Of course, you and I both know libertarians are as far from the original construct. I believe I took a liberty there that my friends who claim libertarianism might find not to their liking: the original construct. While, early theorist may have coined the phrase around an ideology with a core nucleus of freedom to do as one wishes, modern day libertarianism is nothing more than a metastasized conservative movement with denizens who are predominantly younger white males.
The movement has also attracted segments of the population that are far from tolerant of others, and segments who have taken individual freedom to the level of elitist individualism. Moreover, the movement has two uber wealthy plutocrats (Charles and David Koch) who have openly espoused selfish-degraded levels of anti-federal government views, while advancing state's rights as a core principle.
Is there any wonder Clive Bundy, the Nevada farmer, has been reported to have received support from the Koch's Americans for Prosperity? Chris Hayes, MSNBC ALL In and Eric Boehlert, Media Matters, discuss the classic example of libertarian state's rights. It is truly unfortunate the movement also attracts an element of white supremacy and white nationalists. Let's be honest, Ron Paul, noted celebrity Libertarian, not only placed his name on his 1990's (racist) newsletters, he has been captured in close cohort with the Ku Klux Klan, and other supremacist groups. In that context, the following definition of Libertarian does not seem to apply to all Americans.
What is Libertarian?The libertarian or "classical liberal" perspective is that individual well-being, prosperity, and social harmony are fostered by "as much liberty as possible" and "as little government as necessary."These ideas lead to new questions: What's possible? What's necessary? What are the practical implications and the unsolved problems? Below are a number of different takes on the libertarian political perspective from which you can deepen your understanding; also be sure to check out the videos in the sidebar.
According to The Machinery of Freedom by David Friedman, Open Court Publishing Company, 1973.
According to Libertarianism: A Primer by David Boaz, Free Press, 1997.
According to Funk and Wagnall's Dictionary
According to American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition, 2000.
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I have referred to the following study in the past. I will re-post key components of the study and link the full report (via pdf and via Scribed) for you perusal. The Public Religions Research Institute shows the movement is outside the realm of a main-stream society and has not developed with inclusivity for all as a underlying reality.
Libertarians By the Numbers: A Demographic, Religious and Political Profile
[11.07.2013]
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The recently released American Values Survey found that consistent libertarians make up seven percent of the American public, while an additional 15 percent have libertarian leanings. The Graphic of the Week explores the unique profile of this increasingly important political constituency.
Compared to Americans overall, libertarians are composed of a much larger portion of men than women. More than two-thirds (68 percent) of libertarians are men, while 32 percent are women. They are also racially homogeneous, with nearly all (94 percent) libertarians identifying as non-Hispanic whites. They also skew significantly younger. More than 6-in-10 (62 percent) libertarians are under the age of 50, including one-quarter (25 percent) who are under the age of 30.
Libertarians have a distinct religious profile as well. A majority of libertarians identify as white mainline Protestants (27 percent) or religiously unaffiliated (27 percent). Roughly one-quarter (23 percent) of libertarians identify as white evangelical Protestant, while only about 1-in-10 (11 percent) identify as Catholic.
Although libertarian political beliefs—supportive of marijuana legalization while opposed to minimum wage hikes—make them somewhat unique, their political behavior closely resembles that of other conservative constituencies. In the 2012 presidential election, fully 8-in-10 (80 percent) libertarian voters say they supported Mitt Romney, while only 5 percent say they supported Barack Obama. Notably, however, 14 percent of libertarian voters report that they supported a third-party candidate. Close to half (45 percent) of libertarians identify as Republican, compared to only five percent who identify as Democrat.
Taken together, the demographic, religious and political characteristics make libertarians unique in American politics today. To learn more about this constituency and for other findings from the 2013 American Values Survey: In Search of Libertarians in America, please check out the full report (pdf.).
Or you can view the report via Scrid (below)
Report graphic highlights
Awesome Screenshot Capture and Annotate report pages. We will comment below in compliance with Public Religions Research Institute guidelines and policy.
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