Assessing Libertarianism

Isaac Haught

Libertarianism is defined as “an extreme laissez-faire political philosophy advocating only minimal state intervention in the lives of citizens.” Laissez-faire stresses the abstention of government interposition in business, and the rest follows the idea that the government should have negligible involvement in affairs outside of economics. Inspired by the tyranny of absolute monarchists in the 1600’s, libertarianism rose to become what it is today because it limits the power of one person, or even a group of people in the best interest of a certain country or territory. Libertarianism is a simple yet intriguing form of management which, in a world with increasing uncertainty and new problems arising daily, should be considered as viable and possibly even a messiah in a time of such distress. This highly misrepresented political theory emphasizes freedom above all other values, but still prioritizes integrity, respect and other related ideals. 

One of the key concepts that falls under libertarianism is individualism. Each individual citizen has the freedom to make all of their own decisions provided that they do not violate the rights of others. Each citizen is rendered equal and as such deserves equal liberties, a progressive and valuable point. What libertarians consider to be God-given entitlements encompass many areas and are not situational by any means. These rights are protected by a constitution in most cases, and can only be taken away in the circumstance that one has infringed upon another’s rights. This belief is known as the Rule of Law and is held closely by many as one of the principle pillars of libertarianism. Subsequently, libertarians highlight the sustenance of peace under nearly all conditions to be of utmost importance as well. 

The second most defining characteristic of libertarianism is the weight on limitation of government. The limitation of government, according to the libertarian train of thought, allows for the protection of privileges, keeps the power from being vested in too few people, and brings into play the free market. Libertarians believe that a free market is necessary for an economically prosperous population because more liberty, in their eyes, equals more success. One’s original plan might alter to fit the natural order of the free market, but this is worth it in the overall scheme of things, and will end up in general flourishment for those who work hard and emit intelligence. 

Because of the obvious statement that not every citizen contains the same amount of potential, the inevitable social and political hierarchy that will form needs to be addressed. Said hierarchy will evolve innately, and it will be crucial for universal thriving. The natural order which comes into play is so very complex, intricate and permeable, that movement between classes and other healthy sensations can easily occur without disturbing structure across the board. Libertarianism relies on the upper strands to support the lower strands in times of direness, and statistics support that the upper brackets will do so if needed. 

As stated, the three central pillars of this free political system are individualism, the limitation of government and a natural and capricious social order. While socialist and communist views are being pushed into the agenda of modern states and countries, the possible saving grace of libertarianism should absolutely be further explored by policy-makers and diplomatic influencers.