There is a false dichotomy pushed by the political left - that economic freedom is somehow different (and much less important) than personal freedom. But the truth is, personal freedom is derived from economic freedom and property rights. I'll provide some examples to make this clearer.
1. Let's start with abortion. Seems like it's a personal issue, but it's not. It's an economic issue between a pregnant woman who wishes to pay her doctor to perform an abortion. But the government licenses doctors, which forces doctors to obey the decrees of politicians, regardless of the needs of his patients. Doctors who disobey lose their license and hence their livelihood.
2. Drug laws are not a personal issue, they are economic issue. The state attacks buyers, sellers, and producers of politically incorrect drugs. With a free market in drugs, people would have the liberty to buy and use whichever drugs they choose. For you constitutionalists out there, Thomas Szasz wrote a little book from that perspective that you might like.
3. Gun control works the same way. The state controls gun dealers exactly the same way it controls doctors. A free market in guns means no gun control. Economic freedom creates personal freedom.
4. Finally, consider the issue of free speech. Seems like it's personal, but it's not. The government attacks free speech by attacking the means of production regarding free speech. For example, over 350 years ago in England, you needed a government license to own a printing press.
Even something like flag desecration comes down to property rights. If it's your flag, then you have the right to burn it or destroy it. It's a matter of property rights, and if those property rights are respected, then the government can't stop you. When the state does punish you for burning your own flag it is violating your property rights.
To summarize, personal freedom is derived from economic freedom. Once you've got economic freedom, you don't need any other kind.
1. Let's start with abortion. Seems like it's a personal issue, but it's not. It's an economic issue between a pregnant woman who wishes to pay her doctor to perform an abortion. But the government licenses doctors, which forces doctors to obey the decrees of politicians, regardless of the needs of his patients. Doctors who disobey lose their license and hence their livelihood.
2. Drug laws are not a personal issue, they are economic issue. The state attacks buyers, sellers, and producers of politically incorrect drugs. With a free market in drugs, people would have the liberty to buy and use whichever drugs they choose. For you constitutionalists out there, Thomas Szasz wrote a little book from that perspective that you might like.
3. Gun control works the same way. The state controls gun dealers exactly the same way it controls doctors. A free market in guns means no gun control. Economic freedom creates personal freedom.
4. Finally, consider the issue of free speech. Seems like it's personal, but it's not. The government attacks free speech by attacking the means of production regarding free speech. For example, over 350 years ago in England, you needed a government license to own a printing press.
Even something like flag desecration comes down to property rights. If it's your flag, then you have the right to burn it or destroy it. It's a matter of property rights, and if those property rights are respected, then the government can't stop you. When the state does punish you for burning your own flag it is violating your property rights.
To summarize, personal freedom is derived from economic freedom. Once you've got economic freedom, you don't need any other kind.