I’ve met Catholics who’ve expressed interest in libertarianism, but have been concerned that libertarian positions might be inimical to Catholic teaching.
They need not be worried, as Cato’s Michael F. Cannon explains:
Michael Gerson’s claim that “Catholic social teaching is simply not libertarian” [“A Catholic Test for Politics,” Feb. 8], reveals that Gerson either does not understand Catholicism, or libertarianism, or both. Immediately thereafter, he cites many libertarian aspects of Catholic social teaching: “the necessity of limited government,” subsidiarity, respecting the human rights of “even illegal immigrants,” etc. When he claims that repealing ObamaCare or government funding for AIDS and malaria conflicts with Catholic social teaching, he ignores that government coercion is inherent in those policies. Is Gerson claiming that Catholic social teaching condones using violence or the threat of violence to heal the sick? Catholics who reject those policies do so because they want to heal the sick through peaceful, non-coercive means. They cast their lots with Christ – not Caesar, as Gerson recommends. Gerson should spend some time learning about libertarianism, from actual libertarians. I would be happy to arrange it.
Libertarianism is a political view — a belief in limited, responsible government, individual liberty, and peaceful international relations. It’s not — and by definition does not claim to be — a comprehensive truth. Libertarianism is just one part, although an important one — of broader set of fundamental beliefs.
The libertarian view is compatible with many religious teachings, and people who contend otherwise are either ignorant or deceptive.