I have to admit, not with any shame or embarrassment, that I have never really understood the difference between such similar words as liberalism and libertarianism. Not that I have ever put much effort into trying to do so. So I am glad that someone, someone without any apparent axe to grind, has taken it upon themselves to describe in some detail what that is all about.
I am sharing this so that I have a record somewhere that I can look up if I am ever in doubt on the matter in the future – which is sure to happen since I have enough unwanted and uncared for rubbish swirling around in my elderly noggin already to commit this, what is for me a non-essential but occasionally useful nugget of information, to memory.
“The Difference Between Classical Liberalism and Libertarianism” – Daniel Miessler
For those who don’t even have the willpower to read this piece all the way through, here is a synopsis…
Apparently, Liberalism and Libertarianism used to mean something, something different that is, although they were things closely related but from a different standpoint. Nowadays, they are pretty much inter-changeable. In the author’s own words, “the distinction is negligible”
…and the thing they had in common? “…both are movements to reduce the influence of central authorities over individuals”.
That’s pretty much all you need to know on the subject. (I must remember to bookmark this post)
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