Trackback spam and libertarianism

Captain’s Quarters, Ed Driscoll, and Epoch3 discuss the problem of trackback spam.

Trackback spam is an example of negative sum activity. Sending a spam trackback ping may have a benefit of +1 to the spammer, but a cost of -10 to the blog owner and readers. But because so many members of the human race are scum, they will engage in activity that has a benefit for themselves but a net loss for society.

So what does all this have to do with libertarianism? It’s like I said in my first post, “Pure libertarianism just doesn’t work because, when left to themselves, people pursue agendas to benefit themselves at the expense of society.” Trackback spam is just another example of this observation of human nature.

Sometimes, the most efficient way to stop people from engaging in negative sum activity is to make the activity illegal (or perhaps better, tax it so that the entity engaging in the activity pays back society for the harm caused). In this manner, well thought out laws and taxes benefit society and increase its economic efficiency.

Comments

[Michael A. Clem]

"...when left to themselves, people pursue agendas to benefit themselves at the expense of society.”

A very sensible comment, except for one thing: a person is never "left to themselves" when attempting to benefit themselves at the expense of other people. The power of civil society over the actions of other people is much greater than is usually realized, but unfortunately, it is diminished, not strengthened, by laws that make non-criminal behavior illegal. If anything, it tends to be easier to benefit oneself at others' expense through government regulation, since the victims are usually legally prevented from taking appropriate action.