The History of Western Libertarian Philosophy A basic guide Justin Hartfield
Socrates- (450 BC) Laid the foundation of Western philosophy and learning with the introduction of the Socratic Method, enhancing the role of inquiry and reason in political philosophy.
Plato- Was the first to logically analyze different governmental systems. Plato first recognized the potential harm in unbridled Democracy, namely the Tyranny of the Majority, a system of coercion he felt was effectively indistinguishable from the tyranny of a single monarch. Was the first of the great Western philosophers to speak of a "transcendent universe" similar to the one mentioned in the Vedas.
Jesus- No hyperbole would exaggerated the impact Jesus has made on the Western world, as the founder of culture and society as we know it in the West. Jesus highlighted the importance of voluntary charity, love and community in human society, and inspired countless works of art, music, and other achievement. Jesus' advocation of the Golden Rule eventually became the inspirational foundation for liberty in the Western legal system - all men are created equal, and laws should allow all men to exercise the freedoms that every man would wish to exercise for himself.
Gnostics- The first Western movement to suggest that God could be found in your "inner Self." The Gnostics believed that each human being is connected through a divine spirit. Thus the Gnostics held that individual rights and freedoms were a birthright of being "a member of God's Kingdom." Intriguingly, the Gnostics' message was echoed thousands of years later by Meher Baba.
Seneca- At one time he was the most powerful man in the world, but gave it all up for spiritual freedom and the pursuit of happiness. A Roman Stoic, Seneca believed that path toward enlightenment was through reason and deep understanding of nature. Although Seneca never read the Vedas, his ideas are 100% consistent with both the Hindu and Buddhist doctrines.
Machiavelli- (1525) The first to distinguish traditional morality and the duties of the head of state. Machiavelli revolutionized the concept of power, and helped lead the libertarian recognition that the state's goal of self-preservation often will run contrary to principles of individual liberty and freedom.
Descartes- (1625) Descartes was the first to separate God from science, creating dualism. As a consequence of dualism, he created the mind-body-problem (how can material matter create consciousness?) His dualistic approach to science (of a spirituality separate from the classical world) has been the pervading thought in all scientific endeavors up until recently. Despite the trappings of dualism, his theories cleared the path for the scientific and industrial revolutions in later centuries.
Isaac Newton- (1670) Newton's true passions were alchemy and decrypting "secret prophesies" in the Bible, Newton deduced the ways of the classical world and invented modern mathematics. Without Newton, there is no Einstein.
John Locke- (1670) The greatest of the "social contract" theorists and one of the greatest libertarian theorists to ever live, Locke argued that the state should only have those powers necessary to provide those services that humans are incapable of providing for themselves in a state of anarchy (the "State of Nature"). His work had a major influence on the Declaration of Independence, and centuries of individualist, libertarian thought.
Adam Smith- (1776) Adam Smith explained how positive collective results can rise from the primary human desire for "self-interest". The Wealth of Nations is still the best single treatise on Capitalism, read the world over. Smith introduced concepts such as division of labor and the Invisible Hand, which to this day provide persuasive justifications for the social superiority of free-market capitalism. Smith is also credited for almost single-handedly exiling mercantilism off the world stage and onto the history books (where it will be reunited with Feudalism and Communism).
Thomas Paine- It was Paine's writings which inspired the masses toward the first popular revolution dedicated to individual freedom and limited government. The emotional appeal found in the pamphlet Common Sense made the Revolution alive in the minds of the lay public who responded to Paine's pathos over Jefferson's cold logic.
Thomas Jefferson- Shaped the young country perhaps more than any other man. Jefferson had a purpose and a vision for the country- both of which are beautifully expressed in the Declaration of Independence which he penned almost entirely by himself. His affinity for natural law and other libertarian principles make the Declaration a timeless assertion of human rights, one that would be cited centuries later by Martin Luther King, Jr., inspiring the world to embrace justice, humanity and the inherent dignity of every man.
James Madison- Laid the foundation of perhaps the most successful nation in the history of mankind by framing much of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, as well as defending the Constitutional ideal in the Federalist Papers.
J.S. Mill- (1840) John Stuart Mill is credited as the founder of classical liberalism and laid the first plank toward libertarianism as we know it today. Mill's famous "harm thesis", arguing that the only limit to a man's freedom is the point at which he harms another man, is the foundation of nearly every Western legal system. His arguments in favor of free speech - explaining that even the expression of an erroneous or obnoxious point of view is valuable because debate reinforces the correctness of the majority's beliefs - maintain exceptional persuasive force to this day.
Niels Bohr- His model for quantum physics first showed the existence of a supernatural force (which acts in disobedience towards Einstein's principle of locality). Wisely, Bohr never tried to explain his voodoo physics in classical mathematical terms- perhaps he understand the force behind the quantum movement required more study than just a section in a dossier.
Napoleon Hill- A truly enlightened individual, Napoleon Hill provided a repeatable formula for obtaining the "American Dream". Think and Grow Rich is to the Western world as Siddhartha Gautama's Noble Eightfold Path is to the Eastern world.
Albert Einstein- The brilliant scientist is best remembered for his theory of relativity, which expands on Newton's principles of movement in the classical worldview. Ultimately, Einstein failed to provide the comprehensive unification theory of the universe in which he was so desperately searching (which is obvious in hindsight, as providing a comprehensive unification theory would invalidate his very own theories of relativity, causality and locality). Einstein's world was composed of atoms which move in determinalistic patterns. However, science has now discovered that there exists an entire universe on the Planck scale which does not operate under the same relative patterns as that of the classical world as Einstein understood it then.
Robert Nozick- Nozick's book Anarchy, State, and Utopia introduced limited government and free markets as a legitimate philosophical (and even spiritual) aims, and not just utilitarian ways to make government more efficient. He is widely regarded the greatest modern libertarian philosopher.
William F. Buckley- Founder of the modern conservative movement, Buckley won millions of fans the world over by his brilliant thinking and devastating argument. While not a philosopher himself, his strategic adoption of "fusionism" - uniting old school conservatives with libertarians within the conservative movement - allowed the belief in free markets and limited government to once again be intellectually fashionable. Buckley referred to himself often as a libertarian, and his 1978 advocation for marijuana decriminalization in the face of fierce opposition from his fellow conservatives was a watershed political and intellectual moment for the libertarian movement.
