Maximum Individual Responsibility - Minimum Government

To many people, the Libertarian Party's slogan, “Minimum Government – Maximum Freedom,” sounds like a feel-good hybridization of the “anarchy” and the “free love” movements. This interpretation, not an uncommon one based on conversations with others about Libertarianism, belies the major principle underlying the goals of the Party. It is time to make a shift in our message in order to clarify our message.

Libertarianism is indeed about freedom; however, it is not based upon freedom. Rather, freedom is the natural result of the basic tenets of Libertarianism and not a tenet unto itself. “Freedom” taken as a tenet is best compared to “free lunch” (TANSTAAFL!)

If we wish to be taken seriously and to become a major party, we must resist the temptation of continuing to appeal only to the low-hanging fruit: those who are intellectually attracted to the principles of Libertarianism and those who think freedom is a result which a party, of any ilk, can deliver and preserve. We must broaden our appeal.

If freedom should not be the stated goal of this Party, then what should? What is it that the human spirit cries out for? “Liberty,” yes, but isn’t that just another word for “freedom?” What do we mean by these words? I believe that the cornerstone of Libertarianism is “individual responsibility,” without which there can be no freedom. We hold the individual to be responsible for their own lives, and we work to promote governments at all levels which interfere minimally with that responsibility.

Today, our Republic is nearly lost under the combined weight of laws and restrictions imagined by the liberal and conservative movements to expropriate individual responsibility from the people and to place that responsibility on government. Every step these people have taken to relieve individuals from their responsibilities has removed a slice of our liberty, until a large portion of that which remains is merely superficial. Further, in taking on these responsibilities, the size and scope of government at all levels has swollen unchecked, bursting beyond any reasonable boundaries and threatening to destroy liberty once and for all.

I believe the goal of the Libertarian Party is better expressed by the slogan: “Maximum Individual Responsibility - Minimum Government.” In the Republic envisioned by our Founding Fathers, each individual is indeed responsible for their own profession, their own family structure and activities, their own religious beliefs, their own sustenance, their own happiness, and their own freedom. If we want the freedom envisioned by our founding fathers, then we must first and foremost promote the acceptance of the level of individual responsibility that they envisioned!