This article was first published by Business Brief in February/March 2025 issue
Classical liberal Friedrich Schiller said: “The first law of decency is to preserve the liberty of others, the second is to demonstrate one’s own freedom.”
I’ve become convinced that the philosopher/novelist Ayn Rand’s concept of “selfishness,” when understood properly compels one to do many things for others—as did Rand herself in private, without bragging about it. I think defending the liberty of others is critically selfish in precisely the way she meant it.
Few of us are members of groups who are on the outer fringes of freedom. We tend to be fairly similar whatever our visions of individual grandeur may be. Freedom, however, is snatched away at the fringes. No government goes for the heart and soul of the society, but moves against the outcasts and rejects. Of course, once they are dealt with, and the fringe is removed, a new fringe develops on the carpet of society, and once again the anti-freedom advocates start to move against the new fringe.
The social carpet slowly but surely shrinks in size with the fringe coming closer and closer to the center. The best way I can defend my rights is to defend the rights of others who are currently under attack or battling recent assaults on their rights. Fight for the freedom of others and it becomes harder for anyone to take away your own freedoms. Not only does it stifle the anti-liberty movements, but it also attracts new allies when your rights are under attack.
This is one reason what those I call “me-libertarians” do so much harm. Such individuals invent a scenario where it is the liberty of people just like themselves that matters—though they may remain among the most privileged of groups in society. In reality, they will be among the last to truly have their rights infringed upon, but after decades of ignoring the rights of people unlike themselves they may find it harder to rally defenders to their aid when needed.
Fighting for the rights of others is insurance for your own rights. Charity toward others is needed as another form of insurance. If you, God forbid, need charity, you will be thankful you live in a charitable society. What goes out comes back. Send out charity and charity is more likely to be your safety net in times of need. Defend the rights and liberty of others and you are more likely to have others defending your rights and liberty. Shun them in their time of need if you wish, but expect to face your own crisis alone, without allies, and without help.
We see the same thing at work in basic markets. You open a shop to make money, but to make money your products have to appeal to others. They must see the purchase as a means of making themselves better off or they would refuse to buy from you. You have to benefit them in order for them to benefit you.
Adam Smith put it this way: “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.”
Many a business has found that in doing charitable deeds they not only feel good about the results but see results in their bottom line – often in unexpected ways.
In 1992 Los Angeles police officers were filmed beating a man they pulled over as a drunk driver trying to evade them. They continued the beating long after the use of force was necessary. That was bad enough but then when the officers faced a trial the jury exonerated them, and rioting broke out in the city.
Recently I saw a news report from Los Angeles about a Korean immigrant who had opened a shop years before in the area hit worst by the riots. Over the years he treated people well. He was respectful, helpful and friendly. He went beyond merely selling them products.
When the riots hit shops all around his were burnt to the ground in the public rage. But at his small shop something else was happening. Individuals from the neighborhood came out to his store and stood in front telling rioters he was a good man and to leave his shop alone. His customers came to defend his business, and it was spared. He invested with kindness and reaped the reward of having his business spared from the riots.
This holiday season, keep such things in mind. Take steps to defend your rights by protecting the rights of others and be kind and charitable to others as a means of creating a society that is kind and charitable to you when needed.
