How the pandemic challenged libertarianism

This time three years ago, things were a bit different. The streets were quieter, our kitchens were filled with homemade baked goods, and for a reason not yet identified, toilet paper was nowhere to be found.

With lockdowns and masks being mandated by the government due to COVID-19, some groups more than others felt their rights infringed.

For example, libertarians. These are people with a political philosophy that emphasizes individual freedom and limited government involvement in economic and social affairs.

This week on the Maxed Out podcast, host Max Fawcett gets into the pandemic and the issues that shaped our collective response to it. His guest is an education consultant and the co-founder of the Institute of Liberal Studies, Janet Bufton.

As you might have guessed, Max isn’t a fan of libertarianism.

“The libertarians in our midst are using [the pandemic] as an opportunity to resist being told what to do, which is kind of how I've always seen libertarianism. It's an ideology that is kind of elegant cover for saying, ‘You can't make me do what I don't want to do,’” said Max.

But Bufton presents a case for libertarians with community spirit.

“There's another kind of libertarian, and that is where I'd put myself,” said Bufton. “I believe that ordinary people living under the right institutions and rules can do really, really extraordinary things.”

Want to relive some of the worst moments from the last few years while learning about a political stance that possibly enabled them? Listen to Episode 12, The Politics of Pandemics, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite listening app.

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