Libertarian Alliance

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The Libertarian Alliance (LA) comprises two libertarian think tanks in Great Britain that promote free-market economics and civil liberties. According to the websites of both organisations, "The Libertarian Alliance is a non-partisan group fighting statism in all its forms and working for the creation of a truly free society."[1][2]

It has been suggested that their advocacy of complete free speech and the abolition of taxation and government intervention in economic and social life combines elements of liberalism, conservatism, and anarchism.[3]

Between them, they have produced over 800 publications by over 280 authors. Free Life was formerly the LA's hardcopy journal. Most LA publications are now Internet based.

History

The original Libertarian Alliance was founded in 1977 by Mark Brady, Judy Englander, David Ramsay Steele and Chris Tame in Woking. It was an alliance of libertarian minarchists, anarchists, and classical liberals. The LA was not the continuation of either the Radical Libertarian Alliance (founded by Mark Brady, and Chris Tame) in late 1971 nor the earlier Young Libertarians founded by David Myddelton in the late 1960s.[1]

The principles of the LA were formulated by the founding members, and written out by David Ramsay Steele. While the LA had no official leader, it did have a chairperson, secretary, and a treasurer. The Alternative Bookshop, formed in 1978, became the unofficial hub of LA activities for a time.[1]

In 1982 a power struggle within the organization caused a split.[4] Since then there have been two groups both calling themselves the Libertarian Alliance and using the same logo and using the phrase "Let a Thousand Libertarian Alliances Bloom!".[1]

Although this was not always the case in the past, the two groups now have rather more friendly relations, often sending guest speakers to each other's conferences, and commenting civilly and constructively on each other's blogs and sites. A number of English libertarians are members of both groups. However, reunification does not appear to be likely in the near future.

Current activities

One group maintains the sites libertarian.co.uk and a blog. Its current president and director of the other Libertarian Alliance is Dr. Sean Gabb, Dr Tim Evans having resigned in February 2011.[5] It is a member of Backlash, which was formed in 2005 in order to oppose a new law criminalising possession of "extreme pornography".

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "About", Libertarian Alliance.
  2. ↑ "About the Libertarian Alliance", Libertarian Alliance
  3. ↑ Goodwin, Barbara (2007). Using Political Ideas. Wiley. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-470-02552-9. 
  4. ↑ "Aftermath of the Split", Free Life, Journal of the Libertarian Alliance, Vol. 3, No. 3.;"Attempted Theft of an Organization", Free Life, Journal of the Libertarian Alliance, Vol. 3, No. 3.
  5. ↑ http://www.seangabb.co.uk/?q=node/526#comment-135
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