The Atlantic

Moderation in Defense of Liberty Is No Vice

To succeed in the long run, libertarians must think harder about people who are uncomfortable with difference, diversity, and dynamism.
Source: Kyle Grillot / Reuters

This essay is adapted from a contribution to a special online forum organized by the Cato Institute in honor of the 40th anniversary of its founding.

Conserving hard won liberties and advancing toward a freer society would be easy if everyone wanted to “live and let live” among a wide variety of people, or if the humans who want to suppress, disparage, or punish difference could be educated or acculturated into rejecting coercion. But what if those necessary tools are not sufficient?

So suggests Karen Stenner in , where she warns of the dangers

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