Libertarianism

The Internet has long been a playground for politics, and libertarianism is a growing area of interest in that playground. Websites like Libertarian Logic and CATO provide discussion of a range of topics in the political arena, all from the standpoint of libertarianism.

From a general perspective, libertarianism is a philosophy that is well aligned with the principles that founded America, as embodied in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Ideals such as individual freedom, free enterprise, limited government, civil rights, and justice are hallmarks of libertarianism.

Libertarianism supports the idea that individuals have a natural right to make their own decisions about how they live their lives, so long as their actions don't unreasonably harm or interfere with others that have the same right. It suggests that matters of a private and commercial nature can be settled through voluntary contracts and the marketplace - government need only protect against force and fraud. It also supports the idea that government should serve limited functions such as providing roads, a monetary system, common defense and a system of justice - things that individuals either can't do or can't do as well as organized government.

by Clair Schwan Are you a writer, passionate about this or any other topic? Join Blogcritics!

Latest blogosphere posts tagged “Libertarianism”

• Slagging off the entire Libertarian blogosphere

  
  Boatang & Demetriou — Authority: 423
  Following on from my recent piece about arrogant left wingers who dont know how to debate properly...I must, er, how do you call it?...hat tip a blogger called An Englishmans Castle for bringing this piece from a vehemently anti-Libertarian blogger to our attention.Ive never heard of Taws Blog before. I wont be rude ...
  2 hours ago

• Revolution 21 -- Part VII

  
  Libertarian Blog — Authority: 137
  Its time to stop and assess the men and women in government who have taken it upon themselves to make grand changes to our lives, and, possibly, to the lives of generations to come. This is nothing to let slide by lightly and accept as inevitable. Statism is not inevitable. Libertarianism, in its broadest meaning, is ...
  4 hours ago

• MR. POTTER VERSUS MR. BAILEY: SATAN VERSUS CHRIST

  
  REAL LIBERAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH — Authority: 125
  The whole idea has been to run the middle and lower classes in the US into debt peonage. The idea has been to destroy the unions and all movements to greater egalitarianism -- destroy the peoples ability or desire to throw off the evil yoke of the greediest of the greedy who pay so-called intellectuals and economists ...
  18 hours ago

• Gerald Celente On The Coming Fascism And Third Party

  
  Boom2Bust.com — Authority: 541
  Anyone like the comedian Jeff Foxworthy? In one routine, he shared the story of how an older couple approached him after a show with a “you know if you’re a redneck” story. Foxworthy admitted he’d thought he heard them all, but listened to them anyway out of respect. The couple proceeded to tell the story of ...
  21 hours ago

• MUST-READ: Jennifer Roback Morse explains why two-parent families matter

  
  Wintery Knight — Authority: 502
  Article here in Policy Review , a publication of the Hoover Institute at Stanford University. Excerpt: A free society needs people with consciences. The vast majority of people must obey the law voluntarily. If people don’t conform themselves to the law, someone will either have to compel them to do so or protect ...
  1 day ago

• Rick Santorum and Limited Government?

  
  Cato @ Liberty — Authority: 743
  By David Boaz Scary news today from Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker: despite losing his reelection bid in 2006, former senator Rick Santorum is still thinking about running for president. He tells Parker that he represents the Ronald Reagan issue trinity: the economy, national security and social ...
  1 day ago

• Palmer and Cowen on the Nature of Liberty

  
  Cato @ Liberty — Authority: 743
  By David Boaz Two leading libertarian thinkers, Tom Palmer and Tyler Cowen, discussed Palmer’s new book, Realizing Freedom: Libertarian Theory, History, and Practice , at a recent Cato Book Forum. You can see the video or download a podcast here . Two years ago, Cowen and Palmer were among the contributors ...
  2 days ago

• Its all just a game

  
  Obnoxio The Clown — Authority: 545
  Its been a fair old while since Ive had the strength to turn a baleful eye upon our politicians, but a bit of blog reading has made it imperative that I vent my spleen about these cunts. Here is a small selection ... Darling v. Brown 2009: Ok, so tomorrows Pre-Budget Report is shaping up to be a horrendously ...
  2 days ago

• Was Ayn Rand the Most Influential Russian Immigrant to the United States?

  
  The Volokh Conspiracy — Authority: 778
  I have previously blogged about the massive impact that Ayn Rand had as the leading modern popularizer of libertarianism and the recent controversy over whether she is an asset or liability for free market advocates today. An interesting question (at least to me) is whether Rand was the most influential Russian ...
  2 days ago

• Another Reminder

  
  tomgpalmer.com — Authority: 471
  The discussion with Tyler Cowen reminded me again that we had disagreed (agreeably) on a number of things in an online discussion of Libertarianism: Past and Prospects , which was kicked off by Brian Doherty, author of the really fine book Radicals for Capitalism: A Freewheeling History of the Modern American ...
  2 days ago

• One guy’s thoughts on libertarianism. Pt 2.

  
  When Falls the Coliseum — Authority: 527
  Ok, before we get started, I need to ask if anyone in the audience has a forklift or light crane I can borrow?  Looking over my outline for this post, I’m having serious trouble keeping my lower jaw held up off the floor and I require some heavy duty mechanical assistance to put an end to the uncontrollable ...
  2 days ago

• Capitalism and Agriculture

  
  Library Grape — Authority: 479
  by Gherald Our host wrote : One of the biggest reasons I have fallen out of love with the whole Ayn Rand/laissez faire capitalism point of view in recent years is my exposure to all of the truly horrible stuff that unbridled capitalism, tied to exccessive corporate entanglement with government, has done to us as a ...
  2 days ago

• Freedom and the Rule of Law

  
  tomgpalmer.com — Authority: 471
  
  2 days ago

• The Successful Libertarian Market Socialist Economy

  
  Skeptical Eye — Authority: 476
  The village of Utopia was a libertarian Market Socialist society that worked when applied in practice. ... And unlike Marx and his big government way of Socialism, Warren’s Market Socialism was like Proudhon‘s Market Socialism, based on voluntary and therefore Libertarian views. ... Utopia, like many ...
  3 days ago

• Heather Wilhelm Responds to her Critics

  
  The Volokh Conspiracy — Authority: 778
  Heather Wilhelm has posted a response to critics of her Wall Street Journal column arguing that Ayn Rand is bad for the free market cause. I was one of those critics , even though I have many reservations about Rand myself . Wilhelm’s response concedes that Rand may have had some value for free market ...
  3 days ago

• Celebrate with Freedom

  
  tomgpalmer.com — Authority: 471
  Realizing Freedom: Libertarian Theory, History, and Practice may be just the thing for those looking for Hannukah/Christmas/Kwanzah/Sylvesterabend gifts. (I’ve not forgotten Eid; it’s not too early for next year!) It’s got something for nearly everyone: political theory, economics, sociology, history, ...
  4 days ago

• Dissertation on US tax policy

  
  Affirmative Abstraction — Authority: 109
  LRC just noted it and I made it through about 80 pages so far.  It’s a big dissertation, but you can read the introduction and skip to whatever looks interesting. Read the bit on American protectionism if you read nothing else. I. Between Revenue and ...
  4 days ago

• Gift-Giving and Government Planning

  
  The Volokh Conspiracy — Authority: 778
  In a well-known 1993 article and a recent book , economist Joel Waldfogel argues that holiday gift-giving is inefficient. Very often, givers don’t fully understand the recipients’ wants and end up purchasing things that the recipients value at less than their cost. Waldfogel estimates that some 10 to 33% of the ...
  4 days ago

• A Royal perspective on Climate Change

  
  Boatang & Demetriou — Authority: 423
  Climate Change advocates and sceptics have been clashing harshly over recent weeks. This might be because of the current Copenhagen Summit, but in all fairness, this row has been coming to a head for some time now and it is because the issue is not just about science and weather patterns but about politics.Many ...
  5 days ago

• Libertarians and conservatives - some thoughts

  
  Boatang & Demetriou — Authority: 423
  Daniel Hannan has written and short but fascinating piece on his Telegraph blog, asking can a libertarian be a Conservative?It is well worth a read. I am slightly annoyed, as my very next piece was going to be on just this subject, except take away the capital C and replace it with a lower case c in conservative - I ...
  5 days ago

Comments about Libertarianism