In considering whether Reagan's "law" that liberty contracts when government expands is correct, William Saletan takes an approach I tried in November last year, except I specifically mentioned Libertarians

Which is more important: that a government and economy operate by Libertarian principles or that individuals live in Libertarian freedom?

I was on a bit of a tear about Libertarianism® and I asked the question because:

It occurred to me that (given human nature) it is by no means certain that a government whose every decision was vetted for consistancy with Libertarian morality would result in a society where everyone in it had the personal economic ability to live according to that morality.

So I'm wondering which is more important: that the government act in Libertarian fashion, that I act in Libertarian fashion or that everyone acts in Libertarian fashion.

There's a great appeal to plain talkin' analysis and the simplistic solutions that come from them. The problem is that life isn't that plain and to pretend it is puts us all in the bed of Procrustes.