KOL473 | The Universal Principles of Liberty, with Mark Maresca of The White Pillbox

Kinsella on Liberty Podcast: Episode 473. https://youtu.be/soyywXASOh4?si=pHKdf6awiCXOqXGV From The White Pillbox, Stephan Kinsella's Universal Principles of Liberty. This is my discussion with Mark Maresca, of The White Pillbox, about The Universal Principles of Liberty. (Previous episode: Kinsella as “White Pill”: Maresca, “From the White-PillBox: Part 29. Achilles Heel edition 3”.) Mark's shownotes: Recently Stephan published an exciting document, the Universal Principles of Liberty: https://stephankinsella.com/principles/ Stephan provides some background that led to the Principles, historical context, use cases, and so much more. As always, Stephan demonstrates why he is a true human White Pill. He even challenged me to White Pill him, on my reasoning behind why true free societies may be coming sooner than we think. Some of his key publications: International Investment, Political Risk, and Dispute Resolution (Oxford, 2020): http://www.kinsellalaw.com/iipr/ Against Intellectual Property (Mises Institute, 2001): http://c4sif.org/aip/ Legal Foundations of a Free Society (Papinian Press, 2023): https://stephankinsella.com/lffs/ Links to other topics we covered in this episode... The Law, by Frederic Bastiat: https://store.mises.org/The-Law-P408.... For a New Liberty, by Murray N. Rothbard: https://store.mises.org/For-a-New-Lib... Human Action, by Ludwig von Mises: https://store.mises.org/Human-Action-... The Remnant, from Isaiah's Job, by Albert J. Nock: https://mises.org/mises-daily/isaiahs... The Property and Freedom Society: https://propertyandfreedom.org/ Grok shownotes and transcript below. Grok Shownotes Overview of the Discussion The episode of the White Pillbox features host Mark Maresca interviewing Stephan Kinsella, a prominent intellectual property attorney and libertarian writer from Houston. Recorded on September 06, 2025, the conversation delves into Kinsella's latest work, the "Universal Principles of Liberty," a document aimed at articulating a coherent framework for libertarian principles. This discussion provides listeners with an insightful exploration of libertarian thought, emphasizing practical applications and philosophical underpinnings in the context of transitioning to a freer society. Background on Universal Principles of Liberty Kinsella explains the genesis of the "Universal Principles of Liberty," highlighting his involvement in various libertarian projects, including attempts to draft constitutions for new nations like Liberland. He critiques the traditional concept of constitutions as state-authorizing documents, advocating instead for a statement of principles that avoids legitimizing governmental authority. The project evolved from his earlier work, such as the "Fundamental Principles of Justice," and was collaboratively refined with contributions from attorneys Pat Tinsley, Aleandro Fusillo, David Durr, and oversight from Hans-Hermann Hoppe, reflecting a broad consensus on core libertarian values. Core Libertarian Principles The core of the "Universal Principles of Liberty" rests on four key principles: self-ownership, original appropriation (homesteading), contract, and rectification. Kinsella argues these principles, derived from Roman and English common law, offer a decentralized, organic approach to law that contrasts with statutory legislation. He emphasizes that libertarianism, as a consistent application of these private law principles, rejects state-imposed exceptions like taxation or sovereign immunity, providing a foundation for a free society that can adapt through judicial interpretation rather than legislative fiat. Practical Applications and Flexibility Kinsella discusses the document's practical use as a "guard rail" for free territories or communities, such as Liberland or Prospera in Honduras, where it could guide development and judicial decisions without mandating a top-down structure. The principles are designed to be flexible, allowing adoption by diverse groups—whether through explicit signing (as in Fremax’s project) or implicit acceptance as societal norms. This modularity supports both statist and anarchist contexts, serving as a subsidiary guide where local laws permit, ensuring consistency with libertarian ideals. Addressing Common Concerns A notable section addresses concerns about mass destruction devices, inspired by Fremax’s input, which Kinsella included despite initial reluctance due to its specificity. He clarifies that such devices are not banned per se but are deemed aggressive due to their likely impact on innocent lives, aligning with libertarian opposition to war and collateral damage. This provision also extends to potential threats like chemical or biological agents, with Kinsella suggesting private incentives, such as insurance, could mitigate risks in an anarchist society. Rejection of Positive Law and Social Contracts Kinsella critiques positive law, such as welfare rights or intellectual property, arguing they arise from legislation rather than organic legal processes and thus have no place in a libertarian framework. He also dismantles social contract theory by redefining contracts as title transfers rather than binding obligations, eliminating the basis for voluntary slavery or state legitimacy claims. This perspective underscores the document’s focus on individual consent as a communicated, revocable act. Future Vision and Optimism Looking ahead, Kinsella envisions a future where states wither into irrelevance, akin to the British monarchy, as liberty matures with economic and technological progress (e.g., Bitcoin, AI). He remains hopeful that shared human values of peace and prosperity, enhanced by economic literacy, will naturally support libertarian principles. Maresca shares this optimism, predicting a rapid transition within five to ten years, driven by the erosion of the myth of political authority. Role of Technology Both Kinsella and Maresca highlight technology’s role in this transition, with the internet decentralizing information and undermining propaganda, a process accelerated by smartphones exposing societal issues. Kinsella’s opposition to copyright stems from its threat to this communicative freedom, while Maresca sees Bitcoin and virtual communities as tools to starve the state, fostering enclaves of liberty that could adopt the principles organically. Cultural and Historical Context Kinsella draws on historical examples, like the Soviet collapse teaching the benefits of capitalism, to argue that societal shifts can occur without universal ideological conversion. He also references the pedagogical style of the Louisiana civil code, adapting it to make the principles accessible and illustrative for a pioneering libertarian legal system, given the relative newness of modern libertarianism (60-70 years). Closing Remarks and Resources The episode concludes with Maresca encouraging listeners to explore the "Universal Principles of Liberty" and anticipate Kinsella’s forthcoming annotated commentary and Fremax’s related project, expected in October 2025. Kinsella’s work, including his book "Legal Foundations of a Free Society," is linked in the show notes, offering further resources for those interested in deepening their understanding of libertarian theory and practice. Call to Action Listeners are urged to stay tuned for updates, check the show notes for Kinsella’s publications, and embrace the "white pill" mindset of hope and action. This episode, aired at 10:51 AM CDT on September 06, 2025, serves as both an educational resource and a motivational call to participate in the ongoing struggle for liberty. Youtube transcript (with help from Grok and ChatGPT) Topic: Introduction and State Skepticism 0:08 Mark Maresca: You're skeptical of the state. You're getting over the myth of authority, but the state is still formidable. Or is it? 0:16 Mark Maresca: You've got a front row seat in the transition to a free society. Let's dive head first into the white pillbox with your host, Mark Maresca. Greetings all. Thank you so much for joining today. Today I'm very excited to welcome as my guest Stephan Kinsella. Topic: Guest Welcome and Background 0:35 Mark Maresca: Stephan, thanks for joining me on the White Pillbox. Stephan Kinsella: Glad to be here. Now folks, please check out Stephan's bio in the show notes. But for those of you unfamiliar briefly, Stephan is an intellectual property attorney and prolific libertarian writer from Houston. Some of his publications include international investment, political risk and dispute resolution, against intellectual property, Legal Foundations of a Free Society, and finally the topic of today's interview, the universal principles of liberty, just published. And of course, I'll link to that and all his other major works. 0:59 Mark Maresca: Okay. The universal principles of liberty. It is what it says. It puts me in the mind of sometimes when I've spoken to newbies and kind of introduce what I can about libertarian principles. Sometimes I'll get a question like give me an elevator pitch. Give me sort of a very broad overview and sometimes it's hard to refer them to a website or reference that kind of does it very compactly. This does it at least for certain types of mindsets. So can you give me a brief explanation of what this is and the background of the project? Topic: Background of Universal Principles of Liberty 1:46 Stephan Kinsella:Yeah. So over the years I have been aware of and sometimes involved in various projects,