Take the Libertarian Purity Test
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Scored a 24. Some questions I did not answer as I could not answer them with a straight yes or no answer.
Eliminate the military? The State? Private police? Private fire fighters? Private roads? Legalize all drugs?
Is there any wonder why the Libertarians got only 0.50% in 1996!
[This message has been edited by Cactus (edited July 10, 2000).]
Eliminate the military? The State? Private police? Private fire fighters? Private roads? Legalize all drugs?
Is there any wonder why the Libertarians got only 0.50% in 1996!
[This message has been edited by Cactus (edited July 10, 2000).]
Analysis of Libertarian Purity Test Results
Version 3.0 - Updated 2/13/97
by Bryan Caplan
The Libertarian Purity Test was first introduced last year. This is the third version of the results based upon the first 2662 test-takers. Obviously, this
is not a "scientific survey" by any stretch of the imagination; the people taking the test demonstrated a degree of libertarianism far above that prevalent in
the general public. Nevertheless, the results reveal a number of interesting patterns.
To refresh the memory of earlier test-takers, these were the remarks I attached to test-takers' final scores:
What Your Score Means
0 points: You are not a libertarian by any stretch of the imagination. You are probably not even a liberal or a conservative. Just some Nazi nut, I guess.
1-5 points: You have a few libertarian notions, but overall you're a statist.
6-15 points: You are starting to have libertarian leanings. Explore them.
16-30 points: You are a soft-core libertarian. With effort, you may harden and become pure.
31-50 points: Your libertarian credentials are obvious. Doubtlessly you will become more extreme as time goes on.
51-90 points: You are a medium-core libertarian, probably self-consciously so. Your friends probably encourage you to quit talking about your views
so much.
91-130 points: You have entered the heady realm of hard-core libertarianism. Now doesn't that make you feel worse that you didn't get a perfect score?
131-159 points: You are nearly a perfect libertarian, with a tiny number of blind spots. Think about them, then take the test over again. On the other
hand, if you scored this high, you probably have a good libertarian objection to my suggested libertarian answer.
160 points: Perfect! The world needs more like you.
http://www.gmu.edu/departments/economics/bcaplan/result.htm
Version 3.0 - Updated 2/13/97
by Bryan Caplan
The Libertarian Purity Test was first introduced last year. This is the third version of the results based upon the first 2662 test-takers. Obviously, this
is not a "scientific survey" by any stretch of the imagination; the people taking the test demonstrated a degree of libertarianism far above that prevalent in
the general public. Nevertheless, the results reveal a number of interesting patterns.
To refresh the memory of earlier test-takers, these were the remarks I attached to test-takers' final scores:
What Your Score Means
0 points: You are not a libertarian by any stretch of the imagination. You are probably not even a liberal or a conservative. Just some Nazi nut, I guess.
1-5 points: You have a few libertarian notions, but overall you're a statist.
6-15 points: You are starting to have libertarian leanings. Explore them.
16-30 points: You are a soft-core libertarian. With effort, you may harden and become pure.
31-50 points: Your libertarian credentials are obvious. Doubtlessly you will become more extreme as time goes on.
51-90 points: You are a medium-core libertarian, probably self-consciously so. Your friends probably encourage you to quit talking about your views
so much.
91-130 points: You have entered the heady realm of hard-core libertarianism. Now doesn't that make you feel worse that you didn't get a perfect score?
131-159 points: You are nearly a perfect libertarian, with a tiny number of blind spots. Think about them, then take the test over again. On the other
hand, if you scored this high, you probably have a good libertarian objection to my suggested libertarian answer.
160 points: Perfect! The world needs more like you.
http://www.gmu.edu/departments/economics/bcaplan/result.htm
I have to speak up at this test.
"Vouchers vs. govt. control".
This is where some libertarians/objectivists differ in opinion. In a "purity" test for libertarians they should be asking should govt. have anything to do with public schools.
Sure, vouchers seem better; but what they really are is govt. getting some pressure over private schools over which they previously had less power.
Both answers are wrong. There should not be public schools, OR vouchers, nor a govt. as funded by money extracted by force to pay for it.
As for the military, others here have explained the "standing army" problems better.
In short, I think they were asking the wrong questions.
battler.
"Vouchers vs. govt. control".
This is where some libertarians/objectivists differ in opinion. In a "purity" test for libertarians they should be asking should govt. have anything to do with public schools.
Sure, vouchers seem better; but what they really are is govt. getting some pressure over private schools over which they previously had less power.
Both answers are wrong. There should not be public schools, OR vouchers, nor a govt. as funded by money extracted by force to pay for it.
As for the military, others here have explained the "standing army" problems better.
In short, I think they were asking the wrong questions.
battler.
44. That's about as high as I go. Privatize all laws?! So, the folks on my street come together and decide we want to form our own independent nation and then declare war on the next street? I agree, this is so far off base it is really supportive of the liberal philosophy - I want to do whatever I want, when I want it, and the heck with the social ramifications. Our founding fathers always envisioned a social structure at the local level with laws and justice administered with impartiality. Not possible in a "pure" libertarian environment. Remeber, govt. by and for the people?
more stuff on Mr Caplans site:
http://www.gmu.edu/departments/economics/bcaplan/anarfaq.htm
Table of Contents
1.What is anarchism? What beliefs do anarchists share?
2.Why should one consider anarchism in the first place?
3.Don't anarchists favor chaos?
4.Don't anarchists favor the abolition of the family, property, religion, and other social institutions besides the state?
5.What major subdivisions may be made among anarchists?
6.Is anarchism the same thing as libertarianism?
7.Is anarchism the same thing as socialism?
8.Who are the major anarchist thinkers?
9.How would left-anarchy work?
10.How would anarcho-capitalism work?
11.What criticisms have been made of anarchism?
a."An anarchist society, lacking any central coercive authority, would quickly degenerate into violent chaos."
b.The Marxist critique of left-anarchism
c.The minarchists' attack on anarcho-capitalism
d.The conservative critique of anarchism
e."We are already in a state of anarchy."
12.What other anarchist viewpoints are there?
13.What moral justifications have been offered for anarchism?
14.What are the major debates between anarchists? What are the recurring arguments?
a."X is not 'true anarchism.'"
b."Anarchism of variant X is unstable and will lead to the re-emergence of the state."
c."In an anarchist society in which both systems X and Y existed, X would inevitably outcompete Y."
d."Anarchism of type X would be worse than the state."
e.Etc.
15.How would anarchists handle the "public goods" problem?
a.The concept and uses of Pareto optimality in economics
b.The public goods problem
16.Are anarchists pacifists?
a.Tolstoyan absolute pacifism
b.Pacifism as opposition to war
17.Have there been any historical examples of anarchist societies?
18.Isn't anarchism utopian?
19.Don't anarchists assume that all people are innately virtuous?
20.Aren't anarchists terrorists?
21.How might an anarchist society be achieved?
22.What are some addresses for anarchist World Wide Web sites?
23.What are some major anarchist writings?
http://www.gmu.edu/departments/economics/bcaplan/anarfaq.htm
Table of Contents
1.What is anarchism? What beliefs do anarchists share?
2.Why should one consider anarchism in the first place?
3.Don't anarchists favor chaos?
4.Don't anarchists favor the abolition of the family, property, religion, and other social institutions besides the state?
5.What major subdivisions may be made among anarchists?
6.Is anarchism the same thing as libertarianism?
7.Is anarchism the same thing as socialism?
8.Who are the major anarchist thinkers?
9.How would left-anarchy work?
10.How would anarcho-capitalism work?
11.What criticisms have been made of anarchism?
a."An anarchist society, lacking any central coercive authority, would quickly degenerate into violent chaos."
b.The Marxist critique of left-anarchism
c.The minarchists' attack on anarcho-capitalism
d.The conservative critique of anarchism
e."We are already in a state of anarchy."
12.What other anarchist viewpoints are there?
13.What moral justifications have been offered for anarchism?
14.What are the major debates between anarchists? What are the recurring arguments?
a."X is not 'true anarchism.'"
b."Anarchism of variant X is unstable and will lead to the re-emergence of the state."
c."In an anarchist society in which both systems X and Y existed, X would inevitably outcompete Y."
d."Anarchism of type X would be worse than the state."
e.Etc.
15.How would anarchists handle the "public goods" problem?
a.The concept and uses of Pareto optimality in economics
b.The public goods problem
16.Are anarchists pacifists?
a.Tolstoyan absolute pacifism
b.Pacifism as opposition to war
17.Have there been any historical examples of anarchist societies?
18.Isn't anarchism utopian?
19.Don't anarchists assume that all people are innately virtuous?
20.Aren't anarchists terrorists?
21.How might an anarchist society be achieved?
22.What are some addresses for anarchist World Wide Web sites?
23.What are some major anarchist writings?
This test is a crock. It's self-serving, and very disingenuous. Questions with similar subjects get scored higher for more extreme answers, despite the yes/no possible choices; this varied the scoring. The scoring is designed to convince us that we really are Libertarians, whether we knew it or not. This test does justice to neither the Libertarians nor the public who wants to know what libertarians are all about.
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Scott
When A annoys or injures B on the pretext of saving or improving X, A is a scoundrel. - H. L. Mencken
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Scott
When A annoys or injures B on the pretext of saving or improving X, A is a scoundrel. - H. L. Mencken
Score=69
beemerb,
The militia isn't obsolete. We're all part of it, so it is never going to be obsolete.
On that note, maybe the gov't could replace the standing army by issuing assault rifle and squad level weapons vouchers for those who can't afford them. Unregistered, of course.
------------------
NRA/GOA/SAF/USMC
Oregon residents please support the Oregon Firearms Federation, our only "No compromise" gun lobby. http://www.oregonfirearms.org
beemerb,
The militia isn't obsolete. We're all part of it, so it is never going to be obsolete.
On that note, maybe the gov't could replace the standing army by issuing assault rifle and squad level weapons vouchers for those who can't afford them. Unregistered, of course.
------------------
NRA/GOA/SAF/USMC
Oregon residents please support the Oregon Firearms Federation, our only "No compromise" gun lobby. http://www.oregonfirearms.org
Derek Zeanah
New member
96 here.
I guess I'm more of a federalist than a libertarian. <sigh>
Some government is necessary, and some of what government does is good. I'd just like to see government "closer to the people" so we can have some meaningful input into how it's run. Let states make decisions rather than the feds (including public education, road maintenance, what taxes to collect if any, etc.)
I guess less government is good, but no government is chaos. Not sure I want to go there. No laws other than those the powerful choose to implement? Yeah, right.
Where's that Federalist party web site?
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I stand before Almighty God and I'll say what I have said for years. I will never again soil my responsibility as a voter by voting again for a candidate who turns their back on the fundamental principle of justice by which this nation's freedom lives or dies. --Alan Keyes, 2/2/2000
I guess I'm more of a federalist than a libertarian. <sigh>
Some government is necessary, and some of what government does is good. I'd just like to see government "closer to the people" so we can have some meaningful input into how it's run. Let states make decisions rather than the feds (including public education, road maintenance, what taxes to collect if any, etc.)
I guess less government is good, but no government is chaos. Not sure I want to go there. No laws other than those the powerful choose to implement? Yeah, right.
Where's that Federalist party web site?
------------------
I stand before Almighty God and I'll say what I have said for years. I will never again soil my responsibility as a voter by voting again for a candidate who turns their back on the fundamental principle of justice by which this nation's freedom lives or dies. --Alan Keyes, 2/2/2000
Bullwinkle
New member
Scored 90. Basically government is a necessary evil and provides a tangable benifit at some level. You could probably do without it someday but not until the current batch of dependants are seriously rehabilitated.
Munro Williams
New member
I scored 100, but for reasons stated in other threads I'm not a member of the LP. I don't mind being called a small-l libertarian.
To tell the truth, this test could almost have been written for the Constitution Party.
To tell the truth, this test could almost have been written for the Constitution Party.
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