Independent vs. Libertarian — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 2, 2023
Independents are individuals not aligned with any political party, while Libertarians advocate for minimal government intervention in personal and economic affairs.
Difference Between Independent and Libertarian
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Independents typically refrain from aligning with any specific political party, preferring to evaluate candidates and issues on an individual basis. They often prioritize critical thinking over party loyalty, which contrasts with the Libertarian belief in a specific political ideology that emphasizes minimal state intervention in personal and economic matters.
While an Independent might support various policies from different political spectrums, a Libertarian consistently advocates for personal freedom and limited government. This ideological consistency differentiates Libertarians from Independents, who may have more varied political views.
Independents can have diverse political opinions, sometimes leaning towards liberal or conservative ideologies. Conversely, Libertarians consistently promote free-market principles and individual liberties, opposing most forms of government control.
Independents, by definition, don't subscribe to any set political doctrine. In contrast, Libertarians adhere to a philosophy that strongly values personal and economic freedom, often opposing regulatory and welfare policies.
The flexibility of Independents allows them to adapt their viewpoints, while Libertarians are bound by their commitment to minimal government interference, highlighting a fundamental difference in ideological rigidity between the two.
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Comparison Chart
Political Alignment
No specific alignment
Specific ideology (minimal government)
Approach to Issues
Individual evaluation
Consistent advocacy for personal freedom
Ideological Flexibility
Diverse, flexible viewpoints
Consistently pro-free-market
Policy Preferences
Varies
Limited government, individual liberty
Party Loyalty
Absent
Ideologically loyal
Compare with Definitions
Independent
Not governed by a foreign power; self-governing.
Libertarian
Favoring free-market principles.
Libertarian economists often oppose government interventions in the economy.
Independent
Free from the influence, guidance, or control of another or others; self-reliant
An independent mind.
Libertarian
A member of the Libertarian Party.
He registered as a libertarian for the upcoming election.
Independent
Not determined or influenced by someone or something else; not contingent
A decision independent of the outcome of the study.
Libertarian
Prioritizing personal liberty in political philosophy.
His libertarian views influenced his stance on free speech.
Independent
Often Independent Affiliated with or loyal to no one political party or organization.
Libertarian
Opposing most government interventions.
The libertarian candidate proposed reducing government spending.
Independent
Not dependent on or affiliated with a larger or controlling entity
An independent food store.
An independent film.
Libertarian
An adherent of libertarianism
Libertarian philosophy
Independent
Not relying on others for support, care, or funds; self-supporting.
Libertarian
A person who believes in free will.
Independent
Providing or being sufficient income to enable one to live without working
A person of independent means.
Libertarian
One who advocates maximizing individual rights and minimizing the role of the state.
Independent
Not dependent on other variables.
Libertarian
One who believes in free will.
Independent
Of or relating to a system of equations no one of which can be derived from another equation in the system.
Libertarian
One who advocates liberty, either generally or in relation to a specific issue.
Independent
Independent Of or relating to the 17th-century English Independents.
Libertarian
A believer in right-libertarianism, a political doctrine that emphasizes individual liberty and a lack of governmental regulation, intervention, and oversight both in matters of the economy (‘free market’) and in personal behavior where no one’s rights are being violated or threatened.
Independent
Often Independent One that is independent, especially a voter, officeholder, or political candidate who is not committed to a political party.
Libertarian
A left-libertarian, an antiauthoritarian believer in both individual freedom and social justice (social equality and mutual aid).
Independent
Independent A member of a movement in England in the 17th century advocating the political and religious independence of individual congregations.
Libertarian
(philosophy) A believer in the freedom of thinking beings to choose their own destiny, i.e. a believer in free will as opposed to those who believe the future is predetermined.
Independent
Independent Chiefly British A Congregationalist.
Libertarian
Having the beliefs of libertarians; having a relative tendency towards liberty.
He has libertarian views.
A libertarian capitalist.
Independent
Not dependent; not contingent or depending on something else; free.
Libertarian
(dated) Relating to liberty, or to the doctrine of free will, as opposed to the doctrine of necessity.
Independent
(politics) Not affiliated with any political party.
The independent candidate
Libertarian
Pertaining to liberty, or to the doctrine of free will, as opposed to the doctrine of necessity.
Independent
Providing a comfortable livelihood.
An independent property
Libertarian
One who holds to the doctrine of free will.
Independent
Not subject to bias or influence; self-directing.
A man of an independent mind
Libertarian
Someone who believes the doctrine of free will
Independent
Separate from; exclusive; irrespective.
Libertarian
Advocating for individual freedom and limited government.
As a libertarian, she opposed the new regulations.
Independent
A candidate or voter not affiliated with any political party, a freethinker, free of a party platform.
Independent
A neutral or uncommitted person.
Independent
(sports) A team not affiliated with any league or conference.
Independent
Not dependent; free; not subject to control by others; not relying on others; not subordinate; as, few men are wholly independent.
A dry, but independent crust.
Independent
Affording a comfortable livelihood; as, an independent property.
Independent
Not subject to bias or influence; not obsequious; self-directing; as, a man of an independent mind.
Independent
Expressing or indicating the feeling of independence; free; easy; bold; unconstrained; as, an independent air or manner.
Independent
Separate from; exclusive; irrespective.
That obligation in general, under which we conceive ourselves bound to obey a law, independent of those resources which the law provides for its own enforcement.
Independent
Belonging or pertaining to, or holding to the doctrines or methods of, the Independents.
Independent
Not dependent upon another quantity in respect to value or rate of variation; - said of quantities or functions.
Independent
Not bound by party; exercising a free choice in voting with either or any party.
Independent
One who believes that an organized Christian church is complete in itself, competent to self-government, and independent of all ecclesiastical authority.
Independent
One who does not acknowledge an obligation to support a party's candidate under all circumstances; one who exercises liberty in voting.
Independent
A neutral or uncommitted person (especially in politics)
Independent
A writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them
Independent
Free from external control and constraint;
An independent mind
A series of independent judgments
Fiercely independent individualism
An independent republic
Independent
Not dependent on or conditioned by or relative to anything else
Independent
Of political bodies;
An autonomous judiciary
A sovereign state
Independent
Not contingent
Independent
Of a clause; able to stand alone syntactically as a complete sentence;
The main (or independent) clause in a complex sentence has at least a subject and a verb
Independent
Not controlled by a party or interest group
Independent
Not influenced or controlled by others.
She made an independent decision about her career.
Independent
Not affiliated with any political party.
He ran as an independent candidate in the election.
Independent
Self-reliant, not depending on others.
After college, she became financially independent.
Independent
Separate from other things or entities.
The two companies are independent of each other.
Independent
Unbiased, neutral.
The investigation was conducted by an independent panel.
Common Curiosities
What does it mean to be independent?
Being independent means not aligning with any political party or being self-reliant.
Can independents have a specific ideology?
Independents may have personal ideologies but don’t adhere to a specific party’s platform.
Do libertarians belong to a political party?
Some libertarians may belong to the Libertarian Party, but not all.
How do libertarians view economic policies?
Libertarians generally support free-market policies with minimal government involvement.
What is a libertarian?
A libertarian advocates for minimal government intervention in personal and economic affairs.
What defines an independent voter?
An independent voter doesn’t consistently support any particular political party.
Do independents favor government intervention?
Independents’ views on government intervention vary widely.
Can someone be both independent and libertarian?
Yes, one can be politically independent and hold libertarian views.
Do independents have a consistent political stance?
Independents may not have consistent political stances, as they evaluate issues individually.
Are libertarians conservative or liberal?
Libertarians typically advocate for personal freedoms, aligning with some conservative and liberal views.
Can an independent run for office?
Yes, independents can run for office without party affiliation.
What’s a key belief of libertarians?
A key libertarian belief is minimizing government control over individual liberties.
What differentiates an independent from a libertarian?
Independents don’t adhere to a set ideology, while libertarians consistently advocate for personal and economic freedom.
What’s the main focus of libertarianism?
The main focus of libertarianism is maximizing individual freedom and reducing government control.
Are all libertarians opposed to regulations?
Most libertarians oppose excessive regulations but views can vary.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
