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Libertarian conservatism

Topic: Philosophy

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 7 min

Libertarian conservatism is a political philosophy and ideology that combines right-libertarian politics and conservative values. Libertarian conservatism advocates the greatest possible economic liberty and the least possible government regulation of social life, mirroring laissez-faire liberalism, but harnesses this to a belief in a more traditional and conservative social philosophy emphasizing authority and duty.[1] Libertarian conservatism prioritizes liberty as its main emphasis, promoting free expression, freedom of choice and free market capitalism to achieve socially and culturally conservative ends as they reject liberal social engineering.[2] Frank Meyer, a prominent contributor to the National Review, has called this combination "fusionism".[3][4]

History

Libertarian conservatism began as an expression of individualism and the demand for personal freedom.[5][6]

Philosophy

In political science, the term "libertarian conservatism" is used to refer to ideologies that combine the advocacy of economic principles such as fiscal discipline, respect for contracts, defense of private property and free markets[7] and the traditional conservative stress on self-help and freedom of choice under a laissez-faire and economically liberal capitalist society with social tenets such as the importance of religion and the value of traditional morality[8] through a framework of limited, constitutional, representative government.[9]

Freedom and Virtue: The Conservative/Libertarian Debate, edited by George W. Carey, contains essays which describe "the tension between liberty and morality" as "the main fault line dividing the two philosophies".[10]

Nelson Hultberg wrote that there is "philosophical common ground" between libertarians and conservatives. "The true conservative movement was, from the start, a blend of political libertarianism, cultural conservatism, and non-interventionism abroad bequeathed to us via the Founding Fathers". He said that such libertarian conservatism was "hijacked" by neoconservatism, "by the very enemies it was formed to fight – Fabians, New Dealers, welfarists, progressives, globalists, interventionists, militarists, nation builders, and all the rest of the collectivist ilk that was assiduously working to destroy the Founders' Republic of States".[11]

Thomas DiLorenzo wrote that libertarian conservative constitutionalists believe that the way to limit government is to enforce the United States Constitution. However, DiLorenzo criticized them by writing: "The fatal flaw in the thinking of the libertarian/conservative constitutionalists stems from their unawareness or willful ignorance of how the founders themselves believed the Constitution could be enforced: by the citizens of the free, independent, and sovereign states, not the federal judiciary". He wrote that the powers accrued to the federal government during the American Civil War overthrew the Constitution of 1787.[12]

In the 1990s, Lew Rockwell, Murray Rothbard and others described their views as paleolibertarianism. They continued libertarian opposition to "all forms of government intervention – economic, cultural, social, international", but also upholding cultural conservatism in social thought and behavior. They opposed a licentious libertarianism which advocated "freedom from bourgeois morality, and social authority".[13] Rockwell later stated that they dropped that self-description because people confused it with paleoconservatism, which they rejected.[14][15]

Laurence M. Vance wrote: "Some libertarians consider libertarianism to be a lifestyle rather than a political philosophy... They apparently don't know the difference between libertarianism and libertinism".[16]

Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, Milton Friedman, Richard Posner, Richard Epstein and Albert Jay Nock have been described as libertarian conservatives.[2] Former U.S. Congressman Ron Paul[17] and his son U.S. Senator Rand Paul have been described as combining libertarian and conservative "small government" ideas and showing how the Constitution defends the individual and most libertarian views.

In 1975, Ronald Reagan stated: "I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism". However, some libertarians criticized Reagan for un-libertarian policy positions.[18]

Economics

Libertarian conservatism subscribes to the libertarian idea of free market capitalism, advocating minimal to no government interference in the market. A number of libertarian conservatives favor Austrian economics and are critical of fiat money, with many supporting policies like pay what you want cafes. Libertarian conservatives also advocate for ways to privatize services run by the government, from airports to toll booths.

Edward Feser emphasized that libertarianism does not require individuals to reject traditional conservative values. Libertarianism supports the ideas of liberty, privacy and ending the war on marijuana.[3]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Heywood 2015, p. 37.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 J. Richard Piper, Ideologies and Institutions: American Conservative and Liberal Governance Prescriptions Since 1933, Rowman & Littlefield, 1997, pp. 110–111, ISBN:0847684598, ISBN:978-0847684595.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Edward Feser, "What Libertarianism Isn't", Lew Rockwell.com, December 22, 2001.
  4. ↑ Ralph Raico, "Is Libertarianism Amoral?", New Individualist Review, Volume 3, Number 3, Fall 1964, 29–36; republished by Ludwig von Mises Institute, April 4, 2005.
  5. ↑ Schlesinger, Arthur (September 1933). "Vol. 48". The Rise of the City: 1878-1898. The Academy of Political Science. pp. 454–456. 
  6. ↑ Randall, Margaret (January 14, 2018). "Preface". Sandino's Daughters: Testimonies of Nicaraguan Women in Struggle. Rutgers University Press. pp. ii. 
  7. ↑ Johnston 2007, pp. 154–56.
  8. ↑ Johnston 2007, p. 154.
  9. ↑ Johnston 2007, pp. 154–155.
  10. ↑ George W. Carey (Editor), Freedom & Virtue: The Conservative Libertarian Debate, Intercollegiate Studies Institute, 1998. ISBN:1-882926-19-6.
  11. ↑ Nelson Hultberg, "True Conservatism vs. Neo-Conservatism" , "Americans for a Free Republic" website, December 20, 2006.
  12. ↑ DiLorenzo, Thomas. "Constitutional Futility". LewRockwell.com. http://archive.lewrockwell.com/dilorenzo/dilorenzo74.html. Retrieved July 2, 2008. 
  13. ↑ Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. "The Case for Paleo-libertarianism" in Liberty, January 1990, pp. 34–38.
  14. ↑ Johnsson, Kenny. "Do You Consider Yourself a Libertarian?". LewRockwell.com. http://archive.lewrockwell.com/rockwell/liberal-post-interview.html. Retrieved July 2, 2008. 
  15. ↑ Rockwell, Llewellyn H.. "What I Learned From Paleoism". LewRockwell.com. http://archive.lewrockwell.com/rockwell/paleoism.html. Retrieved July 2, 2008. 
  16. ↑ Vance, Laurence (January 29, 2008). "Is Ron Paul Wrong on Abortion?". LewRockwell.com. http://archive.lewrockwell.com/vance/vance133.html. Retrieved July 1, 2008. 
  17. ↑ Mafaldo, Lucas. "The Conservative Case for Ron Paul". LewRockwell.com. http://archive.lewrockwell.com/orig8/mafaldo1.html. Retrieved July 2, 2008. [yes|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
  18. ↑ "Inside Ronald Reagan", a Reason interview with Ronald Reagan, July 1975.

References

  • Heywood, Andrew (2015). Key Concepts in Politics and International Relations:Palgrave Key Concepts. Macmillan International Higher Education. ISBN 1-1374-9477-8. 
  • Johnston, Larry (2007). Politics: An Introduction to the Modern Democratic State. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 1-4426-0040-3. 

External links




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