What's the differences?
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Liberal vs Libertarianism
- Thread starter The Sum of Awe
- Start date
Libertarians are all about minimal restrictions on people.
Liberals allow some social liberty, but aren't big on economic liberty.
Some differences:
We like: gun rights, small gov't, low taxes, defensive military, minimal regulation
We dislike: the dole, foreign adventurism, the draft & other compulsory service
Liberals allow some social liberty, but aren't big on economic liberty.
Some differences:
We like: gun rights, small gov't, low taxes, defensive military, minimal regulation
We dislike: the dole, foreign adventurism, the draft & other compulsory service
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Comicaze247
See the previous line
There's more than one type of Liberal. There's also more than one type of Libertarian when you're not speaking of the specific party. As much as we humans would like to think everyone falls into neat little categories, pretty much anything that has to do with humanity is more of a spectrum. Categories just make it easier for us humans to process. But at the same time, it leads to misconceptions.
I suggest this site:
Political Spectrum Quiz - Your Political Label
Terrywoodenpic
Oldest Heretic
If you asked the same question in the UK ...
no one would know what libertarianism was.
Only liberals would understand liberalism.
no one would know what libertarianism was.
Only liberals would understand liberalism.
Kathryn
It was on fire when I laid down on it.
Libertarians basically believe that consenting adults should be allowed to do whatever they want,as long as they are not infringing on the rights of others while doing so - or asking anyone else to subsidize their life choices via taxation.
I is one.
I is one.
As the Grand Poobah of political categorization, I hereby decree:
Libertarians (small "l") may or may not be Libertarians (big "L").
"Classical liberal" is a great description of libertarians because it confuses so many.
There are no neo-libertarians, paleo-libertarians or libertarian socialists....only libertarians.
(Libertarian socialists think they exist, but capitalism will thrive unless there's a government strong enuf to quash it....& that ain't libertarian.)
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Go ahead & mock me, woman!
For that is the way of the Revoltifarian.
linwood
Well-Known Member
Hmm..I`m most definitely not a Libertarian and many here would say I was Liberal.
But it seems I like and dislike the same things you do.
We very well might debate what we each believe is "minimal" regulation though.
Regulation is an interesting issue.
I hereby pronounce you to be a "libertarian".
You may call yourself a "classical liberal" when that suits you.
linwood
Well-Known Member
Actually, I just looked up Libertarian (big L) at Wiki and I do indeed fall well within the possible spectrum of Libertarianism.
Please don`t tell my wife.
As an experienced Libertarian & husband, I know better than to let politics sully a relationship with women folk.Actually, I just looked up Libertarian (big L) at Wiki and I do indeed fall well within the possible spectrum of Libertarianism.
Please don`t tell my wife.
Kathryn
It was on fire when I laid down on it.
I can testify to that truth.
Though my husband is a conservative and a Republican, and he knows that I am a libertarian (and oftentimes a libertine, but that's a whole other story), he and I somehow manage to avoid those pesky facts whilst kissing - or cooking - or long road trips - unless he puts on talk radio...
Though my husband is a conservative and a Republican, and he knows that I am a libertarian (and oftentimes a libertine, but that's a whole other story), he and I somehow manage to avoid those pesky facts whilst kissing - or cooking - or long road trips - unless he puts on talk radio...
What's the difference from big L and small l?
Crystallas
Active Member
Big L means you are a follower of the Libertarian Party and remain a strict monarchist. Small l means you recognize yourself to have libertarian views, and you can identify with those in the party, or those hiding in other parties, because the ideology does consist of classic-right and classic-left.
The Big L means you support the ideology, and you are ready to live in the minimalist government environment.
The small l means you admire the ideology and support it, but you don't really understand how to get there, or you might fear the changes would be too much. Kind of like a moderate.
But here is what most people get wrong, and confuse right away. They see this anti-establishment motive, and without putting thought into the effects, they see this extreme ideology and assume it means libertarians in power are for a fire-sale of the government. When in fact, they don't recognize the differences between Anarchism and Libertarianism. Anarchism takes Minarchy and applies even more layers of making the government leaner at the lowest possible form, sometimes at the community level by a minimum.
The Big L means you support the ideology, and you are ready to live in the minimalist government environment.
The small l means you admire the ideology and support it, but you don't really understand how to get there, or you might fear the changes would be too much. Kind of like a moderate.
But here is what most people get wrong, and confuse right away. They see this anti-establishment motive, and without putting thought into the effects, they see this extreme ideology and assume it means libertarians in power are for a fire-sale of the government. When in fact, they don't recognize the differences between Anarchism and Libertarianism. Anarchism takes Minarchy and applies even more layers of making the government leaner at the lowest possible form, sometimes at the community level by a minimum.
Big L: Libertarian Party (capitalized cuz it's a proper name) member
Small l: One who holds libertarian philosophy or values
There are many types of liberals. If you're comparing American libertarianism to American liberalism, I think the proper thing to do is to split the concept into two parts- a spectrum of fiscal liberalism/conservatism and a spectrum of social liberalism/conservatism. Liberals are basically social liberals, and libertarians are basically classical liberals. People are individuals, and their views may correspond to one group for the most part, but deviate in other aspects. In addition, both "camps" are extremely broad and include multiple rather different groups. These are superset generalizations.
Social liberals are socially liberal and fiscally liberal. That is, they believe in a lot of individual freedoms (in addition to free speech, freedom of religion, expression, and so forth, typically abortion rights, gay marriage, sometimes legalization of certain substances, etc) and they believe in macroeconomic policies that favor a degree of wealth redistribution and mixed economic planning (larger degrees of corporate regulation, environmental protection, progressive taxation, possibly universal health care, social security, etc).
The social liberal philosophy is to maximize freedom by means of ensuring everyone has at least the basics. That is, if government doesn't do enough, then many people are not truly free because they lack proper resources to get health care, get education, improve their standing in life, avoid being taken advantage of, etc. So it utilizes a degree of wealth redistribution, centralized arrangements like universal health care, and higher taxation to attempt to achieve the most freedom.
Classical liberals are similarly socially liberal, but are more fiscally conservative. That is, they're typically for individual freedoms like the above mentioned ones, but are also in favor of a limited government- typically lower taxes (possibly a flat tax, or a flatter progressive taxation), less regulation, pro gun rights, no universal health care, reduced social security, etc.
The classical liberal philosophy is to maximize freedom by means of the government getting in the way the least. From this perspective, the more laws and regulations, except for the most fundamental ones, the less freedom a person has. So limited government is emphasized. It's more market-based, for the most part.
Social liberals are socially liberal and fiscally liberal. That is, they believe in a lot of individual freedoms (in addition to free speech, freedom of religion, expression, and so forth, typically abortion rights, gay marriage, sometimes legalization of certain substances, etc) and they believe in macroeconomic policies that favor a degree of wealth redistribution and mixed economic planning (larger degrees of corporate regulation, environmental protection, progressive taxation, possibly universal health care, social security, etc).
The social liberal philosophy is to maximize freedom by means of ensuring everyone has at least the basics. That is, if government doesn't do enough, then many people are not truly free because they lack proper resources to get health care, get education, improve their standing in life, avoid being taken advantage of, etc. So it utilizes a degree of wealth redistribution, centralized arrangements like universal health care, and higher taxation to attempt to achieve the most freedom.
Classical liberals are similarly socially liberal, but are more fiscally conservative. That is, they're typically for individual freedoms like the above mentioned ones, but are also in favor of a limited government- typically lower taxes (possibly a flat tax, or a flatter progressive taxation), less regulation, pro gun rights, no universal health care, reduced social security, etc.
The classical liberal philosophy is to maximize freedom by means of the government getting in the way the least. From this perspective, the more laws and regulations, except for the most fundamental ones, the less freedom a person has. So limited government is emphasized. It's more market-based, for the most part.
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Good observation. Libertarians believe it is immoral to take money from one person and give it to another.