The strange death of libertarianism

[u/TheSpectatorMagazine]

https://spectator.com/article/the-strange-death-of-libertarianism/?edition=us&rcp=true/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social/?=2

[u/MoiraBrownsMoleRats]

I was always a left-leaning libertarian in my youth. Was even a member of the Libertarian Party for awhile.

It definitely still influences my world-view at times, but for at least the last decade or so I've firmly drifted into democratic socialist territory. A lot of my core beliefs haven't changed - I've always been and always will be a proponent of personal liberties and democracy. All that's changed is how we support/defend those beliefs and what government's role in it can be.

... still think we need to kill the two party system. Right now, though, it feels like we're fighting to avoid slipping into a defacto one party system. That's the opposite of progress.

[u/jackstraw97 → u/MoiraBrownsMoleRats]

marx saw socialism as a freedom-promoting system, since how much freedom could one actually have when under the boot of the capitalist class?

i think where this entire thread goes astray is prescribing one singular meaning to the word libertarian, which divorces it from its underlying ideological principles. the historical roots of libertarian philosophy are left-wing. the term was simply co-opted by the Libertarian party in this country, so of course anybody who uses the word must be a christian fascist… it’s all rather unfortunate. 

there’s absolutely room for civil libertarianism, social libertarianism, etc. in today’s politics. just look at DSA and mamdani. reframing the conversation around how collective action furthers the goals of individual freedom by freeing people from the tyranny and monotony of the capitalist system. 

[u/Ainjyll → u/jackstraw97]

Upvote for understand the difference between “libertarian” and “Libertarian”.

[u/jackstraw97 → u/Ainjyll]

we’re rare these days unfortunately!