Libertarian International Organization

LIO Fellow Brazil's Dr. Margeret Tse greets Czech leader Vaclav Klaus, who noted that Communist oppression ..."would not have fallen without the spread of Libertarianism..." Klaus used Libertarian secession concepts to avert civil war--as then plagued Yugoslavia and Chechnya--by peaceful separation of Czechoslovaklia into 2 friendly republics.

Many Libertarians and Liberals are remembering the fall of Communist dictatorships this week, the XXth anniversary of the dissolution of the Soviet Union by Libertarian International Organization Fellow Boris Yeltsin--and the ultimate irrelevance of military and police establishments in making it happen or defending society except as optional tools. Indeed, the US Government was predicting the continued stability of Communism and the Bush administration was trying to shore up tottering authoritarians even as Libertarian activists tore the regimes limb-from-limb by peaceful means. Many in addition are giving thought to UN Rights Month, and areas where a more voluntary approach can be shared. LIO Fellows played a key role:

• In the early '70's later curator and Libertarian visionary Michael Gilson travelled at the invitation of Editorial Mir to the USSR---where he met many leaders unhappy with the regime and interested in his Libertarian concepts, including Yeltsin. At the same time, LIO Co-curator Paul Gilson was close friends with Ronald Reagan, and they worked to outline a plan of peaceful transition, navigating between those who saw the US as helpless before Communist triumph and those thirsting for more US military expansion.
• LIO advisors and observers met with them in the late '70's and with Liberal and aspiring union activists to implement a long term plan to peacefully bring democracy to all nations by: Promoting voluntary concepts, teaching activist tools 'on-ground' and promoting first think tanks with more citizen diplomacy and then citizen networks. This built on official but often ignored national policies.
• Several of these, such as Reagan and Yeltsin, entered leadership positions and communicated directly through the network, by-passing corrupt military and security establishments on both sides interested in preserving the status quo. The US did the reverse of expected, promoting open sharing of secret information and a planetary defense agreement against e.g. asteroids, and Reagan offered to dismantle the military, secure in the knowledge that a new voluntary and militant force was underway.This assured leaders 'on the fenc'e that there would be no sudden military attack by any party. Yelstin visited America, met again with LIO activists, and various sister city type initiatives were encouraged. The core group was known as the '12 Ruthless Men,' most of whom have passed on.
• Various Libertarian benefactors saw to the distribution of over 3 million pieces of literature while simulatanously change had been underway in China, including workshops in the Mao era. At the same time, work to loosen right-wing regimes was aided by www.ISIL.org which followed a schedule of world conventions to energize and network local activists in countries from South Africa on. In addition, a determined effort resulted in the sudden movement of many colonial dependencies to a republican status as new countries or in great autonomy. The new atmosphere of determination and Libertarian thoughtools gave people impetus and a sense that now they could act, and nature took its course.As these grew, hundreds of previously contacted leaders and academics were given to understand that '...this time, we move--it's serious.'
• With appropriate thought tools and spreading how-to support , people began peacefully dismantling the regimes. For reasons of security, most US Libertarian leaders were only informed of the broad outlines.In the late '90's and early 2000's, networks in the Mid-East were stalled by untimely US Military intervention, including the near-peaceful removal of Saddam Hussein and the Taliban.
• Betterment continues: The improved countries have, depending on the level of use of Libertarian tools, moved forward relatively smooothly or not so much, but all have improved and are enjoying growing economies and rights communities. Hundreds of groups have now formed driving interest in democracy, legal improvements, transparency, markets, choice-based public services, and more.
• In LIO's OPERATION DEMOCRACY the work continues, aided by better communication among centrist parties and groups, in a new effort that began winter 2010 and has resulted (December 2011)  in change in many countries.

LIO emphasizes that its aim is to simply get people in dialogue, and the curator expressly forbids any use of force or retaliation, or even personal verbal attacks on leaders. Activists should focus on passive resistance, peer education, and a conciliatory and fraternal attitude with officials consistent with voluntary approaches under their UN Rights. LIO activists are encouraging vigorous dialogue in many countries, and in coming years growing Libertarian-Liberal networks to move towards more voluntary approaches will be mentored in every country; following the theme that the proper defense of society is the sole and growing purview of citizens conversant with voluntary tools and ideals, who by education and awareness replace, proactively defuse or undermine improper systems.

The LIO emphasizes as well that it explicitly welcomes interest in Communist or socialist communities of voluntary character.  At present, thanks to social networking, LIO activists inspired by OPERATION DEMOCRACY and following their own indepoendent strategies are bringing tools such as those praised by Klaus to some 3 million people worldwide who're leaders in their communities, unions, or professional groups; or simply enthusiastic networkers. They actively network or organize with many citizen efforts such as Tea Party, OWS, electoral fairness, Democracia Ya, NED, Citizen Diplomacy, Wikileaks, and other entities asserting the rights of  citizens to make their thoughts known peaceably, but LIO takes no stance on any issue.

 See: http://libinst.cz/stranka_en.php?id=2 and http://www.obcinst.cz/en/  as examples of think tank work of interest.