Libertarians regard for-profit private defense associations funded via insurance as possible in the real world, as lawful, and as generally desirable. Learn more here and over here.
So, what about not-for-profit organizations? Maybe not. Here is an indicative, concrete counter-case: Etzel: Irgun Tzva’i Leumi.
Yes, Etzel was legitimate. As Rafi Farber, Alan Futerman and Walter Block write in the brilliant article titled “The Legal Status of the State of Israel – A Libertarian Approach“, p. 476:
These forces, Haganah, Etzel and Lehi were Jewish self-defense organizations which had the objective of protecting Jewish lives and property. Their goal was not to target or conquer civilian Arab lands, though conquering some areas was a defensive outcome of the War of Independence.
Also, they were private armies and/or police forces, which Rothbard and other libertarians favor.It is quite strange that he opposes voluntary, privately financed defense organizations when he continuously defended the very opposite point of view. Here he had a real life example, and it worked. These organizations actually defended Jews from attacks…
But “God is in the detail”…
The coauthors footnote “The Revolt”, by Menachem Begin for the piece above. Well, here is what he reveals on p.353 of the 1977 Israeli edition when discussing the war for Jaffa:
“Throughout the day about one hundred vehicles had been mobilised in the only way available to the underground since the beginning of the revolt – by means of temporary confiscation. It was not a pleasant way. But the owners knew from the experience of others that we always did our best to return their vehicles after the operation or, in case of damage, to pay them compensation. They knew, above all, that their vehicles were taken for the purposes of an essential war and many of them handed over their trucks or cars with a cheerful willingness. We had no other way. An underground cannot, and dare not, always use the same vehicles. Wheels leave tracks. And where were we to get sufficient money to buy all the vehicles we needed?”
And again on p. 367, the author describes unusual “robberies” in Tel Aviv storerooms and shops:
“Thousands and thousands of sacks for the Jaffa front!”
Hashem doesn’t help unless we steal from those innocent Jews we are trying to save?! I doubt that.
Question: But what if the “client” doesn’t agree to pay? How can anyone make a revolution under such stringent rules?
Answer: Tough. Hyehudi.org generally opposes violent revolution.