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Are There Any Libertarian Mormons?

December 1, 2011 By Mark Skousen 9 Comments

There’s a lot of interest these days in Mormons, with a Broadway play about Mormon missionaries, and two running for president (Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman). Most Mormons are Republican conservatives, although Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, is a social Democrat.  Whether Republican or Democrat, they usually support immigration controls, the war on drugs, nation-building in foreign lands, and traditional marriage laws.

Are there any Mormons who favor laissez faire and libertarian policies?

I wish to direct your attention to a new book called “Latter-Day Liberty:  A Gospel Approach to Government & Politics,” written by a young libertarian named Connor Boyack and published by Cedar Fort Publishers in Utah.

Boyack is a BYU graduate, and a big fan of Cleon Skousen and our pamphlet “Persuasion vs. Force.”  Generally, Boyack is more libertarian than conservative.  In addition to citing libertarian passages from Mormon scripture and Church leaders, he has extensive chapters on war, immigration, illegal drugs, as well as commentary on controversial subjects such as Christian Communism, Prohibition, and the Welfare State. In the appendix of “Latter-Day Liberty,” he reprints President Ezra Taft Benson’s classic “The Proper Role of Government,” which is libertarian in tone.

It is so well written and persuasive that I agreed to write the foreword when he approached me earlier this year.  This is the first time I’ve agreed to write an introduction to someone else’s work.The book has been endorsed by Congressman Ron Paul, FEE, and the Mises Institute, among others.

For more information on the book, go to the website, www.ldsliberty.org.

“Latter-Day Liberty” is available on Amazon for only $12.23, plus S&H.  Amazon has several positive reviews.

Connor Boyack will be a featured speaker at FreedomFest next year (July 11-14, 2012, Las Vegas).

Filed Under: FreedomFest, Libertarianism

About Mark Skousen

Mark Skousen is a professional economist, university professor, best-selling author, editor of the award-winning Forecasts & Strategies financial newsletter, and producer of FreedomFest, the largest annual gathering of free minds about liberty and freedom in the world. Skousen has been married to wife Jo Ann for 42 years, and has five children and five grandchildren.

Comments

  1. Laurie Morrow says

    December 2, 2011 at 12:09 am

    What a fascinating question: Mormons have always seemed to me strongly libertarian – strongly self-reliant people who understand the importance of character and mutual trust in the marketplace to the general welfare. A close Mormon friend explained to me that there aren’t, for example, “rules” against drinking caffeinated beverages – one is not “forbidden” to do so. Though one is encouraged to exercise wise judgment, how one behaves is a mattr of personal conscience – a very libertarian, and a very American, view of life.

    Reply
  2. Ricky Soliai says

    December 31, 2011 at 12:24 am

    President Benson’s “An Enemy Hath Done This” and “The Proper Role of Government”, W Cleon Skousen’s “The Naked Communist” and “The 5000 Year Leap” are among my favorites and are must reads for anyone, in or outside of the church to read and learn from. I will most likely read “Latter-day Liberty”. I am a Conservative member and know that we share many similar political views with Libertarians. I have very close friendships with members who also identify themselves as Libertarians. Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe we part ways on social issues and national defense, to name a few. For example John Stossel, a well known Libertarian, on one of his shows, says he’s fine with gay marriage and Ron Paul, another Libertarian, recently caught heat for his comments on national defense. I do question the previous comment to some degree regarding caffeinated products. There are many things (regarding the Word of Wisdom) not mentioned by name in the scriptures for obvious reasons but I strongly believe making “how one behaves…a matter of personal conscience” alone…is a copout!

    Reply
  3. max says

    January 26, 2012 at 12:20 am

    I am Libertarian and Mormon, I think it is the most harmonious relationship.

    Reply
  4. JC says

    March 7, 2012 at 3:03 pm

    I noticed, this thread. The doctrines of Jesus Christ and hence, the doctrines contained in the Book of Mormon and all LDS doctrine contain the message of peace, which is the message of Liberty. They proclaim our divine origins and potential, call us to deal justly one with another and emphasize the need for the freedom to come to Christ willingly and do good willingly without being forced, because that is the only way that it CAN be done. At ldsliberty.org we proclaim these truths and hope that you will like, appreciate or at least respect what we do. At the end of the day, I personally hope that all people LDS or not, Christian or not, will recognize that the message of Christ is one of Liberty.

    Reply
  5. Andrew Bradley says

    March 20, 2012 at 12:27 am

    I AM MORMON and I AM A LIBERTARIAN…RON PAUL!! AUSTRIAN ECONOMICS!!

    Reply
  6. Mdasoh Kyaeppd says

    May 23, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    Having been raised in rural Utah, most aren’t opposed to the Approval system, but would likely vote against it because schools teach it should have a flaw. So given that our incumbents in the legislature are Republican, and “There’s nothing wrong with being a Democrat”, Homes raise beaureaucrats. I haven’t seen a checkbox poll for politics on an LDS or other blog yet. LDS are well-trained couch potatoes. Watching FOX news or channel 5/MSNBC. Every night. After all, current events is the best way to learn journalism. If only you could actually /learn/ anything from it.

    Reply
  7. Laurie Morrow says

    September 7, 2012 at 3:11 pm

    A late reply – but that’s an excellent point JC.

    As for me, I’m a pro-life, strong-national defense, traditional Catholic libertarian – which makes for a mighty short Christmas card list.

    Enjoyed this discussion, and Mark’s site.

    Reply
  8. Troy says

    October 5, 2012 at 1:35 am

    I am a Mormon. I have moved politically from being a “conservative” to a libertarian. Libertarianism is most in line with the idea that God gave his children free agency and that God’s plan was one that operated upon the premise that we must choose in this life whether to follow God’s plan. Was it not Satan’s plan to use coercive force to gain compliance and save God’s children by forcing them to be obedient? Sounds like Satan was the original statist. If libertarian political views are not in line with the plan put forth by Christ in the pre-existence then certainly the current policies of the Republican and Democrat establishment are Not.

    Reply
  9. Austin says

    January 3, 2017 at 4:32 pm

    I’ve been an independent voter all of my life until Election 2016. Having not found a candidate I could support, I looked at third party options and educated myself in the Libertarian ideals.
    Speaking eternally, the ultimate choice is individual liberty (with the individual accountability that comes with it). This is the very pivot upon which the war in heaven was fought, and continues today. Liberty was so sacred that God Himself could not remove it from us. There were ‘a third part’ who thought differently. They probably used phrases like, “But if everyone can choose, some with choose the wrong path! We can’t have that! We need to legislate everyone’s choices.”

    Reply

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  • Laurie Morrow

    What a fascinating question: Mormons have always seemed to me strongly libertarian – strongly self-reliant people who understand the importance of character and mutual trust in the marketplace to the general welfare. A close Mormon friend explained to me that there aren’t, for example, “rules” against drinking caffeinated beverages – one is not “forbidden” to do so. Though one is encouraged to exercise wise judgment, how one behaves is a mattr of personal conscience – a very libertarian, and a very American, view of life.

  • Ricky Soliai

    President Benson’s “An Enemy Hath Done This” and “The Proper Role of Government”, W Cleon Skousen’s “The Naked Communist” and “The 5000 Year Leap” are among my favorites and are must reads for anyone, in or outside of the church to read and learn from. I will most likely read “Latter-day Liberty”. I am a Conservative member and know that we share many similar political views with Libertarians. I have very close friendships with members who also identify themselves as Libertarians. Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe we part ways on social issues and national defense, to name a few. For example John Stossel, a well known Libertarian, on one of his shows, says he’s fine with gay marriage and Ron Paul, another Libertarian, recently caught heat for his comments on national defense. I do question the previous comment to some degree regarding caffeinated products. There are many things (regarding the Word of Wisdom) not mentioned by name in the scriptures for obvious reasons but I strongly believe making “how one behaves…a matter of personal conscience” alone…is a copout!

  • max

    I am Libertarian and Mormon, I think it is the most harmonious relationship.

  • JC

    I noticed, this thread. The doctrines of Jesus Christ and hence, the doctrines contained in the Book of Mormon and all LDS doctrine contain the message of peace, which is the message of Liberty. They proclaim our divine origins and potential, call us to deal justly one with another and emphasize the need for the freedom to come to Christ willingly and do good willingly without being forced, because that is the only way that it CAN be done. At ldsliberty.org we proclaim these truths and hope that you will like, appreciate or at least respect what we do. At the end of the day, I personally hope that all people LDS or not, Christian or not, will recognize that the message of Christ is one of Liberty.

  • Andrew Bradley

    I AM MORMON and I AM A LIBERTARIAN…RON PAUL!! AUSTRIAN ECONOMICS!!

  • Mdasoh Kyaeppd

    Having been raised in rural Utah, most aren’t opposed to the Approval system, but would likely vote against it because schools teach it should have a flaw. So given that our incumbents in the legislature are Republican, and “There’s nothing wrong with being a Democrat”, Homes raise beaureaucrats. I haven’t seen a checkbox poll for politics on an LDS or other blog yet. LDS are well-trained couch potatoes. Watching FOX news or channel 5/MSNBC. Every night. After all, current events is the best way to learn journalism. If only you could actually /learn/ anything from it.

  • Laurie Morrow

    A late reply – but that’s an excellent point JC.

    As for me, I’m a pro-life, strong-national defense, traditional Catholic libertarian – which makes for a mighty short Christmas card list.

    Enjoyed this discussion, and Mark’s site.

  • Troy

    I am a Mormon. I have moved politically from being a “conservative” to a libertarian. Libertarianism is most in line with the idea that God gave his children free agency and that God’s plan was one that operated upon the premise that we must choose in this life whether to follow God’s plan. Was it not Satan’s plan to use coercive force to gain compliance and save God’s children by forcing them to be obedient? Sounds like Satan was the original statist. If libertarian political views are not in line with the plan put forth by Christ in the pre-existence then certainly the current policies of the Republican and Democrat establishment are Not.

  • Austin

    I’ve been an independent voter all of my life until Election 2016. Having not found a candidate I could support, I looked at third party options and educated myself in the Libertarian ideals.
    Speaking eternally, the ultimate choice is individual liberty (with the individual accountability that comes with it). This is the very pivot upon which the war in heaven was fought, and continues today. Liberty was so sacred that God Himself could not remove it from us. There were ‘a third part’ who thought differently. They probably used phrases like, “But if everyone can choose, some with choose the wrong path! We can’t have that! We need to legislate everyone’s choices.”

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