Reply #14: Yes, there ae similarities

[Jack Rabbit]

So a libertarian friend of mine in high school (that was a very long time ago) explained. It's really an overlap. Both favor the primacy of the individual over society. Both favor capitalism as an expression of individual liberty and want to reduce government to the size of a pea. Like Lenin (of all people), they both see government as an instrument of oppression, but as an oppression of the individual rather than an oppression of the lower social classes by a ruling class. Both see a capitalist as one who will make rational decisions with profit in mind, and consequently both believe that regulation of the markets is unnecessary, intrusive and oppressive.

Libertarians are for legalizing drugs, prostitution, etc. In a television interview with the Libertarian Party's presidential candidate (again, this was a long time ago), the reporter asked the candidate questions about such laws and his answer was always the same: There should be laws to protect children; for adults, the rule should be liberty.

Objectivism is largely silent on these matters, preferring instead to emphasize philosophical underpinnings of what Ayn Rand considered the capitalist ideal, while libertarians are silent on such matters. Consequently, the objectivists take a dim view of "altruism" and embrace atheism. There is no room for faith, hope and charity in Ayn Rand's world. While libertarians believe in freedom of religion, objectivists are particularly contemptuous of Christianity for its emphasis on compassion and charity (i.e., altruism).

My own philosophical/political objections to objectivism/libertarianism are expressed elsewhere on DU, going back to 2001.