Conservatism vs. Libertarianism

Over the last decade, more and more people on the right have begun to refer to themselves as “libertarian” instead of “conservative” when describing their ideal way of running government.

While there are many good things about the libertarian view, there are dramatic differences between libertarians and conservatives.

This week, David Azerrad talks about the differences, clears up misconceptions, and pushes back against narratives.

[DavidPimentel]

This discussion assumes that there exists individual(s) who are *either* Conservative or Libertarian rather than both. Reality shows that there is a spectrum of affiliation with these ideological positions.

[davidhunt]

*_You cannot simultaneously have free immigration and a welfare state._*
~ Milton Friedman

[matsumoku]

This is why I'm skeptical of HF. I remember big gov't conservative style--satanic panic, aids scare, rock music bad, and no personal freedom. Gen Xrs will know what I mean. True classical liberalism is the ultimate---tiny gov't is what the founders were going for, not conservative big government.

[scotttaylor]

Don’t use force against peaceful people.

Is it really that hard,

[johnthomasfrederick]

David Azerrad, you say that Libertarians are wrong when the believe that: " ....other people's problems are never your problems unless you choose to make them so".

THAT IS RIGHT !! WHY? Because true morality is the "choice" to apply ethics to action. If you are acting moral simply because you are legislated to do so under the threat of punishment, you are not being moral you are simply being obedient.

Most Libertarians should (and do) understand that if we truly want a moral population, we must give people the freedom of CHOICE to develop & maintain ethics that will cause them to act morally. Because that is the very DEFINITION of morality!

Like most socialists, you have little or no faith in the morality of your fellow human being and, like a socialist, you believe that the solution is to somehow attain the power to FORCE obedience to your ethics upon the actions of others. This fear of and lack of faith in others is a psychological dysfunction in our society of epidemic proportions. (Made epidemic by the fear mongering tactics of power hungry politicians)

The truth is that the vast majority of people have ethics and given freedom will continue to act morally. Free people are also capable of stopping & punishing dangerous and immoral behavior without being forced to pay for a monstrous. invasive & expensive government bureaucracy.

You can not legislate or impose morality. Morality is a choice of action that can only occur through exposure to the ethics of love. You are deluding yourself to believe that your ethics, simply because they are traditional, are indisputably proven to be so correct that it is moral for you to force them down the throats of others. These are the egotistical delusions of narcissism, ignorance & arrogance.

[HapaxLegomenon]

Ron Paul's quote towards the start is very interesting. Returning to founding principles is revolutionary. In a way, that's surprising. The country is founded on these principles, how can returning to them by revolutionary? In another way, it makes total sense. The founding principles were established by revolution. Revolution can return us to them.

[reflect.]

If Rand Paul is a “libertarian”, you guys/gals have already lost.

[RascalKyng]

Society, much like honey bees and schools of fish, are self organizing. Libertarians believe that life is much like this, and human beings and morals will progress naturally. If the system has bad intervention and interference, it creates imbalances... Minimalism for the win.

[JanBruunAndersen]

#14:30 - no, libertarians do not believe that an aggressor should be locked up (in a prison) by a government. That costs money and does not bring compensation to the victim. Instead the aggressor should be forced to work in order to provide for his/her minimal, very minimal needs, and rest of the value of the work should go to the victim.

[llgameplays]

Thanks to Rand Paul, i feel atracted to Libertarianism.

[jeffreydavis]

Wait, this Conservatism vs. Libertarianism debate is between two conservatives?!?!?!?!!??!?!?!

[JanBruunAndersen]

#13:50 - no, the question is not what else but morality that should be legislated. The question is what gives you the moral right to decide how I should live my life?

All I hear in response to that question is that the ends (the continuation of a certain way of life, the Conservative way of life) justifies the means (legislation of morality, by use of force if necessary).

[JanBruunAndersen]

#11:50 - so conservatives wants safe spaces so my private drug use does not offend them? Gotcha!

[davidhunt]

Does the truth derive from authority or
Does authority derive from the truth?

Does respect flow more from admiration or from fear?

Is it easier to effectively organize people using voluntary association or threats of violence?

If it is wrong for the strong to exploit the weak, ... how is it not wrong for the weak to exploit the strong also?

Does equality under the law mean equal process under the law, or equal outcomes by law?

What unchosen, positive duties must a free people submit to in order for a society to be just and prosperous? Libertarians and Anarcho-Capitalists would seem to recognize _if you break it, you must fix it_ as such an unchosen, positive duty that all free people must comply with regardless of individual consent or not. While this one unchosen, positive duty is necessary, is it sufficient? Remember that every unchosen, positive duty necessarily grants the state (or whatever serves the coercive function of the state) the duty to use socially sanctioned initiatory violence in order to make moral free riders comply.

While there are many things free people *_should_* do, what things *_must_* a free people do?

Consider, if you will, the following...

*The Anarchist’s Constitution*

1. *There is no Sovereign Immunity.* Any Person (or Persons) who commits force, fraud, or trespass against any other Person’s life, body, or property is liable for restitution to repair the victim to their original condition.
2. *The Right to be left alone is Absolute, subject only to the enforcement of the first rule.* Any Person (or Persons) may deny the use of their life, body, or property to anyone else without any necessity to justify the reasons for their denial.
3. There are no exceptions to these 4 rules.
4. These rules being observed, … do whatever you will.

Remember, … any additional positive duties imposed necessarily imply the state’s right, even duty, to kill anyone who does not comply.

I tend to believe the best system is for the government to be libertarian, while the people choose to live conservative lifestyles. I am very struck by Rand Paul's statement that... _the only type of restraint that works is self-restraint._ Fundamentally, I believe that violence can only protect value while violence is impotent to create value. And that is what government is, ... not eloquence, not reason, but force. And force, like fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.

*_Liberty is always dangerous, but it is the safest thing we have._*
~ Harry Emerson Fosdick

*_[On ancient Athens]: In the end, more than freedom, they wanted security. They wanted a comfortable life, and they lost it all - security, comfort, and freedom. When the Athenians finally wanted not to give to society but for society to give to them, when the freedom they wished for most was freedom from responsibility, then Athens ceased to be free and was never free again._*
~ Edward Gibbon

*_It is indeed a singular thing that people wish to pass laws to nullify the disagreeable consequences that the law of responsibility entails. Will they never realize that they do not eliminate these consequences but merely pass them along to other people? The result is one injustice the more and one moral the less._*
~ Frederic Bastiat

*_The essential psychological requirement of a free society is the willingness on the part of the individual to accept responsibility for his life._*
~ Edith Packer

*_It is not the responsibility of the government or the legal system to protect a citizen from himself._*
~ Justice Casey Percell

*_Vices are simply the errors which a man makes in his search after his own happiness. Unlike crimes, they imply no malice toward others, and no interference with their persons or property._*
~ Lysander Spooner

*_Government does not grow by seizing our freedoms, but by assuming our responsibilities._*
~ Michael Cloud

*_The right to be let alone is indeed the beginning of all freedom._*
~ William O. Douglas

*_The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves._*
~ William Hazlitt

*_Success comes from arrogance but greatness comes from humility!_*
~ Marco Piere White

*_My whole take on libertarianism is simply that I don't know what's best for other people._*
~ Penn Jillette

[ebbyoma]

13:19- 14:46
18:09- 18:34
Just a personal bookmark.

[bwjohnson]

This guest is wrong on his entire premise because he is using the wrong persons to outline. This argument should be on true libertarian outlines and should downplay people who dawn the mantle of libertarianism. There was not one true libertarian in the race for 2016. We who are were disgusted by those who sought to represent our beliefs. No open borders. The truth is that we are often Constitutionalist. We just want what this country was founded on. For instance, true 2nd amendment. True free speech without speech police. Regulate for safety and not for dollars. Common sense laws and not invasive governance. I.E. You can not be searched without probable cause and not just because of fear of law enforcement. Equal justice and not a two teared system with incremental justice depending on your minority status because as human we have no minorities.
This was a waste of my data. What has gone wrong over there at the Heritage Foundation. The past few months you guys are really failing.

[neilstone]

6:47 Ayn Rand was an objectivist not a libertarian she hated being called a libertarian.

[davidhunt]

*_Defending my liberal values has become a conservative position._*
~ Dave Rubin

[jamescalbert]

SO glad you used the example of drugs when referring to how we, "...secure the Blessings of Liberty to...our posterity..." It's obvious to most people that the Prohibition of alcohol did more harm than good on so many levels. With that as a historical example of how attempting to legislate (control) the behavior of a population can have disasterous, unintended consequences, how could we possibly do the same thing with drugs?

[monet]

Great video! I have a better understanding on where I stand between these two!