Right-libertarianism.html



Right-libertarianism or right libertarianism is a phrase used to either describe non-collectivist forms of libertarianism¹ or a variety of different libertarian views some label "right," including "libertarian conservatism."

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy states: "Libertarianism is often thought of as 'right-wing' doctrine. This, however, is mistaken for at least two reasons. First, on social—rather than economic—issues, libertarianism tends to be 'left-wing'. It opposes laws that restrict consensual and private sexual relationships between adults (e.g., gay sex, non-marital sex, and deviant sex), laws that restrict drug use, laws that impose religious views or practices on individuals, and compulsory military service. Second, in addition to the better-known version of libertarianism—right-libertarianism—there is also a version known as 'left-libertarianism'. Both endorse full self-ownership, but they differ with respect to the powers agents have to appropriate unappropriated natural resources (land, air, water, etc.)."²

Anthony Gregory writes that "left- and right-libertarianism can refer to any number of varying and at times mutually exclusive political orientations." He lists some of the right wing references as: being "interested mainly in 'economic freedoms'"; following the "conservative lifestyle of right-libertarians"; seeking "others to embrace their own conservative lifestyle"; considering big business "as a great victim of the state"; favoring a "strong national defense"; having "an Old Right opposition to empire." He holds that the real issue is not right or left but "whether a person sees the state as a major hazard or just another institution to be reformed and directed toward a political goal."³

Samuel Edward Konkin III defined the term "right-libertarianism" as an "activist, organization, publication or tendency which supports parliamentarianism exclusively as a strategy for reducing or abolishing the state, typically opposes Counter-Economics, either opposes the LP or works to drag it right and prefers coalitions with supposedly “free-market” conservatives.⁴ He wrote in "New Libertarian Manifesto" about the right-libertarian "anti-principles" of gradualism, conservatism, reformism and minarchism. He labeled as "right-libertarianism" neolibertarianism, libertarian progressivism, libertarian conservatism, constitutionalism, small government conservatism and paleolibertarianism.⁵⁶

See also

• Anti-Communism
• Capitalism
• Liberal conservatism
• Liberal theory of economics
• Left-libertarianism
• Monetarism
• Negative liberty
• Positive liberty
• Open Economy
• Propertarian

References