I’m not a pure libertarian

Unlike Michael Munger, I’m not terribly bothered by my score of 58 out of a possible 160 points on this Libertarian Purity test. First, that score characterizes me as “a medium-core libertarian,” which is pretty much accurate. Second, I’m perfectly comfortable saying no to questions like Should the law itself be privatized? Should the state ...

By , a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast.

Unlike Michael Munger, I'm not terribly bothered by my score of 58 out of a possible 160 points on this Libertarian Purity test. First, that score characterizes me as "a medium-core libertarian," which is pretty much accurate. Second, I'm perfectly comfortable saying no to questions like

Unlike Michael Munger, I’m not terribly bothered by my score of 58 out of a possible 160 points on this Libertarian Purity test. First, that score characterizes me as “a medium-core libertarian,” which is pretty much accurate. Second, I’m perfectly comfortable saying no to questions like

  • Should the law itself be privatized?
  • Should the state be disarmed and its military disbanded?
  • Is it morally permissible to exercise “vigilante justice,” even against government leaders?
  • Should the state be abolished?
  • Would you call yourself an “anarcho-capitalist?”
  • As I’ve said before, “I’m frequently conflicted between my laissez-faire instincts and my clear-eyed recognition that there is no substitute for nation-states in world politics.” Libertarian theories of international relations have never been able to cope with this fact.

    Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner

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