
Ask HN: What is the difference between Libertarianism and Fascism - t1m
With Peter Thiel ascending to the TRump Cabinet, his extremely worrying ideas about women&#x27;s and minority rights are extremely worrying:<p>https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.cato-unbound.org&#x2F;2009&#x2F;04&#x2F;13&#x2F;peter-thiel&#x2F;education-libertarian<p>What is up with this?<p>Best I can tell, Libertarianism is a kind of an explanation of why there are poor people, and how not to feel bad about it.  I may be wrong!
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skewart
Libertarianism and fascism are so far apart that I'm not sure if this question
is just trolling, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.

Libertarianism generally supports the idea of minimal government intervention
in people's lives. This means both avoiding restrictions on what people are
allowed to do (e.g. legalize drugs, oppose religiously-driven laws that
restrict the freedom of gay and trans people), and also avoiding governmental
efforts to actively assist people (e.g. no social security or Medicare). Most
libertarians would like to see a small, weak government that just does the
minimum required to ensure that one person's freedom isn't impinging on
another person's freedom. They typically oppose military intervention - many
oppose the idea of a standing military at all - and generally advocate for
open boarders.

Fascism on the other hand generally advocates for a very strong government
that aggressiveky restricts individual freedom in the hope of achieving the
goal of social and cultural stasis, or national military power. Fascists
typically believe that individuals should submit to the will of the state
(e.g. dramatically limiting free speech, banning "deviant" lifestyles). They
tend to support aggressive military actions and closed borders.

Libertarians believe personal freedom is an end in itself. Fascists seek
security and safety for their immediate society and tend to not care much
about personal freedom. Whereas libertarians tend to value every individual,
fascists would argue that any given set of individuals should be sacrificed if
it benefits the state.

As with any political identity though, there are a wide range of beliefs - and
people - who have been identified with these two labels. So, YMMV.

~~~
informatimago
Notice that both systems (and other systems too) are more mechanisms to
archive undefined goals than goal setting.

In a libertarian society, free individuals could still build walls around the
borders of their properties and hire armed guard to shoot at anybody not of
their colors trying to cross it.

In a fascist society, the bosses could still force the people to accept
submerging immigration from another continent, and brainwash the indigenous
people to abort and use contraceptives, so that it is eventually exterminated.

ie. Libertarianism, Fascism, Communism, Capitalism, Republic, Monarchy, etc,
don't matter much, to the persons who have the power to decide the policy and
goals. The question is who decides, and what policy and goals they decide.

~~~
CalChris
You are giving somewhat of an _operational definition_ which I think comes
closer to the truth.

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CalChris
Libertarianism is a flag of convenience.

Your question is what's the difference between a Libertarian and a Fascist.
I've asked self identifying Libertarians what is the difference between a
Libertarian and a conservative and what I got was a complaint about liberals.
They occasionally have a wacky opinion like being for drug legalization and
very occasionally being anti death penalty. But really, I can't tell them
apart from garden variety conservatives.

A buddy of mine is an Ayn Rand reading Ronulan. Birther. Dude, you're not a
Libertarian. You're a Fakebertarian.

