People all around the world have different ideologies which they practice and follow. Some are more inclined towards the strict rule of government, whereas some belief in the supremacy of the citizens. Libertarians and Republicans are two such types of people having different ideologies and beliefs.
Libertarian vs Republican
The main difference between libertarians and republicans is that libertarians are advocates and followers of a philosophy which aims at obtaining minimum intervention of the government in the private life of citizens, while Republicans support the philosophy of incorporating the rule of law even after having a slight intervention into citizen’s life.
Libertarians greatly value the Freedom of an Individual and believe that the judicial system poses strict limits and rules even in the personal life of an individual. This is one of the main reasons why libertarians defend effective rights to the liberty of citizens and private property.
Republicans believe in the rule of law, and their ideology is to govern a country as a republic with a strong stress on independence and civic virtue exercised by residents. These people also believe in the replacement of inherited and monarch rule, meaning the rule of a King or a Queen.
Comparison Table Between Libertarian and Republican
| Parameters of Comparison | Libertarian | Republican |
| Ideology | Libertarians believe and are in favour of negligible intervention of the state in the private life and business of citizens. | Republicans believe that government rules and regulations are required in some areas to maintain and develop the rule of law. |
| Military | Libertarians believe and advocate the principle of no interference of military and police in nation-building. | Republicans believe and advocate the principle of necessary intervention of the military to help the nation grow. |
| Drug use | Libertarians support the free use of drugs and no restriction of even medical drug use. | Republicans support strict laws and regulations regarding the free use of drugs of any sort. |
| Marriage | Libertarians are against the state sanction and subsidization of weddings. | Republicans are in support of the state subsidization of weddings. |
| Capital punishment | Libertarians advocate and are completely against state-regulated punishments like hanging. | Republicans are in favour of capital punishments like hanging and even sentencing to death. |
What is Libertarian?
The principal political value of Libertarians is Individual liberty. Libertarians advocate the right to freedom, the right to life, and freedom of speech. According to these people, the authority of the government should be limited to promote their ideology of individual freedom.
The ideology of liberalism has originated from the customs of ancient Israel and classical Greece. Liberalism was also promoted through various discussions on slave-owning and private equity. One of the primary features of Liberalism is “spontaneous order,” which means certain ideologies develop in society naturally.
Libertarians believe in the Nonaggression axiom, which means any sort of violence against any individual by the government with the use of force is unjust and unfair. This means that the state must not involve itself in military induction, confiscation of capital, or any sort of aggression. Libertarians also seek to promote trade and the concept of a free market for the progress of the nation.
Libertarians also preach the general applicability of well-known public laws rather than following laws made by bureaucrats and leaders. They also advocate the concept of limited government through a system of accountability.
What is Republican?
The primary philosophy of republicans is Conservatism. Republicans believe that the nation must not be ruled by any monarch meaning a King or a queen. One of the major economic ideas of republicans is that taxes must not be increased for any section of society, and the wage rate must be decided by the free market.
Republicans advocate the idea of increasing the military expenditure to protect the nation from attacks of other countries and also suppressing domestic riots. They also support death sentences and the hanging of criminals. Republicans, in general, are against Gay marriage and excessive abortions.
The Republican party is also one of the oldest parties in the United States. Republicans came into existence initially to create a free market economy, reduce taxes and focus on deregulations. One of the basic beliefs of republicans is that government laws prevent the free market and promote unemployment.
Republicans also have a very strong stance on illegal immigration and do everything to prevent this. They also feel that the private sector must be given a stake in the health sector to promote efficiency.
Main Differences Between Libertarian and Republican
- Libertarians do not agree with government interference in public work projects, whereas republicans advocate the intervention of the state into these projects.
- Libertarians are in favour of Gay marriages, while republicans are in complete opposition to Gay marriages.
- Libertarians oppose the system of Central Banking, whereas republicans are in favour of the concept of Central Banking.
- Libertarians are against the policy of subsidised housing, while Republicans are in favour of the concept of subsidised housing.
- Libertarians are against the special form of slavery for national defence known as conscription, whereas republicans support all forms of compulsory national service.
Conclusion
There are always heated debates regarding whose ideology is the most appropriate, whether it is the ideology of Republicans or that of Libertarians. There is no specific answer to this question as both ideologies believe that this is the only way for the service of the nation.
The difference in ideology between the two leads to certain rifts between both groups. Libertarians believe in narrowing the government size and authority. They also believe in a very low tax regime and also advocate for more economic and social liberty. The republicans, on the other hand, support an increase in military expenditure, laws against immigration, restriction of abortion, and Gay marriage.
On an ending note, both libertarians and republicans instead of only promoting the ideologies they must respect each other philosophy and must argue in favour of the society and try to prove how their beliefs can bring about a significant change and impact in the society so that people excel and prosper in every domain of life.
References
- https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203926604-11/liberalism-cornelia-navari
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0090591786014003006