Libertarian Party (United States)

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Libertarian Party
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Chairman	Angela McArdle
Founded	December 11, 1971
Headquarters	Alexandria, Virginia
Membership (2021)	693,634
Ideology	Libertarianism
Political position	Right-wing
International affiliation	International Alliance of Libertarian Parties
Colors	Gold, Black
Seats in the Senate	0 / 100
Seats in the House of Representatives	0 / 435
Seats in state upper chambers	0 / 1,972
Seats in state lower chambers	0 / 5,411

The Libertarian Party (LP) is a political party in the United States that promotes civil liberties, non-interventionism, laissez-faire capitalism, and limiting the size and scope of government. The party was founded on December 11, 1971, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is one of the largest third parties in the United States.

History

The Libertarian Party was founded in 1971 by David Nolan and a group of libertarian activists. The party was formed in response to concerns about the Vietnam War, conscription, and the Nixon administration's economic policies. The party's first national convention was held in 1972, and John Hospers was nominated as the party's first presidential candidate.

Ideology

The Libertarian Party advocates for a minimal state and emphasizes individual liberty, free-market principles, and non-interventionist foreign policies. The party's platform includes support for drug decriminalization, gun rights, free trade, and privacy rights. The party opposes taxation, welfare programs, and government regulation of the economy.

Electoral Performance

The Libertarian Party has had limited success in national elections but has seen more success at the local and state levels. The party's most successful presidential candidate to date was Gary Johnson, who received over 4 million votes (3.27% of the popular vote) in the 2016 United States presidential election.

Organization

The Libertarian Party is organized at the national, state, and local levels. The Libertarian National Committee (LNC) is the governing body of the party and is responsible for organizing the national convention, coordinating national campaigns, and promoting the party's platform. The current chair of the LNC is Angela McArdle.

Related Pages

• Libertarianism
• Gary Johnson
• Libertarian National Committee
• Third party (United States)
• Political parties in the United States

See Also

• List of libertarian political parties
• Libertarian perspectives on foreign intervention
• History of the Libertarian Party (United States)