Do libertarianism and isolationism go hand in hand?

Question

On the one hand I have heard the arguement that empire and small goverment are incompatible therefore isolationism is the only logical foreign policy for libertarians. On the other hand if you take a look at isolationist/neutral Switzerland they jail people who won't do the national service which they feel is essential to their neutralism. That doesn't seem very libertarian to me.

Therefore couldn't the case be made that internationalism is the most logical foriegn policy choice for libertarians as good allies/international cooperation will make for the lowest national defense burden and thus enable small goverment?

Answer 1

Most libertarians that I know including myself believe in free trade without government interference, and most also think national sovereignty is important. Meaning that most libertarians only oppose Globalization/internationalism when it involves the formation of super states and bureaucracies that generally don't represent the masses but a few elites and or larger corporate interests.

Answer 2

I believe it does coincide, yes. Just as Traditional Conservatism and Libertarianism have many similarities, so does Traditional Conservatism and Isolationism.
The polar opposite of National Isolationism is Globalism to the extreme: one world government.

I'm not sure I think that full on Globalism, which is what all countries are planning on,

ie One World Government is necessarily good either.

Why? Well, it has never been done before. I don't know if this is "progress",
"progress" isn't always good, but I guess it depends on how you look at it.
I think there is certainly a moral relativity going on in all govenments as their always was,
and civilians are usually the casualties of their misadventures.

There is usually one oversight to this, be it the UN or another future ruling entity,
and you must ask yourself:
Are these people undemocratically elected and unrepresentative of said people
who are making decisions for everyone all over the world necessarily in my interest? Or the interest of my neighbor, or of my born country?

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely,
So this ruling class (the Bilderberg group, heads of World Banks and Oil cartels, etc.)
who will have absolute power,
what will they do when they finally have acheived this mission of being the kings and queens of the globe?
The prospect is quite frightening.
If our ruling classes can not keep our own countries strait,
what makes us think these rulers of the world will be able to make sound decisions for everyone everywhere?

These supposed "world policing" missions are nothing but a rous for their real agenda, which is submission, domination and destruction of nations to their money making consolidation schemes.

That being said, there is obviously a gangster type club ruling many (or all) industrialized nations, or at least pulling the strings of the decision makers,

They already do not work for the people, we should face up to this and look rationally at what happened to the UK and the USA over the past 40 years, and especially the past 25 years.
They are using the MSMedia to distract and confuse us and keep us ignorant to their doings.

It is probably too late to even speak about Isolationism,
That boat has sailed decades ago.

Ideally, I would like for all nations to mind their own business and make their own countries as good as can be for their people and environment.
World policing should only be used in only the most severe circumstances and always for the 'right' causes, never to expand your own agenda.
Good trade relations and diplomacy are important, Government should interfere with business only when it comes to life and limb and environmental concerns.

But right now, elite in charge are just business representatives anyway.

Answer 3

Yes it could be argued that way...

Isolationism for a country is never good. Good solid foreign relations are always better. It's a big (sometimes bad) world out there...a country needs allies...and that's just one reason...