• empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    7 months ago

    This is a bit of a loaded question and very poorly written. Bad troll is bad.

    The problem stands that modern “Libertarians” have been corrupted by corporations and conservative bigots to mean “elimination of government and regulation” and not “government to uphold liberty” like it originally did. A correctly Libertarian government would write laws that solely uphold the power of the individual’s self determination, which inherently requires restriction of the power of capital.

    I consider myself Libertarian, but I feel there now has to be a distinction made between “Capital Libertarians” and “Individual Libertarians”. One wants the liberty of capital, the other wants the liberty of the individual. I find myself in the latter. Corporations can go fuck themselves, the individual is paramount.

    “Socialist” things like public infrastructure, and yes, public healthcare, would be supported by individual libertarianism. Social support structures like these support individual liberty but restrict capital liberty by requiring taxes to support them, whereas supporting capital liberty by making it “pay as you go” does nothing but remove the individual liberty of the population that finds themselves without any capital through no fault of their own. I absolutely support universal healthcare.

    • Hypx@fedia.io
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      7 months ago

      This is also known as “Libertarian Socialism.” Interestingly enough, this idea predates the current definition of Libertarianism by decades.

      • greencactus@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        Interesting! I didn’t know this existed, but I can align myself pretty well with this terminus. Thank you :)

    • Eldritch@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      100% Libertarianism originated as a left wing movement in the 19th century. Right wing libertarianism didn’t ooze out of the swamp till nearly a century later. In the mid 20th century. Post red scare when actual leftist were keeping their heads down due to fascist witch hunts. And unable to really call out the posers.

      Real libertarians don’t have a problem with government. They just believe that it should be focused on maximizing freedom, and access to it. Where the larpers are all about maximizing their personal freedom (privilege) and don’t care if others have access.

      • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        Right wing libertarianism didn’t ooze out of the swamp till nearly a century later.

        Like any good system that is a threat to those in power, it was co-opted and corrupted to remove the threat and turn public perception against it.

  • irotsoma@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    American “Libertarians” consider liberty as self-sufficiency, not just freedom from a government, but from being required to contribute to society as a whole.