Students explains political views on Libertarianism
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 6:41PM By Trey Stokes
“Where the people fear the government you have tyranny. Where the government fears the people you have liberty.”
- John Basil Barnhill
People have wants. Wants are a basic part of human nature. People want to enjoy themselves and do things that make them happy. For some, this can mean going to religious services, publishing music or art, partaking in certain substances, loving members of the same sex, or a plethora of other actions that can make an individual happy. However, in today’s society, some of these actions are disallowed, restricted, or censored in the name of family values or the greater good of society.
As a libertarian, I believe in the inalienable sovereignty and autonomy of the individual. Therefore, I believe that adult individuals have the right to attend whichever religious services they choose, create and publish whatever art they choose, ingest into their own bodies whatever they choose, and love and marry whomever they choose. And all of this should occur with no government interference or censorship.
So what exactly is libertarianism? By definition, libertarianism is a philosophy that emphasizes individual liberty, voluntary association, and respect of property rights. The concept of individual liberty reiterates the ideals of sovereignty and autonomy of the individual; that is, rational individuals should be able to make decisions without coercion. In a more collective sense, the concept of free and voluntary association means that two or more autonomous individuals should be able to gather and interact with each other without government interference. Finally, the concept of private property means that the fruits of an individual’s labor should be wholly owned and controlled by that individual, without meddling from the government.
I like to sum up my perspective on libertarianism by acknowledging the three inalienable freedoms every individual should have.
1. Economic freedom to choose how to provide for one’s life. This means that one should be able to work, gather the fruits of their labor, and save or spend it as they see fit.
2. Social freedom to choose how to live one’s life. This means that one should be able to participate in activities of their choosing, provided that others are not harmed in the process.
3. and intellectual or expressive freedom to choose how to express one’s self. This means that individuals have the right to create and express ideas how they see fit, whether it be in a debate, book, song, or painting.
In my subsequent columns, I will be taking these principles and giving my view on various current events and issues in America and worldwide.
