"Libertarianism provides the greatest amount of freedom to the individual. Thus, it is a superior ideology to other forms of liberalism." Libertarianism in the United States is a concept long explored and experimented with however, never fully embraced or implemented by a single ruling governing party. Many ideas of libertarianism have been discussed by politicians throughout the existence of the United States and the movement involving the North American continent started back when the founders developed the framework for our nation in 1776. The classical ideas of libertarianism are rooted in the writings of English philosopher and physician, John Locke, and can be found as far back as the U.S. Declaration of Independence. The principles can be found even farther back in global history and are demonstrated by the teachings of philosophers dating back to sixth century B.C. in China. Libertarianism can be loosely defined as an ideology where people tend to believe in conservative policy regarding economic issues as well as liberal policy regarding personal freedoms. (Boaz 1997) This paper will discuss the history of modern libertarianism, why it works in certain aspects of US policy, and how American's can choose to better embrace policies that support their individual freedoms.
The term 'libertarian' originates from the teachings of Murray Rothbard, a historian and political theorist, who was a central figure in the development of modern libertarianism. Rothbard authored more than 20 books on political theory, economics and revisionist history. He advocated for services usually provided via government programs to instead be provided by private enterprise. Rothbard argued that all services provided by the, "monopoly system of the corporate state," could instead be provided more efficiently by the private sector. He also opposed any and all intervention into the affairs of nation states outside of our own. Commentary on the military, political, and economic issues of non-American nations should be completely avoided in Rothbard's view. A focus on such issues is considered interventionism in Rothbard's eyes and he publically ostracized those whom stated otherwise. He is known for founding the Center for Libertarian Studies in New York which later moved to Burlingame, California and has since been disbanded however the publications are now archived in multiple internet repositories. Theories of libertarian thought turn up in the Tao Te Ching, a book written by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu in sixth century B.C. In the book, Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu wrote, "Without law or compulsion, men would dwell in harmony." Due to the current and ongoing American political turmoil it could be hypothesized that Lao Tzu would be considered too passive for modern American politics however, his principles of freedom for all men and minimal law to achieve societal good still hold true within a handful of modern international political systems. Libertarian principles are even referenced within a version of The Bible called the "Old Testament." According to the Old Testament, the Israelites lived freely and peacefully without a king or any other coercive authority. They were governed by their mutual adherence to their covenant with God and had no single ruler until the Jewish people requested a king in the first book of Samuel. However, when the Jewish people made this request, the book of Samuel states that God said,
"This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, for his chariots. And he will take your daughters, to be cooks. And he will take your fields, and your oliveyards, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and of your sheep. And ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen, and the Lord will not hear you in that day."
As we can clearly see from thousands of years of global historical references, libertarian principles have long existed and have also been embraced by multiple cultures with seemingly different governmental developments. The principles of liberty and freedom are desired by all humans even if we differentiate our forms of local government based on our cultural desires and end state goals.
Within American politics, multiple libertarian leaning representatives have attempted to promote civil liberties and fiscal conservativism however their successes have been few and far in between. Adam Smith, the Scottish economist who wrote the book, The Wealth of Nations, is routinely celebrated by advocates of the free market in America and abroad. Former Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, has stated that Adam Smith identified the general set of principles that brought conceptual clarity to the seeming chaos of financial market transactions. Greenspan also states that Smith's book is one of the great achievements in human intellectual history. Thought processes surrounding the concept of the free market system lean towards the thinking that the free market can provide the greatest room for a people to pursue their desires and ultimately enjoy a higher standard of living than other political ideologies. As referenced in, The Wealth of Nations, since the bulk of humans are assumed to operate in their own self-interests, the free market system will allow both growth and failure to happen as a natural order of sorts. Smith states in, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, that he believes sometimes people act out of benevolence and these acts should be encouraged by a society so as to assist in the uplift of others which benefits the greater good of a society as a whole. Former Congressman (Dr.) Ron Paul is known as a modern advocate for libertarianism and served in the U.S. Congress from periods of time spanning the years 1976 to 2013. He is known as one of very few people to run for the office of the President as a true libertarian. Paul has also been labeled "the intellectual godfather" of the modern Tea Party movement. (Green 2016) He is such a staunch libertarian that he is known as once voting against giving Mother Teresa the Congressional Gold Medal because the Constitution does not explicitly authorize such an expenditure. Paul established the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity which aims to provide the tools and education to chart a new course with the understanding that only through a peaceful foreign policy can we hope for a prosperous tomorrow. His teachings through the institute focus on peace with other nations and minimal American intervention. Sound familiar? He teaches peaceful engagement without extreme isolationism however he still advocates that American citizens be highly engaged in educating themselves on foreign policy so as not to allow our nation to fall behind modern times.
So how do we as Americans continue to progress as a society? How do we implement the principles of liberty, freedom, and personal choice free from government interference in this modern age? This author suggests simplicity in our dealings with the government and one another. Contracts can be written with simplified, clear, language and the assurance or quantification of benefits to both parties. Government can be removed from the school system so as to allow a greater choice amongst parents to direct the education of their children as they see fit. Government can remove itself entirely from the institutional lending business while still advocating higher education for all. Policy can be shaped to minimize tax code and further grow private business. Government can minimize the number of regulations that businesses must adhere to, with special considerations for the small business person as well as the budding entrepreneur. Growth cannot occur without freedom, and without freedom, a nation will not see any growth. With the general American sentiment that government cannot (or will not) save us all, libertarianism is prime for an even more broad acceptance by the American people today. Our youth scream for a greater voice and with the invention of digital communication and social media channels, they are getting new platforms to promote their views on freedom and tolerance in a greater capacity than ever imagined. This new set of communications freedoms allows for further exploration of the principles of liberty by an audience that may not have ever heard of the term. In essence, the digital age has actually added entirely new mediums for people to advocate for and express our own freedom.
In conclusion, mankind's long history of embracing freedom for our people has proven itself to be of intrinsic value. Humans over millennia have proven that we all crave personal freedom and financial stability. Autonomy is a key tenant of a human's happiness and when governments grow, autonomy seems to decrease. Libertarian principles date back to the dawn of societal organization. And while there are multiple "fathers" of libertarian movements over these previous generations, the principles have stayed mostly the same. Even though multiple political and educational leaders have attempted to promote libertarianism as a whole system to be embraced, history proves that the majority of a society is not accepting of the hardline libertarians, rather, they are accepting of the core principles of liberty and libertarianism. Which in the mind of this author, is the grandest "win" humankind could ever hope for.