Libertarian Movement (Italy)

The Libertarian Movement (Italian: Movimento Libertario, ML) is a political party in Italy which espouses a typically right-libertarian platform, namely minimal regulation of society, liberism of the markets, strong defense of natural rights of liberty and property, non-interventionism in foreign policy and laissez-faire freedom of trade and travel to all foreign countries. Its leaders are Leonardo Facco and Giorgio Fidenato. The party has as its symbol a round disk with a yellow-gold background in reference to the gold standard and also to its membership in the anarcho-capitalist movement.

For the libertarian movement and ideology, see Libertarianism. For Costa Rica's Movimiento Libertario political party, see Movimiento Libertario.

Libertarian Movement

Movimento Libertario
LeaderLeonardo Facco
CoordinatorGiorgio Fidenato
Founded24 September 2005 (launched as cultural movement)
September 2007 (founded as political movement-party)
HeadquartersVia Lino Zanussi 3, 33170 Pordenone
NewspaperEnclave
I Fogli di Enclave
IdeologyAnarcho-capitalism
Anti-federalism
Economic liberalism
Euroscepticism
Non-interventionism
International affiliationInternational Alliance of Libertarian Parties
Interlibertarians
Colors  Gold
Website
movimentolibertario.com

ML was started as a cultural association on 24 September 2005 in Treviglio with the writing of the Manifesto and Constitution of the Libertarian Movement by Facco. Two years after, ML was transformed into a party by Facco, Fidenato and Marcello Mazzilli. The party's goal is to defend life, liberty and property of each individual within a strong free market system.[1] The party has its registered office in the municipality of Pordenone.

The party supports both the Padanian and the Venetian independence movements.[2][3] Among other things, Facco is editor of the pro-independence and libertarian online newspaper L'Indipendenza.[4] Both Facco (who has been a leader of the libertarian faction within Lega Nord in the 1990s) and Fidenato have participated in events and demonstrations organized by separatist parties as the Padanian Union,[5] the Alpine Padanian Union[6] and Veneto State.[7][8] In November 2011, Facco proposed the creation of an Independentist Libertarian Movement (MLI) which would support all the separatist movements and parties active around Italy.[9] In the run-up of a conference of free independentists organized by L'Indipendenza,[10] Fidenato, who had been long in favour of the dissolution of Italy, endorsed the proposal.[11][12]

Ideology

ML takes inspiration from the classical liberalism of John Locke and the Founding Fathers of the United States conjugated to the 19th-century American individualist anarchist strand of Benjamin Tucker, Henry David Thoreau and Lysander Spooner.[13] On the economy, ML takes inspiration from the Austrian School and the theoretic formulation of philosopher and economist Murray Rothbard. The actions in favor of tax resistance, free entrepreneurship and political non-voting also recall the agorist reflections by Samuel Edward Konkin III, although ML does not officially identify itself in programmatic positions and spectrum of the American left-libertarians. ML also includes some aspects from the American model of liberty (minarchism) theorized by Robert Nozick and the Objectivism philosophy described in novels by Ayn Rand. ML refers to freedom of association of the anarchist federalism, anarcho-capitalist free market society and to the Jeffersonian limited government of classical liberalism.

ML holds an anti-federalist stance on European integration. It is against the transformation of the European Union into a federation, preferring the voluntary accession and the unanimity of a confederation. The term "federalism" as it is used by ML means decentralization and fiscal federalism as opposed to the Italian highly centralized state. Party icons include Ferdinando Galiani, Cesare Beccaria, Filippo Mazzei, Emerico Amari, Carlo Cattaneo, Gaetano Mosca, Vilfredo Pareto, Luigi Einaudi, Bruno Leoni and Gianfranco Miglio. Despite being officially a party, ML has spoken in favor of non-voting.[14] A party slogan says: "Neither right nor left, nor centrist. Simply free is better".

Principles

In its party's constitution, ML acknowledges the following libertarian principles:

  • Freedom understood as the absence of constraint is a natural right of the individual, which nobody (private or public organization) must threaten.
  • The government in its various variants forces people to obey blindly and accept legislation invasive and oppressive monopoly.
  • Everyone has the right to seek their own happiness and that of his loved ones, taking responsibility for their actions.
  • Each individual is entitled organize in freedom themselves to protect their lives and their belongings, particularly given the enormous difficulties posed by the power of politicians at all levels.
  • The need to eliminate and reduce the state, politicians and bureaucracies in the everyday life, increasingly recognizing the dignity of all people working really, producing their own resources and possessions.
  • Property is a natural and inalienable right of man, primarily the property of themselves, of the own bodies and of one's life.

Political actions

Against the withholding tax
For the party's battle against the withholding tax, see Giorgio Fidenato § Against the withholding tax.

Battle to sow GMO maize
For the party's stance on the right to sow GMO maize, see Giorgio Fidenato § The right to sow GMO maize.

Giorgio Fidenato and ML favor the free cultivation and commercialization of GMO seeds and food. They support no limits to GMOs in Italy, consumer freedom to choose their own products and freedom of private scientific research as long as it respect the natural human rights and it does not use public money.

In this respect, Fidenato and his Federated Farmers (Italian: Agricoltori Federati) were subjected to threats and acts of violent vandalism in their headquarters by an anti-globalization and environmentalist group for their position on GMO maize.[15][16][17][18] The Italian Radicals referred in Parliament on the issue.[19]

Cultural association

As a cultural association, ML aims at promoting anarcho-capitalism in Italy. The association's motto is "Everyone is free to do what he thinks is right for himself, without attacking anyone, and without attacking the property rights of others". As such, the group organizes meetings, debates and conferences and issues publications.

Publications

Through his Leonardo Facco Editore publishing house, Facco issues two magazines: Enclave and I Fogli di Enclave. The Scientific Committee of Enclave includes Walter Block, David D. Friedman, Hans-Hermann Hoppe, John Hospers, Antonio Martino, Pierre Lemieux, Tibor Machan, Jan Narveson, Wendy McElroy, Ralph Raico, Robert Sirico and Thomas Szasz.[20]

References
  1. "The libertarian way to happiness", L'Opinione, by Elisa Borghi. Retrieved on May 18, 2007. Interview to Marcello Mazzilli spokesman of the Movimento Libertario.
  2. http://www.movimentolibertario.com/2012/11/facco-per-lindipendenza-servono-azioni-forti-non-consulte/
  3. http://www.anordestdiche.com/il-nord-est-che-vuole-separarsi-si-raduna-a-jesolo/
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-04-09. Retrieved 2012-04-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. http://www.agi.it/milano/notizie/201111261845-pol-rmi0053-unione_padana_lega_ha_fallito_autonomia_comunita_padano_alpine
  6. http://www.bergamo.info/politica/politica-locale/assalto-al-grano-padano/
  7. http://www.movimentolibertario.com/2011/09/02/veneto-monumento-allevasore-fiscale/
  8. http://messaggeroveneto.gelocal.it/cronaca/2011/09/28/news/italia-al-collasso-portiamo-in-slovenia-i-nostri-risparmi-1.842796
  9. http://www.movimentolibertario.com/2011/11/16/indipendentisti-e-libertari/
  10. http://www.lindipendenza.com/confederazione-liberi-indipendentisti-una-proposta/
  11. http://www.lindipendenza.com/movimento-libertario-indipendentista/
  12. http://www.movimentolibertario.com/2012/02/13/disponibili-a-partecipare-alla-conferenza-indipendentista/
  13. The political theory of libertarian political, cultural and economic references of the Movimento Libertario
  14. "Classic liberals at the polls: what to do?" L'Opinione, by Gustavo Cevolani. Retrieved on April 10, 2008.
  15. "Video about violent protests by environmentalists and no-global movements against Italian Federated Farmers".
  16. "GMO: FVG, opponents bursts within Federated Farmers", Agi News Retrieved on April 30, 2010.
  17. "GMO maize, war breaks out of the seed", Il Giornale, by Fausto Biloslavo. Retrieved on May 1, 2010.
  18. "TG5 tv service on Fidenato and the Movimento Libertario first sowing GMO in Italy" Retrieved on May 1, 2010. In the tv service the violent protests by environmentalists and no-global movements against Italian Federated Farmers.
  19. "Assembly Reports", Annex B Seat N°316, May 4, 2010. Italian parliamentary question of the Italian Radicals to the Italian minister of the Interior and to his colleague to the Italian Agriculture. Archived from camera.it.
  20. http://www.leonardofaccoeditore.com/
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