What Libertarianism Is

Another recommended article that covers some of the basic points as to what is Libertarianism and what are some of the core beliefs that exist with those who share this political ideology. Like any political ideology, people who lean libertarian or consider themselves fully libertarian don't agree on everything.

Yet, Stephan Kinsella does a nice job in providing a piece that could be an excellent discussion point. A small part:

Libertarians tend to agree on a wide array of policies and principles. Nonetheless, it is not easy to find consensus on what libertarianism's defining characteristic is, or on what distinguishes it from other political theories and systems.

Various formulations abound. It is said that libertarianism is about individual rights, property rights, the free market, capitalism, justice, or the nonaggression principle. Not just any of these will do, however. Capitalism and the free market describe the catallactic conditions that arise or are permitted in a libertarian society, but do not encompass other aspects of libertarianism. And individual rights, justice, and aggression collapse into property rights. As Murray Rothbard explained, individual rights are property rights. And justice is just giving someone his due, which depends on what his rights are.