Bell Ringers
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By sunshinecavalluzzi
On April 15, 2019

Bell Ringer: Libertarianism

"The Relative Emphasis of Government and the Private Sector" - Liberal vs. Libertarian

Author and professor Lanny Ebenstein distinguishes contemporary libertarianism from classic liberalism and discusses the positions of economists Hayek and Friedman.

Description

Libertarian political ideology places a strong emphasis on individual freedom, a very limited role for government, and non-interventionist foreign policy. The Libertarian Party in the United States was founded in 1971. Approximately 150 local elected officials nationwide are members of the Libertarian party and some elected officials from major parties also espouse libertarian ideals.

Bell Ringer Assignment

  • According to Professor Ebenstein, what is the difference between classical liberalism and contemporary libertarianism?
  • Are economists Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek, according to Professor Ebenstein, liberals or libertarians? Justify your response!
  • Would a libertarian voter be likely to support or oppose a government requirement that all restaurants in a town post calorie counts and other nutritional information for their menu items? Explain your answer!
  • AP Government - Questions to Consider: How might a libertarian candidate influence an election outcome in a Congressional district? If that libertarian earned a double-digit (but non-plurality) percentage of the popular vote in that election, how might that result impact policy priorities of the victorious candidate? How do recent policy decisions regarding government regulations reflect or refute libertarian ideals?

Additional Resources

Participants

    Vocabulary

    • Ideology
    • Liberal
    • Libertarian
    • Political Philosophy

    Topics

    AP U.S. Government Key TermsCampaigns & ElectionsPolitical Parties

    Grades

    Middle SchoolHigh School