#######################################################################

FREEDOM NETWORK NEWS -- March 1993 ISSUE -- Vincent H. Miller, Editor

#######################################################################

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT ISIL & STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

(The International Society for Individual Liberty is an association
of individuals and organizations dedicated to building a free and
peaceful world, respect for individual rights and liberties, and an
open and competitive economic system based on voluntary exchange and
free trade. Members and affiliated organizations pursue this goal
through independent action, using their freely chosen strategies.
The association exists to promote the exchange of information and
ideas, to study diverse strategies and to foser fellowship.)


***********************************************************************
***** LIBERTARIAN BOOK ENDORSED BY RUSSIANS ***************************
***********************************************************************

ISIL Board Member Ken Schoolland's popular book The Adventures of
Jonathan Gullible, winner of a gold medal for excellence in Hawaii, has
been translated by Russian libertarian and ISIL member Dmitrii Costygin.
A grant from ISIL (provided through the generosity of Doug Thorburn of
California) has covered both the cost of translation and printing. An
initial press run of 10,000 copies has just rolled off the presses.
William Milonoff, the Russian publisher (also an ISIL member) predicts
that profits from the book will help capitalize publication of more
libertarian titles.

William informs us that interest has also been expressed in the book by
the Charity Islamic Foundation. They have indicated a desire to
translate it into Tatar and produce a special version for the Islamic
community.

Particularly interesting is the fact that a top economic advisor to
Boris Yeltsin likes the book and has undertaken to sponsor it for airing
on television and radio (and in newspapers) in St. Petersburg and
possibly elsewhere in the country.

We will provide more updates on this development in the next issue of
the Freedom Network News.

Schoolland informs us that the book has already been translated into
Romanian and that he has received additional offers for Latvian,
Estonian, French, Spanish, Lithuanian and Polish editions. The book has
also just recently been published in Holland in Dutch. A tentative offer
to translate the book into Slovak has been received from Ivana Grofikov.


***********************************************************************
***** ISIL SWEDISH REP JAILED -- WORLD PROTEST LAUNCHED ***************
***********************************************************************

Henrik Bejke, ISIL Rep for Sweden was editing the latest issue of
NyLiberalen (the New Liberal magazine) in an office connected to the
now-(in)famous libertarian speak-easy "Trituaha" (means "libertarian")
when the police conducted a raid and arrested Henrik as the lease-holder
of the premises. This was their tenth raid since Trituaha was opened in
November 1990.

Mats Hinze, Einar du Reitz and others of Frihetsfronten strongly
protested this police action and with the help of the ISIL network
launched a worldwide wave of protest faxes to Prime Minister Carl Bildt,
Secretary of State Margaretha af Ugglas and the Justice Department. ISIL
executives Vince Miller and Jim Elwood (San Francisco), Hubert Jongen
(Holland) and Ken Schoolland (Hawaii) sent faxes to protest Henrik’s
incarceration. ISIL also put the announcement on LiberNet and other U.S.
computer bulletin boards.

Henrik's arrest and the demonstration outside the Justice Ministry
were sympathetically covered by Swedish TV, radio and a couple of
newspapers.

Henrik kept his spirits high during the ordeal -- although he expressed
annoyance at not being able to take his Macintosh along with him to his
cell.

Henrik was finally released on the 28th of January after over 14 days in
captivity.

For more details see the "Libertarian Odyssey" article in this issue.


**********************************************************************
***** CIVIL ASSET FORFEITURE: ANNOUNCING "PROJECT 1000" **************
**********************************************************************

   (How You Can Join The Fight to Repeal Civil Asset Forfeiture!)

While Americans sleep through the so-called "War on Drugs" Congress has
been at work annulling the Bill of Rights. The newest weapons in this
assault on our freedoms are the terrifying civil forfeiture laws, which
have enabled police and government agents to confiscate -- and keep for
their own use! -- money and property seized from innocent Americans --
without even having filed any charges! Asset seizures are now
approaching $2 billion a year! No one is safe!

        We call upon you now to get involved in "Project 1000" -- a new
ISIL program that will enable you to inform up to 1000 of your fellow
citizens of the dangers of civil forfeiture laws -- and to recruit them
to put intense pressure on their elected representatives to repeal these
vicious laws.

In terms of our freedom, this is a "do or die" project because if we
don’t get rid of these evil laws -- and soon -- there will be nothing to
stop our government from totally enslaving us through a full-blown
police state!

	Here is how "Project 1000" works:

The Initiator orders 50 sets of hard-hitting literature on civil
forfeiture -- including ISIL’s Looting of America, Is Your Freedom In
Danger and Ending Our Drug Nightmare pamphlets; a reprint of the "Red
Alert" article from 10/92 "Freedom Network News", newspaper articles on
the Don Scott murder, and other cases -- plus a sample draft of a letter
to send to your Congressperson. Those who order $25 or above will also
receive a copy of "Presumed Guilty" -- the shocking Pittsburgh Press
publication about victims of the forfeiture laws and the callousness of
the government agents who enforce them.

The initiator sends the sets to 50 friends, knowing that most will be
utterly appalled by what is being done to innocent fellow Americans.

Alternately, these sets can be sent to local politicians, media people,
business leaders or other local opinion leaders.

Recipients are encouraged to order literature sets to send to their
friends, etc.

All are encouraged to write letters of outrage to their legislators.

Those who have criticized the German people of the Third Reich for not
pressuring their Reichstag into stopping the NAZI advance, at a time
when they could have done so, may now have the opportunity to stop a
similar tragedy from occurring in America. Please take this opportunity
to exercise your First Amendment rights -- while you still can!

                         ORDER COUPON

[ ] Participant Level (10 sets) $5.00

[ ] Activist Level (20 sets)   $10.00

[ ] Initiator Level (50 sets)  $25.00

Name ________________________

Address ______________________

_____________________________

ISIL, 1800 Market Street, San Francisco California 94102 tel: (415)
864-0952


***********************************************************************
***** BULLETIN BOARD **************************************************
***********************************************************************

***** VALENTINA BUXAR . . . New ISIL Rep for Romania ******************

I.S.I.L.’s newest Rep is Valentina Buxar. She was born on March 3, 1956
in Onesti, a small worker’s town in Moldavia. Her father, an ex-officer,
was forced to resign from the army when he married the daughter of an
"enemy of the regime" (a peasant owning a piece of land). She has one
brother.

Valentina graduated from primary, secondary and high school in her
native town, then the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest. She
spent her probation years in a factory, then entered the field of
scientific research by competitive examination. She works for the
Liberal Institute in Bucharest and is a part-time advisor for the
Liberal Party -- the Youth Wing. In her free time she translates
classical liberal and libertarian literature from English and French
into Romanian.

In 1990 she attended the Summer University at Aix-en-Provence in France
where she was introduced for the first time to the ideas of freedom. She
also attended ISIL’s 1992 World Conference in Poprad, Czechoslovakia
(now the Slovak Republic).

Welcome to ISIL, Valentina!


***** YUGOSLAVIAN ISIL CHAPTER NEWS ***********************************

We would like to thank the many individuals who have written us from
Yugoslavia regarding the establishment of an ISIL presence in this
troubled country. Particular interest has been expressed in the study of
strategies to bring about a peaceful end to the current ethnic strife
(specifically a decentralist strategy with the type of devolution of
power proposed by Leon Louw and Frances Kendall for South Africa).
Unfortunately, due to the continuing United Nations embargo on
communications into Yugoslavia, we have been unable personally to answer
your letters although we have added each of you to our membership roles
and are sending copies of our newsletters to you (by some quirk in UN
regulations newsletters are able to pass through).

We were delighted to hear that the box of books that we sent to Mr.
Tomislav Krsmanovic’s group in Belgrade following the Poprad conference
somehow got through the blockade. These included Let The People Govern,
The Heart of the Nation, books on Austrian economics and more. Mr.
Vladan Popovic wrote to confirm that they had indeed been received and
he extended a very very warm thanks for the gift which he described as
being ``very precious for all of us here.’’

Mr. Tomislav Krsmanovic has asked if we can arrange to provide him with
a fax machine. It would surely help smooth communications between this
group and ISIL. If you would like to help with this purchase, please
contact ISIL headquarters at (415) 864-0952 or FAX (415) 864-7506.


***** THE CONSTITUTIONAL COMMON LAW LIBRARY ***************************

We have just discovered to our delight a rather remarkable and valuable
piece of computer software entitled The Constitutional Law Library. From
what we’ve seen so far we heartily recommend it to any of our members
interested in constitutional reform -- as a matter of fact we would say
that it could very well prove to be indispensable. It is very
user-friendly and easy to install (DOS only). We found it to be a
veritable cornucopia of information, and besides fiery Patriot
commentary by the author/programmer, it includes: the Bill of Rights of
all 50 States, the US Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, The
Declaration of Causes and the Necessity of Taking up Arms, The Articles
of Confederation and more. Other disks include Frederic Bastiat’s The
Law, the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights and the 13 original
U.S. constitutions. There’s also a collection of works by Jefferson and
Thomas Paine including Paine’s Common Sense and The Rights of Man.

This is all available as shareware on 360K floppies in compressed form
(a hard drive or high density floppy is needed to run it). To obtain a
fully functional Shareware copy of this program send $2.00 to Ted
Pedemonti, 18-C Hartford Ave., Enfield, CT 06082 (recommended "donation"
for a full set of disks is $50).

NOTE: Mr. Pedemonti sustained three raids on his home by the government
last year and was thrown in jail on charges of "forcible rescue" for not
surrendering his property willingly to agents who refused to produce a
court order. Sales of this software are now his only source of income as
he was forced out of his job and has had his home, vehicles, and bank
accounts seized.


***** NEW STUDIES ON TOLL ROADS ***************************************

Imagine zipping down the congested highways of New York, Los Angeles, or
Washington, D.C. with the easy of driving the German Autobahn. That
picture would be closer to fact than fiction if state legislators follow
the proposals for toll roads in a new study by Reason Foundation
President Robert W. Poole, Jr.

By taking advantage of the provisions in the Intermodal Surface
Transportation Act passed by Congress last year, states could double
their infrastructure -- and many of the newly paved and uncrowded
highways would be funded in part by the private sector.

For copies of the study, you may call the Foundation’s public affairs
department at (310) 391-2245. Fax (310) 391-4395.


***** HISTORY OF LIBERTARIAN MOVEMENT PROPOSED ************************

ISIL president, Vince Miller is now gathering data, taped interviews,
copies of historical documents and photos on various aspects of the
libertarian movement -- both in the USA and abroad. A recent visit
with Bruce Evoy in Canada resulted in a taped interview of reminiscences
of the early days of the Canadian movement. There were photos of the
founding of the Canadian LP in Evoy’s living room in 1973 and the
founding conference in Toronto. John Hospers has agreed to help with
an interview -- as have Ed and Alicia Clark. Any ISIL members interested
in helping amass the vast amounts of data needed should contact Miller
at ISIL headquarters. It is hoped that we will be able to produce
a balanced coverage of all the political, non-political, anti-political,
and philosophical wings of the movement. Thinktanks, the publications,
the movement institutions -- let’s hear from you if you were a part
of it -- or have relevant information. At the very least this will
provide a body of invaluable data for future historians.

ISIL, 1800 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. Tel (415) 864-0952
Fax (415) 864-7506


***** NORMA JEAN PUBLISHED AT LAST ************************************

Norma Jean Almodovar, the former Los Angeles cop turned call girl
who ran for Lieutenant Governor on the Libertarian Party ticket has
found a publisher (Simon & Schuster) for her controversial book exposing
corruption in the LA police department (this was even before Rodney
King). You may recall that Norma Jean was arrested and jailed on a
prostitution-related charge of "pandering" and the manuscript for
her book on official corruption was seized. The suspicious among us
saw this police action and the historically unprecedented severity
of her sentence as an attempt to silence a troublemaker.

Norma Jean has also optioned the rights to the story for a television
movie. With any luck at all, it should be airing in May, about the same
time as the release of the book.

She writes: "Would you pass the word along to the people in the
international libertarian movement? I had many supporters during my
legal battles with the police and State who might be pleased to hear the
final outcome about my infamous book!"


**********************************************************************
***** LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ******************************************
**********************************************************************

I have watched, and participated in, the discussion regarding
application of a Swiss-style canton solution to the problems in
Palestine (the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea).
I am also aware that the Louw/Kendall proposals have been suggested for
the problems in Northern Ireland and other ``hot spots'' around the
world. I have tried to suggest that the answers are not that simple.

Now (FNN #31) come word that the solution has been trotted out for
still another locus of violence -- what for a while was known as Yugoslavia
-- and I am impelled once again to throw cold water on the participants.

The people involved ultimately fight -- and continue to fight of their
own free will -- because they are more resentful of their enemies'
survival than they are afraid of their own deaths. If it were otherwise,
they would trip over each other in the mad dash for peace.

The form of the solution proposed is far less relevant than answering
the deep-seated resentment of their neighbor's continued existence. But
just because we libertarians have the moral high road does not mean we
can get away with glibly tossing out our solution and move on to the
next crusade. This "guerilla libertarianism", to suggest one term, comes
across as arrogant (which it is) and calculated to embarrass and offend
others whose concerted attempts at reconciliation have failed (which it
does, but might not have been intended to do).

We must continually remind ourselves of just what is the tragedy in the
Balkans, and in Palestine, and in Punjab, and in Sri Lanka . . . it is
not the blood-letting by the participants in the conflict itself, but
the essential unwillingness of the participation of innocent bystanders.
At the core of the conflict are willing individuals -- on both sides --
who prefer to risk their own lives rather than see their enemies thrive,
even if they also thrive in peacetime. As far as I am concerned, if they
keep their struggle between themselves, they can carry on their
Hatfield-and-McCoy-like farce until the sun goes nova.

Trying to separate the combatants as a means to securing the safety
of the innocent bystanders is the road to perdition, as it will not
save the innocents, and both of the willing (even enthusiastic) sides
will resent the show of superiority.

The real solution to the injustice (committed against the innocent
bystanders) is twofold, and libertarians must fully appreciate several
aspects of this solution: first, offer a certain haven for any and
all refugees; and second, build a wall around the remaining combatants.
The wall need not be physical -- just refusal to deal in any way with
any participants will serve its purpose, even if the boycott is partial
and unenforceable.

The things libertarians must realize about this solution are: it
is not cheap, and even some innocent bystanders might not choose to
become refugees.

Just because a free society will be a highly productive and rich
society does not mean that getting there from here will not involve
some trauma, and that also applies to the process of rescuing people
from an unfree social system. The costs in this case will be very
high, and a free people will have to do some serious soul-searching
before committing themselves to that course of action -- to say nothing
about the difficulties the semi-free people of the rest of Europe
will contend with, what with their own ethnic baggage. The history
of immigration in the USA -- with the last wave of immigrants closing
the door behind them -- suggests that just becoming free does not
insure that an individual will endorse freedom for those he leaves
behind.

A truly free people are very generous -- and after some time living with
freedom and breathing free culture for several years, generous even with
freedom, prepared to share it. But just because we want freedom for
everybody who wants it does not automatically translate into a mad
scramble for the ideal. A truly free people will not have to give up
much in the process of sharing their freedom -- but a semi-free society
might have to give up quite a bit of comfort in the process of
comforting refugees. We can show the semi-free people of Europe how
becoming more free themselves will reduce the cost of sharing freedom,
but that argument is crucial to the insistence that they open their
doors to refugees from the Balkans.

I must note that this is an uphill battle: part of the problem in
Palestine is due to the unwillingness of Europeans to accept Jewish
refugees from centuries of European persecution -- and the consequent
insistence by Jewish refugees from WWII that they will not depend on
anyone else's hospitality. Europeans (through their governments) have
behaved so abominably in the past that they have no basis for suggesting
they will change themselves -- and that is a prerequisite for peace. (I
realize I am unreasonably broad-brushing "Europeans"; perhaps I should
explicitly exclude [name your group] from this discussion!) This is not
to suggest that Americans have behaved any less abominably, as evidenced
by our government's treatment of Native Americans.

And there will always be those who, more attached to the land of their
past, deny themselves and their children the chance to live in peace.
Possibly they are apprehensive about starting all over again in a
society where they are resented -- which returns us to the discussion in
the preceding two paragraphs. Possibly they are just too old to change
-- we must not underestimate the emotional power of inertia. Perhaps we
can win some over by arguing that freedom allows them not to change, and
by affording them continued life permits them to resist change if they
prefer (à la the Amish in Pennsylvania). But we can rescue only those
who want to be rescued.

Of the rest of the combatants, I find myself saying "A plague on
both your houses." . . . . Dan Karlan, Waldwick, New Jersey,  USA

Editors Note: There are many parallels between the occurrences in the
Balkans and other trouble areas. Certainly we don't for a minute think
there are cut and dried formulas (even the Louw/Kendall plan) that can
be universally applied to each area. However, there are many parallels
between the historical conflicts of Switzerland and modern day trouble
spots. In Switzerland many potential conflicts have been and continue to
this very day to be solved by devolution of power and cantonization (a
solution that permits people to live apart in peace rather than together
in violence). At the very least it is a model worth studying.


**********************************************************************
***** ISIL WORLD NEWS ************************************************
**********************************************************************

CHINA . . .

CHINESE GOVERNMENT FREES AMATEUR RADIO
China has decided to permit operation of privately owned amateur radio
stations starting on December 22nd of this year (prefixes will be BA, BD
and BG). Amateur radio is a hobby, the participants in which communicate
with each other around the world. Previously all radio stations in
P.R.C. were under government control. Thanks to Alan Furman (from
Internet)


LATVIA . . .

MIXED NEWS FROM LATVIA
The market process is sprouting in Latvia, slowly, despite the barriers
erected by the IMF (International Monetary Fund) against investment and
enterprise. One promising development is the Hansa Way, a major express
highway that is being proposed to be built entirely with private funds.
It would go from Berlin to St Petersburg. The Latvian Free Market
Institute recently held a press conference in Riga proposing ``free
economic zones'' for Latvia which was covered by television as well as
the printed media. Unfortunately the IMF has made high taxes on
enterprise, tariffs, and a tight monetary policy conditions for loans,
including vitally needed funds for winter fuel. The slow growth of the
Latvian ruble has stopped hyperinflation, but it has resulted in an
overvalued currency and cash shortage as price inflation continues due
to increases in fuel costs for heating. A free market in money would
provide both stability and flexibility. Government officials know the
IMF rules are hurting the economy, but the IMF has Latvia literally over
an oil barrel. Thanks to Fred Foldvary, Economics Faculty Latvian
University of Agriculture. Jelgava, Latvia


RUSSIA . . .

RUSSIA'S LIBERTARIAN FREE DEMOCRATIC PARTY MAKES GIANT STRIDES ISIL
Director Ken Schoolland presented a collection of free market books from
Freedom's Forum Books to ISIL member William Milonoff, International
Relations Director of the strongly libertarian-leaning Free Democratic
Party in St Petersburg this past summer. Milonoff was very pleased with
the books but could use additional help at this juncture to translate
and publish books by Hazlitt and Rand (already Schoolland has arranged
shipping of two computers to this group to help with copy preparation).
The Free Democratic Party is now 3500 members strong with 1000 members
in St Petersburg alone. It is the largest party and largest faction in
this city. Yet their members are under pressure from German and Swedish
groups to become more conservative.
	Milonoff will attend the ISIL World Conference in Tallinn, Estonia
this July (25th to 31st).
Free Democratic Party, Izmailovsky prospect 8, Room 17, 198005 St
Petersburg, Russia.  Tel: +7 (812) 110-1531, Fax: +7 (812) 110-1526


ROMANIA . . .

LIBERTARIAN BOOKS CONSIDERED FOR PUBLICATION BUCHAREST:
ISIL Rep Valentina Buxar reports that the Romanian publishing house "The
Romanian Future" is considering publishing Mary Ruwart's "Healing Our
World" and Ayn Rand's "Anthem." Due to a shortage of funds a Swiss
Objectivist has offered to pay for the copyright costs of "Anthem".
Valentina is currently working on translations by hand so if any members
would like to help, a PC and word processor would be de rigueur. More
news in future newsletters. Valentina reports that after a two year
hiatus to care for her new baby daughter, she will be returning to work
with Daniel Stancu at the Romanian Liberty Institute (an affiliate of
IHS). Stancu also runs a libertarian book service in Bucharest.

REPORT ON ISIL POPRAD CONFERENCE IN BUCHAREST
BUCHAREST: Two favorable articles on ISIL's 1992 World Conference in
Poprad, Czechoslovakia were published in "The Economist" (Romanian, not
British) by a young journalist, Maria Stoian. Maria was discovered by
ISIL Rep Valentina Buxar when the first article ``Who Are the
Libertarians'' appeared and both collaborated on the second article
(``The Road Back From Serfdom'). "The Economist" has somewhat of a left
orientation, so the victory is all the more satisfying.

SWEDEN. . .

NEW PRIVATIZATION THINKTANK
This is to announce that a local branch office of
PrivatiseringsFrämjandet (The Furtherance of Privatization) was opened
in the City of Malmo in southern Sweden this past September by ISIL
member Nils-Eric Hennix.
        PrivatiseringsFrämjandet is a foundation with headquarters in
Stockholm. Nils-Eric Hennix was previously Head of the Department of
Public Relations of Malmoe and for a number of years worked as a
consultant in various companies. So far privatization has been carried
through only to a rather small extent in the municipalities in spite of
some attempts made by right wing politicians, the failure mainly being
due to staff resistance.
        Primarily, Hennix and his colleagues will assist urban and rural
district authorities in the furtherance of privatization by
communication services of various kinds. Hennix would like to exchange
ideas and experiences with other ISIL members working with
privatization. Please contact N.E. Hennix, PrivatiseringsFrämjandet, Fax
+46 40 12 88 22. Postal address: Box 4564, S-20320 Malmö, Sweden.


U.S.A. . . .

ACTOR/ACTIVIST BLASTS BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
Russell Means, Indian activist and contender for the U.S. Libertarian
Party Presidential ticket in 1988 says that the U.S. Bureau of Indian
Affairs should be abolished because it's holding back the advancement of
American Indians.
        Means, who played the title role of Chingachgook in the
Hollywood film "The Last of the Mohicans" and who has been described as
the most famous Indian since Sitting Bull or Crazy Horse, was a
co-founder of the American Indian Movement and one of the leaders of the
1973 Wounded Knee siege.
        The Bureau of Indian Affairs was founded in 1824 to consolidate
all Indian problems under one government agency. But Means said it
continues using a "colonial" approach to issues affecting Indians.
        The controversial Means, 53, is a member of the Oglala Sioux
tribe and is also a member of ISIL's Advisory Board. He said his
Hollywood success has helped him deliver his message of support for
Indian causes.


VIETNAM . . .

VIETNAM EMBRACES CAPITALISM -- SANCTIONS BACKFIRE
HANOI: Soon after privatizing agriculture, which accounts for 70 percent
of Vietnam's economy, the government saw rice yields expand to the point
where the country went from a net importer to a major exporter of rice.
In an ironic twist, Vietnam earlier this year donated 10,000 tons of
rice to the people of St Petersburg, Russia.
        It is deliciously ironic that the U.S. embargo which prevented
international bodies like the World Bank and the International Monetary
Fund from coming into the nation has backfired. We had thought that the
sanctions would delay the death of socialism by keeping the floodgates
of outside contact and information technology closed. However, the
Japanese and Taiwanese have completely ignored the sanctions and have
tripped over each other in a rush to invest in the last great cheap
labor paradise on their doorsteps. The World Bank and IMF were denied
the opportunity to prop up rotted socialist regimes at the U.S.
taxpayer's expense. Good deal!
Report by San Jose Mercury journalist/foreign correspondent Michael
Zielenziger. Commentary by ISIL member Alan Furman.


**********************************************************************
***** LIBERTARIAN CRASHES MEETING OF SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL *********
**********************************************************************

By Ron Manners/ISIL Member/Australia

If you were present at the Socialist International Conference in Sydney,
Australia last March, you would have seen me there in the back row
fitted up like all the other delegates with the mobile earpiece
translating device. I had some difficulty getting in without
documentation, but when interrogated by the gaunt-faced registration
attendant I admitted to being a "poet of the revolution".
        She still wanted to see my identifying documents, but accepted
my reply that ``poets of the revolution don't carry identification''.
        My interest in attending was simply to see what they have
planned for us.
        You would have seen Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke, Gareth Evans and
other prominent members of the Australian Liberal Party and you would
have followed the general discussion that as Communism is generally seen
to be losing credibility around the world and that their switch to the
word Socialism is also losing credibility, they have now redefined their
plan under the general terms of "social democracy", and all the various
Communist Parties in the countries represented at that conference now
call themselves "Social Democrats". As a matter of fact in some of those
East European countries the word Communism is in such low esteem that
the Communist Party by that name has been outlawed -- but of course the
communist bureaucracy lives on and it is keen to expand membership -- so
they have devised a new recruiting scheme: members who recruit a new
member are excused from membership fees for a year. Members who recruit
two new members no longer need to remain members themselves. Those who
recruit three new members are presented with an engraved silver plaque
which states that they were never members in the first place.
        They may change their name but they haven't changed their
philosophy, and it's the consistency of their philosophy that has
enabled them to do so much damage.
        Australia's Gough Whitlam was a raging success when measured by
their standards. He transformed Australia in the vision of H.C. Cooms
and the other back room socialists so that over the three years of
Whitlam rule, although productivity rose only 1%, wages rose 70%, the
size of the public service rose 12.6%, parliamentary salaries increased
by 36%, Federal spending by 80% and inflation to 20%.
        He had bought the minds and souls of the public sector and their
hangers-on who now represent one in three of those termed employed, as
defined by our official statistics.


**********************************************************************
***** LIBERTARIAN PROFILE . . . KAREN SELICK *************************
**********************************************************************

                 THE JOHN LOCKE INSTITUTE (CANADA)

Tucked away in the little town of Belleville, Ontario, libertarian Karen
Selick sometimes feels as though she's leading a double life. By day,
she's a mild-mannered small-town lawyer -- drafting wills, incorporating
small businesses and getting people happily divorced.
        By night, she becomes one of the most conspicuous members of the
Canadian legal community -- a breath of fresh air or the devil
incarnate, depending upon who you ask.
        Karen writes a regular column on the back page of "Canadian
Lawyer" magazine, a glossy, high-profile publication read by 50,000
Canadian lawyers and judges (a large percentage of the legal community)
nine times a year. She's free to choose her own subjects and state her
own viewpoints. Her editor rarely changes a word. Karen says it's like
being a kid in a candy store.
        "I can trash the latest judgement of the Supreme Court of Canada
or promote a book by a libertarian author. This is a magnificent
opportunity to place consistently libertarian positions before an
influential audience. I've had feedback indicating that many judges,
even some of the Supreme Court of Canada, read me."
        It's not always such an exhilarating experience though. The
letters to the editor generally run about eight-to-one against Karen's
positions.
        "This is a tough audience to write for. Lawyers tend to be,
either by nature or by training, viciously confrontational. I've been
insulted, misconstrued and vilified on the letters page more times than
I care to remember. There are a lot of leftist lawyers out there.
        "But there are tremendous rewards, too. The readers who agree
with me frequently phone me or write to me directly. I'm gradually
developing a network of like-minded contacts across the country."
        The network is important to Karen because of yet another project
of hers. She is the vice-president of the John Locke Institute of
Canada, a non-profit educational corporation promoting the ideas of
classical liberalism in Canada. The Institute was founded with
assistance from the Institute for Humane Studies in the U.S. and hopes
to offer a similar range of programs as it grows. At present, the
institute offers annual student seminars in philosophy, history, and
economics.
        Karen has been involved with the libertarian movement for many
years. She was an active member of the Libertarian Party of Canada from
its founding in 1973 until she moved away from Toronto in 1984. Over the
past eight years, she has devoted her spare time to writing op-ed pieces
and columns for a variety of newspapers and magazines. Her work has
appeared in such prominent Canadian publications as "The Globe and
Mail", "The Vancouver Sun", "The Ottawa Citizen", and "The Financial
Post". She has been a guest on several radio and TV talk shows.
        Karen was recently chosen to be one of five finalists in the
op-ed section of the Mencken Awards granted by the Free Press
Association.
        In October, 1992, Karen was a guest speaker at the national
convention of the Reform Party of Canada in Winnipeg, where she spoke on
social issues.
        "The Reform Party is one of the few bright spots on the Canadian
political scene. There are many libertarians and Objectivists working
within the party. I can only hope that the strong libertarian influence
which exists will continue to be felt in the upper echelons of the
party."
        Karen welcomes inquiries from students and academics who might
be interested in participating in the activities of the John Locke
Institute of Canada.
        You may write her at her law firm:

Reynolds Kline Selick, 
P.O. Box 1327, Belleville, Ontario, Canada K8N 5J1.



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**********************************************************************
***** A LIBERTARIAN ODYSSEY . . . By Ken Schoolland ******************
**********************************************************************

With the ISIL conference coming up this summer in Tallinn, those making
the trip should consider visiting ISIL contacts throughout the region.
For me, there is no better way to travel than to meet with other
libertarians along the way. For those of you who cannot make it to
Tallinn, I have some strong recommendations regarding libertarians
deserving of your contributions of books, equipment, and funds.
        While travelling around the world four years ago, Nicolai
Heering contacted ISIL to see if there were any libertarians in Hawaii.
Vince Miller gave him my name and during Nicolai's visit we became fast
friends. So I contacted Nicolai in Denmark [Seest Bakke 33 A2, DK-6000
Kolding. FAX +45 75 50 80 81] about travelling with me in the summer of
`92, through Scandinavia and the Baltics on my way to the ISIL
conference in Poprad, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia).
        Nicolai was the ideal travelling companion. Not only was he
keenly interested in culture, history, and libertarian politics, but he
also spoke several languages and was most helpful in handling many of
our travel arrangements. Until Nicolai can be persuaded to open a
regular libertarian travel service, independent travelers can easily
make the trip . . . perhaps allowing a little more in time, money and
patience. My entire six-week round trip journey from Hawaii through a
dozen countries, (and including two outstanding libertarian conferences)
was less than $4500. So start planning now for this summer.

DENMARK . . .
        I was quite impressed with the progress of libertarians
throughout the region. A member of the Danish Progress Party, Kim Behnke
[Folketinget, Christiansborg, DK-1240 Kobenhavn, FAX (+45) 33 32 85 36],
showed us around the parliament building, while explaining in detail the
ways of influencing legislation from the inside. Behnke sits on the
all-important Finance Committee of Parliament and was instrumental in
having plans for eight new free trade zones accepted in Denmark.

NORWAY . . .
        Photographer Christian Agersund then joined Nicolai and me on a
luxurious ferry to Oslo where we made our rendezvous with Jan Arild
Snöen, then director of research for the libertarian-leaning Progress
Party. Snöen was primarily responsible for outreach initiatives of the
Progress Party to Eastern European libertarians, in which literature,
funds, contacts, and advice were provided. His wife was a strategic
mover in the two-year libertarian reforms that brought about a 15%
reduction in spending during an Oslo city financial crisis.
        Snoen took particular joy in discussing with us the foolishness
of government operation of such things as movie theaters. Of course, a
government monopoly on theaters to guarantee quality and cultural
balance also guaranteed selective censorship.
        In a dispute with the leadership of the Party, Snoen recently
resigned from his research post and has taken over the editorship of
Ideer om Frihet, Norway's intellectual libertarian magazine (founded by
Jan Sommerfelt Pettersen) [P.O. Box 1134, N-5001 Bergen, Norway. FAX
(+47) 5-312368].
        The highlight of my tour was the week-long retreat of the
Progress Party Youth organization (FPU). That intellectual debate should
be combined with all the attractions of a summer camp, with lectures,
sports, swimming, great discussions, moonlight hikes, and song-filled
boating trips through the fjords, was a dream come true. Idyllic!
        Rudolph Christoffersen (now recovering from a very serious
accident that befell him on a mission to Africa), was a superb organizer
and leader for the FPU. I was very much impressed that libertarians
could be so disciplined in their thought and activity, while at the same
time keeping such a positive attitude and having so much fun. It gave a
whole new meaning to the label Progress "Party".
        The camp this coming summer is intended to be much more of an
international event and will be scheduled to precede the ISIL conference
in Tallinn. I strongly urge libertarians to attend this spectacular
event, which will be located at the southern tip of Norway a couple
hour's drive from Christiansand. For information please contact Jon
Henrik Gilhus at the Progress Party headquarters in Oslo
[Fremskrittspartiets Ungdom, Youngstorget 1, Postboks 8867,
Youngstorget, 0028 Oslo 1. FAX (+47) 2 42 32 55].
        In addition to Snoen, Gilhus is the libertarian intellect to
meet. This political activist is in the vanguard of draft resistance. He
was arrested recently for handing out free liquor in a demonstration
against some other silly laws. He doesn't even drink! Gilhus can also
provide valuable insight concerning the current wave of resignations of
libertarian stalwarts from the Progress Party (it regards immigration
policy, disputes with party leader Carl Hagen, and other volatile
issues).

SWEDEN . . .
As for the willful violation of silly laws, the best practitioners are
the Swedes of "Frihetsfronten" (the Freedom Front). Going to Stockholm
by train, taking one side trip with handcars on an old railroad through
the lake country, we visited Henrik Bejke, the ISIL representative for
Sweden. He informed us about the notorious libertarian night club,
Trinaha, and how it breaks all the rules by actually staying open at
night.
        The police keep raiding this speakeasy, trying to close it down.
What they find during the raids are political posters of quotes by
Frederic Bastiat, Milton Friedman, and F.A. Hayek all over the walls and
hundreds of frolickers who have memberships in this very decent
political club, a club that simply provides music, alcohol, and accepts
donations. No one is identifiably in charge so the police usually wind
up arresting the beer and closing the place down for an hour. Then it's
back to politics as usual again.
        The tone of things changed this January. At the writing of this
article, mild-mannered Henrik Bejke is sitting, Thoreau-like, in prison.
While Bejke was editing the upcoming issue of "NyLiberalen", a
libertarian magazine, on his Mac a couple of locked doors away from the
club, the police broke in and arrested him because he held a lease on
the building and presumably knew what was going on at the club. Ten
others were released fourteen hours after the raid, but Bejke has been
held for over two weeks with no end in sight. (Henrik was released on
January 28th amid a flurry of faxes of protest from around the world,
protest marches, etc. -- ISIL Reps around the world faxed letters of
protest to Sweden's Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and the news
was aired on the computer bulletin boards). The LP of Hawaii also lodged
a protest.
        Heading up the "Free Bejke" movement was Sweden's leading
libertarian anarchist, Mats Hinze [Frihetsfronten, Box 191, 114 79
Stockholm, Sweden, FAX (+46) 8 310828]. Hinze is the most noble example
of a free human spirit that I have ever run across. Highly ethical,
brilliant, and innovative, Hinze's idea of a thrill is to tease the
police into arresting him so that he can argue ethics with them for as
much as eight hours at a stretch.
        I couldn't help commenting to Hinze that he is lucky the Swedish
police are somewhat sophisticated and respectful. In Hawaii the police
would be far less civilized and more inclined to beating than to
debating. At my request Hinze took callers on several radio talk shows
in Hawaii and Alaska. It was the most unabashed, yet artful, defense of
individualist anarchism that I've ever heard.
        Hinze, too, is a prime mover in the publication "Ego", a glossy
color libertarian publication of more than a million circulation in the
Stockholm/Uppsala area. It features a mix of superb articles from top
rock stars calling for drug legalization, to hard-hitting libertarian
attacks on the state. The Freedom Front has shied away from becoming a
political party, preferring to influence popular opinion and the course
of debate in the established parties. But by far their most effective
means of publicizing their activities has come from bold acts of civil
disobedience.
        Just as significant is the semi-covert activity of the
underground railroad for refugees. Such humanitarian assistance is as
important today as it was for American slaves in the 1800's and for
German Jews in the 1940's.

FINLAND . . .
Nicolai and I pressed on to Helsinki, again sailing through the night on
a luxury ferry, arriving to the superb hospitality, knowledge, and
organization of ISIL Rep Roger Wessman. It augurs well for the
forthcoming ISIL conference in Tallinn that he is masterminding it
[Vaasanakatu 9 B 35, SF-00500 Helsinki, FAX (358-0) 0-40333]. Wessman
delighted us with stories about the absurd antics of government, i.e.
state restaurants. It seems that the government's desire to have
inspectors for private restaurants provided the rationale for the
establishment of a government-operated restaurant for the training of
these inspectors. Then, with all the state privileges at hand, these
government restaurants soon grew into the largest restaurant chain in
the country.
        Wessman, an international economist and academician, also
believes that it is better to try to influence existing political
parties through his Liberal Institute than to start a new party. He
asserts that there is little difference in the major parties in Finland
and that they have all become more inclined toward the free market
recently.
        Wessman does not limit his activities to Finland. He has been
very influential in Russia and the Baltics where whole new political
organizations are taking shape for the first time.

RUSSIA . . .
In Russia we met with William Milonoff, International Relations Director
for the Free Democratic Party of Russia (FDP). The FDP is the largest
and most libertarian-oriented of more than 20 new political parties in
St Petersburg. [Izmailovsky Prospect 8, Room 17, St Petersburg, 198005
Russia. FAX +7 (812) 110-1526. Phone +7 (812) 110-15311]. The FDP held
20 seats in a highly fractionalized parliament of 300 representatives.
        Milonoff is a go-getter with unbounded enthusiasm for the
wheeling and dealing that are essential to the promotion of every new
project in Russia. He took us on a tour of the bureaucratic maze,
complete with commentary about every imaginable boondoggle. "I remember
seeing these crates down at the docks," says Milonoff, gesturing to all
the merchandise in the hard currency store, exclusively for foreign
tourists. ``Last week these crates were shipped here as part of your
government's foreign aid package to the Russian people."
        If a libertarian is ever to become the leader of a major
political movement in any county of the world, I bet it will be Milonoff
in Russia. He is polite, yet amazingly assertive and resourceful. He is
well-read, solidly grounded in libertarian principle, and wildly eager
to educate a vast populace that is discouraged about the prospects for
freedom. He and his philosophical companion and translator, Dmitrii
Costygin, have already published my small book (The Adventures of
Jonathan Gullible) on free market education and have many more projects
re the translation of books by Ayn Rand, Henry Hazlitt, and Mary Ruwart
in their sights. Costygin is a medical school graduate who is also
determined to translate various medical texts into Russian.
        Book publishing can be very inexpensive in Russia. Where the
average monthly wage is $20, some 10,000 copies can be printed for as
little as $600. "We have tried to find private publishers for our work,
but it is difficult," says Milonoff. "We were told, 'Oh this company is
private. It belongs to the Mayor or to the Ministry of such and such.'"
        Of immense help to their efforts would be contributions of
computer equipment and copy machines that can be used to publish
newspapers and other literature. Other essentials are more books and
basics like plain FAX paper. It is somewhat difficult to send packages
and money to Russia, but Wessman or I can offer some suggestions. I have
come to the conclusion that, dollar for dollar, there is far more to be
gained in Eastern Europe at this time than in the U.S.
        Participants at the Tallinn conference will meet these two
libertarians and may enroll in their side tour of Ayn Rand's St
Petersburg. One might even be lucky to have Dmitrii's beautiful fiancee
give them a guided tour of the real/fake (?) Hermitage Museum.

ESTONIA . . .
The overnight train was also a good way to travel between these
countries. It saved both on travel time and hotel expenses. If
arrangements for accommodations can be made by someone in the country,
you can live on a tiny fraction of what an ordinary foreign traveller
would pay. A three-day train ride might still cost only a couple of
dollars.
        We were shown around Tallinn, with its beautifully restored old
town and labyrinthine political developments, by the walking
encyclopedia and libertarian Juri Kaljundi [P.O. Box 68, Tallinn,
EE0090, Estonia. FAX +7 0142-532 056] and banking wizard Priit Jõerüüt
(and co-organizer with Roger Wessman of the Tallinn conference) [P.O.
Box 2, EE0090 Tallinn, Estonia. FAX +7 0142-449 598]. Both Kaljundi and
Joeruut are members of the Estonian Liberal Youth and the Liberal
Democratic Party. Kaljundi is a student at the Tallinn University of
Technology and has offered to undertake translation projects. Jõerüüt
has personally developed a whole new marketing genius for the banking
industry in Estonia.
        I was told that the majority of the 30 members of the youth
organization were "classical liberal" -- described as favoring a free
market in all things except support for education, culture, police,
courts, defense, health, welfare, and the environment. A clever judge
could expand that kind of "exception" into a remake of the entire Soviet
state. Nonetheless these classical liberals consume libertarian
literature voraciously and the few hardcore libertarians have generated
heated debate in the community thorough participation on local radio
talk shows.
        I think that this is an excellent location for the ISIL
conference . . . a country that is making strides in establishing a
market economy and independence from Russia -- despite the continued
presence of a half million Russians who prefer Estonia's relative
prosperity to returning to Moscow.

LATVIA . . .
In Riga, Nicolai and I made our way to the office of Dr. Johann Donas, a
respected leader of the Latvian Liberal Party. Here we found ourselves
in the midst of two battling factions. Aside from the acrimony towards
the other group, Donas spoke in favor of a freer society than existed
under the Soviets and championed a return to the Old Law System that
prevailed prior to the Soviet conquest. It was believed that the Old Law
System might rejuvenate the "fine mixture" of public and private
institutions and services that existed before. The details sounded more
republican than libertarian.
        Later we ventured across the battlefield and met with two very
friendly and informative champions of the free market. Norman Grostinsh
and Valdis Bluzma, the Director of the Latvian Free Market Institute
(LFMI) L. Paegles Str. 16-17, Riga, LV-1010 Latvia. Phone +0132-334614
(home), +0132-270266 (office). Any worries we may have had were quickly
dispelled. The day we arrived, Bluzma was pleased to show us an article
of his about privatization that had just appeared in a regional
newspaper of 150,000 circulation. Bluzma's articles are frequently cited
in both electronic and print media, both of which seem to be
increasingly more receptive to free-market ideas.
        The Institute, with a staff of 5 and backed by Jan Arild Snöen
and the Norwegian Progress Party, seems to be very heavily involved in
sponsoring research, publications, and conferences. Through the LFMI the
Institute for Humane Studies sponsored a conference on the problems of
self-supporting organizations, i.e. private schools, health services,
and banks.
        We were impressed with the Institute's library and staff. Both
would make any libertarian feel right at home. The LFMI staff has
translated, or were in the process of securing copyright permission for
the translation of numerous works such as Ralph Raico's Classical
Liberalism in the 20th Century, Friedman's Capitalism and Freedom,
Hazlitt's Economics In One Lesson, Hayek's Road to Serfdom, Hess's
Capitalism for Kids, and the chapter on socialism from Skousen's
Economics on Trial.
        According to Bluzma, there aren't any libertarians or classical
liberals currently in parliament. The election was based primarily on
personalities and on whether or not they were for or against the
communists. People don't much like political parties anyway, and as a
result they are typically very small because of memories of the
oppressive Communist Party.

LITHUANIA . . .
It took a while to find our next contact at the train station, but glad
we were when Virgis Daukas swept us off to his home. We were certainly
cared for royally. Daukas is President of the Club Nuomone (Opinion
Club), an intellectual organization that sponsors seminars and debates
on classical liberal and libertarian topics [P.O. Box 5361, 2004
Vilnius, Lithuania. FAX +7 (0122) 22 21 40. Phone +7 (0122) 62 96 69].
        Yes, Daukas and his cohort in mischief, Audronis Raguotis, are
the wild and crazy men of the Baltics. But don't worry, they are also
accomplishing great deeds. While Daukas, a former mathematician,
promotes the gospel of free enterprise in word and personal enterprise,
Raguotis pursues the purely impractical as a researcher and writer for
the Lithuanian Free Market Institute [Justiniskiu 35-10, 2056 Vilnius,
Lithuania].
        Raguotis' current problem is in proposing a complete reform of
the financial system for Lithuania, including measures toward free
banking. For this massive undertaking, he is in desperate need of books
which he cannot obtain in Lithuania, and certainly not with his salary.
This is a call from me for contributions to help him out. (ISIL is
shipping a list of books provided to us by Ken -- we would appreciate
any help you our members may be able to provide to help us cover costs).
        Also busy promoting liberty is Andrius Buldygerovas,
International Secretary for the Lithuanian Liberal Youth, who recently
informed me of a tremendous lack of literature on free market economics
[P.O. Box 2302, LI-2050, Vilnius]. Generally speaking, the politics of
Lithuania seemed to be dominated by intense nationalism, so libertarians
have not made significant gains in the parliament here either.

POLAND-SLOVAKIA-ROMANIA . . .
Nicolai returned to Denmark while Virgis escorted me through the
treacherous paths of Russian passport control to Warsaw and then on to
the ISIL conference in Poprad, Czechoslovakia. If you are coming from
the south towards Tallinn this year, I recommend that you contact these
libertarians for advice:

POLAND . . .
Steve Brown, ul. Konopnickiej 1 B, 05-840 Brwinow K/W-wy, Poland
Thomasz Gabis, Stanczyk, ul. St. Pietaka 9, 51-140 Warsaw, Poland

Slovakia
Ivana Grofikova, Institute of Economics, Stefanikova 2, 813 64
Bratislava. Phone +42 (7) 724 359.
Ivan Svejna, Jaselska 6, 96001 Zvolen, Bratislava. Phone: +42855 26107.

ROMANIA . . .
Valentina Buxar, Sos Colentina 62A, Bl. 113, sc.C, ap. 143, 72446
Bucharest 2. Phone 55 21 44.
Dan Constantinescu, Liberty Institute. FAX 0040-1-650 2698

        Most of these people are currently working on translation and
publication projects that could use urgent assistance. A computer, FAX
and funding would be of immediate help in Romania for several
translation and publication projects that are being organized by ISIL
Rep Valentina Buxar. All of these people have my highest personal
recommendation.
        For further information about libertarian contacts to make on
your travels, or libertarian projects to help with contact:

Hubert Jongen, Holland (ISIL Director) FAX 31 1 654-3527
Vince Miller or Jim Elwood, ISIL HQ in San Francisco (ISIL
Director/President) FAX 415 864-7506
Ken Schoolland, Hawaii (ISIL Director) Phone & FAX 808 842-3662


**********************************************************************
***** REFLECTIONS ON RUSSIA, CHINA . . . AND F.A. HAYEK **************
**********************************************************************

By Ron Manners / Kalgoorlie Australia

I have had the opportunity to visit, for in-depth studies, such places
as East Berlin in 1982. I attended studies of overseas Enterprise-Zones
(also in 1982) and visited the USSR in 1990 and last week China. These
visits have usually been with free-market economists where we've had
the opportunity to ask questions, learn the nature of problems and
to determine if free-market solutions are appropriate.

RUSSIA . . .
        In Moscow, with the Washington-based Cato Institute we attracted
an attendance of 850 Soviet students and intellectuals at one public
meeting. Here we realized how desperate they were to learn how markets
operate. Markets had not been in operation in the USSR since 1917 so
no-one remembered how they worked.
        We found that there was no system of land titles in the USSR,
nor was there any legal system for enforcing contracts.
        How can one do business under these conditions? You can
understand the desperate plight of those people.
        One message we received loud and clear was that they do not want
government-to-government aid as it only perpetuates the system they are
seeking to escape.
        I could talk all night about the Russian visit. It had such an
emotional effect on me that I have still not completed my notes.

CHINA . . .
In China, problems are serious but not as desperate as in the old Soviet
Union. There are several main reasons for the difference.
        Whilst communism infected the Soviets way back in 1917, that
disease only overtook the Chinese in 1949 - so there is a whole
generation who remembers how markets work and how business is conducted.
        There is already a vibrant private sector developing in China
despite the best efforts of the Central Government to smother it with
controls and tax it to death.
        People are now opting out of their safe and secure government
jobs to go into the new private sector even though there is great
difficulty in doing so (they can't leave their government jobs without
written permission).
        The Enterprise-Zone areas are expanding rapidly and their
success is giving the 1.1 billion Chinese some hope that there will be
some alternative employment for their children other than the State-run
enterprises.
        The State sector is dead, or at least dying. The government says
that 40% of State Enterprises are losing money. Outside observers put
that figure closer to 80%, but China has 23 million people joining the
work force each year.
        The Guanddong Enterprise-Zone in Southern China is already
surpassing Singapore's GNP, and together with China's other
enterprise-zones (operating generally on the proven success formula of
Hong Kong's free-enterprise economy) we could possibly see China replace
Japan as the dominant economic force in the Asian region.
        However, even with all this economic activity, we could sense
that underneath the calm facade there was a fierce power struggle taking
place.
        Another reason why China will progress faster than the Soviet
States is the millions of wealthy and successful Chinese business people
all re-investing in their home country.
        That special situation does not exist with the Soviet States so
they are looking for government aid instead.
        I asked questions at public debates related to their definitions
of communism and socialism and whether there is any difference between
the two.
        Their answer was that communism is where the government owns
everything and controls everything. They considered that that had not
worked so well, so now they are trying socialism where the government
owns and operates some enterprises but allows private ownership (with a
government license). They felt that this would work much better.
        I mentioned that their definition of socialism accurately
described Australia and I hoped that it would work better for them than
it has for us.
        As in Russia their understanding of the market economy is only
an awareness of the economic benefits of capitalism. There was little
appreciation of it actually being a more moral system than a socialist
dictatorship.
        They felt that planning was important and that planning could
only be done under socialism.
        They found my explanation novel, that under free-enterprise the
planning is even more important and that it is not a matter of having a
plan or not having a plan. The choice between the two systems is simply
whose plan.
        Under communism/socialism there is only one plan and that is the
Central Government's, while under free enterprise, individuals have the
freedom to do their own planning.
        I asked if their long-term plans included giving some freedom to
individuals to do their own planning.
        After some lengthy debate between themselves (in Chinese) they
indicated to us that they didn't like that idea because people might
start deciding to purchase TV sets, whereas purchasing a push bike
should be their first priority.
        So you can see there is some similarity between Chinese
socialism and Australian socialism, where our central governments
exhibits that fatal conceit of making decisions for people who would be
best left to make their own decisions.

THE INFLUENCE OF F.A. HAYEK . . .
        This brings me now to the relevance of Prof. F.A. Hayek.  F.A.
Hayek has been described as the most significant classical liberal
scholar of our times. He earned three doctorates (Law, Social Science
and Economics) and his teachings have become an inspiration for many
East European countries now faced with rebuilding their economies. For
example in Poland, Janusz Liwandowski, a former Prof. of Economics who
is now the Minister of Ownership Changes, first discovered Prof. Hayek
in the early 1970's, an experience he describes as a "revelation". "I
was looking for something that would make it possible to state clearly
the underlying values and institutions that make up a free society."
        Hayek's works can be described as a road map for the movement
toward freedom and away from central planning.
        I have treasured the personal time that I spent with Prof. Hayek
in Hong Kong in 1978 and in Berlin in 1982. Despite his intellectual
stature, he appeared to enjoy talking with "mere mortals" like me. I
think he felt that we are closer to reality than many academics, and I
know that he sensed the importance of his ideas being expressed in
language to which everyone could relate.
        Of course this was well before the implosion of communism in the
Soviet Union and Central Europe and the turn to market economies there,
as well as in Latin America, Asia and even Sweden. All this
transformation is linked directly or indirectly to the work that
Austrian-born Hayek did during his long career which spanned more than
half a century.
        Hayek spent his long life relentlessly developing and promoting
the thesis that State control of economic life cannot enhance human
well-being. He showed that it can only bring misery and poverty.
        Human well-being, Hayek said, depended upon freedom. And
indispensable to freedom is a general legal framework -- the rule of law
-- that protects property rights and contracts.
        To see Hayek's point demonstrated, one need only look around.
Countries are prosperous to the extent that governments are unintrusive
and taxes are low. Countries suffer poverty and corruption to the extent
that the State attempts to direct their economic affairs.
        Hayek has helped us understand why central planning is a fraud
doomed to failure. He explained that no planner can possess all the
knowledge needed to run a modern economy. That knowledge, of supply and
demand, of preferences and expectations, is scattered throughout
society, much of it incomplete and unarticulated.
        Moreover, as time passes and people change, the information
becomes obsolete. The economic planner thus is faced with a hopeless
task. Even the biggest supercomputer imaginable would be of no help.
        The market economy, in contrast does not suffer from a
``knowledge problem'' because people's freedom to buy and sell generates
market prices that encapsulate the necessary knowledge as fully as is
possible and leads market participants to new knowledge.
        Indeed, as Hayek put it, competition is a ``discovery procedure''.
        He has shown that voluntary exchange and the market process,
operating within the rule of law, makes possible a beneficial and stable
order for mankind.
        I invite all supporters of economic and personal freedom to join
with so many others around the world in devouring Hayek's written works
as we join hands in leading our societies into a new age of market
liberalism.
        In a letter last November to Ed Crane, the President of
Washington's Cato Institute, the 92-year-old Hayek expressed great
satisfaction at what he called "the ultimate victory of our side in the
long dispute of the principles of the free market" adding that he had
"hardly expected to live to experience this".
        I'm sure that we too are equally surprised that this has
happened within our lifetimes, but equally conscious of the important
task left to each of us to complete this transition to freedom in our
own countries.


**********************************************************************
**** LIBERTARIAN ACTIVITIES IN SLOVAKIA / Jan Oravec, Bratislava *****
**********************************************************************

               -- A Letter From A New Member --

Thank you for your letter and ISIL membership. I appreciate it very
much.
        I would like to say that it was really a pleasure to take part
in ISIL’s World Conference in Poprad last year.
        It seems quite long ago. In the meantime a lot of historical
events have happened in this region and so, the ISIL World Conference
was the last important liberal event in Czechoslovakia.
        As you certainly know, from January 1, 1993 Czechoslovakia no
longer exists and two new states came into existence. Now I am writing
you from Slovakia, the youngest independent state in the world, 45th
European state and the 189th state in the world.
        In expectation of the split of the federation, we,
representatives of two classical liberal clubs in Bratislava, felt it
necessary to do something to promote liberal principles in Slovakia. A
result of these efforts is the F.A. Hayek Foundation.
        Our society is starting, in a certain sense, from point zero.
There are great risks, but at the same time tremendous opportunities
waiting for us in the near future. Among opportunities is the fact that
there is enough room for cultivation of liberal ideas in our concrete
conditions. From the F.A. Hayek Foundation we would like to create an
important and respectable body able to fulfil this aim.
        Members of our foundation are, among others, the ex-Vice Premier
of the Slovak government, Mr. Kueerak, ex-Privatization Minister Mr.
Miklo -- and many other local personalities.
        But the importance of the foundation and a variety of its
activities depends on an amount of financial sources we will be able to
collect in several next weeks and months.
        So, I would appreciate very much any kind of your help in this
respect. For example, I would be also very much obliged if you would
recommend us some contact addresses where we can expect a certain real
support.
Sincerely, Jan Oravec, Bratislava

NOTE: Jan reports that the F.A. Hayek Foundation has the goal of translating
and publishing many classical liberal and libertarian books as well
as sponsoring seminars on the market economy.

F.A. Hayek Foundation
Travska 70
821 01 Bratislava
Slovakia
Tel/Fax: 427 7 607 73



**********************************************************************
***** CLASSIFIEDS & PEN PAL SECTION **********************************
**********************************************************************

CLAUSTROPHOBIA monthly newsletter available for only $5 per year. If
you're interested in individual liberty and the philosophy behind
politics, subscribe now. $5 to Claustrophobia, 400 N. High St. #137,
Columbus, OH 43215. For sample copy, send 29-cent stamp. Also looking
for contributors.

CROSS VERBAL SWORDS in The (Libertarian) Connection, open-forum magazine
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of stimulating conversation. Eight issues (one year) $20. Strauss, Box
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FED UP WITH BEING A GOVERNMENT SERIAL NUMBER? Clinton wants to stick you
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OPEN RELATIONSHIPS, GROUP MARRIAGE, intimate friendship, multi-lateral
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who wish to develop long-term emotionally as well as sexually intimate,
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Touchpoint, P.O. Box 408-FN, Chloride, AZ 86431

LIBERTARIAN REPUBLICANS. Join the Republican Liberty Caucus! Fighting
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Write RLC, 1717 Apalachee Pkwy., #434, Tallahassee, FL 32301

LIVING FREE newsletter promotes self-liberation, practical methods to
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unique. $8.00 for 6 issues, $12.00 overseas, sample $1.00, overseas
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PANARCHY. Government by choice, not chance. People-oriented Government,
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RESTORE THE BILL OF RIGHTS with Fully Informed Juries. When you serve on
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Call 1-800-''TEL-JURY'' for recorded message.

SALON. This is the zine that explains libertarianism to artists and art
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STANCZYK has been published since 1986. It is the oldest Polish journal
edited by Polish defenders of laissez-faire capitalism. We have been
looking for people, organizations, foundations, ready to give us any
help in publishing our journal. The contact with the editorial board is:
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THE VOLUNTARYIST, edited and published by Carl Watner since 1982. The
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WEST COAST LIBERTARIAN: Canada's premier Libertarian publication. Read
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Overseas l$20 or 25 IRC's (International Reply Coupons). Sample: $2 or 3
IRC's. Greater Vancouver Libertarian Association, 922 Cloverley St.,
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FIRST EDITION AYN RAND & Others. Free catalog. Others include Browne,
both Brandens, rare Hazlitt, Mises, Murdock, Paterson and Smith. Dennis
Bohn, 10111 Marine View Dr., Mukilteo, WA 98275 or FAX 206-347-7757.

FREE MONEY -- FREE BANKING. Money demystified. Learn why debts keep
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Money and Debt: A Solution to the Global Crisis by Thomas Greco: $6.50 +
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THE PHILOSOPHY OF FIREARMS: Reality and the Right to Arms --
Philosophical foundation of the right to arms. Liberal and conservative
movements incompatible with the right to arms. Right to bear nukes?
Rebellion? Civil disobedience? Gun Control Mentality. Irrationality of
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"I SWEAR BY MY LIFE and my love of it that I will never live for the
sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.'' Help us
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LIBERTARIANS WANTED to live in Fort Collins, Colorado. For information
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INVENTORS -- SAVE MONEY. You can do your own patent search. You should
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PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY! Phone scramble (works in matched pairs) usable
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======================================================================

There is no charge for Pen Pal ads for ISIL members. Be sure to inform
us when you would like your ad removed or changed.

======================================================================

AN 18-YEAR-OLD BOY from Estonia is waiting for all kinds of letters from
all over the world. Interested in libertarianism, computers, business,
politics, and many other things. Address: Yüri Kaljundi, P.O. Box 68,
Tallinn, EE0900, Estonia.

CHRISTIAN LIBERTARIAN single man with special interest in history would
like to correspond with women in central and eastern Europe. Gregory
Ripps, 211 Astor Street, San Antonio, Texas 78210-5137

ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLUB has a Pen Pal club between foreign and Latvian
children and adults. If you would like to write to anyone in Latvia,
send letter c/o Mrs. Rita Liepina, English Language Club, Riga distr.,
Ragana 1O-7, LV 2144, Latvia. Please enclose $2 with letter to help
cover postage.

RETIRED PROFESSIONAL MAN seeks challenging excuse to travel anywhere
here or abroad. Invite me to stay at your place a couple of days. Let's
discuss Libertarian ideas and see if there are any examples of them in
action to videotape in your town. My photo, phone, and full particulars
from Charles Yale, Box 27112, Las Vegas, NV 89126

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY
1800 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel: (415) 864-0952   Fax: (415) 864-7506