OrangeEmpire
The White Debonair
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2005
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In response to the perceived inadequacies of established ideologies, the last generation has seen a resurgence of classical liberalism, today called libertarianism. In a nutshell, libertarians hold to a doctrine of free will and advocate maximum self ownership. They favor widened personal freedom, believing that people should be allowed to do as they wish with themselves and their property, with only the requirement to recognise other's rights to do likewise as a limit on personal freedom.
Libertarianism is sometimes seen as a "third way" between traditional right vs left politics. Like leftists, they favor enhanced civil liberties and personal freedom, but reject the left's economic philosophies. Like rightists, they favor free markets but oppose social conservatism. They abhor racism, fundamentalism and fascism (extreme right) and socialism, political correctness and communism (far left) equally.
But libertarianism has its critics as well. Traditional conservatives and other right wingers argue that libertarianism will cause an erosion of civic virtue, public morality and ultimately of social order itself. They abhor the thought of legalizing drugs and prostitution and wonder how social order will be protected from internal and external threats in the face of vastly expanded civil liberties and reduced police and armed force.
Liberals, progressives and socialists raise concerns over the free market agenda, which they fear will enrich wealthy elites at the expense of everyone else. They cringe at the notion of abolishing regulations and programs that are designed to assist the poor, minorities, feminists, workers, the environment and others they consider socially disadvantaged.
Thoughts?
Libertarianism is sometimes seen as a "third way" between traditional right vs left politics. Like leftists, they favor enhanced civil liberties and personal freedom, but reject the left's economic philosophies. Like rightists, they favor free markets but oppose social conservatism. They abhor racism, fundamentalism and fascism (extreme right) and socialism, political correctness and communism (far left) equally.
But libertarianism has its critics as well. Traditional conservatives and other right wingers argue that libertarianism will cause an erosion of civic virtue, public morality and ultimately of social order itself. They abhor the thought of legalizing drugs and prostitution and wonder how social order will be protected from internal and external threats in the face of vastly expanded civil liberties and reduced police and armed force.
Liberals, progressives and socialists raise concerns over the free market agenda, which they fear will enrich wealthy elites at the expense of everyone else. They cringe at the notion of abolishing regulations and programs that are designed to assist the poor, minorities, feminists, workers, the environment and others they consider socially disadvantaged.
Thoughts?
