Libertarian approaches to the COVID-19 pandemic – DocWire News

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Bioethics. 2022 Feb 7. doi: 10.1111/bioe.13007. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study examines the practical implications of libertarian theories of justice in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. First, we show that the libertarian central value of freedom does not just include economic and political autonomy but also ones right to life. Secondly, we demonstrate that lockdown measures are acceptable to libertarianism if they are appropriately implemented. Nevertheless, in contrast to a utilitarian approach, libertarians reject excessive interventions, such as contact-tracing mobile apps, even if these promote peoples welfare. Thirdly, we show that there is a broad spectrum of lockdown implementation methods based on differing interpretations of Lockean property rights. By comparing three kinds of libertarianism, we outline a set of libertarian proposals that use markets for the exchange of permission slips to go out during a lockdown. We then show that libertarianism offers a reasonable and non-conflicting resolution for the trade-off between health and peoples freedom, thereby illustrating the suitability and legitimacy of a libertarian response to the current crisis.

PMID:35132660 | DOI:10.1111/bioe.13007

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