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The L Word

Carl Milsted, responding to my previous blog, notes that the word "libertarian" is very much at the root of the Libertarian Party's internal battles. He suggest dropping it. I still call myself a "libertarian" as it is the only term close to my own position which others are likely to understand, e.g. facebook doesn't have a "free liberal" option. Alternatively, I like to tell people I'm a "Hayekian liberal."

As F.A. Hayek said:

In the United States, where it has become almost impossible to use "liberal" in the sense in which I have used it, the term "libertarian" has been used instead. It may be the answer; but for my part I find it singularly unattractive. For my taste it carries too much the flavor of a manufactured term and of a substitute. What I should want is a word which describes the party of life, the party that favors free growth and spontaneous evolution. But I have racked my brain unsuccessfully to find a descriptive term which commends itself.

Thoughts?

/KDR


Comments

Yes, there are those who take a very narrow definition of the word "libertarian." I still use it, and I qualify it with terms like "lessarchist," "left", "moderate populist".

Big fan of Hayek's, but I wouldn't use "Hayekian liberal" on the street.

-RC

Heh, I'm not sure what to call the movement of which I count myself a part, but to really nail down my personal philosophy, you might call me a theistic geo-market anarchist. :p

Free-for-all (frfr-ôl) -- n. A disorderly fight, argument, or competition in which everyone present participates.

from Dictionary.com



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