THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY, BY DEFINITION:

At the end of the day, it is relatively easy for a clever philosopher - or an opportunistic politician - to find a semi-plausible libertarian justification for almost any policy proposal he happens to favor. In Milei's case, he has already given us every indication that he would pursue a libertarian agenda with a decidedly populist bent.

In the US, we got a sneak peak of what libertarian populism might look like in the "paleo-libertarianism" of Murray Rothbard and Lew Rockwell. In the early 1990s, this school lent its support to racist politicians like David Duke, to a nativist (highly restrictive) immigration policy, and to the violent police suppression of criminals and "bums." Such positions have enjoyed a resurgence since Trump's presidency, even coming to dominate the Libertarian Party of the US.

Those who cherish individual liberty therefore should be cautious before throwing their support behind Milei. Yes, he is a libertarian; and yes, libertarians believe in individual liberty. But the real questions are whose liberty, and what specific policies the defense of that liberty entails.

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