Łukasz Dominiak: Culture in Hoppe’s Private Law Society

Łukasz Dominiak is an adjunct scholar at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland, and a student of political philosophy. His research as a Summer Fellow at the Mises Institute involves the cultural aspects of a libertarian legal system, with an emphasis on the works of Hans-Hermann Hoppe.

Łukasz and I discuss what a private law society might look like in Europe, starting with Hoppe’s example of “10,000 Liechtensteins.” We discuss how private law develops from tradition and custom, rather than top-heavy state edicts. And because states destroy culture—in fact states view culture, custom, and tradition as enemies—reducing state power will cause cultural institutions to reassert themselves. Łukasz concludes that a truly libertarian society would be far less libertine than most western nations today, because high-risk individuals would bear more of the direct costs stemming from their lifestyle decisions.

We discuss the tension between liberty and free immigration in supposedly democratic states, where arbitrary national borders rather than private property boundaries cloud the issue. And we discuss the Hoppean conception of private defense, where protection against invaders would be largely a function of collective agreements and insurance arrangements.

If you’re interested in Hoppe, private law, and the role of culture in libertarian theory, stay tuned for a great interview.