¶ … libertarianism and liberalism. In your comparison, include a description of how each concept is related to ethics.
Libertarianism vs. liberalism
Liberalism is the foundation of the American political system. The philosophies of John Locke, John Stewart Mill, Rousseau and other political philosophers who maintained liberty to be inherent to the human condition inspired the Founding Fathers. Although the need for individual liberty might seem 'self-evident' in the minds of most Americans today, in the 18th century the notion of the divine right of kings to exercise authority over their subjects was still profoundly influential. Liberals believe that restrictions on liberty must be justified and citizens have the right to autonomy. During the 18th century, the ability of private citizens to exercise authority over private property formed the core of the classical, liberal concept of the right to life, liberty, and property. In the modern...
Values Liberals tend to emphasize individual rights over governmental authority and to leave the economy alone, unless it needs help. More and more, the economy has been controlled by conservative elements and this has tended to squelch free trade and put too many regulations on imports, while allowing special interests avenues of squeezing more revenue out of the citizens by legalizing higher interest rates, putting tariffs on imports, freezing influx of
Meanwhile, Dwight R. Lee (writing in The Independent Review, 2001) points to a situation where a powerful environmental group (Audubon Society) has cooperated with an energy company and both have profited. Free market environmentalism has shown the way for profits and preservation at the same time in this case. The Audubon Society (AS) owns the 26,000-acre Rainey Sanctuary in the swamps of Louisiana, and while the group is opposed to
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