Liberalism vs. Libertarianism

By · Jul 2, 2020 · 3 min read

Liberalism and libertarianism emerged as two distinct political ideologies in the late 20th century. At its core, libertarianism rejects government power and regulation in any form. In contrast, liberalism supports government interference in respect to some policy issues.

Separating the Two Ways of Thinking

Liberals today denounce government’s role in imposing a rigid conception of marriage or women’s reproductive rights. However, they take no issue with increasing the government’s power to regulate guns, corporations or wealth distribution. Liberals embrace the use of government power to address economic problems. An example of a liberal platform can be viewed on the Democratic Party website here. Liberals generally advocate for high income tax brackets as well as high corporate taxes. They contend that these types of regulations and mechanisms of redistribution help funnel resources to the most needy through publicly-funded programs such as Social Security and Medicare. This toleration of authoritative power makes liberals distinct from libertarians.

Being a liberal means being on the “left” side of the political spectrum. This generally involves a belief system that embraces empathetic policies such as leniency towards immigrants and healthcare for all. Liberals also back the idea that government should use its power to address climate change. In practice, legislation from the left helps regulate the economy for the purpose of promoting the livelihood of the public. They emphasize the role of government in helping the needy. Libertarians argue that these actions by government are over-extending and thus putting unnecessary pressure on economic opportunities and free enterprise.

Libertarianism is not as complicated as liberalism. From drugs to corporations, libertarians say that the government has one good option: to stay out of it. The ideology does not believe in using power or regulation as a means of promoting economic growth or civil rights. In practice, this translates into minimal taxes and very little government interference in the economy. They believe that this allows entrepreneurship and small business to flourish through free enterprise without the pressures of taxes or regulation. For instance, Rand Paul, a libertarian conservative in the Senate, supports a flat tax rate and lower government spending in order to move towards a more balanced budget. In addition to identifying government regulation as a harmful force on small corporations, libertarians argue that regulatory bodies such as the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) can limit the potential for capital gains.

Libertarians believe that this sort of freedom is also conducive to addressing other issues. For example, free markets are seen as creating competitive and lower prices in healthcare and education. But, while conservatives agree with these ideas, libertarians take it one step farther. Contrary to Republican’s dedication to the War on Terror, the Libertarian Party advocates for small government in foreign policy as a means of promoting peace. In addition to foreign and economic policy, libertarians maintain that government does not have a right to infringe upon social aspects of American civilization such as female reproductive decisions and gun ownership. For more information on their platform, the Libertarian Party has posted its platform on issues here.

Given the current COVID crisis, libertarians stand fervently against tightened regulations on individuals and businesses. Rand Paul, a self-identified “libertarian conservative,” has introduced S. 3922, the Coronavirus Regulatory Repeal Act, which forces federal agencies to justify imposed regulations. This firmly opposes liberal politician’s willingness to advocate for regulations as a means of preserving the livelihood of the public. Rather than trust the government to implement crisis management at the expense of personal freedom (such as forcing people to wear masks), libertarians will claim that regulations actually hinder the efficiency of recovery during this crisis. Rand Paul and Rep. Thomas Massie, a libertarian in the House, also denounced exercising government power fiscally as they opposed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) which provides $2 trillion in relief for the crisis. No matter how big the emergency, a true libertarian would likely never tolerate an increase in authoritative power as a means of solving it.

Politicians

Cory Booker helps demonstrate the difference between libertarian and liberal policy issues because of his varying views on policy issues. He is usually considered liberal with his advocacy of programs such as the Affordable Care Act and requirements of comprehensive background checks for gun owners. But, his supportive attitude towards charter schools is clearly libertarian in its aim to give both profit-driven entities and consumers less limitations in education.

Justin Amash was a longstanding Republican Party member before officially declaring himself a member of the Libertarian Party in 2020. Despite his withdrawal from a campaign for the presidency, Amash ideology is clearly informed by libertarianism with his aim to use free markets and privatization to address foreign trade and industries such as education and healthcare. In addition, he supports maximizing civil liberties such as the freedom to own a gun.

 

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