Originally Posted by
Ishayu
So only physical harm matters, then? Slander, libel, destroying someone's reputation unfairly, cheating in an election system, filing fraudulent economic reports, and so on - these are all permitted because to not permit it is a violation of freedom, because it does not cause physical harm?
I think you've been listening to too many libertarian braodcasts, buddy. Life is more complicated than that.
On the subject of slavery, obviously slavery isn't freedom. However, under your rules slavery is perfectly fine. You say that anyone should be able to do whatever they personally want as long as it doesn't cause physical harm - so what you're saying is that it's okay for someone to sell their services for the rest of their lives in exchange for food and lodging? That is literally slavery.
My argument is that there should be laws above this person that actively prevents him from making this decision.
If we believe that something should be beyond the possibility of majority rule, which is a perfectly reasonable request, then we write it into a law that is specially protected under the constitution to make it something that cannot be changed unless a HUGE majority votes in favour of changing it, such as 80%, or even to make it impossible to change at all, ever, for any reason. In other words, changing that law would require a revolution, with all that that entails.
I agree with you that there should be laws like that, and slavery is a good candidate, but by doing this we've actually restricted the ability for someone to choose to sign away their work hours for life. I know that seems like a twisted argument, but it's nevertheless true. To broadly protect freedom, we must restruct it in some key ways.
As far as us forcing our culture onto others - look, I live in Denmark. In Denmark, the Danish rule. If you don't like how we rule it, you have the unequivical right to GET THE **** OUT. I don't give a ****. There are thousands of places all over the world where people agree with whoever you are, but it ain't here.