How do libertarians differ from “liberals”?
Once upon a time (in the 1800s), “liberal” and “libertarian” meant the same thing; “liberals” were individualist, distrustful of state power, pro-free-market, and opposed to the entrenched privilege of the feudal and mercantilist system. After 1870, the “liberals” were gradually seduced (primarily by Marxism) into believing that the state could and should be used to guarantee “social justice”. They largely forgot about individual freedom, especially economic freedom, and nowadays spend much of their time justifying higher taxes, bigger government, and more regulation. But libertarians remained distrustful of the state and therefore prefer to encourage private, voluntary solutions to social and economic problems instead of more government.
Related Questions
- Many liberals and libertarians say that drug abuse is a victimless crime and should not be illegal, and that people are free to make their own bad choices. Does this mean we should legalize all drugs, including cocaine and heroin?
- What do Christian libertarians generally view as legitimate duties of the national government? Does this differ at all from "standard" libertarians?
- How do libertarians differ from "conservatives"?
