Jason Talley’s Motorhome Diaries interview with Nick Gillespie of Reason provides some grounds for libertarians to be optimistic, despite recent expansions in the size and scope of government. Gillespie argues that we are seeing a flourishing of individual culture, with new technologies decentralizing power – disempowering the state and empowering people. Both parts are well worth a watch:
This is why libertarians should be concerned with convincing people of value of freedom, while not concerned with having them vote for this or that lesser-of-two-evils candidate. The government attempts to reach into just about every aspect of our lives, but is seldom successful in repressing those who actively resist interference. Resistance becomes easier as the number of people unwilling to accept unjust laws or the whims of uniformed thugs increases. People with whom we can peacefully interact, and are ready to stand up for our rights should they be trampled on, make us freer regardless of what the government tries to do.
By all accounts, this is one of the great virtues of the Free State Project: quite apart from any effect on electoral politics, creating a dense community of libertarians gives people support networks to help them stand up to authority, and voluntary exchange networks free from any substantial government interference. It seems to me the FSP will be a huge success in advancing real, concrete liberty even if it achieves none of the goals it has within formal political structures.
Brad Taylor is a graduate student in Political Science at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. He blogs at 
And HERE IS Reason’s coverage of the meet-up.
Thanks for posting this, Brad. I’m in Keene, New Hampshire now and I’m quite impressed with how this community of pro-freedom activists gets things done and I know that it will only get better.