Ep 7: Can Libertarians Be Conservatives?

December 29, 2022
Reformed Libertarians Podcast

Can Libertarians Be Conservatives?

A discussion of the article “Can Conservatives Be Libertarians?” by Gerard Casey. Several mischaracterizations of libertarianism are answered. How Reformed libertarians value tradition and liberty in contrast with progressive liberalism is clarified, with reference to an essay by Friedrich Hayek. Also mentioned is the relation between liberty and civil justice.

https://reformedlibertarians.com/007

Main Points of Discussion

00:00	Intro
00:32	Episode description “Can Conservatives Be Libertarians?” by Gerard Casey [Audio] [Chapter]
01:35	Article summary
02:59	Why this article is important for Reformed libertarians
04:12	Popular story about tradition vs Cambodia
06:55	We should evaluate and value tradition as a heuristic and as wisdom according to normative standards
09:15	The example of marriage and family life. Civil government interference is destructive, despite best intentions
12:05	Friedrich Hayek’s “Freedom, Reason, and Tradition”
12:37	“Autonomous self” statist-progressivist liberalism not an outgrowth of classical liberalism, contra (among others) Deneen and Koyzis
13:46	Property right and non-aggression is key. Libertarianism is not libertine-ism, and does not entail condoning or otherwise supporting immorality.
15:12	Libertarianism is also the key to religious liberty
16:03	Moral action must be free. Liberty is not the highest value, principle, or end in life as such. Rather, civil justice is the leading norm for civil governance, and so liberty (in the sense of non-aggression) as one’s right is at issue.
18:28	Recap
19:40	Only by maintaining the non-aggression principle can we best promote a moral and overall flourishing society to God’s glory

Further Resources Mentioned

See Gerard Casey’s book Libertarian Anarchy
And his article “Meddling In Other Men’s Affairs”
Also hear Norman Horn on “How Libertarianism Differs From Other Political Movements”

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