Difference Between Libertarian & Authoritarian

Man has always been involved in politics and the difference in thoughts has always prevailed among them. Whenever there is a conflict in ideologies, political views, and economic stances, the situation gets hyped up.

Among other political and governmental beliefs, today we are up for discussing the differences between a libertarian and an authoritarian. But before getting started, let’s see what the definitions of these words are.

Libertarian: A person who advocates civil liberty.

I have seen many definitions before stating it here but this definition of libertarian by Google is better than the rest of them. Why? Because of the simple tone and straight point.

A Libertarian is a person who talks about human rights over their body, speech, and everything.

Authoritarian: A person who believes in complete obedience in return for his or her freedom.

In all fairness, this sounds a little strict and undoable for many of us but in reality, this form of governance has proved to be effective in some cases.

This article is all about what beliefs a libertarian and an authoritarian have, and which form of governance is better than the other. To know it all, STICK AROUND!

Are libertarians right or left?

The political spectrum has two dimensions, left and right, where it goes from start to extreme points. According to the political philosophers, there are Right-Libertarians and Left-Libertarians.

Right-Libertarians are those who advocate the freedom of the market and freedom of owning a property but they do not favor the redistribution of wealth through taxation.

Left-libertarians are on the same page as the Right-Libertarians when it comes to market freedom, and the freedom of property but in the matter of taxation, their views change. A Left-Libertarian favors redistribution through taxation and thinks that both should not be contradictory.

A bird flying
Libertarians are all about Freedom

What are libertarian beliefs?

Libertarians are big advocates of individual rights and they go beyond everything to protect them.

Libertarianism was not born overnight, it took centuries for philosophers to come up with the ideology of libertarianism. The concept of libertarianism was started in Israel, China, and Greece and it is still evolving.

Libertarian is a true example of individualism. For a Libertarian, whatever is happening in your life is a choice you made. If you are suffering in any way, you made that choice for yourself. Everything that happens in your life or is supposed to happen should be your call to make.

According to the Libertarian belief, a society remains in order by the will of an individual. No matter how much authorities impose rules, an individual is not willing to maintain order. the society will remain in chaos.

Libertarian belief suggests that individuals establish governments but centralized power is a tricky business. Hence, they believe in divided administration.

As Lord Acton stated, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Libertarians have always fought for people’s right to own properties and help the state in building through production on an individual level.

What are authoritarian beliefs?

An Authoritarian believes in the rule of one. In authoritarianism, the concept is that singularity is ultimate and utmost.

An authoritarian form of government acts as a dominant body that passes on rules and makes sure that people are following them. The leader of such a government must be either charismatic and people willingly follow him or her, or the leader is a monarch and leaves people with no choice other than submission.

A group of a particular class or elites or also sometimes the acting authoritarians of a society who are considered not answerable before the constitution.

What do authoritarian governments do?

People who support authoritarian governments talk about the benefit of one leader or a small group of well-educated and well-versed people who can make better decisions on behalf of the country.

People who oppose the authoritarian form of government argue that power tied to one person or a small group will cause chaos as no consent of the masses is required before regulating rule and law.

It is always better to weigh the pros and cons of things in discussion to eliminate the confusion and that is exactly what I am going to do for you. Here are the pros and cons of the authoritarian government.

Pros and Cons of Authoritarian Government

Pros Cons
The decisions that are made are prompt and quick.An Authoritarian government is an open challenge for the masses.
The responsibility of decision making lies on one shoulder This government seeks no consent of anyone whatsoever.
An Authoritarian government has the capability to enforce consistent rules and get the same results in the whole country. An Authoritarian government wishes to stay in power forever!
The hierarchy and responsibility of the individuals are clear in this government. An Authoritarian government depends on one leader or a small group only.
An Authoritarian government tends to be more productive and eliminates duplication in the sector of the supply chain. As many people are not invited into the process of decision-making, there is a huge chance of failure.
Pros and Cons of Authoritarian Government
A person wearing a flag
An authoritarian knows how to get things done.

Are authoritarians bad?

Many people believe that an authoritarian government is bad, this is because, in authoritarianism, power is tied to one person or one small group that may hinder or restrict the decisions of the masses. This may cause discrimination towards people, especially the minority.

The masses like to be heard, they love a leader they can relate to, and who can understand them.

However, there may be some situations that would need an authoritarian to come forward and take things in hand to make things right. While an authoritarian is considered strict and dominant, an authoritarian is also a result-driven person who gives, quick and effective results.

I have made quite a good comparison of an authoritarian government and I would leave the good and the bad up to the readers thinking to evaluate.

What is the opposite of libertarianism?

Different people, different opinions!

People often label totalitarianism, social democracy, and authoritarianism as the opposite of libertarianism.

As per my understanding and world-recognized Nolan Chart, Authoritarian is the best option to consider as the opposite of Libertarian.

If a Libertarian does not like something, he is going to avoid it for himself but an Authoritarian will try to make people avoid it by banning it altogether. This is the main reason people prioritize Libertarians over Authoritarians.

Bottomline

  • Libertarianism is all about giving individuals freedom and keeping the government small. Authoritarianism, however, is about having a strong central power. It strictly controls over society.
  • In politics, left-libertarians hold differing opinions on how economies should be managed. And also how societies should operate.
  • Libertarians believe in people taking responsibility for themselves. And they work together by choice. They worry that too much government involvement takes away freedom.
  • Authoritarian governments direct power to a single leader or small elite group. They often suppress civil liberties and dissent.
  • Authoritarians focus on getting things done fast and making decisions quickly. However, some people think they might not be accountable for their actions and could misuse their power.
  • There are pros and cons of each system that make them different.
  • The beliefs of a Libertarian government may prove to be a helping hand in the peace and harmony of a country. However, in another state, this style of governance is failing.
  • Ultimately, the choice between the two ideologies depends on societal values. It also depends on historical context and the specific needs of a population.
  • Both of these government styles are the opposite of each other.

Other Articles

A web story that differentiates Libertarian and Authoritarian ideologies can be found when you click here.

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