Libertarianism: About Property, Or Something More?

Brian Doherty | November 17, 2008

reason contributors spar about the definition and proper focus of libertarianism. A dividing line: is libertarianism (or should it be?) about property rights, or about the exercise of freedom more widely conceived?

This blog entry from Todd Seavey, along with its accompanying links and the comment thread, is a good start to dive into this ongoing round in a debate that had run through the self-conscious libertarian movement for a long time. Seavey is sure that his property rights-based version is both the customary and proper one--while the likes of Will Wilkinson, Kerry Howley, and Roderick Long all think that freedom is bigger than property rights.