libertarian

(noun)

A believer in a political doctrine that emphasizes individual liberty and a lack of governmental regulation and oversight both in matters of the economy ('free market') and in personal behavior.

Related Terms

Examples of libertarian in the following topics:

  • Peace

    • opposition to any organization of society through governmental force (anarchist or libertarian pacifism)

  • Property

    • Lastly, libertarians believe that private property rights are a requisite for rational economic calculation, and that without clearly defined property rights, the prices of goods and services cannot be determined in an "efficient" manner, making the most efficient economic calculation impossible.

  • The Law as an Instrument of Oppression

    • Anarchists and other libertarian socialists argue that police and laws themselves are oppression.

  • The Capitalist Critique of Socialism

    • Economic liberals, pro-capitalist libertarians, and some classical liberals view private enterprise, private ownership of the means of production, and the market exchange as central to conceptions of freedom and liberty.