A Libertarian Caught in a Pandemic

Keith E. Whittington is the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Politics at Princeton University. He is the author of several important books on constitutional theory, including Political Foundations of Judicial Supremacy: The Presidency, the Supreme Court, and Constitutional Leadership in U.S. History. He has published widely on American constitutional theory and development, federalism, judicial politics, and the presidency.

Prof. Whittington argued in a recent op-ed titled “Can You Be a Libertarian in a Pandemic” that there are aspects of Libertarianism that are still valid even during a pandemic. In this interview, Prof. Whittington discusses a few important connections between Libertarianism and the Covid-19 crisis:

• the meaning and implications of Libertarianism in the Covid context;

• why more autonomy should be given to states, communities, and even individuals in deciding the appropriate response;

• whether we will see an inevitable expansion of government power after Covid;

• whether the Libertarian ethos might actually make it structurally, organizationally, and philosophically unprepared for crises such as this;

• analogies between the pandemic and climate change challenges we will soon face together as a humanity;

• his pessimism for the status quo and future of our political environment...

It is a fascinating discussion and debate on political philosophy, the history of Libertarianism, the current polity and social discourse, and much more beyond!

Keith Whittington