Got into an argument with my political science professor today

[Volitzer]

You can be a libertarian and a Constitutionalist.

Let's not confuse liberal and libertarian they are to sperate things.

Libertarian as opposed to authoritarian.

Liberal as oppsosed to being conservative.

Ron Paul could best be descried as a conservative-libertarian.

Take the test here:
http://www.politicalcompass.org/
(Click on 'Take the test' in the upper left)

 

[Volitzer]

By this test I am a left-libertarian.

 

[Bman]

So in class today, our professor asked as what political ideology do each of us identify with. This is a university so the class was pretty big, but the point is that when it got to around my turn, I stated "libertarian." I was the only libertarian in the whole class, so he found that interesting.

So he questions me. He asks, "Really? That's intriguing. Do you read any particular works?"
"Yes."
"By whom?"
"Well, mostly Friedrich Hayek, Ayn Rand, Milton Friedman, John Locke, and Thomas Jefferson."

That's when he made a weird face and then said, "I'm sorry, but one of those people are not like the rest. Can you guess who?"
I stood there for a minute trying to figure it out, and then decided it was probably Ayn Rand as she was a pretty militant person. But he said, "No, it's Jefferson!"

He said that Thomas Jefferson was not anything close to a modern day libertarian and that he would be a liberal by today's standards. I tried arguing with him but the whole class just started to laugh and then a couple of kids were like, "Yup, typically nutty libertarians."

I don't know. I was pretty pissed off and found it exhilarating to type this up on this forum.

Sounds like you should be able to get some good extra credit and serious recommendations from the guy if you can right a paper that thoroughly explains why Thomas Jefferson had libertarian values.

I'd view this as an opportunity rather than getting pissed about it. But what am I saying. When I was your age I would have gotten pissed also. But my age tells me to tell you to try and take advantage of the situation. I'd actually do it, then ask him if you could read the paper to the class and hand out copies that anyone could try to counter if they like.

GET TO WORK!

 

[CUnknown]

Right, it all depends on your definition of liberal. But, I agree with your professor on the point that if you had to pick one person to seperate from that group, Jefferson would be him. He is certainly somewhat different in philosophy from Ayn Rand or Milton Friedman.

But.. so what? Your professor was just trying to pick on you. Why bring up a slight difference in philosophy as if it means you don't know what you're talking about? Jefferson would be a liberal supporter of Ron Paul, but he would probably have voted for Ron Paul over Obama or McCain.

The only way you can call Jefferson a conservative is in today's political climate which is so f'ed up that anyone who believes in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is deemed not "progressive" enough. The sort of knee-jerk reaction that people have today where if you don't like Roe v Wade and if you think the 2nd Amendment isn't "outdated", you are automatically labeled a conservative by those "progressives" out there.

 

[xd9fan]

your not going to win.

He will not change.

move on or if you want take it to the letter to the editor.

I did that once with a prof (that was NOT my teacher at the time)
I kicked his ass publicly......readers loved it.....it felt great.

take it public in the papers...they shut the fuck up by God quick

they need to be called out.....outside of their little world

 

[sdczen]

Note that "labels" have changed over the years.

Old school libertarian = Classical Liberal
Old school Republican = Paleo-conservative
Old school Democrat = Today's conservative

New school beltway Libertarian = Interventionist progressive Libertarian
New school paleo-Libertarian = Anarcho-Capitalist or Minarchist
New school Republican = 1930's - 1970's Democrat "Neoconservatives"
New school Democrat = Progressive Socialist "Neoliberals"

I consider today's Democratic & Republican parties as essentially the same party = Neo-Fascists

 

[Imperial]

For most of Jefferson's time there was a central bank. The First Bank of the United States under Washington created by Hamilton, and the Second 1816 through the Bank Wars under Jackson created in the nationalist euphoria after the War of 1812.

One of Jefferson's grave errors was shoving principle under the mat to reunite the Republic after the Revolution of 1800(passing of power from Federalists to Jeffersonians). He allowed the central bank to survive and kept the tariffs for political expediency. Did he support them though? I don't think so. Jefferson as philosopher spoke out against that type of thing, and rejected the uplifting of one class over another(even though he preferred agriculturists over all others, why he eliminated the unfair excise taxes of the past that are today sin taxes...)

Sure Jefferson supported education, but there are libertarians who would tolerate such a national system to an extent, at least made on a state level.

Even if Jefferson could be considered liberal(obviously he would disagree with much of the "liberal" agenda if you can call it that), what does it matter? I bet he would say Thoreau was a liberal along the same lines, when obviously there is a bridge to be built to his ideas. Same thing with conservatives like Reagan; even if they aren't liberatarian, it doesn't mean you reject their ideas outright. I would've laughed at that guy outright.

 

[SirFelix]

Don't let it bother you, your professor just needs some educating. If it was me, I would work in the facts of the matter into an appropriate homework assignment.

Thanks for sharing