A Brief Overview of Libertarianism
Exploring the Basic Principles Behind a Growing Political Movement
Sep 26, 2009
A simple internet search reveals that libertarianism is a fast-growing topic in the American political discourse. One possible explanation for this is that, as American politics grow progressively more divisive and polarized, citizens have become increasingly dissatisfied with the behavior of leaders from both sides. The third largest political party in the United States despite its relatively small official membership of just over 250,000, the Libertarian Party offers voters an alternative based on freedom from government interference rather than blind devotion to bipartisan politics.
Are Libertarians Liberal or Conservative?
The short answer is “neither”. Libertarians are often seen as liberals who lean toward conservative ideas regarding economic policy, or, in the alternative, conservatives who lean toward liberal ideas regarding social issues. While libertarians sometimes agree with liberal or conservative ideas on different topics, their ideology is not simply a combination of the two schools of thought. Rather, as defined by libertarian organization Advocates for Self-Government, libertarians believe in “both personal and economic liberty.”
In short, libertarians believe that individuals should have the right to make their own decisions, so long as their behavior does not adversely affect others or detract from others’ basic rights. As the Libertarian Party states on their website, the idea is one that promotes economic freedom from both government interference and government welfare – regardless of whether the recipient is an individual or a corporation. At the same time, there is no demand that the government regulate others’ behavior, regardless of disagreements about “personal actions or lifestyle”.
What Defines a Libertarian?
The Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University defines a libertarian as one who believes in “as much liberty as possible” and “as little government as necessary”. Issues taken up by the party include the need to cut taxes, support for individual Second Amendment Rights, removing government involvement in healthcare, and ending any form of censorship. Moreover, libertarians believe that the government should have no right to interfere with the relationships of individuals, either economic or personal.
As with all political parties, however, there is disagreement amongst libertarians about how to handle certain issues. For example, the Advocates for Self-Government are against taxation completely, while the Libertarian Party speaks more in terms of cutting taxes and finding methods of taxation that are not based on personal productivity. But regardless of the differing views on how to promote liberty, all libertarians are concerned that the individual’s rights not be subordinated to those of the government or of other citizens.
Exploring Political Options
As noted by the Advocates for Self-Government, one of the most basic principles of libertarianism is to adopt an approach of thinking outside the box of traditional left/right politics. Instead, they promote an approach of thinking first and foremost about the people involved in an issue, treating the government’s interests as only a secondary consideration. As explained by author David Boaz in his 1999 article, Key Concepts of Libertarianism, libertarians believe in the effectiveness of “spontaneous order,” – the principle that individuals, thinking for themselves and making the best decisions possible for themselves, create a more ordered society than that which can be imposed by a central authority.
Libertarianism, whether as a small “l” ideology or a large “L” political party, will not be appealing to everyone, any more than conservatism or liberalism hold universal appeal. However, it may be a reasonable option for voters who are looking outside traditional politics for answers to our country’s problems. A good place to start in clarifying one’s views on these issues and deciding where to look for answers is the World’s Smallest Political Quiz, which helps clarify political leanings with a few concise questions.
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