How's your libertarianism?

[ChooseLiberty]

A few years ago a friend asked me to summarize a pure libertarian philosophy. It's not as easy as it sounds.

If you consider yourself libertarian leaning (according to wiki 10-20% of voters do), can you explain your philosophy in a couple of sentences?

Does pure libertarianism equal pure capitalism which gave rise to robber barons and plutocrats in the past?

[Silverback]

Interesting question,

Rand's "Objectivism on one foot" is pretty decent.

The Decaration of Independence articulates the core of the libertarian philosophy very well also.

To paraphrase, three points.

1. The initiation of force is a criminal act, or put another way you have a right to live free from coercion so long as you do not violate the rights of others.

(unalienable rights, life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, etc.)

2. Government exists to enforce that concept. That's its legitimate role.

(to secure these rights governments are instituted among men)

3. Since government IS force and coercion, and must initiate force and violate the rights of the citizenry through taxation and so on to exist, it is by definition a necessary evil and when it exceeds it's mandate becomes a criminal enterprise, or illegitimate.

("whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it")

Really the whole latter half of the Declaration is a specific articulation of this point and just how the British had exceeded their legitimate authority. (This line of reasoning makes it extremely difficult to construct an arguement in which libertarianism is incorrect and we Americans are not British subjects and traitors BTW)

"Pure capitalism" in the context you mention indicates a lack of regard for the concept of the commons, which is a problem in libertarian circles, but no one has the right to violate the rights of all by say polluting the air or the water supply.

Of course there has always been abuse, there still is. The robber barons of old pale in comparison to those of today, and all of them violated the rights of others in one way or another.

No perfect system of governance exists, liberty just beats the alternative.

[Brandybuck]

Two words: Voluntary society.

In a paragraph: People are free to do what they want with themselves and their property, so long as they do not prevent others from doing what they want with theirselves and their property. The role of government is to enable this state of affairs by prohibiting fraud, theft and violence.

[aravoth]

Here's how I define pure libertarianism. Ahem.....

Stay out of other peoples wheaties, and stay the hell out of my life.

[X_805]

Two words: Voluntary society.

In a paragraph: People are free to do what they want with themselves and their property, so long as they do not prevent others from doing what they want with theirselves and their property. The role of government is to enable this state of affairs by prohibiting fraud, theft and violence.

I sometimes wish that someone would write a constitution based purely on completely voluntary government. A social contract of some sort that you sign with the government. You receive the benefits you pay for. If you don't want to pay taxes to finance the police, fine, but don't expect the police to protect you. If you don't want to pay taxes for schooling, fine, just hopefully you teach them yourself so they aren't really ignorant. No taxes to the military? I guess you'll handle a foreign invasion on your own... :)

[ChooseLiberty]

Great replies.

I've always thought of it more in the "freedom of contract" context where all rights and obligations are created by mutual agreement from the Constitution on down to agreements between individuals. Since this could lead to a very long discussion I'll leave it at that.

[ChooseLiberty]

I just Googled "Objectivism on one foot" and this thread is already showing up on Google. Amazing.