Some libertarian quotations (or why the Conservatives are not the natural home for libertarians)
In the past, libertarians tended to defend actually existing capitalism because the most likely alternative model was much worse. Capitalists also were willing to talk about the value of free markets, even if they wanted protection - the reason being that they needed an apologetic that was not naked class privilege. With the collapse of orthodox socialism, however, the capitalists have dropped even their free market rhetoric, and we can start thinking about more free market alternatives. That is why people like Kevin Carson are so important. He reminds us that libertarianism is not the same as Tesco minus the State.
Sean Gabb on the Libertarian Alliance blog
libertarianism wants to advance principles of property but that it in no way wishes to defend, willy nilly, all property which now is called private.
Much of that property is stolen. Much is of dubious title. All of it is deeply intertwined with an immoral, coercive state system which has condoned, built on, and profited from slavery; has expanded through and exploited a brutal and aggressive imperial and colonial foreign policy, and continues to hold the people in a roughly serf-master relationship to political-economic power concentrations.
Karl Hess - Libertarian Forum Vol I. No. VI
These show why the Conservative Party is not the natural home of truly principled libertarians. The Conservative ideology is to entrench the current system of privilege and ownership.
The nature of property is a difficult problem, libertarians run the gamut from Locke to Proudhon, but they always accentuate that property should be justly acquired, not taken through force.
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June 4th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
I believe Libertarianism is almost more an attitude or a way of life, not to be confused with preset guide lines (conservative or liberal). A true Libertarian can be as conservative or liberal as they want on any given subject, as long as they respect the views of others. “All people have the right to live thier life as they please, without the right to interfere with others”. The personal views of a true Libertarian leader are not really that important, as thier main function is to preserve [our] individual values and freedoms, from others that would force thier values (conservative or liberal) upon us. “Anyone who claims to be conservative or liberal on all topics is a liar or a fool”. True Libertarians accept full responsibility for thier own life choices, and dont require leaders that would tell them how to think (conservative or liberal). Leaders should defend your personal freedoms and the choices that you make. Treat all people equal and let them sink or swim.