Libertarianism isn't about winning elections; it is first and foremost a
political philosophy--a description of how, in the opinion of
libertarians, free people ought to treat one another, at least when they
use the law, which they regard as potentially dangerous. If libertarians
are correct, the law should intrude into people's lives as little as
possible, rarely telling them what to do or how to live.
A political and economic philosophy as old as John Locke and John Stuart
Mill, but as alive and timely as Rand Paul, the Tea Party, and the
novels of Ayn Rand, libertarianism emphasizes individual rights and
calls for a radical reduction in the power and size of government.
Libertarianism For Beginners lays out the history and principles of
this often-misunderstood philosophy in lucid, dispassionate terms that
help illuminate today's political dialogue.