Libertarianism

:This article is about libertarianism, a liberal individualist philosophy favoring private property (the most common meaning of the term today in the US, Canada, the UK and most other English-speaking countries). See libertarian socialism for the libertarian philosophy favoring socialism. The article "Libertarianism (metaphysics)" deals with the concept of libertarian free will. See also civil libertarian.

Terminology

The term "libertarianism" in the above sense has been in widespread use since the 1950s. Originally, in the 18th century, it referred to the philosophical doctrine of free will, as opposed to that of determinism. In that meaning libertarianism is opposed to necessitarianism (see Libertarian free will). Later, in the 19th century, the word was applied to political usage.

Related Topics:
1950s - Free will - Determinism - Necessitarianism - Libertarian free will

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The term's political meaning is a result of some French anarchists adopting libertaire as an alternative term for their ideas after the French government banned anarchism. It was first used in print in 1857 by French communist-anarchist Joseph Dejacque in a letter to individualist-anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon from New Orleans criticizing him for supporting private property in the product of labor and exchange markets. Dejacque also published a periodical in New York called "Le Libertaire" (The Libertarian) from 1858 to 1861.{{ref|Nettlau}} The English term "libertarian" was used in the 19th century and early 20th century in America to refer to one who espoused that country's native form of individualist anarchism --a type of anarchism that opposed communist and syndicalist anarchism, and supported private property and a market economy. But, for the most part, English-speaking anarchists choose to call themselves anarchists, individualist anarchists, anarchist-communists, or anarchist-syndicalists. Often, when distinguishing between the different uses of the term, the word libertarian is qualified as in "left-libertarian" or "right-libertarian" to distinguish between collectivist and individualist forms, respectively.

Related Topics:
French - Anarchism - 1857 - Communist-anarchist - Joseph Dejacque - Individualist-anarchist - Pierre-Joseph Proudhon - New Orleans - 1858 - 1861 - Individualist anarchism - Anarchist-communists - Anarchist-syndicalists - Left-libertarian - Right-libertarian

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In contrast, the Libertarian International Organization points out the term has usage to pre-Roman times as a class of self-governing person, surviving in Common Law as the concept of 'Freeman' immune form government questtion, regulation, draft or taxation and whose "Home is His Castle" substantially detroyed by the British Parliaments Corporation Acts of the XIXth century, (Britannica, 11th Edition) which also influenced jurists in many countries. Libertarians were understood in Iberian usage to mean such freemen, as was the term "Liberal," especially those living in self-governing or anarchist communes; and groups in the 1600's in Western Europe such as the Levellers used the term.

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A typographical convention

When the "L" in Libertarian is capitalized, the word often refers specifically to a member of a Libertarian Party, as distinct from someone who simply favors the philosophy of libertarianism. This distinction between Big-L Libertarianism and small-l libertarianism is important because many libertarians do not align themselves with a Libertarian Party for a variety of reasons. For example, their interpretation of libertarianism may not accord with the Libertarian Party's. Or, they may oppose party politics altogether. Some libertarians may even be members of other parties. Anyone who believes in the libertarian principle is a libertarian (lowercase), but a Libertarian (capitalized) is one who is aligned with a Libertarian Party and/or its platform. For example, Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman, author of the influential book Free to Choose, is a self-labeled "libertarian" who says he is a member of the United States Republican Party for the sake of "expediency".{{ref|FriedmanMilton}}

Related Topics:
Libertarian Party - Big-L Libertarianism - Small-l libertarianism - Nobel Prize - Milton Friedman - Free to Choose - United States Republican Party

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