What are some key differences between Liberalism and Libertarianism?

Question

There are differences aren't there?

Answer 1

Libertarianism is a politcal philosophy.

Liberalism is a political philosophy, but it is also a mental disorder.

Answer 2

Liberalism and Libertarianism are the same on social policy (they think people should be able to do what they want in their personal lives, and the government shouldn't interfere). But they are the opposite on fiscal policy. Liberals are socialists or communists, and Libertarians are capitalists.

On foreign policy, Liberals are cowards. They always want to surrender to and appease our enemies, and they blame America for all our problems. Different Libertarians take different positions on foreign policy.

Answer 3

I have been a libertarian for a very long time. The smallest and most important unit of government is the individual. So long as one does not interfere with the equal rights of any other individual, government should leave him alone. Physically, financially, socially, and in any other way.

Liberalism (modern) tends to feel that the solution to social and fiscal ills is to use the government to adjust and control individual and group behavior. Total opposites.

Answer 4

big difference

National Platform of the Libertarian Party

Adopted in Convention, July 2, 2006, Portland Oregon
Preamble
As Libertarians, we seek a world of liberty; a world in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives and no one is forced to sacrifice his or her values for the benefit of others.

We believe that respect for individual rights is the essential precondition for a free and prosperous world, that force and fraud must be banished from human relationships, and that only through freedom can peace and prosperity be realized.

Consequently, we defend each person's right to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest, and welcome the diversity that freedom brings. The world we seek to build is one where individuals are free to follow their own dreams in their own ways, without interference from government or any authoritarian power.

These specific policies are not our goal, however. Our goal is nothing more nor less than a world set free in our lifetime, and it is to this end that we take these stands

this is a great start to their platform, in my opinion they are the best party out there

rest of the platform is listed on there website

as for the liberals it depends on which country you are talking about but they usually think that the governments job is to take care of all aspects of life

vote libertarian

vote ron paul

the only wasted vote is for the status quo

Answer 5

Libertarians believe that people are responsible for themselves. They believe that the government interfering with that in anyway should be avoided most of the time. If they want to smoke pot then they should be allowed. Liberals believe there are few morals. They believe that people cannot take care of themselves and that the government has to be the parent so to speak.

Answer 6

Liberals hate guns; Libertarians don't.

Liberals love big government; Libertarians don't.

Answer 7

With Liberalism, based on the older definition of "being more generous, freedom loving," there is a belief that government can serve the people by enhancing their potentialities. With Libertarianism, one claims to love freedom or liberty, but one does one's level best to deconstruct what the others have done, all while proclaiming the need for the least goverment possible.

Answer 8

A Liberal wants to give public money to anyone who needs money (mostly in the form of cash payments and government-sponsored programs). Libertarians want government to protect the country, build roads, run the Post Office, and not much else. Libertarians believe that if you want to kill yourself with heroine, you should be able to. If you can't earn enough to survive, you should die. Totally opposite viewpoint from Liberals.

Answer 9

Libertarians expect smaller government and more self sufficiency and liberals are the mirror image.

Answer 10

HUGE difference.

liberalism is in favor of increasing the size and scope of government, banning guns, limiting speech, welfare state, etc,

libertarians are against all of the above, we are actually closer to conservatives (real conservatism, not neoconservatism). Incidentally, many LP members are former Republicans who became disgruntled with the GOP because they have abandoned conservative values.

We believe that you can do whatever you want to, as long as you do not harm other people or violate their rights.


How can anybody not see the differences? I think that the fact that many people don't know what libertarians believe demonstrates that libertarians and libertarian ideals are ignored by the media, perhaps because if the LP was more powerful, many people would leave their parties which have become overly-authoritarian in that they are willing to sacrifice our liberty, which is more valuable than all of the money in the world.

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"The main political problem is how to prevent police powers from becoming tyrannical. This is the meaning of all struggles for Liberty." Ludwig Von Mises

"The true danger is when Liberty is nibbled away, for expedients and by parts.... The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men do nothing." Edmund Burke

"It is seldom that any Liberty is lost all at once." David Hugh

"A government big enough to supply you with everything you need is a government big enough to take away everything that you have.... The course of history shows that as the government grows, liberty decreases." Thomas Jefferson

"Freedom has cost too much blood and agony to be relinquished at the cheap price of rhetoric." Thomas Sowell

"If none were to have Liberty but those who understand it, there would not be many freed Men in the world." Lord Halifax

"Liberty has never come from Government. It is always come from the subjects of Government. The history of Liberty is the history of resistance." Woodrow Wilson

"America was established not to create wealth but to realize a vision, to realize an ideal-to discover and maintain liberty among men." Woodrow Wilson

"We will never be through with our fight for Liberty, because their will always be people who do not want the responsibility of freedom, and the will always be people who will gladly take that responsibility away from them, for the power it brings." N. Scott Mills

"In any free society, the conflict between social conformity and individual Liberty is permanent, unsolvable, and necessary." Kathleen Morris

"The object and practice of Liberty lies in the limitation of Governmental power." General Douglas MacArthur

"When the same man, or set of men, holds the sword and the purse, there is an end to Liberty." George Mason

"The argument for Liberty is not an argument against organization, which is one of the most powerful tools human reasoning can employ, but an argument against all exclusive, privilege, monopolistic organization, against the use of coercion to prevent others from doing better." F. A. Hayek

"Of Liberty I would say that, in the whole plenitude of its existence, is unobstructed action according to our will. But Rightful Liberty is within limits drawn around us by the Equal Rights of others. And I do not add ‘within the limits of the law’, because the law is often but the Tyrants-will, and always so when it violates the Rights of an individual." Thomas Jefferson

"No Man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation." General Douglas MacArthur

"Necessity is the plea of every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of Tyrants; it is the Creed of slaves." William Pitt

"Make men wise and by that very operation you make them free. Civil Liberty follows as a consequence of this; no usurp power can stand against the artillery of opinion." William Godwin

"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace.We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." Samuel Adams

Answer 11

Liberals want the government as big as possible. Libertarians tend to want as little government intrusion into their lives as possible.