Throughout modern politics, liberalism and conservatism have dominated and overshadowed other philosophies. However, the dynamic of libertarianism and liberalism is rarely discussed.
Despite common misconceptions, these two ideologies are not similar. While liberals focus immensely on social justice and equality, libertarians value liberty and freedom for all. Liberals favor big government as a means of enforcing egalitarianism, while libertarians recognize the importance of small government to engender the prosperity of self-government and the free world.
For quite some time, liberals were perceived as open minded, benevolent, and tolerant. The 2016 election and months since then have rapidly changed this once common notion.
Those who subscribe to liberalism have burned down buildings, physically attacked Trump supporters, and feigned hate crimes all because they dislike the current President. Liberal tolerance has ceased to exist; in fact, libertarians are the new “tolerant” group of Americans.
There is no group more inclusive and unbiased than libertarians. Libertarians advocate for limited government, personal responsibility, and economic independence, regardless of race, gender, religion, or the like.
Allowing others to live freely (so long as they do not infringe on the rights of others) is the ultimate display of tolerance. Liberalism has morphed into radicalism, under the guise of promoting fairness, thus creating the perfect opportunity for libertarianism to shine in all of its glory.
Liberals claim to stand for equality, but the dastardly tactics they’ve employed to attempt to censor their opposition proves otherwise. Placing liberty above all is true tolerance because it allows each person to reach for the stars and achieve their own version of greatness.
In a nutshell, liberalism is the antithesis of libertarianism.
While liberals advocate for large and intrusive government, libertarians promote limited government. Liberals divide and classify people according to their race and gender, unlike libertarians who thrive on individualism. When was the last time a libertarian suggested that a person’s skin color granted them privilege or afflicted oppression?
Equating liberalism with freedom is like making a deal with the devil. From a glance, liberalism may appear to be synonymous with societal advancement and equality, but this is merely an illusion.
Unlike libertarians, liberals are only tolerant towards like minded persons. For instance, conservatives and others who oppose abortion are often vilified by liberals; libertarians, on the other hand, believe the government should have no say in the matter, leaving the decision up to the individual. Real tolerance entails respecting the rights of others, in spite of disagreeing.
Liberalism and libertarianism are rarely discussed jointly because many people assume the ideologies are similar. This misconception is quickly disappearing as radical liberals show their true colors. While libertarians are genuine advocates for what they claim to support, liberals are counterfeits.
The illusion of tolerance will never overshadow genuine acceptance of others, even if their choices are dissimilar to our own.
The greatest contrast between liberals and libertarians is this: While libertarians support liberty and do not infringe on the rights of others, liberals seek to infringe on the rights of their opposition in order to promote twisted perceptions of equality.
Gabrielle Seunagal
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