FAQ

What Does Live and Let Live Mean?

To “live and let live” most fundamentally means to take charge of and responsibility for your life by both defining and peacefully pursuing your own happiness while honoring the equal rights of other competent adults to do the same. The concept is based on a foundational basic principle referred to as the “Live and Let Live Principle.” The Live and Let Live Principle generally holds that it is wrong to initiate force, fraud or coercion. In essence, the Principle prohibits aggression while recognizing the fundamental right of reasonable and responsible self-defense to defend against another’s use or substantial threat of an initiation of aggression. To promote live and let live is to promote freedom and peace for all people.

Why Should I Agree with the Live and Let Live Principle?

Many people already agree that to initiate of force, fraud or coercion is wrong and it should be prohibited. As such, they already agree with The Principle. At its core, The Principle simply asserts that aggression is wrong. Necessarily, the Principle assumes people own themselves and are entitled to peacefully run their lives as they prefer. Many people simply agree with the basic common decency and mutual benefit that naturally flows from prohibiting the initiation of force, fraud and coercion.

Additionally, many people reach the same conclusion based on either a natural law analysis or a social contractarian analysis. Not surprisingly, the common denominator and basic tenet of many of the world’s major religions and moral traditions can be distilled down to the Live and Let Live Principle. It’s the first thing reasonable people who disagree on everything else would readily agree on. Upon reflection, many people will agree the Live and Let Live Principle is axiomatic.

Does Live and Let Live Lead to Big or Small Government?

The Live and Let Live Principle prohibits aggression whether it is initiated by an individual, a group of individuals, or a group of individuals who work for, and act at, the direction of a government. A world where individuals, groups and governments act in accordance with the Live and Let Live Principle is the goal of our Movement. As such, the Movement welcomes people who prefer big governments, small governments or no formal government at all. Acceptance of the Live and Let Principle is the only requirement to join the Movement.

What are the Values of the Live and Let Live Movement?

The Live and Let Movement is anchored to the Live and Let Principle as its basic foundational principle. The Live and Let Live Principle is derived from the basic common denominator of the most widely accepted moral, enlightenment and religious traditions. Opposing aggression while promoting freedom and peace are the most basic values of the Movement. Much of the Movement’s efforts seek to align the substantive law to be in harmony with the Live and Let Live Principle. However, as aspirational goals, the Movement advocates for a virtuous and peaceful society by promoting live and let live values such as freedom, equality under law, tolerance, open mindedness, voluntary kindness, rational thought, honesty, civility and a commitment to pursuing truth. We promote these live and let live values because they facilitate peace and human progress.

Is the Live and Let Live Movement Republican or Democratic?

The Live and Let Live Movement is open to both Republicans and Democrats. The Movement welcomes people from any political party and people who are entirely nonpolitical. The only requirement to be a member of the Movement is to accept the Live and Let Live Principle. Both Republicans who value individual liberties and classical liberal Democrats generally already accept the Principle. It is entirely possible to advocate and promote the Live and Live Principle from within either the Republican Party or the Democrat Party.

Is the Live and Let Live Movement Capitalist or Socialist?

The Live and Let Live Movement is open to people who prefer and promote capitalism as well as to people who prefer and promote voluntary socialism. Nobody should be forced to do anything other than to comply with the Live and Let Live Principle. As such, the Movement is open to people who personally prefer either economic system or a mix of both. Competent adults should be free to choose how they peacefully live as well as how they peacefully acquire, hold, trade and dispose of their property.

How Does the Live and Let Live Principle Apply to Victimless Crimes?

The Live and Let Live Principle applies the same way to all issues. We first determine who is the owner of the property that is at issue. We then apply the Live and Let Principle to analyze whether the Principle is being violated. If the Principle is being violated, then the conduct should be illegal. If not, then the conduct should be legal. This is the conclusion regardless of whether the conduct is immoral. Moral judgments should not be imposed on others by law.

For example, to analyze the question of prostitution, we need only conclude that the prostitute and the customer each fully own themselves. While minors also own themselves, they are not fully competent and therefore have guardians such as parents. If both the prostitute and the customer are competent adults, then each owns and gets to make decisions for himself or herself. Therefore, so long as The Principle is not violated, we can conclude the conduct should be legal.

Had either the prostitute or the customer not been a competent adult, or had force, fraud or coercion been involved, then the conduct should be illegal. Said another way, voluntary transactions between consenting adults should be legal even if they are determined to be immoral. A victim, for purposes of the criminal justice legal system, is someone who suffered a violation of the Live and Let Live Principle.

How Does the Live and Let Live Principle Apply to Guns?

As with all issues, competent adults should have the right to do whatever they want so long as they don’t violate The Live and Let Live Principle. As with all issues, we simply seek to fairly and honestly determine whether The Principle has been violated. If so, the conduct should be illegal. If not, the conduct should be legally permitted even if determined immoral.

As with all other issues, unless and until a competent adult who possesses a gun violates The Principle, that person should be left alone. As such, the peaceful, responsible, competent, adult gun owner has a right to be left alone.

However, people who are not competent to safely handle guns and people who have a history of violating The Principle reasonably pose a substantial risk of violating the Principle. As with self-defense, people are not required to wait until another’s fist hits their face before using appropriate force in defense. Likewise, it is always appropriate to stop or prohibit a substantial threat of violating The Principle.

As such, laws could appropriately prohibit gun possession by minors, incompetent adults and violent felons. Precisely defining the contours and edges of words such as “substantial” “minors” “competent” and “violent” may reasonably vary by community as they do now. We analyze all issues around compliance with The Principle.

Click here for a more detailed analysis

How Does the Live and Let Live Principle Apply to Taxes?

The issue of taxes involves the government involuntarily taking money from individuals. It is easy to determine the actual and rightful owner of the money at issue is the individual. Because The Principle applies the same way to individuals, groups and governments, it’s easy to conclude that by involuntarily taking an individual’s money, the government violates The Principle.

The Live and Let Movement advocates for a world where all aggression is illegal. We believe a civilized, productive and virtuous society can be achieved without legally permitting aggression for any purpose. Indeed, creative people have always found non-coercive solutions to problems. That aggression (i.e. taxes) may be the easiest way to envision realizing a particular goal does not make it permissible. While we work towards a world without aggression, we cheer any move towards less aggression in any area such as taxation.

What Type of Movement is The Live and Let Live Movement?

The Live and Let Live Movement seeks to peacefully win enough hearts and minds, based on the logic, reason, and morality of the Live and Let Live Principle, to improve the world for all people. It is a global movement open to all people who value freedom and peace by opposing aggression. Through discussion and debate, the written word, numerous conferences, political action, and the peaceful efforts of likeminded people, the Movement seeks to inspire enough people to eventually achieve a free and peaceful world that maximizes human happiness while decreasing suffering.

Why is the Movement a Global Movement?

Regardless of whether one prefers globalism, we now live in a global community that is here to stay. Global trade, global travel, global data tracking and surveillance and multinational corporations are increasingly common. We face many global issues such as climate change, species contraction, global pandemics, the development of artificial intelligence and other technologies, gene replication and modification, nuclear and biological weapons as well as many other issues both foreseeable and unforeseeable. We urgently need to stop fighting each other and better coordinate ways to peacefully live together while rationally, effectively, and justly dealing with the upcoming issues that threaten us as a species.

Who is the Live and Let Live Movement Open To?

The Live and Let Live Movement is open to all people who accept the Live and Let Live Principle. The Movement welcomes people of all countries, all races, all national origins, any economic status, any sexual orientation, all faiths and people of no faith. Any person who truly accepts the Live and Let Principle is welcome and encouraged to join the Movement.

How Do I Support the Live and Let Live Movement?

People who accept and promote the Live and Let Live Movement are a varied group necessarily possessing different skills, talents, preferences and inclinations. Some people are well suited to write and speak to promote our philosophy. We encourage and are happy to assist with most writing or speaking projects. We are happy to coordinate efforts with people desiring to hold conferences to promote the Movement. We host a blog on our website to facilitate discussion. Simply referring people to www.LiveandLetLive.org for more information is also strongly encouraged. People can support our Movement by donating money to help promote the Movement. 100% of all donations are used solely to promote the Movement. More people
living their lives in accordance with the Live and Let Live Principle is our best advertising as well as our ultimate goal.