Libertarian
A Libertarian, generally speaking, is one who claims to believe in liberty. The opposite of a Libertarian is an Authoritarian. There are several different ideologies which would describe themselves as Libertarian, each with different goals and views.
"Libertarianism" is widely believed to originate from the same working-class based sentiments that spawned several Socialist variants that took shape in the
Old World in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The difference being the
transposition in time and place to the modern United States (in the context of an established
New World). However, unlike the socialist movements, libertarians claim a desire to avoid the primary mistake of
Marxist socialism, which they believed would lead to a
totalitarian state. In this respect, libertarian idealism seems very much like that advocated by
Mikhail Bakunin's variant of socialism, called
anarchism.
Libertarians also view American style
capitalism as problematic as well, claiming that such a system tends to come under stricter social and economic controls anyway, perhaps even devolving into
fascism. "Libertarianism" thus in essence advocates both social and economic liberty as the basis for a government, whereafter it ideally may become a utopian anarchy, free of any government controls.
Etymology of the word "Libertarian"
\n \nThe term "libertarian" was first used by anarchists as synonymous for naming their movement, so as to avoid confusion with derogatory uses of anarchy, as synonymous with anomie. Also in the aftermath of the crushing of the Paris Commune in 1871, "Anarchism" and "Anarchists" were officially outlawed for decades so anarchists were forced to call their groups and publications by another name - hence the adoption of the French word "Libertaire" as an alternative term for anarchist. This is the political origin of the word.
Just like the word "anarchist", the word "libertarian", at least in Europe, has long been synonymous with the socialist kind of anarchists, which may be specified as libertarian socialists.
On the other hand, in the United States, it was rather understood as closely related with Anarcho-capitalism. The primary difference between the left-wing, anti-capitalist, anti-corporate libertarians, and the right-wing, anti-socialist libertarians movements are the views over private control of property.
The 19th century French Anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon declared that "Property is theft." These libertarians generally subscribed to the Marxist view that the state is a manifestation of the interests of the ruling class, but rejected Marx's call for creating a socialist state as an intermediate between the stage of capitalism and anarcho-communism.
On the other hand, Libertarian Capitalists believe that taxation is theft, and that private property is the foundation of liberty.
Libertarians in the United States
The term libertarian, as used in the United States, commonly refers to the ideas and adherents of free-market Libertarianism.
The term "libertarian" first came to use in the United States, where, in the climate of the Cold War, the terms communism and socialism were extremely pejorative, and its related term anarchism was widely misunderstood. Thus, where alternative social thought was concerned, its name needed to avoid any connotation of an association with the socialist-based alternatives presented in Marxism, Leninism etc.
"Libertarian" originally meant proponent of liberty, and can still be used in this meaning, in the proper context. It can be opposed to authoritarian (in politics), or to proponents of determinism (in philosophy), etc.
"Libertarianism is a philosophy. The basic premise of libertarianism is that each individual should be free to do as he or she pleases so long as he or she does not harm others. In the libertarian view, societies and governments infringe on individual liberties whenever they tax wealth, create penalties for victimless crimes, or otherwise attempt to control or regulate individual conduct which harms or benefits no one except the individual who engages in it."
-- Definition written by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, during the process of granting the Advocates for Self-Government status as a non-profit educational organization.
\n"As Libertarians, we seek a world of liberty; a world in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives, and no one is forced to sacrifice his or her values for the benefit of others.
"We believe that respect for individual rights is the essential precondition for a free and prosperous world, that force and fraud must be banished from human relationships, and that only through freedom can peace and prosperity be realized.
"Consequently, we defend each person's right to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest, and welcome the diversity that freedom brings. The world we seek to build is one where individuals are free to follow their own dreams in their own ways, without interference from government or any authoritarian power." \n-- from the Preamble to the Libertarian Party Platform
A typographical convention
\nSome writers also follow the convention of using "libertarian" (spelled in lowercase) to mean a general advocate of libertarianism, while "Libertarian" (capitalized) refers specifically to a member of a libertarian political party, such as any of the following:
See also:\n*
libertarianism |
classical liberalism\n*
liberalism |
liberal |
new liberalism |
political liberalism\n*
anarchism |
individualist anarchism |
libertarian socialism |
libertarian communism |
anarcho-capitalism |
Anarcho-syndicalism
External links
\n*Advocates for Self Government - home of the World's Smallest Political Quiz\n*
Arizona Libertarian Party Homepage (official)\n*
Bureaucrash Activist Network - a libertarian oriented activist organization.\n*
The Cato Institute - a
Washington DC think tank that espouses libertarian ideology.\n*
Democratic Freedom Caucus - seeks to expand libertarian influence on the
Democratic party in the United States.\n*
The Free State Project - a plan to move 20,000 liberty-oriented people to New Hampshire to reduce the size and scope of government.\n*
International Society for Individual Liberty - billed as "the mega-resouce for libertarian activism around the world," ISIL is a network of individuals and associations in over 90 countries dedicated to building a free and peaceful world through the ideals of free markets, social tolerance and individual responsibility.\n*
Libertarian.org - hosted by the
Institute for Humane Studies [1], an educational non-profit that runs programs for students and recent graduates interested in liberty.\n*
Libertarian Party Homepage (official)\n*
LibertarianJackass.com - commentary and links covering political economy, world politics, economic analysis & economic theory, money & finance, sociology and the Adventures of the Libertarian Jackass.\n*
Liberty - a libertarian magazine published by R.W. Bradford\n*
The New Speak Dictionary - a libertarian website with heavy Orwellian overtones.\n*
Reason - a libertarian magazine published by the
Reason Foundation\n*
The Republican Liberty Caucus - seeks to expand libertarian influence on the
Republican party in the United States.
