A source of frustration for Classical Liberals is the hijacking of the term "Liberal" to the Progressive agenda. For an in depth discussion of the socialist ancestry of modern Liberalism check out Liberal Fascism. Libertarianism, a book by Libertarian David Boaz, is a concise statement of Libertarian beliefs and ideals.
If you’re unfamiliar with Libertarianism it can be summed up as the belief that: People have the right to do as they wish, as long as they do not infringe upon the equal right of others to do the same. The book Libertarianism is essentially an examination of how this philosophy might be applied to government and civil societies.
It begins with an examination of the role of government in the nation established by the U.S. Constitution.
- The primary purpose of government is to protect the right of people to do as they wish, subject to the condition that they must not infringe upon the equal rights of others.
- By extension, government must ensure that people meet the obligations they voluntarily assume. This is the basis of trade.
- Also by extension, government must protect the property rights of the people. That is they must protect the right of an individual person to determine the disposition of their personal property. (to sell, destroy or improve it)
The book argues that private persons are far more competent at providing services to the public. It goes so far as to debunk the popular thought experiment concerning Lighthouses. Typically an activist for government programs would argue that a Lighthouse is not a profitable enterprise and therefore would not be undertaken by private citizens. Thus, the government must run lighthouses to ensure safety on the ocean. David Boaz points out that lighthouses have historically been built, run, and maintained by private enterprise and paid for by port docking fees. He goes on to point out multiple examples of private endeavors being far more efficient than government ones. This leads to a Libertarian definition of economy. Specifically Economy is the means by which a civilization produces goods that are desired, through the most efficient means possible
.
Libertarianism discusses the importance of civil society, that is groups of people who form voluntary associations for mutual benefit. Libertarians do not wish to do away with government, but to limit it to its essential functions as listed above. Non-essential functions will never be ‘one-size-fits-all’ and therefore they are best provided by decentralized non-coercive organizations. The book describes how these services were provided before the semi-fascist Wartime Socialism created
during the threat of the World Wars, and makes a compelling case for returning to a less centralized authoritarian super-state.
If you have ever felt that you do not fit into either the Democratic or Republican party, perhaps you would enjoy Libertarianism. It might not convert you, but it will undoubtedly help you express you political position in the future.