Abortion Quote by Charles Murray
“I don't think there is a libertarian position on abortion. Maybe if you took a poll of libertarians, it might be that a majority would be pro-choice, but, the libertarian position is to protect the rights of individuals against the use of force and fraud.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Podcast "The Lex Fridman Podcast", episode 123, 2022
Libertarians prioritize protecting individual rights from force and fraud, so their stance on abortion hinges on whether it involves coercion.
In simple terms: Libertarians focus on protecting rights, not specific policies.
Key Takeaway
Consider how rights protection applies to abortion.
Themes
politics
ethics
rights
libertarianism
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- policy debate
- legal analysis
- public discourse
- academic research
Key Concepts
non‑aggression principle
individual autonomy
state coercion
Questions to Reflect On
- How does the non‑aggression principle address bodily autonomy?
- Can a policy be both pro‑choice and libertarian?
A Different Perspective
Libertarians may disagree on whether abortion constitutes force.
![“[Margot Hentoff] thinks - first of all, she - this I hear from a lot of people beside her. She thinks that men have no business getting into this argument at all unless they're going to be pro-choice. But it turns out that a fair number of fetuses are male, and besides that, we are all one part of…” quote by Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/060/nat-hentoff-1615_argument_margot-hentoff-thinks-first-of-all-she-t_42891.jpg)
