Robert Poole and Samuel Konkin: What is a Libertarian?

Poole and Konkin debate what constitutes libertarian beliefs, how broadly libertarianism should be defined, and how best to apply the principles of libertarianism.

Robert Poole

Robert Poole is one of the founders of the Reason Foundation (which publishes Reason Magazine), and served as its president and CEO from 1978 to 2000. He is currently director of transportation policy at the Reason Foundation and frequently writes about issues related to privatization.

Samuel Konkin

Samuel Konkin authored and published several periodicals during his lifetime, including the New Libertarian Weekly (1975-1978) and the New Libertarian (1978-1990). He was a proponent of left-​libertarianism and a political philosophy he developed called agorism. He passed away in 2004.

Robert Poole is one of the founders of the Reason Foundation (which publishes Reason magazine), and served as its president and CEO from 1978 to 2000. He is currently director of transportation policy at the Reason Foundation and frequently writes about issues related to privatization.

Samuel Konkin authored and published several periodicals during his lifetime, including the New Libertarian Weekly (1975-1978) and the New Libertarian (1978-1990). He was a proponent of left-​libertarianism and a political philosophy he developed called agorism. He passed away in 2004.

In this video, Poole and Konkin engage in a spirited debate over what constitutes libertarian beliefs, how broadly libertarianism should be defined, and how best to apply the principles of libertarianism to make the world a freer, more prosperous place.