Libertarianism & Anarchism

My political philosophy is not easily characterized as liberal or conservative. I agree with conservatives when they talk about the dangers of governmental abuse, and I agree with liberals when they talk about tolerating diversity in society. At various times, I have called myself a libertarian and an anarchist. A libertarian is someone who believes in freedom. Libertarians do not believe in the use of coercion, although most of them believe that force can be used in self-defense. Anarchists believe that humans can work out their problems and live their lives without the necessity of coercive government. Anarchists honor freedom and the acts that flow from the exercise of freedom. What is the difference between libertarians and anarchists? Most people who call themselves anarchists consider themselves to be of the left wing, possibly as far left as you can get. Most libertarians, at least in the United States, are considered to be of the right wing, because most of them believe in private property. Many of these right-wing libertarians are not anarchists, but minarchists or people who believe that a minimal state is necessary to protect lives and property from tyrants and outlaws. Others are anarcho-capitalists (e.g. David Friedman, Murray Rothbard) who believe all such governmental functions can be handled by private enterprise. Left-wing anarchists do not like the free-market approach to these problems and are suspicious of private property and capitalism. They consider libertarianism to be a form of classical liberalism (and to some extent, they are correct). They prefer communitarian libertarianism. Right-wing libertarians argue that property arises from the fruits of one's labors and one can not be free if not allowed to use these as one sees fit rather than have a community control them. Despite the differences, I have often found the basic philosophical approach of both the right and left leaning libertarians to be more similar than different, although I know some left-wingers will violently disagree with me on this. I find myself very sympathetic to libertarian/anarchist analysis from both ends of the spectrum. There is a great deal of interesting material on both libertarianism and anarchism on the web. Below, I will try to index some of it for you.

Libertarianism

Most of these sites deal with the more right-leaning libertarianism: free-market economics, non-interventionist foreign policy, freedom from restrictive social laws governing "victimless" crimes, such as drug laws, anti-homosexual laws, etc.

Organizations

Libertarian Party

There is a party in the US (and in other countries as well) that runs candidates for office on a libertarian platform. They have elected a few candidates in local races in Alaska and California and elsewhere. The campaigns serve to educate the electorate about libertarianism as well as provide someone for which libertarians can vote with a clear conscience. The website contains information about party candidates, issues, activities, and lists of interest to libertarians. Presidential candidtate Harry Browne also has a website.

Cato Institute

The well-funded think tank that provides libertarian commentary to National Public Radio and serves as a resource to lobby for libertarian legislation in Washington. It also publishes a journal and other literature. They call themselves "Market Liberals" eschewing the labels of libertarian or conservative or classical liberal. The website contains some of the documents Cato publishes.

Reason

A magazine for libertarians that has been around a long time. The website contains some sample articles and subscription information.

Agorist Institute

Taoism, libertarianism, anarchism, and what not? Check it out.

Resources

Liberty Library

One of the most comprehensive sites for learning about libertarianism and a good set of links to important sites.

Libertarian Bibliography

An extensive list of libertarian publications as well as web links.

Libertarian Web

A listing of libertarian websites and resources provided by the Libertarians at the University of Illinois.

Free-market.com

Links to commercial libertarian web sites, mostly.

Documents

Toward a Consensual Society

Nicely organized web page with many topics covered and many links.

Anarchism

Most of the sites below pertain to left-wing anarchism in the traditions of Proudhon, Kropotkin, Bakunin, etc, although many of them have material on individualist anarchists such as Stirner as well. Traditional anarchists believe that communities can live together and make decisions about their lives without bosses, managers, and other hierarchical trappings.

Resources

Anarchy Archives

A very comprehensive site in Japan that contains much information on anarchism and anarchists as well as pointers to other sites.

Anarchy Home Page (Carter Butts)

Large list of anarchism links.

Jamal Hannah's Home Page

A nicely constructed home page with sub-pages that have biographies and portraits of famous left-libertarians and pointers to anarchism resources.

Noam Chomsky Archive

The MIT linguistics theorist who is one of the most well-know left-wing libertarians. The archive contains megabytes of his speeches, interviews, writings, etc.

Short Strips

Anarchist comics.

Spunk Press

Electronically distributed material on anarchism and activism.

TAO Media Collective

Beautifully designed site.

Utah Anarchism and Revolution Page

Interesting set of links. Good sense of humor, too: check out terrorist groups on the web.

Documents

Thoreau, Henry David

Civil Disobedience

Spooner, Lysander

No Treason

Kaczinski, Theodore (The Unabomber)

Manifesto

On My Bookshelf

Nozick, Robert

Anarchy, State, and Utopia. (1974) Basic Books. This is the best theoretical treatise on libertarianism (right-style).

Woodcock, George

Anarchism. A history of libertarian ideas and movements. (1962) New American Library. The best source for a concise history of anarchist thinkers and movements.