Mutualist Kevin Carson has a post on the problems with modern day libertarianism and liberalism at the blog The Art of the Possible, a new blog occupying the common ground between libertarians and liberals.

Carson focuses on the drawbacks of libertarianism and liberalism that are not uncommon to Freedom Democrats readers. Established libertarianism is too much of a defense of the corporate economy as it is, not an attack on the special privileges that remain. An economy that may be "more free" than the old communist system is treated instead as an economy that is "totally free" and any such problems of poverty and inequality are explained away not as failures in the market, but someone else's problems. Poor work ethic, lack of family values, or perhaps genetics. Established liberalism has become too focused on centralization and federalizing for the sake of federalizing. The idea that decentralized approaches may be superior has been reintroduced by Greens on the far left, but is still out of favor with most Democrats it seems. Carson's suggestion:

Libertarianism needs to move back to its radical roots. The elements of the libertarian movement that favor genuinely free markets as a matter of principle, as opposed to defending corporate interests under the guise of phony “free market” rhetoric, need to separate the sheep from the goats.

Liberalism, on the other hand, needs to move away from its managerialist roots (”The body of Leviathan and the head of a social worker,” in Joseph Stromberg’s memorable phrase) and become more genuinely left-wing. It needs to embrace direct democracy, self-management, and decentralism.