A brief description of the three types of libertarians, categorised by Rothbard in his book 'For a New Liberty':

1. Emotivist Libertarians:

•Their commitment to liberty is rooted in personal feelings or emotional opposition to authority and coercion, rather than in a structured philosophical or practical framework.

•They support libertarian principles because of a deep-seated sense of justice or personal experience but lack a systematic rationale for their beliefs.

•Rothbard acknowledges their passion but sees their approach as less reliable for defending libertarianism in a rigorous debate.

•2. Utilitarian Libertarians:•

•Advocate for liberty based on its practical outcomes and benefits, such as economic efficiency, prosperity, and social well-being.

•Rothbard argues that utilitarianism offers no absolute moral standard for liberty. If liberty is defended purely on the basis of outcomes, it opens the door to abandoning libertarian

principles if different outcomes appear to work better under specific

conditions.

•They argue for free markets and minimal government because it leads to the greatest happiness for the greatest number. If something else does the same, they would be swayed by that.

•Rothbard critiques them for their reliance on empirical evidence, which can be challenged or interpreted differently, making their case less philosophically robust.

3. Natural Rights Libertarians:

•Base their belief in liberty on ethical and moral principles, particularly the idea that individuals possess inalienable rights to life, liberty, and property.

•They oppose coercion as a violation of these natural rights, irrespective of the consequences.

•Their positions are grounded in natural law ethics.

•Rothbard himself strongly aligns with this group, grounding libertarianism in the non-aggression principle (NAP).