In the same spirit possessed by the abolitionists who fought to free the slaves, Libertarians believe that freedom is a fundamental human right. With the same conviction as the women's suffrage movement, which secured for women the right to vote, Libertarians believe that all citizens should enjoy equal civil rights. Sharing the vision of those patriots who signed the Declaration of Independence,
Libertarians believe that the role of government is to protect these rights. As freedom is rooted in individual rights, only people who enjoy their full human and civil rights are truly free and able to enjoy the full benefits of their liberty. When liberty flourishes, people are free to build lives in which opportunities for personal, economic and social advancement abound. Individuals living free lives will create a society that accepts a diversity of beliefs, values, and ideas while fostering a free marketplace in which voluntary, mutually beneficial interactions improve the quality of life for all. A right is the ultimate personal authority to perform some act. A right can never obligate others to perform an act, as this would force others into servitude. A free people have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not commit fraud or forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose. In a free society, no one is forced to sacrifice their values for the benefit of others. While human rights are enjoyed by all people through virtue of our humanity, civil rights are enjoyed only by citizens. All types of rights are equal, meaning that the rights of no individual or group can be greater than those of any single individual. And the exercise of every right imposes an appropriate level of responsibility upon that person. Because the exercise of some rights requires the ability to understand the possible consequences from our actions, some rights may not be realized until an appropriate level of comprehension and responsibility is reached. In contrast to rights, a privilege is permission from an authority to perform some act. While all types of rights are equal, privileges are not equal and give some individuals advantage over others. Because all legitimate power stems from the people, governments may only grant such privileges, typically in the form of licenses or permits, as the people have authorized. The people do not possess the authority to empower government to infringe upon human or civil rights for any reason. However, when people violate the rights of others, those individuals forfeit their rights to the extent necessary for justice to be restored. To respect human rights is to acknowledge self-ownership of the individual. To violate human rights, by requiring licenses or permits to exercise those rights, is to disregard self-ownership of the individual, and is a form of subjugation. To respect civil rights is to acknowledge that government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed. To deny people their civil rights, such as voting, is to govern without the consent of the people. In a free society, government is established of, by, and for the people. The purpose of government is to protect our human and civil rights, establish a judicial system, provide for the common defense, and serve as steward of our public resources.
