³1username³2AyeSpy³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2980568881³2ip³263.178.206.198³2data³2text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system. An individual is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe on the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''
³3minor³31³3newauthor³31³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981081945³2id³21087³2host³2sdn-ar-010nvlvegP134.dialsprint.net³2revision³24³1username³2TimShell³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981081945³2ip³224.25.202.235³2data³2newauthor³31³3minor³30³3text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system. An individual is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe on the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

tt A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.
³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981081954³2id³21149³2host³224-25-202-235.san.rr.com³2revision³25³1username³2TimShell³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981081954³2ip³224.25.202.235³2data³2text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system. An individual is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe on the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.
³3minor³31³3newauthor³30³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981082037³2id³21149³2host³224-25-202-235.san.rr.com³2revision³26³1username³2TimShell³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981082037³2ip³224.25.202.235³2data³2newauthor³30³3minor³31³3text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system. An individual is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe on the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

<tt>A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.
³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981082046³2id³21149³2host³224-25-202-235.san.rr.com³2revision³27³1username³2TimShell³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981082046³2ip³224.25.202.235³2data³2text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system. An individual is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe on the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

<pre>A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.
³3minor³31³3newauthor³30³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981082054³2id³21149³2host³224-25-202-235.san.rr.com³2revision³28³1username³2TimShell³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981082054³2ip³224.25.202.235³2data³2newauthor³30³3minor³31³3text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system. An individual is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe on the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.
³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981082128³2id³21149³2host³224-25-202-235.san.rr.com³2revision³29³1username³2TimShell³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981082128³2ip³224.25.202.235³2data³2text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system. An individual is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe on the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.  The libertarian believes the state should not violate individual rights in any for, and so opposes the right and left equally.
³3minor³31³3newauthor³30³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981082402³2id³21149³2host³224-25-202-235.san.rr.com³2revision³210³1username³2TimShell³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981082402³2ip³224.25.202.235³2data³2newauthor³30³3minor³31³3text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system that holds that an individual should be is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.  Libertarians emphasize that human relationships can be either voluntary or involuntary, and that they <i>should</i> be voluntary.  In effect this is a claim that human relationships should not be characterized by violence or deception.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.  The libertarian believes the state should not violate individual rights in any for, and so opposes the right and left equally.
³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981146307³2id³21149³2host³224-25-202-235.san.rr.com³2revision³211³1username³2TimShell³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981146307³2ip³2216.7.146.114³2data³2text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system that holds that an individual should be is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.  Libertarians emphasize that human relationships can be either voluntary or involuntary, and that they <i>should</i> be voluntary.  In effect this is a claim that human relationships should not be characterized by violence or deception.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.  The libertarian believes the state should not violate individual rights in any form, and so opposes the right and left equally.
³3minor³31³3newauthor³31³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981215770³2id³21164³2host³2office.bomis.com³2revision³212³1username³2JoshuaGrosse³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981215770³2ip³2129.97.130.16³2data³2newauthor³31³3minor³30³3text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system that holds that an individual should be is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.  Libertarians emphasize that human relationships can be either voluntary or involuntary, and that they <i>should</i> be voluntary.  In effect this is a claim that human relationships should not be characterized by violence or deception.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.  The libertarian believes the state should not violate individual rights in any form, and so opposes the right and left equally.

''Libertarians certainly believe that the state shouldn't violate individual rights, but that doesn't mean they don't fall on a political spectrum.  Things aren't nearly as simple as state vs non-state; there's the mob, the aristocracy, and the private sector to be considered, and different kinds of libertarian have different opinions about them.''
³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981215829³2id³21076³2host³2cnts3p16.uwaterloo.ca³2revision³213³1username³2JoshuaGrosse³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981215829³2ip³2129.97.130.16³2data³2text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system that holds that an individual should be is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.  Libertarians emphasize that human relationships can be either voluntary or involuntary, and that they <i>should</i> be voluntary.  In effect this is a claim that human relationships should not be characterized by violence or deception.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.  The libertarian believes the state should not violate individual rights in any form, and so opposes the right and left equally.

''Libertarians certainly believe that the state shouldn't violate individual rights, but that doesn't mean they don't fall on a political spectrum.  Things aren't nearly as simple as state vs non-state; there's the mob, the aristocracy, and the private sector to be considered, and different kinds of libertarian have different opinions about them.  The LP of the US falls clearly into the right wing category.''
³3minor³31³3newauthor³30³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981224813³2id³21076³2host³2cnts3p16.uwaterloo.ca³2revision³214³1username³2TimShell³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981224813³2ip³2204.210.15.202³2data³2newauthor³31³3minor³30³3text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system that holds that an individual should be is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.  Libertarians emphasize that human relationships can be either voluntary or involuntary, and that they <i>should</i> be voluntary.  In effect this is a claim that human relationships should not be characterized by violence or deception.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.  The libertarian believes the state should not violate individual rights in any form, and so opposes the right and left equally.

''Libertarians certainly believe that the state shouldn't violate individual rights, but that doesn't mean they don't fall on a political spectrum.  Things aren't nearly as simple as state vs non-state; there's the mob, the aristocracy, and the private sector to be considered, and different kinds of libertarian have different opinions about them.  The LP of the US falls clearly into the right wing category.''

 - I think a definition of 'right-wing' is necessary if you are going to make that claim.
³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981227926³2id³21149³2host³2dt019nca.san.rr.com³2revision³215³1username³2JoshuaGrosse³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981227926³2ip³2129.97.112.60³2data³2text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system that holds that an individual should be is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.  Libertarians emphasize that human relationships can be either voluntary or involuntary, and that they <i>should</i> be voluntary.  In effect this is a claim that human relationships should not be characterized by violence or deception.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.  The libertarian believes the state should not violate individual rights in any form, and so opposes the right and left equally.

''Libertarians certainly believe that the state shouldn't violate individual rights, but that doesn't mean they don't fall on a political spectrum.  Things aren't nearly as simple as state vs non-state; there's the mob, the aristocracy, and the private sector to be considered, and different kinds of libertarian have different opinions about them.  The LP of the US falls clearly into the right wing category.''

 - I think a definition of 'right-wing' is necessary if you are going to make that claim.

''Fair enough.  Left-wing means belief in more equality and right-wing in less - not meant disparagingly, since to much equality is a bad thing too (HarrisonBergeron).  In any case, this puts people who believe in fair process to the right of people who believe in fair outcome.  And, as it happens, this is what a free market is; thus economically at least, the LP is on the right.  This may not be the best definition of left-right, but it sums up what most people mean by the terms.''
³3minor³30³3newauthor³31³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981229296³2id³21076³2host³2cnts1p60.uwaterloo.ca³2revision³216³1username³2TimShell³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981229296³2ip³2204.210.15.202³2data³2newauthor³31³3minor³30³3text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system that holds that an individual should be is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.  Libertarians emphasize that human relationships can be either voluntary or involuntary, and that they <i>should</i> be voluntary.  In effect this is a claim that human relationships should not be characterized by violence or deception.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.  The libertarian believes the state should not violate individual rights in any form, and so opposes the right and left equally.

''Libertarians certainly believe that the state shouldn't violate individual rights, but that doesn't mean they don't fall on a political spectrum.  Things aren't nearly as simple as state vs non-state; there's the mob, the aristocracy, and the private sector to be considered, and different kinds of libertarian have different opinions about them.  The LP of the US falls clearly into the right wing category.''

 - I think a definition of 'right-wing' is necessary if you are going to make that claim.

''Fair enough.  Left-wing means belief in more equality and right-wing in less - not meant disparagingly, since to much equality is a bad thing too (HarrisonBergeron).  In any case, this puts people who believe in fair process to the right of people who believe in fair outcome.  And, as it happens, this is what a free market is; thus economically at least, the LP is on the right.  This may not be the best definition of left-right, but it sums up what most people mean by the terms.''

----
This is a good definition, but the part about equality is misleading.  If the left wants economic equality, there must be political inequality, as the state treats different people differently (different tax rates, for example).  Furthermore, one group, the political elite, must have the power to impose their views on others, while dissenters are deprived of the political power to prevent this.  Thus the distribution of political power is unequal in a left-wing regime.  So the left does not stand for equality, it stand for one type of equality at the expense of others.  The right, as it is being used here, is not concerned with equality _or_ inequality, or any other outcome, but with fair processes.  So to define the issue in terms of more equality vs. less equality is misleading.  But we have a good start for a new page on the right-left spectrum, if someone want to step up and do that. - TimShell
³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981230469³2id³21149³2host³2dt019nca.san.rr.com³2revision³217³1username³2JoshuaGrosse³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981230469³2ip³2129.97.112.60³2data³2text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system that holds that an individual should be is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.  Libertarians emphasize that human relationships can be either voluntary or involuntary, and that they <i>should</i> be voluntary.  In effect this is a claim that human relationships should not be characterized by violence or deception.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates.

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.  The libertarian believes the state should not violate individual rights in any form, and so opposes the right and left equally.

''Libertarians certainly believe that the state shouldn't violate individual rights, but that doesn't mean they don't fall on a political spectrum.  Things aren't nearly as simple as state vs non-state; there's the mob, the aristocracy, and the private sector to be considered, and different kinds of libertarian have different opinions about them.  The LP of the US falls clearly into the right wing category.''

 - I think a definition of 'right-wing' is necessary if you are going to make that claim.

''Fair enough.  Left-wing means belief in more equality and right-wing in less - not meant disparagingly, since to much equality is a bad thing too (HarrisonBergeron).  In any case, this puts people who believe in fair process to the right of people who believe in fair outcome.  And, as it happens, this is what a free market is; thus economically at least, the LP is on the right.  This may not be the best definition of left-right, but it sums up what most people mean by the terms.''

----
This is a good definition, but the part about equality is misleading.  If the left wants economic equality, there must be political inequality, as the state treats different people differently (different tax rates, for example).  Furthermore, one group, the political elite, must have the power to impose their views on others, while dissenters are deprived of the political power to prevent this.  Thus the distribution of political power is unequal in a left-wing regime.  So the left does not stand for equality, it stand for one type of equality at the expense of others.  The right, as it is being used here, is not concerned with equality _or_ inequality, or any other outcome, but with fair processes.  So to define the issue in terms of more equality vs. less equality is misleading.  But we have a good start for a new page on the right-left spectrum, if someone want to step up and do that. - TimShell

The moderate right deals with fair processes.  The extreme right (fascism) doesn't deal with any sort of equality at all, and the moderate left deals with fair outcome, which I would say is objectively more equality than that of the moderate right, since people end up being practically equal rather than theoretically equal.  So I stand by that definition.  I think it's a little misleading only in that it seems to imply you can never be too far left, because people have been conditioned to think that any kind of equality is good equality, which isn't true.

By the way, you are wrong to claim that left-wing economics necessarily implies an unequal distribution of political power.  What about a socialist direct democracy?  Such things are fully possible - Athens leaned that way - and yet it can hardly be said that power is being wielded by an elite, since all decisions are made by the whole citizenry.  And, as I've said, there are such things as ''libertarian socialists'', though I don't know the details of how their state would work. -- JoshuaGrosse
³3minor³30³3newauthor³31³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981237083³2id³21076³2host³2cnts1p60.uwaterloo.ca³2revision³218³1username³2JoshuaGrosse³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981237083³2ip³2129.97.13.69³2data³2newauthor³30³3minor³30³3text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system that holds that an individual should be is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.  Libertarians emphasize that human relationships can be either voluntary or involuntary, and that they <i>should</i> be voluntary.  In effect this is a claim that human relationships should not be characterized by violence or deception.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates. ''- it also occurs 
that this should probably be removed.  A party's home page is probably the worst place to find out any objective information about its views.  If this link belongs anywhere, it belongs on a list of American parties.''

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.  The libertarian believes the state should not violate individual rights in any form, and so opposes the right and left equally.

''Libertarians certainly believe that the state shouldn't violate individual rights, but that doesn't mean they don't fall on a political spectrum.  Things aren't nearly as simple as state vs non-state; there's the mob, the aristocracy, and the private sector to be considered, and different kinds of libertarian have different opinions about them.  The LP of the US falls clearly into the right wing category.''

 - I think a definition of 'right-wing' is necessary if you are going to make that claim.

''Fair enough.  Left-wing means belief in more equality and right-wing in less - not meant disparagingly, since to much equality is a bad thing too (HarrisonBergeron).  In any case, this puts people who believe in fair process to the right of people who believe in fair outcome.  And, as it happens, this is what a free market is; thus economically at least, the LP is on the right.  This may not be the best definition of left-right, but it sums up what most people mean by the terms.''

----
This is a good definition, but the part about equality is misleading.  If the left wants economic equality, there must be political inequality, as the state treats different people differently (different tax rates, for example).  Furthermore, one group, the political elite, must have the power to impose their views on others, while dissenters are deprived of the political power to prevent this.  Thus the distribution of political power is unequal in a left-wing regime.  So the left does not stand for equality, it stand for one type of equality at the expense of others.  The right, as it is being used here, is not concerned with equality _or_ inequality, or any other outcome, but with fair processes.  So to define the issue in terms of more equality vs. less equality is misleading.  But we have a good start for a new page on the right-left spectrum, if someone want to step up and do that. - TimShell

The moderate right deals with fair processes.  The extreme right (fascism) doesn't deal with any sort of equality at all, and the moderate left deals with fair outcome, which I would say is objectively more equality than that of the moderate right, since people end up being practically equal rather than theoretically equal.  So I stand by that definition.  I think it's a little misleading only in that it seems to imply you can never be too far left, because people have been conditioned to think that any kind of equality is good equality, which isn't true.

By the way, you are wrong to claim that left-wing economics necessarily implies an unequal distribution of political power.  What about a socialist direct democracy?  Such things are fully possible - Athens leaned that way - and yet it can hardly be said that power is being wielded by an elite, since all decisions are made by the whole citizenry.  And, as I've said, there are such things as ''libertarian socialists'', though I don't know the details of how their state would work. -- JoshuaGrosse
³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981237102³2id³21076³2host³2cnts6p69.uwaterloo.ca³2revision³219³1username³2JoshuaGrosse³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981237102³2ip³2129.97.13.69³2data³2text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system that holds that an individual should be is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.  Libertarians emphasize that human relationships can be either voluntary or involuntary, and that they <i>should</i> be voluntary.  In effect this is a claim that human relationships should not be characterized by violence or deception.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates. - ''it also occurs 
that this should probably be removed.  A party's home page is probably the worst place to find out any objective information about its views.  If this link belongs anywhere, it belongs on a list of American parties.''

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.  The libertarian believes the state should not violate individual rights in any form, and so opposes the right and left equally.

''Libertarians certainly believe that the state shouldn't violate individual rights, but that doesn't mean they don't fall on a political spectrum.  Things aren't nearly as simple as state vs non-state; there's the mob, the aristocracy, and the private sector to be considered, and different kinds of libertarian have different opinions about them.  The LP of the US falls clearly into the right wing category.''

 - I think a definition of 'right-wing' is necessary if you are going to make that claim.

''Fair enough.  Left-wing means belief in more equality and right-wing in less - not meant disparagingly, since to much equality is a bad thing too (HarrisonBergeron).  In any case, this puts people who believe in fair process to the right of people who believe in fair outcome.  And, as it happens, this is what a free market is; thus economically at least, the LP is on the right.  This may not be the best definition of left-right, but it sums up what most people mean by the terms.''

----
This is a good definition, but the part about equality is misleading.  If the left wants economic equality, there must be political inequality, as the state treats different people differently (different tax rates, for example).  Furthermore, one group, the political elite, must have the power to impose their views on others, while dissenters are deprived of the political power to prevent this.  Thus the distribution of political power is unequal in a left-wing regime.  So the left does not stand for equality, it stand for one type of equality at the expense of others.  The right, as it is being used here, is not concerned with equality _or_ inequality, or any other outcome, but with fair processes.  So to define the issue in terms of more equality vs. less equality is misleading.  But we have a good start for a new page on the right-left spectrum, if someone want to step up and do that. - TimShell

The moderate right deals with fair processes.  The extreme right (fascism) doesn't deal with any sort of equality at all, and the moderate left deals with fair outcome, which I would say is objectively more equality than that of the moderate right, since people end up being practically equal rather than theoretically equal.  So I stand by that definition.  I think it's a little misleading only in that it seems to imply you can never be too far left, because people have been conditioned to think that any kind of equality is good equality, which isn't true.

By the way, you are wrong to claim that left-wing economics necessarily implies an unequal distribution of political power.  What about a socialist direct democracy?  Such things are fully possible - Athens leaned that way - and yet it can hardly be said that power is being wielded by an elite, since all decisions are made by the whole citizenry.  And, as I've said, there are such things as ''libertarian socialists'', though I don't know the details of how their state would work. -- JoshuaGrosse
³3minor³31³3newauthor³30³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981237202³2id³21076³2host³2cnts6p69.uwaterloo.ca³2revision³220³1username³2JoshuaGrosse³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981237202³2ip³2129.97.13.69³2data³2newauthor³30³3minor³31³3text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system that holds that an individual should be is free to do anything he/she wants, so long as he/she do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.  Libertarians emphasize that human relationships can be either voluntary or involuntary, and that they <i>should</i> be voluntary.  In effect this is a claim that human relationships should not be characterized by violence or deception.

You can learn more at http://www.lp.org, the home page of the LibertarianParty of the UnitedStates. - 
''It also occurs to me that this should probably be removed.  A party's home page is probably the worst place to find out any objective information about its views.  If this link belongs anywhere, it belongs on a list of American parties.''

''Also note that libertarianism is not strictly a right wing ideology; formal anarchism is apparently referred to as Libertarian Socialism.''

A libertarian is even likely to reject the legitimacy of the right/left dichotomy.  The conflict between right and left is seen to be, in essence, a dispute over the particular form in which the state will violate individual rights.  The libertarian believes the state should not violate individual rights in any form, and so opposes the right and left equally.

''Libertarians certainly believe that the state shouldn't violate individual rights, but that doesn't mean they don't fall on a political spectrum.  Things aren't nearly as simple as state vs non-state; there's the mob, the aristocracy, and the private sector to be considered, and different kinds of libertarian have different opinions about them.  The LP of the US falls clearly into the right wing category.''

 - I think a definition of 'right-wing' is necessary if you are going to make that claim.

''Fair enough.  Left-wing means belief in more equality and right-wing in less - not meant disparagingly, since to much equality is a bad thing too (HarrisonBergeron).  In any case, this puts people who believe in fair process to the right of people who believe in fair outcome.  And, as it happens, this is what a free market is; thus economically at least, the LP is on the right.  This may not be the best definition of left-right, but it sums up what most people mean by the terms.''

----
This is a good definition, but the part about equality is misleading.  If the left wants economic equality, there must be political inequality, as the state treats different people differently (different tax rates, for example).  Furthermore, one group, the political elite, must have the power to impose their views on others, while dissenters are deprived of the political power to prevent this.  Thus the distribution of political power is unequal in a left-wing regime.  So the left does not stand for equality, it stand for one type of equality at the expense of others.  The right, as it is being used here, is not concerned with equality _or_ inequality, or any other outcome, but with fair processes.  So to define the issue in terms of more equality vs. less equality is misleading.  But we have a good start for a new page on the right-left spectrum, if someone want to step up and do that. - TimShell

The moderate right deals with fair processes.  The extreme right (fascism) doesn't deal with any sort of equality at all, and the moderate left deals with fair outcome, which I would say is objectively more equality than that of the moderate right, since people end up being practically equal rather than theoretically equal.  So I stand by that definition.  I think it's a little misleading only in that it seems to imply you can never be too far left, because people have been conditioned to think that any kind of equality is good equality, which isn't true.

By the way, you are wrong to claim that left-wing economics necessarily implies an unequal distribution of political power.  What about a socialist direct democracy?  Such things are fully possible - Athens leaned that way - and yet it can hardly be said that power is being wielded by an elite, since all decisions are made by the whole citizenry.  And, as I've said, there are such things as ''libertarian socialists'', though I don't know the details of how their state would work. -- JoshuaGrosse
³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981249379³2id³21076³2host³2cnts6p69.uwaterloo.ca³2revision³221³1username³2JoshuaGrosse³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981249379³2ip³2129.97.130.23³2data³2text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system that holds that an individual should be free to do anything they want, so long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.  There are various different strains of libertarianism, depending on what exactly they consider an individual's rights to be, that vary from the far right to the far left across the PoliticalSpectrum.
³3minor³30³3newauthor³30³3summary³3Collapsed page³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2981432040³2id³21076³2host³2cnts3p23.uwaterloo.ca³2revision³222³1username³2JoshuaGrosse³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2981432040³2ip³2129.97.182.15³2data³2newauthor³30³3minor³30³3text³3Libertarianism is a political belief system that holds that an individual should be free to do anything they want, so long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.  

In the narrow sense of the term, ''libertarian'' includes only such people on the right of the economic spectrum, who define rights in terms of things like freedom to keep property and equality of process.  The private sector is left to control itself - compare AnarchoCapitalism and contrast AnarchoSyndicalism.
³3summary³3Ok, apparently people do only like the term to mean right Lib.  Sorry.³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2982270306³2id³21076³2host³2cnts2p15.uwaterloo.ca³2revision³223³1username³2LarrySanger³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2982270306³2ip³2209.66.79.109³2data³2text³3LibertarianisM, in political theory, is the view that that state governs best that governs least; its function is <i>only</i> to keep people from harming each other.  In other words, an individual should be free to do anything they want, so long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

For libertarians, there are no rights to food or shelter or health care; we only have rights to life and legal justice, and rights to do what we like with whatever we have at our disposal, so long as it hurts no one else.

Therefore, the proper functions of government might include the maintainance of the courts, the police, the military, and perhaps a few other vital functions.  But under no circumstances, according to libertarians, should government do such things as establish schools, or heavily regulate industry, or run social welfare programs.  Nor should government restrict free speech, sexual practices, gambling, or any other so-called victimless crimes.  For libertarianism, government's main imperative should be: Hands off!

Libertarians prefer not to be called RightWing, and libertarianism has significant differences with both ConservatisM and LiberalisM (as those terms are used in the UnitedStates): see PoliticalSpectrum.

Compare ClassicalLiberalism; ConservatisM; AnarchisM.
³3minor³30³3newauthor³31³3summary³3* Thorough overhaul³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2982272806³2id³21280³2host³2cobrand.bomis.com³2revision³224³1username³2LarrySanger³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2982272806³2ip³2209.66.79.109³2data³2newauthor³30³3minor³31³3text³3LibertarianisM, in political theory, is the view that that state governs best that governs least; its function is <i>only</i> to keep people from harming each other.  In other words, individuals should be free to do anything they want, so long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

For libertarians, there are no rights to food or shelter or health care; we only have rights to life and legal justice, and rights to do what we like with whatever we have at our disposal, so long as it hurts no one else.

Therefore, the proper functions of government might include the maintainance of the courts, the police, the military, and perhaps a few other vital functions.  But under no circumstances, according to libertarians, should government do such things as establish schools, or heavily regulate industry, or run social welfare programs.  Nor should government restrict free speech, sexual practices, gambling, or any other so-called victimless crimes.  For libertarianism, government's main imperative should be: Hands off!

Libertarians prefer not to be called RightWing, and libertarianism has significant differences with both ConservatisM and LiberalisM (as those terms are used in the UnitedStates): see PoliticalSpectrum.

Compare ClassicalLiberalism; ConservatisM; AnarchisM.
³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2982278130³2id³21280³2host³2cobrand.bomis.com³2revision³225³1username³2RichardKulisz³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2982278130³2ip³2209.66.79.109³2data³2text³3LibertarianisM, in political theory, is the view that that state governs best that governs least; its function is <i>only</i> to keep people from harming each other.  In other words, individuals should be free to do anything they want, so long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

For libertarians, there are no rights to food or shelter or health care; we only have rights to life and legal justice, and rights to do what we like with whatever we have at our disposal, so long as it hurts no one else.

Therefore, the proper functions of government might include the maintainance of the courts, the police, the military, and perhaps a few other vital functions.  But under no circumstances, according to libertarians, should government do such things as establish schools, or heavily regulate industry, or run social welfare programs.  Nor should government restrict free speech, sexual practices, gambling, or any other so-called victimless crimes.  For libertarianism, government's main imperative should be: Hands off!

Libertarians prefer not to be called RightWing, and libertarianism has significant differences with both ConservatisM and LiberalisM (as those terms are used in the UnitedStates): see PoliticalSpectrum.

Historically, LibertarianisM has been synonymous with AnarchisM and the term is still understood in this manner by many people within but especially outside the UnitedStates.

Compare ClassicalLiberalism; ConservatisM; AnarchisM.
³3minor³30³3newauthor³31³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2982279286³2id³21284³2host³2cobrand.bomis.com³2revision³226³1username³2LarrySanger³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2982279286³2ip³2209.66.79.109³2data³2newauthor³31³3minor³30³3text³3LibertarianisM, in political theory, is the view that that state governs best that governs least; its function is <i>only</i> to keep people from harming each other.  In other words, individuals should be free to do anything they want, so long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

For libertarians, there are no rights to food or shelter or health care; we only have rights to life and legal justice, and rights to do what we like with whatever we have at our disposal, so long as it hurts no one else.

Therefore, the proper functions of government might include the maintainance of the courts, the police, the military, and perhaps a few other vital functions.  But under no circumstances, according to libertarians, should government do such things as establish schools, or heavily regulate industry, or run social welfare programs.  Nor should government restrict free speech, sexual practices, gambling, or any other so-called victimless crimes.  For libertarianism, government's main imperative should be: Hands off!

Libertarians prefer not to be called RightWing, and libertarianism has significant differences with both ConservatisM and LiberalisM (as those terms are used in the UnitedStates): see PoliticalSpectrum.

Many people mistakenly believe that LibertarianisM is synonymous with AnarchisM; the term is still understood in this manner especially by people outside the UnitedStates, where there is essentially no libertarian movement that goes by the name.  Most libertarians, however, do not consider themselves anarchists but, rather, advocates of MinimalStatism.

Compare ClassicalLiberalism; ConservatisM; AnarchisM; MinimalStatism.
³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2982279739³2id³21280³2host³2cobrand.bomis.com³2revision³227³1username³2LarrySanger³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2982279739³2ip³2209.66.79.109³2data³2text³3LibertarianisM, in political theory, is the view that that state governs best that governs least; its function is <i>only</i> to keep people from harming each other.  In other words, individuals should be free to do anything they want, so long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

For libertarians, there are no rights to food or shelter or health care; we only have rights to life and legal justice, and rights to do what we like with whatever we have at our disposal, so long as it hurts no one else.

Therefore, the proper functions of government might include the maintainance of the courts, the police, the military, and perhaps a few other vital functions.  But under no circumstances, according to libertarians, should government do such things as establish schools, or heavily regulate industry, or run social welfare programs.  Nor should government restrict free speech, sexual practices, gambling, or any other so-called victimless crimes.  For libertarianism, government's main imperative should be: Hands off!

Libertarians prefer not to be called RightWing, and libertarianism has significant differences with both ConservatisM and LiberalisM (as those terms are used in the UnitedStates): see PoliticalSpectrum.

Many people outside the UnitedStates treat LibertarianisM as being synonymous with AnarchisM.  Most libertarians in the UnitedStates, however, do not consider themselves anarchists but, rather, advocates of MinimalStatism.

Compare ClassicalLiberalism; ConservatisM; AnarchisM; MinimalStatism.
³3minor³30³3newauthor³30³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2982279957³2id³21280³2host³2cobrand.bomis.com³2revision³228³1username³2LarrySanger³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2982279957³2ip³2209.66.79.109³2data³2newauthor³30³3minor³30³3text³3LibertarianisM, in political theory, is the view that that state governs best that governs least; its function is <i>only</i> to keep people from harming each other.  In other words, individuals should be free to do anything they want, so long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

For libertarians, there are no rights to food or shelter or health care; we only have rights to life and legal justice, and rights to do what we like with whatever we have at our disposal, so long as it hurts no one else.

Therefore, the proper functions of government might include the maintainance of the courts, the police, the military, and perhaps a few other vital functions.  But under no circumstances, according to libertarians, should government do such things as establish schools, or heavily regulate industry, or run social welfare programs.  Nor should government restrict free speech, sexual practices, gambling, or any other so-called victimless crimes.  For libertarianism, government's main imperative should be: Hands off!

Libertarians prefer not to be called RightWing, and libertarianism has significant differences with both ConservatisM and LiberalisM (as those terms are used in the UnitedStates): see PoliticalSpectrum.

Many people outside the UnitedStates (and a few within it) treat LibertarianisM as being synonymous with AnarchisM.  Most libertarians in the UnitedStates, however, do not consider themselves anarchists but, rather, advocates of MinimalStatism.  See [http://abc123direct.com/Society/Politics/Libertarian/Libertarian.html this collection of web links].

Compare ClassicalLiberalism; ConservatisM; AnarchisM; MinimalStatism.
³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2982280219³2id³21280³2host³2cobrand.bomis.com³2revision³229³1username³2LarrySanger³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2982280219³2ip³2209.66.79.109³2data³2text³3''Libertarianism,'' in political theory, is the view that that state governs best that governs least; its function is <i>only</i> to keep people from harming each other.  In other words, individuals should be free to do anything they want, so long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others to do what they want.  The government's role is to protect those rights.

For libertarians, there are no rights to food or shelter or health care; we only have rights to life and legal justice, and rights to do what we like with whatever we have at our disposal, so long as it hurts no one else.

Therefore, the proper functions of government might include the maintainance of the courts, the police, the military, and perhaps a few other vital functions.  But under no circumstances, according to libertarians, should government do such things as establish schools, or heavily regulate industry, or run social welfare programs.  Nor should government restrict free speech, sexual practices, gambling, or any other so-called victimless crimes.  For libertarianism, government's main imperative should be: Hands off!

Libertarians prefer not to be called RightWing, and libertarianism has significant differences with both ConservatisM and LiberalisM (as those terms are used in the UnitedStates): see PoliticalSpectrum.

Many people outside the UnitedStates (and a few within it) treat LibertarianisM as being synonymous with AnarchisM.  Most libertarians in the UnitedStates, however, do not consider themselves anarchists but, rather, advocates of MinimalStatism.  See [http://abc123direct.com/Society/Politics/Libertarian/Libertarian.html this collection of web links].

Compare ClassicalLiberalism; ConservatisM; AnarchisM; MinimalStatism.
³3minor³31³3newauthor³30³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2980555271³2keepts³2982280523³2id³21280³2host³2cobrand.bomis.com³2revision³230