The Appeal of Libertarianism: Andrew Koppelman

Nov 23

Written By

November 23rd, 2022

“The core idea of liberalism is that people ought to be able to live as they like.”

Andrew Koppelman is the author of Burning Down the House: How Libertarian Philosophy Was Corrupted by Delusion and Greed. It’s a fascinating history of this idea and an excellent lens for understanding so much of American life and politics.

The core idea of liberalism is that people ought to be able to live as they like and libertarianism appeals to that desire for freedom. The question is how do you deliver it? A robust free market has proven to do more for the poor than any centralized state control. However, there are some problems (like a pandemic) that can only be dealt with by organized collective action led by a strong state. Government facilitates freedom by making the country richer and giving individuals more wherewithal to conduct their lives. Markets alone don't give people what they deserve because what people deserve is a backward-looking question.