the state, with its monopoly on the use of force. This work represents both introduction and depth to the philosophy of voluntaryism.
I have observed Skyler’s intellectual engagement with topics dealing with liberty over the last few years. He is constantly absorbing, digesting and synthesizing a wide range of materials to better grasp new ideas and concepts in this domain. I expect this volume is the beginning of what will be many books that Skyler puts forth.