How do I explain the Libertarian party in simple terms?

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brinerbear@reddit

Don't hurt people and don't take their stuff.

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This my point about it: *The goverment can afford to offer public services (without robbing) using at least three methods:* 1. *It is a bussiness, in fact can open as many businesses as they wish, giving employement while they also collect gains.* 2. *Penitentiary system can be used as a workforce. It is not like that, so we are the ones paying for those who commit crimes.* 3. *No public service is free, but the govt could pay for it while asking you to repay them in installments (so you have this ease, always), in case something is too expensive. If you don't have a job, point 1 solves it. Even point 2 can be used to alleviate these payments freely.* **Some other features :** *4)Schooling is never forced. They say it's free nowadays but still paying lots of materials and different books year after year. Always different books. It's a scam.* *5) People must be educated against speculation and usury, so these systems cannot drain the populace so easily, making them their slaves as it happens today.* *6)You can have a piece of land at least 2 times as big as needed for self-subsistance (without taxes), so you may leave shitty jobs if you hate them, without being taxed at all. This improves general conditions, since they would also compete for having better workplaces.* *7)Copyrights are theft. They only allow monopoly and greed of useless usurers.* **Do I look like LibRight or not?**

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GigaGrozen@reddit

I would love it if my kids were Libertarian but there shouldn't be a "our party" if they don't even know what it is. If they ask, you can tell them your political ideas, but Americans need to be careful that they don't just slap all of their beliefs into one or two words and give it to their children to blindly believe.

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Imaginary_Part_3187@reddit (OP)

When I say "our party" I mean to say ours as a whole. Not including my kids who don't seem to have political views yet. But definitely very strong opinions on their interests. Lol

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pstamato@reddit

Simple: Libertarians believe that people should be free to make their own choices, as long as they’re not hurting anyone. They think the government should only do a few important things, like keeping people safe, but not tell people *how* to live their lives or take too much of their money in taxes. It’s kind of like if your parents let you decide how to spend your allowance and what to do with your time, as long as you didn’t break any rules that hurt others.

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cathode-raygun@reddit

Well said.

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hreynolds2011@reddit

This

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Stiks-n-Bones@reddit

And I would include personal responsibility for your behavior and the obligation to not infringe on the rights of others. We don't need or want a big expensive government to take care of us because the price and cost is too high. Small government to oversee infrastructure, defense, borders...

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celestialhopper@reddit

I came to write pretty much you have. Though I thought the libertarian ideals put the government back as subordinate to the individual. I'd refuse to regard a government as a parent allowing me to do something... I'd say I'm the owner and government is a pet/animal trained trained to perform certain functions.

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pstamato@reddit

I think that’s a fair point—framing government as a parent granting permission does subtly reinforce a top-down authority model, which isn’t quite in line with the way libertarians tend to view the individual’s relationship to the state. That said, metaphors shape how we think, and each one carries its own implications. While a pet or trained animal suggests a controlled, obedient servant, it also raises questions about what happens when it misbehaves or acts unpredictably. How do we discipline it? How much autonomy does it have? And who is ultimately responsible for its actions? I think this is a great opportunity to discuss authority with kids—not just in the context of government, but in everyday life. When do we accept authority as legitimate? When is it necessary? When should we challenge it? A useful way to frame this might be: “We don’t obey authority because it’s authority; we follow rules when they serve a legitimate purpose, like ensuring fairness, protecting rights, or facilitating cooperation.” If kids can grasp that, they’re in a good position to think critically about government, rules, and personal responsibility as they grow.

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ProphetBlade@reddit

People that grew up under the shaded canopy of a large tree planted by their grandparents that wish to cut it down because they don't know what it's like to be scorched by the sun.

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BlockLevel@reddit

You are describing progressivism

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BlockLevel@reddit

A psyop to discredit and distract the broader libertarian movement

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tigermax42@reddit

Draw a spectrum. On one side, draw the words: 100% tax rate, which = Slavery. That is obvious. Now, on the other side, draw the words: 0% tax rate, which = Liberty. (The opposite of slavery) Then ask your student to give their opinion on which direction we should move towards

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Scared_Sample_3134@reddit

Love this. Going to use this visual with my kids when they're a little older.

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Imaginary_Part_3187@reddit (OP)

Much appreciated. I wasn't sure how to summarize best. I didn't think I had to worry about all this now but the current state of the country seems to provide reasonable timing. And I figured I better start educating before my mother or ex plants seeds.

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Brocks_UCL@reddit

Dont touch my stuff and i wont touch yours. Lets trade

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mcnello@reddit

I'll let you touch mine if you let me touch yours 😉

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Imaginary_Part_3187@reddit (OP)

🤣not using this one for the kids. Haha

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Brocks_UCL@reddit

![gif](giphy|VB5WwlZIt8eRy)

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BogBabe@reddit

This is the best explanation for very young children. OP's kids (esp. the older one) might well do better with a little more detail. It would depend on their level of understanding and interest.

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boogieboardbobby@reddit

This is the answer. In political circles that would translate to 'don't enact laws that impact my life and I won't enact laws that impact yours'.

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NichS144@reddit

The essence of Libertarianism is self ownership and the NAP. Everything else flows from those.

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Emergency_Accident36@reddit

The Libiertarian Party? An incorporated political group that either doesn't understand, or tries to cover up the fact thar bylaws are unchecked government and due to technological manufacturing are massive entities far more power than any government was 100 years ago.

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krebstar42@reddit

The golden rule, is the best analogy at this age. The 13 year old might have clarifying questions, but starting with the golden rule leads into the NAP.

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Brocks_UCL@reddit

Ive always wondered if there are silver and bronze rules, like less important but you should still try to follow them

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Oeuffy@reddit

Nerd alert: Interesting religious text discrepancy here where the libertarian argument aligns more closely to the Talmudic version than the New Testament / kantian version: Don’t do unto others what you wouldn’t want done to you

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RockitDanger@reddit

Explain the Bill of Rights to them. Then explain that their rights only extend until it prohibits other people from exercising those same rights.

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hobartrus@reddit

Don't tread on me, or mind your business.

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New-tothiswholething@reddit

Are those level IV plates?

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Stiks-n-Bones@reddit

Personal responsibility

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user9876543121@reddit

I call it "the truest liberal"

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embarrassed_error365@reddit

The classic Libertarianism: The radical notion that other people are not your property. Or this video https://youtu.be/5n3h3_u6yOc

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embarrassed_error365@reddit

https://preview.redd.it/smts9g4bdjie1.jpeg?width=1115&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c44b4f1a59e121ff2ab22c200c050230a72e9484

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Free_Mixture_682@reddit

The party? (Capital L) A waste of space that cannot come around to a solid set of principles because the spectrum of ideas in the party are too broad to be confined The ideal? (Lower case L) A broad based group of people who maintain certain concepts in common based mostly upon the NAP and a live and let live approach to life. These are extremely simplistic explanations. I say capital and lower case L because that is often the means of distinguishing between people who are in the libertarian camp and the Libertarian Party as an institution.

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Cu3Zn2H2O@reddit

Found some quotes that simplify is a bit: "*The government that governs least, governs best.*" - Thomas Jefferson "*Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority*." - Ayn Rand "*Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end*." - Lord Acton "*The only proper role of government is to protect individual rights*." - Ron Paul "*Taxation is theft*." - Murray Rothbard "*The state is the great fictitious entity by which everyone seeks to live at the expense of everyone else.*" - Frédéric Bastiat. "*Your right to swing your fist ends at the tip of my nose*." - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

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No-Wonder7913@reddit

I have kids close to this age. Teen enjoys debating in detail. By that age most kids can handle some complexity. Pre-teen is less interested and prefers simpler answers. I have directed my teen to the libertarian party official platform. Pre-teen gets something like: As long as nobody is harming another person or property, they should be allowed to do whatever they want, however much we disagree with whatever it is they decide to do. We mind our own business and they mind theirs. From there we have had some discussions that most government actions exist to protect ITSELF, not you. Sometimes what they do does benefit you but this is auxiliary to the main plot.

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rabidmidget8804@reddit

Socially liberal (do what you want as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone), fiscally conservative, against wars, and against government overreach into all aspects of life.

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Cu3Zn2H2O@reddit

From the Cato Institute Press: "Libertarianism is a political philosophy that advocates for individual freedom, autonomy, and voluntary cooperation. It seeks to maximize personal liberty and minimize government intervention, promoting a free market economy and social tolerance, while protecting individual rights and property." Boaz, D. (2019). Libertarianism: A Philosophy of Freedom. In The Libertarian Reader (pp. 1-2). Washington, D.C.: Cato Institute Press.

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j3rdog@reddit

You say ,“ well basically we suck trumps dick and ignore most of his anti libertarian features bc we’re cucks.”

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DemotivationalSpeak@reddit

We don’t like the government taking our things, and if they do something that seems like a good thing, take a closer look.

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Get_Wrecked01@reddit

Buch of folks who want minimum government and maximum freedom, but who can never agree on the best way to make that happen.

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blaspheminCapn@reddit

To the government: Stay out of my wallet and my bedroom.

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Yonigajt@reddit

Leave me alone

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theanxiousknitter@reddit

“That gay couple over there should be able to use the money they got from their wedding to buy whatever guns they want to defend their weed farm.” At least that’s how I start the conversation. There’s obviously more nuance than that. Idk if kids that young should be getting tied up in all of this, but obviously, I’m also not here to tell you how to parent.

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Gsomethepatient@reddit

Libertarian good, Libertarian party big dumb

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yyz505a@reddit

Libertarian want the good stuff that democrats want (personal expression) and the good things the republicans want (economic growth) while discarding the stupid stuff they do (namely wasteful spending and warmongering). Any 5 year old can get it—unfortunately adults think choosing a side to fight for is the reality

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