What is the difference between democrat and libertarian?
United States politics is dominated by liberals, conservatives, green, and libertarians. They have different political ideologies and they aim to empower the citizens.
The main difference between democrats and libertarians is that democrats have liberal and left-leaning philosophy while libertarians have both social liberal and fiscal conservative philosophy.
Comparison Table between Democrat and Libertarian
| Basic Terms | Democrat | Libertarian |
| Political Affiliation | Democrats Party | Libertarian Party |
| Formation of the Parties | 1820 | 1971 |
| Philosophy | Liberal and left-leaning | Have both social liberal and fiscal conservative |
| Economic Ideas | Believe in the minimum wage and progressive taxation | Believe wages should be set by free-market and taxation should not be increased |
| Military Budget | Reduce spending on military | Mixed reactions |
| Gay Marriage Stand | Tend to support | Oppose government involvement in personal affairs |
| Abortion Stand | Should remain legal | Mixed reactions |
| Death Penalty Stand | Highly supported by the majority of democrats | Mixed reactions |
| US Foreign Affairs | Agree to work with the United Nations when dealing with an international crisis | Disagree working with the United Nations since it restricts protection |
What Is a Democrat?
Democrats tend to support a wider range of social services such as income equality and progressive taxation. The main aim is to support the weaker and vulnerable sections in society.
They are a community-oriented party that believes that every individual has the responsibility of the community and social justice.
Besides that, they encourage working together with the United Nations on matters of international crisis. Also, they support gay marriage and abortion.
What Is a Libertarian?
Libertarians have a philosophy that has a limited influence in all spheres of the government such as political, economic, and social and foreign policies.
They strongly believe in personal freedom and responsibility. Therefore, the involvement of the government in these affairs will hinder their efficiencies.
Libertarians want to decrease military spending and American involvement in conflict abroad. They believe in strengthening the country’s border and protect American citizens.
Main Difference between Democrat and Libertarian in Point Form
- Democrats are liberal and left-leaning while libertarians are social liberal and fiscal conservative
- Democrats support minimum wages and progressive taxation whereas libertarian support wages to be determined by the free market and no taxation on wealth
- Democrats support decrease spending on the military while libertarian have mixed reactions
- Democrats support gay marriage while libertarians oppose government involvement in personal affairs
- Democrats support abortion while libertarians have mixed reactions
- Democrats support the death penalty whereas libertarians still have mixed reactions
- Democrat party was formed in 1820 while the libertarian party was formed in 1971
Similarities between Democrat and Libertarian
- Both are political parties in the United States
- Both favor equal rights of gay and lesbian couples
- Both support reduction in military spending
Frequently Asked Questions (Democrat vs Libertarian)
- Is A Libertarian Left or Right?
Left-wing. Libertarianism is often thought of as ‘right-wing’ doctrine which is mistaken from social rather than economic.
- Is a libertarian a Republican?
A libertarian Republican is a politician or Republican Party member who has advocated libertarian policies while typically voting for and being involved with the United States Republican Party.
- Do Libertarians Believe In Socialism?
Libertarian socialism is anti-capitalist and can be distinguished from capitalist and right-libertarian principles which concentrate economic power in the hands of those who own the most capital. Libertarian socialism aims to distribute power more widely among members of society.
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Comparison Video
Summary
Democrats and libertarians tend to share common interests and positions. It is the reason why spotting their differences can be quite hard. The core difference between democrat and libertarian is based on their philosophy.
More Sources and References
- Libertarian Democrat. Wikipedia
- Political Ideologies. Khan Academy