KOL076 | IP Debate with Chris LeRoux

Kinsella on Liberty Podcast, Episode 076. IP Debate with Chris (aka "Sid Non-Vicious") LeRoux, hosted by James Cox. LeRoux claims to be an anarcho-capitalist and former Randian but not a libertarian (he doesn't like labels, you see). He was recently arguing kinda for IP-but-not-really on Shanklin's podcast (see below), and contacted me  about these issues. As you can see from the "debate" it's not clear what his position is or why he even wanted to debate me, or what he really disagrees with me on, but, .... here it is. Cox did a good guy trying to moderate, but it ended up being a mess, as it always is with people that are not clear on basic libertarian concepts and not totally opposed to IP. Transcript below. Relevant links: How We Come To Own Ourselves, Mises Daily (Sep. 7, 2006) (Mises.org blog discussion; audio version) A Libertarian Theory of Contract: Title Transfer, Binding Promises, and Inalienability, Journal of Libertarian Studies 17, no. 2 (Spring 2003): 11-37 [based on paper presented at Law and Economics panel, Austrian Scholars Conference, Auburn, Alabama (April 17, 1999)] “Intellectual Property Rights as Negative Servitudes,” Mises Economics Blog (June 23, 2011) (C4SIF) Hoppe, chs. 1-2 of A Theory of Socialism and Capitalism Fraud, Restitution, and Retaliation: The Libertarian Approach The Libertarian Approach to Negligence, Tort, and Strict Liability: Wergeld and Partial Wergeld The Problem with “Fraud”: Fraud, Threat, and Contract Breach as Types of Aggression The Libertarian View on Fine Print, Shrinkwrap, Clickwrap Youtube: https://youtu.be/14POluaBwqU James Cox's original Youtube: https://youtu.be/wgJOeWU1Bek TRANSCRIPT IP Debate with Chris LeRoux Stephan Kinsella and Chris LeRoux Aug. 30, 2013   00:00:01 JAMES COX: Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we’re having an IP debate, and in the right-hand corner is Stephan Kinsella for or against IP.  And in the right-hand corner, there is Chris LeRoux, who is for or against IP.  We will find out in this debate, and if you want more content or more debates like this, please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel.  Previously, we’ve agreed.  We didn’t flip a coin.  Stephan Kinsella asked Chris LeRoux here if he wanted to go first. 00:00:36 Chris has agreed to go first.  The rules are quite simple.  The beginning of this discussing IP, Chris gets to talk for three minutes, and then Stephan Kinsella gets to talk for three minutes.  And then Stephan Kinsella gets to ask Chris LeRoux a question of which he has two minutes to answer and vice versa.  We plan for a 20-minute talk on this, and then after that, any time that’s needed will be decided.  And if everybody decides then we’ll go on for longer.  So okay, Chris, three minutes starting now. 00:01:12 CHRIS LEROUX: Well, I believe – Stephen – Stephan and I have had some preliminary discussions.  And I believe that he has essentially admitted that my position is correct, and he essentially admitted that contract rights are absolute in an anarcho-capitalist system.  And they’re not subject to his interpretation of what’s scarce or rivalrous, his opinion of these things. 00:01:39 Now, these things may be absolute.  They may be worthwhile concepts, but all he has is his opinion of them.  And he admitted that interfering in a contract in these things that are what he calls IP – I don’t call them that – would be violence, as I said.  And the principle is nonviolence.  I apply the principle of nonviolence to all property rights, and that’s it.  I don’t think he can weasel his way out of that position, and I’ll hand over my time. 00:02:13