Comparing Liberal, Conservative and Libertarian
Answers
From Libertarianism in One Lesson (Ninth Ed.) by David Bergland
Should there be a draft for military purposes?
Liberal: Yes, but not during peacetime.
Conservative: Yes. America must always be strong to deter
potential enemies. And young people need military service to learn patriotism
and discipline.
Libertarian: Absolutely not, under any circumstances.
The draft is slavery. Slaves make poor defenders of freedom.
Should government own or control newspapers, radio, or television?
Liberal: Yes. We need the Public Broadcasting System
(PBS) to guarantee high-quality programming. In addition, the government
should restrict advertising aimed at children. We also need laws to ensure
balanced coverage by the conservative-dominated talk radio networks.
Conservative: Government should not own radio or TV networks
but should make it a crime for them to broadcast offensive material. We
also need laws to ensure balanced coverage by the liberal-dominated television
networks.
Libertarian: No. Government ownership or control of press
or electronic media has no place in a free society. Owners of newspapers
and broadcasters should be responsible for what they publish. Let parents
and consumers decide what may come into their homes.
Should government regulate sexual activity among consenting
adults, including prostitution?
Liberal: Generally not. But, if prostitution were legal,
it should be regulated to protect public health and to make sure that
women are not exploited.
Conservative: Yes. Prostitution, homosexuality, adultery,
and fornication should all be illegal because they are antithetical to
family and religious values.
Libertarian: No. Sexual activity involving consenting
adults violates the rights of no other person. The right of adults to
make their own decisions in this most private area must be respected.
Should drugs like marijuana, cocaine, and heroin be legalized?
Liberal: Perhaps. Marijuana could be legalized, but the
production and sale should be regulated and taxed. Tax money should be
used for drug-treatment programs.
Conservative: Are you nuts? Drugs cause crime, harm families,
encourage criminal gangs, and promote other social ills. We need stricter
anti-drug laws, longer sentences, and more prisons.
Libertarian: Yes. Peaceful drug use violates no other
person’s rights. People have the right to control their own bodies.
Drug laws subsidize criminals, cause more crime, corrupt law enforcement,
destroy civil rights, and do not work.
Should it be legal for people to travel or move into and
out of the U.S. without limitation?
Liberal: We should allow people trying to escape political
oppression to come to America, and give them government aid to help them
get settled. But we should strictly limit their number because they take
American jobs.
Conservative: No. We have too many immigrants already.
They go on welfare, take our jobs, increase crime and disease, and refuse
to learn English.
Libertarian: Yes. All individuals have the same rights,
regardless of where they were born. Anyone willing to take responsibility
for himself or herself has the right to travel and seek opportunity. America
has always benefitted from immigrants. They tend to work hard, start businesses,
become educated, improve our economy, and make America a more culturally
dynamic place.
Should government subsidize farmers and regulate what they
grow?
Liberal: Yes. Farmers need protection from low prices
for their crops and against bad weather. Also, these farm programs help
supply food to the needy.
Conservative: Some support is needed so that family farms
are not lost, and to protect American farmers against unfair foreign competition.
Many farm programs are expensive and wasteful, but they can’t be
completely eliminated.
Libertarian: No. Business are not entitled to have the
government force taxpayers to support them. Farmers should operate in
a free, competitive market, just as all others in business should.
Should government impose tariffs, quotas, embargoes, or other
restrictions on international trade?
Liberal: Tariffs and quotas are needed to save American
jobs. Trade embargoes can also be used to punish right-wing dictators
who oppress their people.
Conservative: Trade barriers are necessary to protect
industries vital to national defense and to keep American businesses competitive.
Trade embargoes can also be used to punish left-wing dictators who oppress
their people.
Libertarian: Trade barriers violate the rights of Americans
and foreign people who desire to trade. Trade barriers cut everyone’s
productivity and cost more jobs than they save.
Should the government mandate a minimum wage?
Liberal: Yes. Otherwise, employers will exploit workers
by paying only subsistence wages. Everyone is entitled to a living wage.
Conservative: No. Employers should be able to hire the
best employees they can get at the lowest price set by market competition.
Libertarian: No. Such laws violate the right of employees
and employers to strike their own deals. Economics and history show that
minimum wage laws cause unemployment.
Isn’t taxation the only way to pay for necessary government
services?
Liberal: Without taxes, not enough people would be willing
to pay for welfare for the poor, or education, or environmental protection,
or so many other important things which only government can provide. In
fact, the government should probably raise taxes so it can do more good.
Conservative: Without taxes, not enough people would
be willing to pay for a national defense, or subsidies to vital industries,
or to fight the War on Drugs, or so many other important things only government
can provide. However, taxes are somewhat high, so it may be possible to
reduce them slightly.
Libertarian: Taxation is immoral and indistinguishable
from theft. We should replace taxation with voluntary methods of funding
legitimate govenment functions. Besides, most “government services”
can be provided by private sector business, charities, and other organizations.
Should the U.S. government send troops to intervene in the
affairs of other countries?
Liberal: Yes, if it will advance the cause of human rights,
topple oppressive right-wing dictators, or help poor and starving people
in third-world countries.
Conservative: Yes, if it will help fight terrorism, topple
oppressive left-wing dictators, or protect vital U.S. interests such as
oil.
Libertarian: No. The U.S. government has no authority
to intervene militarily in the affairs of other countries except in response
to a military attack on the American homeland.
Should the United States government continue to participate
in and support the United Nations?
Liberal: Yes, because the U.N. is the last best hope
for world peace and because it performs valuable humanitarian missions.
Conservative: Yes, but we should pressure the U.N. to
take more pro-American stances.
Libertarian: Not as presently constituted and financed
by tax dollars. A voluntarily financed forum for international cooperation
would not be objectionable.
Should young Americans be compelled to serve in some capacity
in the name of “national service”?
Liberal: Yes, everyone has the obligation to “give
back” for what society has done for them, and to learn the importance
of helping others.
Conservative: Yes, when it can be justified for national
defense purposes.
Libertarian: No. Mandatory labor is slavery regardless
of whether it is masked by the euphemisms “draft” or “national
service.”
Should the U.S. government help American businesses during
hard economic times with low-interest loans or subsidies?
Liberal: Yes. This will save jobs, and American workers
need all the help they can get during a recession. However, corporations
shouldn’t be allowed to use such support to make excessive profits.
Conservative: Yes. Government should help business stay
in business. Such a policy promotes free enterprise.
Libertarian: No. Government can only help some businesses
by stealing from other businesses and taxpayers. No one has the right
to be subsidized at the expense of others.
What is the best way to deal with the current massive budget
deficits?
Liberal: Raise taxes on the rich. Don’t cut federal
spending on social programs.
Conservative: In the short term, borrow more money to
keep the federal government operating. Don’t raise taxes, and don’t
cut federal spending on defense. In the long run, economic growth will
help pay down the national debt.
Libertarian: Dramatically reduce federal spending and
taxes to encourage greater economic growth. Confine the federal government
to national defense and protecting our constitutional rights. With those
savings, pay down the national debt as quickly as possible.
Is there a solution to the long-term financial problems of
the Social Security system?
Liberal: Significantly increase payroll taxes. Older
people are entitled to live in dignity, and they need the security of
a government-financed retirement program.
Conservative: Reduce benefits, make the system more efficient,
and raise the retirement age. Also, consider implementing voluntary, government-controlled
private retirement accounts with a portion of people’s Social Security
taxes. If necessary, borrow more money to keep the system afloat.
Libertarian: The impending Social Security bankruptcy
requires that we end the system by granting older workers and retirees
the choice of a lump-sum payment or private insurance annuity to replace
future Social Security benefits. Ending the bankrupt system will relieve
younger workers of the tax and avoid the economic meltdown which will
surely result from a massive increase in Social Security taxes.
Should the U.S. government send foreign aid to other countries?
Liberal: Yes. We need to help the poor in third-world
and developing countries which have good human-rights records.
Conservative: Yes. We need to help those governments
trying to resist terrorism or trying to convert from socialism to democracy.
Libertarian: No. American taxpayers should not be forced
to pay to support other governments. However, individuals should always
be allowed to give voluntary aid.
Should children be required by law to attend schools?
Liberal: Yes. Parents cannot be trusted to provide for
their children’s education.
Conservative: Yes. Education is too important to the
economic health of the nation to be left up to parents.
Libertarian: No. Compulsory attendance laws violate the
rights of parents to decide what kind of education is best for their children.
Should parents be allowed to teach their children at home?
Liberal: Maybe. However, it should be strictly regulated
to make sure that parents don’t teach their children bigotry or
bizarre religious doctrines.
Conservative: Yes. Although some parents may fail to
give their children a proper education, public schools aren’t doing
a very good job. However, increased federal oversight of schools and standardized
testing may solve that problem, which will encourage homeschoolers to
return to the public-education system.
Libertarian: Yes. The government has no proper role in
education. There should be a separation of school and state for the same
reasons that we have a separation of church and state. There should be
no government penalties or regulation of parents who prefer to teach their
children at home.
Should the ownership of firearms be restricted by law?
Liberal: Yes. Guns kill people. Ownership of firearms
should be very strictly regulated, with waiting periods, mandatory gun
locks, background checks, and government-issued licenses. If those steps
don’t solve the problem, then only law enforcement and the military
should be allowed to own any type of gun.
Conservative: Generally, no. However, some limitations
on hand guns and military assault rifles may be appropriate.
Libertarian: Ownership of firearms violates no other
person’s rights, and therefore should not be subject to any penalty
or government restriction. Aggressive (criminal) use of firearms should
be punished, but not responsible ownership.
What should the government do about the rising cost of health
care?
Liberal: Every American has a right to health care. The
federal government should guarantee free health care, or at least insurance,
for everyone. Government must control fees charged by greedy doctors,
hospitals, HMOs, and pharmaceutical companies.
Conservative: Medicare entitlements must be controlled
and limits should be put on medical malpractice lawsuits. Business and
individuals should get more tax breaks for medical expenses.
Libertarian: Eliminate the socialist policies that drive
up costs. End the government-enforced doctor’s monopoly. Let midwives,
nurses, and other professionals provide medical service. Give patients
the power to make more medical decisions. Deregulate hospitals and insurance.
Replace Medicare with voluntary private funding for the needy. As a transition
step, offer dollar-for-dollar tax breaks for all medical costs.
What should government policy be toward abortion?
Liberal: A woman has the right to an abortion. If she
can’t afford it, taxpayers should pay for her abortion.
Conservative: Abortion is murder and should be subject
to appropriate criminal penalties (except, perhaps, in the case of rape
or incest).
Libertarian: This is a rare issue where libertarians
can disagree. Most libertarians hold that a woman has the right to decide
whether to terminate a pregnancy, and that government should play no role
in that decision. Other libertarians hold that abortion involves a violation
of the rights of an unborn child, and should be illegal. All libertarians
agree that under no circumstances should government force anyone to subsidize
another’s abortion.
What should government policy be toward nuclear power?
Liberal: Because of high risk and the problem of nuclear
waste disposal, no more nuclear power plants should be built and existing
plants should be shut down.
Conservative: Nuclear power is cheap, safe, and less
polluting than other power sources. Government should do more to encourage
its development.
Libertarian: The nuclear power industry is subsidized
by federally legislated limits on liability. Government should get out
of the nuclear power business and let private power companies compete
in the energy marketplace — while bearing full responsibility for
actual or potential liability.
Do we need the Food and Drug Administration to ensure that
medicines are safe and effective?
Liberal: Yes. Only government can protect us against
events like the Thalidomide tragedy (when a drug turned out to have unanticipated
side effects). But we do need to speed up the FDA approval process for
diseases like AIDS.
Conservative: Yes. But the FDA needs to be reformed.
Currently, the approval process is so slow and expensive that it discourages
pharmaceutical companies from developing new drugs.
Libertarian: No. There is a market demand for information
about the safety and effectiveness of medicine. That demand can be met
by private testing labs, the same way Underwriters Laboratories tests
and reports on electrical appliances. The FDA causes delays in the approval
of medicines that lead to unnecessary deaths and suffering by people denied
medicine for extended periods.
Do we need zoning laws to protect our communities?
Liberal: Yes. Zoning is necessary to control sprawl,
to protect open spaces, and to guarantee sufficient low-income housing.
It’s also needed to make sure that profit-hungry businesses like
WalMart can’t build “big-box” stores wherever they want.
Conservative: Yes. Zoning is necessary to ensure stable
property values, to protect historic neighborhoods, and to maintain the
quality of life we want in our communities.
Libertarian: No. Zoning denies the right of individuals
to make the best use of their property. Experience in unzoned cities like
Houston proves that cities can thrive without zoning. Rents are lower,
property values are protected, and compatible uses tend to cluster together.
Other free-market alternatives are things like private deed restrictions
or covenants.
Do we need the federal Small Business Administration (SBA)
to provide loans to entrepreneurs and small business?
Liberal: Yes. Otherwise many minority-run or female-owned
businesses would not be able to get start-up funds and create jobs in
their communities.
Conservative: Yes. Anything that helps free enterprise
is a good thing.
Libertarian: No. The SBA is just another example of welfare
for business. The agency hands out money that was seized from working
taxpayers and successful businesses. It gives that money to people who
failed to persuade lenders to loan them funds voluntarily. Free-market
venture capitalists are perfectly capable of deciding which new businesses
have a realistic chance of succeeding, and lending money accordingly.