The Committee to Form a Libertarian Party was the precursor to the modern United States Libertarian Party. It was formed to debate the desirability of a specifically libertarian political force. The committee was founded July 17, 1971 by David Nolan, a Colorado consultant and businessman, and 4 friends to co-ordinate interest in founding a Libertarian Party in the United States.[1][2]
It was, according to one outreach brochure, preceded by several abortive attempts, including a Libertarian Party in California and a functional Libertarian group in Florida. The Florida Libertarian Party (founded in 1970) achieved an early Libertarian victory, a popular initiative.[3]
On December 11, 1971 the eight-member Committee to Organize a Libertarian Party voted to formally launch the new Libertarian Party.[1] The committee became formally defunct upon the first convention in 1972 with the formation of the Libertarian Party, U.S.