Chris Dillow: Marxists & Libertarians

Chris Dillow writes that Marxists & Libertarians have much in common.

I don’t say this to embarrass him. Quite the opposite. I do so to point out that Marxists and libertarians have much in common. We both believe that freedom is a — the? — great good; Marxists, though, more than right-libertarians, are also troubled by non-state coercion. We are both sceptical about whether state power can be used benignly. And for both of us, the ideal is a withering away of the state. In these regards, Marxists probably have more in common with right-libertarians than with social democrats; Unlearning Economics has charged right libertarians with being “lazy Marxists.”

Of course, there are obvious differences between us — not least about the causes of poverty and historical nature (and definition!) of capitalism. My point is simply that we have some things in common. However, whereas Marxists have engaged intelligently with right-libertarianism, the opposite has, AFAIK, not been the case — as Robin and Bryan’s ignorance of the intellectual history of Robin’s theory of schooling demonstrates. This is perhaps regrettable.

Emphasis Mine

Another difference is that the Libertarians want to liberate Capitalism from State interference and control. Marxists want to replace Capitalism with Communism.

Although there is theoretical overlap, there is no point in political alliances because of this difference.