[Originally published in the Front Range Voluntaryist]
[Voluntaryism is a political philosophy which states that the initiation of violence against people or property, i.e. aggression, is never morally justified, and recognizes that such aggression is the very foundation of the State. In each issue we will look to the philosophy’s adherents to answer the question “What is Voluntaryism?”]
The main principles are these:
Individuals own themselves, and are responsible for themselves. Not a group of other people, not the state. No one can own you but yourself. No one has a right to tell you how to live your life, or to demand that you live it for them.
Property rights: When a person works for the fruits of his or her own labor, only he or she has the complete rights to the fruits of his or her labor. If s/he wants to donate to a worthy cause, or to help others, that may be considered noble, but is not obligatory. But no one else has a "right" to anything but the fruits of their own labor.
The nonaggression principle: It is illegitimate and morally unacceptable to initiate the use of violence against another, for any reason. This does not mean that it is wrong to use violence in self-defense. People have the right to live their lives as they see fit, and may engage in any activity they choose, so long as they do no harm to others, or aggress against their property. This includes the right to engage in activities that may be harmful to themselves, so long as they do not affect others or cause negative externalities for others.
All human interaction should be voluntary. Coercion, threats, and the use of force or violence to compel someone to do anything is morally unacceptable and illegitimate.