Classical Liberalism: Why Should Conservatives Like Libertarian Ideas? - Learn Liberty

Are you a conservative? If so, Dr. Stephen Davies suggests that it may be worth considering the ideas of libertarianism. For instance, conservatives tend to prefer institutions that have been tried and trusted, and want to maintain and uphold a traditionally established way of life. They also typically believe in an established or correct moral code. However, it does not logically follow that government should enforce all of these things. In fact, government enforcement of morals and traditions is often detrimental to both.

SUBSCRIBE:

FOLLOW US:

LEARN LIBERTY

[mariolis]

i am actually a conservative-libertarian hybrid

[marcparella]

"The Republican Party should stand for freedom and only freedom." -- Barry Goldwater

[branchbros]

I used to be a conservative, but now I'm a libertarian. :)

[marcparella]

"If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. " -- Ronald Reagan

[heatbucspies]

I used to think that conservatives did believe in libertarian principles.

[goldstardad]

Right, personhood has no scientific backing, but when life begins does. We have declared a Right to life...It must be protected.

[fede]

i really don't see how conservatism and libertarianism can "fuse" in any meaningful sense without one effectively swallowing up the other. this video, in fact, proves that.

[MuskratandRatman]

@rmeyerson2
I love it when people realize themselves as Libertarians. You are a fiscal Conservative and a Civil Liberal i.e.(Libertarian)

[vidyanandbapat]

For conservatives, family is the unit whereas for Libertarians, individual is the unit. Individual is the only unit which can be contemplated to which everything else can be reduced to but that cannot be divided any further.

[Lukyo]

"When you have to pay taxes to support the church, you can be sure it's going to tax your intellect as well." -Ravi Zacharias

[LucisFerre]

"Coerced, involuntary adherence to a set of moral values is not pleasing to 'god' and...not effective".

Not a good argument. "Conservative" Christians often argue that the Ten Commandments are a basis for morality "and law" even though it is completely coercive. Do this or you'll be stoned to death. Don't do that or you'll be stoned to death, etc. Of course, capitulation is not "moral behavior" at all, it's a reflection of ones willingness to buckle & comply in the face of terrorist threats.

[evelsteev]

uh...no. Look up "Libertarian" and them look up "Neo-Conservatives" They're NOT the same. One one wants a minimal government, the other does not.

[nicscov]

I think conservatives like libertarianism for the economic freedom. Free up the taxes and I think they'll be more pliant to gay marriage because they wouldn't be financially condoning it.

[jerichosfumato]

Whose bodily autonomy? The mother's body is not destroyed as a result of an aboriton, the unborn child's is. In other words, your assertion depends upon the premise that unborn life does not qualify for personhood, and therefore the right to autonomy. If a slave is not a person, he doesn't have rights. If that slave is a person with rights, the golden rule applies, but it would also apply to unborn life. I have articulated several reasons to recognize unborn like as deserving of "personhood."

[Quilldriver]

Yeah, I feel the same way. I think it's just easy to see what Liberalism is about and think, "Yeah, why would anyone NOT think this is the true and noble path?"

But the more I found actual reasonable people to share the other side's arguments with me, the more I saw the sense of libertarianism.

[evelsteev]

fede2 thinks that conservatives uphold individual liberty. LOL!

[heatbucspies]

SOOO true.

The beautiful thing about liberty and libertarianism is that if you want to be a Christian, Heterosexual, drinks and doesn't do drugs, family of four house int he suburbs, Football playing, Hamburger and Apple Pie eating American, you can! Noone stops you.

And I think that's beautiful, but

It just means you don't make every other person do that as well.

[Aphoresis]

@heatbucspies55

This talk about Conservatives wanting to "impose values" on others tends to be rather ambiguous.

The examples usually aren't very strong.

[joshc]

@MrMarket24 Conservatives don't support taking money from person A to give to person B. As far as voluntary donations, Conservatives donate more than Liberals.

[Onieracraft]

a society can also function if it decides to "family plan" past the point of birth into the first year of the life of a child. Many society's have and do practiced this, it is called infanticide through exposure. The Romans practiced it and the Chinese have practiced it fairly recently. Do you support this since it will not cause society to "collapse"?

Second, there is no "scientific " definition of personhood, personhood is not a scientific concept, it is a Philosophical one.