Conservative Libertarianism: An Answer To Today’s Political Problems

There is tremendous political unrest in America today, and that is nothing new. And like always, it seems as though politicians are driving in the night by only the light of the stars and their headlights, just 30 feet at a time. America’s direction is not clear, and it seems harder every year to find a way for liberty as both parties promise to “take care of you.” The solution to these problems is a two-front war: pealing back the power and role of government and creating free market solutions and institutions to fill the gaps.

What is Conservative Libertarianism?

The political philosophy of Conservative Libertarianism is one which pulls back the power of the government as much as possible at any given time, while preserving the institutions that maintain society through the effort of individuals, free markets and charity. To understand this idea fully, it is important to know the two pieces of the philosophy. Libertarianism is a broad umbrella of people advocating for limited government. They come from both sides of the political spectrum as right wingers search for economic freedom and left wingers search for more libertine freedoms. Either way the principle is the same. Both understand that you own your body, which means you have the right to dictate your actions. For more on the Libertarian ideas, click here. Conservatism is not about being Republican, rather it is about preserving the institutions that maintain society. It is the philosophy that preserving society and its institutions is not a means to an ends, but an ends in and of itself. With this approach, conservatives are hesitant to engage in radical, quick institutional change because they understand it is far easier to destroy than to build. To understand how Conservatism is being defined, read more by Roger Scruton.

How will this solution work?

Society is maintained by institutions that allow it to function. These foundational institutions include, but are not limited to family, communities, charities, schools, churches and businesses. The major institutions of economy, religion, philosophy, society, common morality and politics are founded upon the foundational institutions listed above. The reason this proposed solution will work is that the problems of society will be a careful reform of the foundational institutions through educating people on Liberty and the principles of Libertarianism in order to create real, lasting reforms in the major institutions. All this will be done with careful observance of the essence and purpose of institutions, insuring that reforms preserve that rather than the look or feel of an institution. Through a deep understanding of both the foundational and major institutions of society, and the ways they interact, it is possible to promote and reclaim liberty through reformations at the individual level. It will not be a government initiative, rather it will be a peaceful reimagining of the role of government in these sacred institutions through debate and analysis of the societal landscape.

What will it look like?

Well, it won’t be a pure libertarian utopia in ten years- because that’s not going to happen anyway. It will look more like the correction of a ship in the middle of the Atlantic that changes course from a landing in Greenland to a landing in Brazil. It won’t look much different for a long time, but when the ship lands, it will be a completely different destination. It will take constant engagement by people to learn about these institutions and liberty as well as the mechanisms for changing and reforming these institutions. It will be a marathon, not a sprint since large-scale institutional reform cannot happen overnight, especially not without losing the functions the institutions perform. The goal of this philosophy is not to radically change society to the whims of the current Libertarian movement, but to use its ideas to promote liberty, peace, free markets, tolerance and individuality and ingrain them into society’s institutions. This will preserve society while reforming it, with an end of preserving society for America’s posterity. Hopefully, that idea rings a bell, and if it doesn’t reread the Constitution.

Last Words

The ideas of Liberty, and much of Libertarianism are prominent in America’s founding documents and in the writings of the Founding Fathers. This political philosophy is a harkening to those ideals and a call to liberty-minded people to find new ways of establishing and promoting liberty in American institutions. Also, there will be more on this. This post is simply an introduction, but I will be crafting a longer, more in-depth version of this philosophy, so keep an eye out!

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