What is a Libertarian?

In the past I've talked a lot about specific issues from a Libertarian perspective, but I think I should also address a more basic question: What is a Libertarian? Because the Libertarian Party is still relatively tiny, I don't get the same reaction that a Democrat or Republican would when I tell people what political party I prefer. Instead of immediately understanding what I'm talking about, I am often asked that very question: What is a Libertarian?

Unfortunately, a few Libertarians feel a need to prove they are "more libertarian" than others, or prove that someone else is "not libertarian enough." I think that's destructive in many ways, so when I explain what it means to be a Libertarian, I want to avoid that kind of value judgement. I want to get at the core of libertarianism, rather than trying to nail down all the various facets that could be implied by libertarianism.

So here is my answer about what it means to be a Libertarian: Libertarians believe that you can manage your life better than the government can, and because you *can* do so, you *should* do so, without asking the government to take on that responsibility and without the government trying to stick its nose in your business even when you haven't asked.

Now, there are a lot of issue-specific arguments about whether libertarianism is a "good idea" or not, but at that core level, there is basically only one argument against it, specifically, that people are not able (or can't be trusted) to manage their own lives. I feel some pity for those who feel that they and their friends, families, and neighbors are so incapable or untrustworthy, but there is also a logical argument against taking that stance.

There are two basic positions on human nature, which you can find in politics, religion, philosophy, and so forth. One position holds that people are generally good, the other holds that people are generally bad. In both cases, however, libertarianism is the logical choice for how to structure government.

If people are generally good, there is very little need for government. For the most part, government is redundant. (I won't say that there is no need for government at all, as I think anarchy is as unworkable as any other "utopian" ideal.) If people are generally bad, then a powerful government should be avoided, because government is comprised of people! Giving those generally-bad people great power through government is asking for the abuse of that power. So, whether it is pointless or dangerous, government -- and government influence over our lives -- should be kept to a bare minimum.

You don't need to be a political scholar to understand that the US federal government is a far cry from being a "bare minimum," and the same can be said of many state and local governments in the US. The only good that can come from such a situation is that it gives me many topics to discuss here! I realize that I don't post very often to my blog, but please stay tuned -- perhaps with your RSS reader, so you don't have to manually check for new content. As time permits, I will continue to address relevant topics from a Libertarian perspective, and I hope you will also take time to leave comments on my blog. I appreciate your participation... Thanks!