Maxim A Wilson – 26.2.18

Libertarianism, from Latin: libertas, meaning freedom, is a broad political movement, which seeks to maximise liberty. Libertarians are opposed to any government interference into their personal, family and business decisions. We believe that all people should be free to live their lives as they see fit as long as they do no harm to another. This is a key part of Libertarianism: it’s called the non-aggression principle.

Libertarians oppose forced government taxation. While this at first might seem like a ridiculous statement at first, you have to delve in why you pay taxes? Do you pay taxes on their own account? Or do you pay taxes because the government forces you to do so? Fundamentally, the truth is you pay your taxes because if you do not, you’ll be fined, or worse, you may be sent to jail by the government and/or your hard-earned assets might be seized by the government. Libertarianism as a movement objects to the use of force to coerce people into doing anything. Thus, we think that the government forcing people to pay taxes is wrong. People should be free to make their own choices about what they want to do with their money. If people want to give money to the government for whatever reason, that is their right. If they want to spend it elsewhere, that’s their right.

We believe in strongly in the free-market’s power to provide tremendous opportunity for people of all backgrounds, interests and abilities. However, so-called ‘capitalist’ economies around the world are more crony capitalist than it is free. This is when the wealthy, powerful and special interests fund political candidates and when these candidates are elected, they are influenced by these groups into making laws that favour them. Real capitalism, when it is allowed to do so, provides tremendous opportunity for people of all backgrounds, interests and abilities.

Libertarians believe that the only proper role of government in the economic realm is to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. However, the vast majority of regulations in place right now around the world do not do that. These regulations are burdens for people who just want to make a living and businesses. This violates the rights the rights of people to engage in honest, peaceful trade. Fundamentally, Libertarians, in addition to reducing taxes, advocate removing unproductive regulation.

In addition, to economic freedom, libertarians strongly support social freedom and civil liberties. We believe that the equal rights of all people matter all the time. No exceptions. Libertarians value the right of all to live in whatever manner they choose, so as long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose. We also believe that the government must treat all people fairly and equally before the law.

We seek to:

• Protect freedom of religion, association, speech, press and assembly.
• Strengthen rights against unreasonable searches and seizures.
• Fight against government overreach and government spying programs.
• Protect internet freedom and privacy.

Furthermore, we believe in the legalisation of recreational drugs. Libertarians believe that it is immoral for the government to dictate which substances a person are permitted to consume. These decisions belong to individual people, not the government.

Libertarians seek a foreign policy of peace. The West relies too heavily on military might in foreign policy. For more than a decade, our country has been waging active wars in the Middle East. This has left thousands dead and many more thousands wounded physically and mentally.

The West entered into nation building thinking that it would help improve parts of the world that terrorists find opportunistic. Unfortunately, this nation building has backfired. We now know that no matter how sophisticated our military is and no matter how much money we spend, nation building is far more complicated that we originally thought. Additionally, it may likely create more terrorists than it suppresses.

Libertarians believe that war is justified only in defence. We are opposed to conscription. If a war is necessary and just, people of all backgrounds will volunteer to fight it. We believe that conscription enforced by law is not different to slavery.

Libertarians believe that Western foreign policy should focus more heavily on developing communications among peoples and finding peaceful resolutions to disagreements. We believe in having a strong military that can defend us well if we are attacked.

Overall, libertarianism is the only political movement that seeks to strengthen liberty. Conservatism, on the one hand, tends to place many restrictions on peoples’ right to bodily autonomy, and leftism, on the other hand, puts many restrictions on economic freedom and in some cases, on peoples’ right to bodily autonomy as well. And therefore, as I am a freedom-loving individual, respecting other’s peoples’ right to live their own life, I am a proud libertarian and will continue to be so.