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Article: Libertarianism
- Article from:
- West's Encyclopedia of American Law
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LIBERTARIANISM
A political philosophy that advocates free will, individual rights, and voluntary cooperation.
The core doctrine of libertarianism begins with the recognition that people have certain natural rights and that deprivation of these rights is immoral. Among these natural rights are the right to personal autonomy and property rights, and the right to the utilization of previously unused resources. These two basic assumptions form the foundation of all libertarian ideals.
Libertarianism can be traced back to ancient China, where philosopher Lao-tzu advocated the recognition of individual liberties. The modern libertarian theory emerged in the sixteenth century through the ...