Napoleon's Shadow
07-23-2011, 09:57 AM
Via the Advocates for Self-Government
New Poll: Americans Becoming More Libertarian
An exciting new poll finds that Americans are increasingly embracing libertarian ideas.
Since 1993 CNN has been asking respondents the following two questions, in order to gauge American inclination towards libertarianism:
“Some people think the government is trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses. Others think that government should do more to solve our country’s problems. Which comes closer to your own view?”
and:
“Some people think the government should promote traditional values in our society. Others think the government should not favor any particular set of values. Which comes closer to your own view?”
http://gallery.mailchimp.com/8f8d44f1fc10bd074f648a4de/images/statue_of_liberty.1.jpgLibertarian-inclined people would, of course, choose the first view in the first question and the second view in the second. While hardly a conclusive definition of libertarianism (and not nearly as precise as our World’s Smallest Political Quiz (http://theadvocates.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8f8d44f1fc10bd074f648a4de&id=42b3bfa090&e=9375a52cd4)), it is a useful gauge.
As Jazz Shaw of the conservative site Hot Air notes (http://theadvocates.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8f8d44f1fc10bd074f648a4de&id=a2b2092848&e=9375a52cd4):
(http://theadvocates.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=8f8d44f1fc10bd074f648a4de&id=ca42c883f3&e=9375a52cd4)
“It is an intriguing pairing of questions which strikes right at the heart of contemporary definitions of political ideology in terms of conservatives and liberals. If you comfortably classify yourself as a conservative you are very likely to select the first answer in both questions. Liberals, on the other hand, will tend to pick the second answer in each. But… it’s the libertarians who tend to split that pair, taking the first answer to the first question and the second choice for the other one.”
For years, the responses to both questions had been fairly steady.
But the tide is turning -- and fast. The latest poll, conducted in June, found the libertarian response suddenly at an all-time high. Fully 63 percent of respondents said government was doing too much * -- up from 61 percent in 2010 and 52 percent in 2008. And 50 percent said government should not favor any particular set of values -- up from just 44 percent in 2010 and 41 percent in 2008.
The New York Times, writing (http://theadvocates.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8f8d44f1fc10bd074f648a4de&id=bd94c0ce70&e=9375a52cd4) about this poll, notes: “Libertarianism has been touted as the wave of America’s political future for many years, generally with more enthusiasm than evidence. But there are some tangible signs that Americans’ attitudes are in fact moving in that direction.
“Whether people are as libertarian-minded in practice as they might believe themselves to be when they answer survey questions is another matter. Still, there have been visible shifts in public opinion on a number of issues, ranging from increasing tolerance for same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization on the one hand, to the skepticism over stimulus packages and the health-care overhaul on the other hand, that can be interpreted as a move toward more libertarian views.”
This is great news for libertarian activists. Your work is paying off. Keep it up!
New Poll: Americans Becoming More Libertarian
An exciting new poll finds that Americans are increasingly embracing libertarian ideas.
Since 1993 CNN has been asking respondents the following two questions, in order to gauge American inclination towards libertarianism:
“Some people think the government is trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses. Others think that government should do more to solve our country’s problems. Which comes closer to your own view?”
and:
“Some people think the government should promote traditional values in our society. Others think the government should not favor any particular set of values. Which comes closer to your own view?”
http://gallery.mailchimp.com/8f8d44f1fc10bd074f648a4de/images/statue_of_liberty.1.jpgLibertarian-inclined people would, of course, choose the first view in the first question and the second view in the second. While hardly a conclusive definition of libertarianism (and not nearly as precise as our World’s Smallest Political Quiz (http://theadvocates.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8f8d44f1fc10bd074f648a4de&id=42b3bfa090&e=9375a52cd4)), it is a useful gauge.
As Jazz Shaw of the conservative site Hot Air notes (http://theadvocates.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8f8d44f1fc10bd074f648a4de&id=a2b2092848&e=9375a52cd4):
(http://theadvocates.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=8f8d44f1fc10bd074f648a4de&id=ca42c883f3&e=9375a52cd4)
“It is an intriguing pairing of questions which strikes right at the heart of contemporary definitions of political ideology in terms of conservatives and liberals. If you comfortably classify yourself as a conservative you are very likely to select the first answer in both questions. Liberals, on the other hand, will tend to pick the second answer in each. But… it’s the libertarians who tend to split that pair, taking the first answer to the first question and the second choice for the other one.”
For years, the responses to both questions had been fairly steady.
But the tide is turning -- and fast. The latest poll, conducted in June, found the libertarian response suddenly at an all-time high. Fully 63 percent of respondents said government was doing too much * -- up from 61 percent in 2010 and 52 percent in 2008. And 50 percent said government should not favor any particular set of values -- up from just 44 percent in 2010 and 41 percent in 2008.
The New York Times, writing (http://theadvocates.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8f8d44f1fc10bd074f648a4de&id=bd94c0ce70&e=9375a52cd4) about this poll, notes: “Libertarianism has been touted as the wave of America’s political future for many years, generally with more enthusiasm than evidence. But there are some tangible signs that Americans’ attitudes are in fact moving in that direction.
“Whether people are as libertarian-minded in practice as they might believe themselves to be when they answer survey questions is another matter. Still, there have been visible shifts in public opinion on a number of issues, ranging from increasing tolerance for same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization on the one hand, to the skepticism over stimulus packages and the health-care overhaul on the other hand, that can be interpreted as a move toward more libertarian views.”
This is great news for libertarian activists. Your work is paying off. Keep it up!