First, from Hayek:
“We must make the building of a free society once more an intellectual adventure, a deed of courage. What we lack is a liberal Utopia, a programme which seems neither a mere defence of things as they are nor a diluted kind of socialism, but a truly liberal radicalism which does not spare the susceptibilities of the mighty (including the trade unions), which is not too severely practical and which does not confine itself to what appears today as politically possible…Unless we can make the philosophic foundations of a free society once more a living intellectual issue, and its implementation a task which challenges the ingenuity and imagination of our liveliest minds, the prospects of freedom are indeed dark. But if we can regain that belief in power of ideas which was the mark of liberalism at its best, the battle is not lost.”
Then Mises, from his book, Socialism:
“Everyone carries a part of society on his shoulders; no one is relieved of his share of responsibility by others. And no one can find a safe way out for himself if society is sweeping toward destruction. Therefore, everyone, in his own interests, must thrust himself vigorously into the intellectual battle. None can stand aside with unconcern; the interest of everyone hangs on the result. Whether he chooses or not, every man is drawn into the great historical struggle, the decisive battle into which our epoch has plunged us.”
And the last is from Ron Paul, and I’ll just let him do the talking:
The quote from Paul, “let it not be said that we did nothing”, struck a chord with me and many of his followers when he first uttered it on the House floor. It’s important because it defies the defeatism that is rife in some libertarian circles. Some won’t get up and do anything unless they believe there’s a fair chance of success, and when the prospects for liberty appear dim, these types seem to ensure a self-fulfilling prophecy by refusing to engage in any activism at all on the grounds of, “what is there even to do? What will my single voice accomplish?” They fail to see that a defense of liberty, a refusal to let our silence be misinterpreted as consent to government crimes, is first and foremost a matter of principle. I object to war, prohibition, and a descent into tyranny because it is wrong, and I lend my small voice on principle, whether or not anyone is listening should be of secondary importance. Seeking out those who share my beliefs should be a next small step, followed by more small steps, always made on principle. Ron Paul himself has shown what is possible for one person to achieve when he follows his convictions in a systematic, strategic manner. Virtually all the victories for liberty were accomplished by small groups who refused to surrender to the fatalism of, “what can little old me do?” The recent legalization of medical marijuana and ousting of authoritarian Senator Ervin Yen in Oklahoma proves that, well, you can do a lot, if you apply yourself.
But if liberty does whither in some national bout of State worship or nuclear exchange, let it not be said that we did nothing.
