I was reading a past statement on the 1964 Civil Rights Act by conservative libertarian Ron Paul and during it he states that it wasn't about civil rights but about property. http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul188.html
Considering what he said, how would libertarians have ended racial segregation in the 1960s?
Would it be more reasonable to do it through a different type of federal legislation, states' rights legislation (as professed by Southern Democrats at the time), a court challenge, constitutional amendment, or by some other means?
perfoliate: I was reading a past statement on the 1964 Civil Rights Act by conservative libertarian Ron Paul and during it he states that it wasn't about civil rights but about property. http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul188.html Considering what he said, how would libertarians have ended racial segregation in the 1960s? Would it be more reasonable to do it through a different type of federal legislation, states' rights legislation (as professed by Southern Democrats at the time), a court challenge, constitutional amendment, or by some other means?
First, we have to consider the TWO potential categories of racial segregation. Those done by purely private entities, such as private business or private corporation (assuming they are NOT acceptig government money or government contracts). And those done by government, entities receiving government money and entities working under government contract.
In the first category, libertarians would rightly do NOTHING. Private individuals, business and private corporations have a right to associate with whoever they wish and to refrain from doing business with whoever they wish. If they did not wish to do business with a minority, hire minorities or require minorities to sit in a certain area, that is their right. It is the minorities reciprocal right NOT to do business or seek employment from such a business.
In the second category, libertarians would be compelled to seek redress. As minorities are forcibly required to pay tribute (taxes) to government, they are entitled to equal treatment before the law.
Now we get to the question of HOW would libertarians have dealt with the situation, which would primarily have been public schools and public transit.
A civil rights law, LIMITED to GOVERNMENT entities, and enforcing equal treatment before the law in public accomodations would have been sufficient.
For schools, deliberate segregation would have been banned, however, they would not have gone near the sort of broad based bussing nonsense that was essentially used to distribute minority students in equal proportions throughout the school system.
Of course, libertarians would MORE LIKELY abolish public schools and public accomodations, thus rendering the issue moot.