Classical Liberalism Vs Libertarian

WeeGuy

13

im was hoping that someone could help me.

what is the difference between Classic Liberalism and Libertarian ideology?

Reply 1

Burridge

17

Original post by WeeGuy

im was hoping that someone could help me.

what is the difference between Classic Liberalism and Libertarian ideology?

Generally speaking, there isn't too much of a difference. Libertarianism is a type of classical liberalism - a more extreme version if you like. They share the same values for the most part. Both libertarians and classical liberals are minarchists, meaning they want to reduce the states functions to a bare minimum. With that being said, libertarians are often described as anarcho-capitalists; classical liberals are usually liberals and not anarchists. They're pretty closely aligned though - just imagine libertarianism being the more modern and intense version. The difference isn't clear cut though and you'd probably end up just splitting hairs if you wanted to have a real discussion about it :smile:

Reply 2

WeeGuy

OP

13

Original post by Burridge

Generally speaking, there isn't too much of a difference. Libertarianism is a type of classical liberalism - a more extreme version if you like. They share the same values for the most part. Both libertarians and classical liberals are minarchists, meaning they want to reduce the states functions to a bare minimum. With that being said, libertarians are often described as anarcho-capitalists; classical liberals are usually liberals and not anarchists. They're pretty closely aligned though - just imagine libertarianism being the more modern and intense version. The difference isn't clear cut though and you'd probably end up just splitting hairs if you wanted to have a real discussion about it :smile:

ok thanks.

Reply 3

captain.sensible

Original post by WeeGuy

ok thanks.

from my opinion (I got an A*), if you're doing a level politics/political ideologies, there is pretty much no difference at all between classical liberalism and libertarianism and usually the books don't seem to state this clearly and nor do the teachers state it, but trust me, in an exam, they will never ask for the difference nor will the difference be important (from what I remember, classical liberalism is in the liberalism sphere whereas libertarianism doctrine is in the anarchism sphere with people like thoreau being the main people of the ideology, so usually they're separated but essentially again they are the same thing but perhaps one is *implied* to be simply a stronger~ form of the other)

Reply 4

DaveSmith99

14

Essentially, they both have liberty as their main and only real goal, as their names suggest, but they differ on how to achieve liberty. They both think the state is a bad thing as it limits some liberties, but classical liberals see it as a regrettable necessity to ensure other liberties. The libertarian position evolved from the classical liberal one, and they advocate the abolition or near abolition of the state as the only way to ensure liberty. Liberalism essentially split in the 19th/20th centuries into big government and little government, libertarianism is the continuation of the little government split.

Reply 5

Rakas21

21

It's been largely said already but libertarianism is simply the more extreme version and based on anarchist principles more so than the strongly reformist principles of classical liberalism. One notable historical difference (though moral relativism has been applied to the point that it's not valid today) is that Gladstone was viewed as a domestic classical liberal but oversaw imperial expansion while libertarians tend to abide quite strongly by the non-aggression principle.

Reply 6

WeeGuy

OP

13

Original post by Rakas21

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Original post by DaveSmith99

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Original post by captain.sensible

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thank you all for your replies.

Reply 7

ChaoticButterfly

20

Also look into libertarian socialism.

Reply 8

Observatory

20

Libertarian is a word that has emerged in the US to distinguish classical liberals from social democrats, who successfully co-opted the label in the 1930s. In the UK, the original and Americanised meanings of the word liberal still coexist, though I think the American influence is gaining ground and will eventually win.

Classical Liberalism Vs Libertarian

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