I have heard the term libertarian many times, but never actually understood what exactly that entailed. What was the difference between this brand of politics and the ones held up my conservatives and liberals? Well, in order to give some clarity and not induce whiplash, here are a few of the things libertarians believe in.

The first overall goal of the Libertarian Party of the United States is to “seek a world of liberty; a world in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives and no one is forced to sacrifice his or her values for the benefit of others. The brand of libertarianism that is upheld by the Libertarian Party favors minimal regulation on laissez-faire markets.

This means that the private parties involved in the market are free from state intervention. Also they are strong in their beliefs on civil liberties. They also believe in a more open immigration system, one with minimally regulated borders. The other key thing they believe in is the non-intervention of foreign policy, meaning military engagements with other foreign countries and respect for the idea of free trade and travel.