Am I a libertarian?

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While I lean little-l libertarian, I'm not really a real Libertarian (or that's what they tell me). I'm for less government (especially federal), for more isolationism and less militarism, and for more individual liberty and property rights and so on -- all things that align well with Libertarianism. But I also believe things that contradict most people that call themselves Libertarian (though isn't a requirement of the dogma, seems to be canon, for most). Things like I believe that society has a speed limit on change, or you get instability -- so not only which direction you go, but how quickly matters. I'm for some military intervention, I believe in fair trade over free trade (the market will work out free trade in long run, but in the short run people get hurt -- so you need limits), I'm for some social services (just less), and believe that most things (like the legalization of drugs) must come very slowly and with education or there will be backlash. Thus, I call myself more a conservatarian -- conservative on how quickly I'd want libertarianism, and conservative on how far down that path I'd go.


Libertarian
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Libertarian is also known as Classical Liberalism, Randian/Randianism (after Ayn Rand), but is just the belief that liberty should be the core principle of their philosophy, seeking to maximize political freedom and autonomy, emphasizing freedom of choice, voluntary association and individual judgment (and responsibility/accountability). In Europe, this would be left wing, in the U.S. it is right wing. (Technically, Libertarian can mean the party, or a form of Classical Liberalism).

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