What is the Libertarian Philosophy?

originally posted by: PraetorianAZ
My thoughts on being Libertarian would be: Do whatever you want in life just dont impede on the life and liberty of another person.

The fundamental axiom, tenet, or boilerplate underlying Thelema—known as the "Law of Thelema"—is "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law". ... Thelema was developed in the early 1900s by Aleister Crowley, an English writer, mystic, and ceremonial magician.

a reply to: FilthyUSMonkey

Libertarianism is concerned with liberty or freedom. There are libertarian socialists, libertarian capitalists, libertarian communists, and libertarians of all stripes.

originally posted by: Propagandalf
a reply to: FilthyUSMonkey

Libertarianism is concerned with liberty or freedom. There are libertarian socialists, libertarian capitalists, libertarian communists, and libertarians of all stripes.

So the term can mean a lot of things to different people. When the term is used, should it be qualified?

originally posted by: FilthyUSMonkey

originally posted by: Propagandalf
a reply to: FilthyUSMonkey

Libertarianism is concerned with liberty or freedom. There are libertarian socialists, libertarian capitalists, libertarian communists, and libertarians of all stripes.

So the term can mean a lot of things to different people. When the term is used, should it be qualified?

Here is a political compass. Take it with a grain of salt as many try to quantify the nuance of political stances, but sometimes visual representations help.

The political compass has two axes. One represents economic issues as right-vs-left. The other represents issues of freedom, or social issues, as authoritarian-vs-libertarian. One can determine their position on the political compass through an online quiz by the same name.

wiki

here is the quiz to see where you fall, about ten minutes.

It is also a philosophy of no wars of aggression which is a very appealing part of the Libertarian philosophy. I am not a pure Libertarian anymore than I am a Democrat or Republican. I am for almost no Federal Government and free market capitalism within the U.S. borders. I also believe in fiscal responsibility and natural law.

a reply to: Metallicus

I also believe in fiscal responsibility and natural law.

Natural law kind of concerns me. It seems to invite an interpretation of higher laws that can be (and have been) abused by religions and other groups in the past.

Historically, natural law refers to the use of reason to analyze human nature to deduce binding rules of moral behavior from nature's or God's creation of reality and mankind. The concept of natural law was documented in ancient Greek philosophy, including Aristotle,[2] and was referred to in Roman philosophy by Cicero. References to natural law are also found in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, later expounded upon in the Middle Ages by Christian philosophers such as Albert the Great and Thomas Aquinas.

Wiki

Modern Libertarianism: If the government enslaves you, it's bad. If a corporation enslaves you, you're free to move elsewhere.

a reply to: FilthyUSMonkey

Natural law kind of concerns me.

I think of it like this. There must be a “victim” of person or property for a crime to have been committed. Consenting commerce between adults isn’t the concern of the Government or at least it shouldn’t be. Liberty of individuals is respected over statutes.

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: FilthyUSMonkey

Natural law kind of concerns me.

I think of it like this. There must be a “victim” of person or property for a crime to have been committed. Consenting commerce between adults isn’t the concern of the Government or at least it shouldn’t be. Liberty of individuals is respected over statutes.

I think the government gets involved when commerce occurs and one (or both) sides are unhappy with the outcome. One of the prime functions of the state is to resolve disputes to avoid violence. Think about being sold a junk car with sawdust in the transmission. You can go beat up the seller and get your money back, or sue. The state wants you to sue, not go on a beating spree.

That might not be a good example, because you could have disassembled the transmission prior to buying the car (do people even pull this trick anymore?), but you can see what I am saying.

Fiscally Conservative / Socially Liberal

The scale slides and too often people mistake themselves as Libertarian when they slide off the scale one way or the other.


During the 2012 Romney/Obama election, the Gold ol Boy Idaho Republicans(staunch Conservative side) in the crowd called us Ron Paul voters "Liberals". They weren't wrong. Technically compared to them, Libertarians were just that, pro choice- no government intervention on abortion, non restrictive boarders, etc.

originally posted by: CriticalStinker

originally posted by: FilthyUSMonkey

originally posted by: Propagandalf
a reply to: FilthyUSMonkey

Libertarianism is concerned with liberty or freedom. There are libertarian socialists, libertarian capitalists, libertarian communists, and libertarians of all stripes.

So the term can mean a lot of things to different people. When the term is used, should it be qualified?

Here is a political compass. Take it with a grain of salt as many try to quantify the nuance of political stances, but sometimes visual representations help.

The political compass has two axes. One represents economic issues as right-vs-left. The other represents issues of freedom, or social issues, as authoritarian-vs-libertarian. One can determine their position on the political compass through an online quiz by the same name.

wiki

here is the quiz to see where you fall, about ten minutes.

I can't quite buy into your quiz. I ended up mostly in the middle, but slightly to the authoritarian left, lol. Probably the opposite of what I thought I would be.



ETA: Probably why I don't fit into any party or philosophy. I have my own opinions on things so I end up somewhat enigmatic.

a reply to: Metallicus

That looks about as "middle" as one could get. You must get along well with most folks in real life.

I worked on Gary Johnson's campaign and I never quite understood the Libertarian ideology or even if there is one.

It seemed to be a lot of drinking and networking.

a reply to: FilthyUSMonkey

Die Grandma!

a reply to: CriticalStinker

I don't know about that diagram. But I don know a Democrat from Texas is further to the right than a Republican from New Jersey.

originally posted by: olaru12
I worked on Gary Johnson's campaign and I never quite understood the Libertarian ideology or even if there is one.

It seemed to be a lot of drinking and networking.

Drinking?

Oh, I see the draw now...

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: FilthyUSMonkey

Die Grandma!

I hope you are typing in German and giving a shout out.

ETA

But shouldn't it be grossmutter then???

edit on 10-1-2019 by FilthyUSMonkey because: (no reason given)

a reply to: Metallicus

I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case.

The US is a liberal democracy, and that's not a bad thing.

That test may be very well calibrated for global views.

Even much of the right is for gay marriage and things of the sort.

You may still be considered right wing for American politics.

originally posted by: olaru12
I worked on Gary Johnson's campaign and I never quite understood the Libertarian ideology or even if there is one.

It seemed to be a lot of drinking and networking.

Well Gary Johnson was a supreme dumbass.

I think Ron Paul would have been a better example.

The libertarian platform also gets used by people not wanting to be part of the two party structure who aren't necessarily libertarian.