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ARTICLES:
A Rational Theory of the Rights of Children
Issue: 9:2 (the thirty fourth issue)
Libertarianism has often found itself under attack from those with misplaced
maternal instincts, who champion the state as the honorable protector of the
vulnerable – and there is no one more in need of protection than a helpless
infant. Consequently, much of the vitriol aimed at libertarianism and its
laissez-faire attitude has included morbid references to child abuse and
exploitation which would supposedly result from its implementation. It is
therefore imperative that more work be done on the topic of children’s rights in
order to reinforce the philosophical framework developed by Murray Rothbard
[9] and expanded on by Walter Block and others [2], [3], [5], [6]. The purpose
of this paper is to provide an independent rational foundation for the
conclusions drawn by Block and co-authors [2], [5] and to expand on parts that
are insufficient.
maternal instincts, who champion the state as the honorable protector of the
vulnerable – and there is no one more in need of protection than a helpless
infant. Consequently, much of the vitriol aimed at libertarianism and its
laissez-faire attitude has included morbid references to child abuse and
exploitation which would supposedly result from its implementation. It is
therefore imperative that more work be done on the topic of children’s rights in
order to reinforce the philosophical framework developed by Murray Rothbard
[9] and expanded on by Walter Block and others [2], [3], [5], [6]. The purpose
of this paper is to provide an independent rational foundation for the
conclusions drawn by Block and co-authors [2], [5] and to expand on parts that
are insufficient.
