This short critique is funny, in a pathetic kind of way. A friend of mine posted it on Facebook, and I responded.

The fantasy argument cuts both ways, since we've never seen "hardcore libertarianism" in action. And Mr. Drum is inconsistent to criticize "hardcore libertarinism" on the one hand, and then say women would be subjugated. To the degree that their natural rights are neglected, they are not being libertarian. And libertarians fantasize about rising to the top? That strikes me as either projection, or the simplistic rejection of one who does not understand what he is criticizing. Libertarians just want looters and moochers to leave us alone, and that any societal interaction be voluntary.

Since we can only deal with fantasy, one illustration of what a libertarian society might look like is described in Rand's Atlas Shrugged. Those who are more productive have more wealth, true, but everyone benefits (from their production, and their consumption). Rand's version of the “hero” or the “elite” has nothing to do with financial position, but rather people who use their mind to create the value they want for the reasons they want. They are every honest man, at any level of ability.

"She smiled. 'I know, this is a place where one employs nothing but aristocrats for the lousiest kinds of jobs.' 'They’re all aristocrats, that’s true,' said Wyatt, 'because they know that there’s no such thing as a lousy job—only lousy men who don’t care to do it'" (661; P3C1).