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David Nolan (Libertarian Party)
Encyclopedia
David Fraser Nolan was an American
activist and politician. He was one of the founders of the Libertarian Party of the United States, having hosted the meeting in 1971 at which the Party was founded.Douglas Martin, David Nolan, 66, Is Dead; Started Libertarian Party. New York Times, November 22, 2010. Nolan subsequently served the party in a number of roles including National Chair, editor of the party newsletter, chairman of the By-laws Committee, chairman of the Judicial Committee, and Chairman of the Platform Committee.
He is also known as the popularizer and as the inventor of the Nolan chart
which attempts to improve on the simple left
versus right
political taxonomy by separating the issues of economic freedom and social freedom and presenting them in the format of a plane.
. During high school, he read science fiction and became a fan of Robert Heinlein
, whose libertarianism
shaped his own ideology, as did the works of Ayn Rand
. He enrolled at MIT
, graduating with a B.S.
in political science in 1966. He was a Unitarian Universalist
.
Nolan was a member of Young Americans for Freedom
in 1969 when more than 300 libertarians organized to take control of the organization from conservatives. Many walked out after a physical confrontation sparked by the burning of a draft card
in protest to a conservative proposal against draft resistance. While sympathizing with the radicals, Nolan remained with the organization.
Richard Nixon
's 1971 imposition of wage and price controls, as well as his closing of the foreign gold window, were the final straws for Nolan and he initiated the Committee to Form a Libertarian Party
. The group organized among a number of libertarians, including The Society for Individual Liberty
, which had been formed by dissident members of Young Americans for Freedom. They officially founded the Libertarian Party on December 11, 1971.
in Arizona's 8th congressional district election, 2006 and received 1.9% of the vote. He also ran as the Libertarian candidate in the 2010 U.S. Senate election in Arizona
, and received 63,000 votes, 4.7% of the total.
In 2009, Nolan publicly endorsed the Free State Project
, an attempt to move 20,000 Libertarians to New Hampshire to experience "Liberty in their Lifetimes".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
activist and politician. He was one of the founders of the Libertarian Party of the United States, having hosted the meeting in 1971 at which the Party was founded.Douglas Martin, David Nolan, 66, Is Dead; Started Libertarian Party. New York Times, November 22, 2010. Nolan subsequently served the party in a number of roles including National Chair, editor of the party newsletter, chairman of the By-laws Committee, chairman of the Judicial Committee, and Chairman of the Platform Committee.
He is also known as the popularizer and as the inventor of the Nolan chart
Nolan Chart
The Nolan Chart is a political diagram popularized by the American libertarian David Nolan. He reasoned that virtually all human political action can be divided into two general categories: economic and personal...
which attempts to improve on the simple left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
versus right
Right-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
political taxonomy by separating the issues of economic freedom and social freedom and presenting them in the format of a plane.
Early life and education
Nolan was born on November 23, 1943, in Washington, D. C., and grew up in MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. During high school, he read science fiction and became a fan of Robert Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
, whose libertarianism
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
shaped his own ideology, as did the works of Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She is known for her two best-selling novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism....
. He enrolled at MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, graduating with a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in political science in 1966. He was a Unitarian Universalist
Unitarian Universalist Association
Unitarian Universalist Association , in full the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations in North America, is a liberal religious association of Unitarian Universalist congregations formed by the consolidation in 1961 of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of...
.
Early political activism
Young Americans for Freedom
Young Americans for Freedom is a 501 non-profit organization and is now a project of Young America's Foundation. YAF is an ideologically conservative youth activism organization that was founded in 1960, as a coalition between traditional conservatives and libertarians...
in 1969 when more than 300 libertarians organized to take control of the organization from conservatives. Many walked out after a physical confrontation sparked by the burning of a draft card
Draft-card burning
Draft-card burning was a symbol of protest performed by thousands of young American men as part of the opposition to the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War. Beginning in May 1964, some activists burned their draft cards at anti-war rallies and demonstrations. By May 1965 it was...
in protest to a conservative proposal against draft resistance. While sympathizing with the radicals, Nolan remained with the organization.
Formation of the Libertarian Party
PresidentPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
's 1971 imposition of wage and price controls, as well as his closing of the foreign gold window, were the final straws for Nolan and he initiated the Committee to Form a Libertarian Party
Committee to Form a Libertarian Party
The Committee to Form a Libertarian Party was the precursor to the modern United States Libertarian Party. It was formed to debate the desirability of a specifically libertarian political force...
. The group organized among a number of libertarians, including The Society for Individual Liberty
International Society for Individual Liberty
The International Society for Individual Liberty or ISIL is a non-profit, non-partisan libertarian educational group encouraging activism in libertarian and individual rights areas by the 'freely chosen strategies' of its members. Its history dates back to 1969 as the Society for Individual...
, which had been formed by dissident members of Young Americans for Freedom. They officially founded the Libertarian Party on December 11, 1971.
Later political activities
He ran unsuccessfully as a Libertarian for the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in Arizona's 8th congressional district election, 2006 and received 1.9% of the vote. He also ran as the Libertarian candidate in the 2010 U.S. Senate election in Arizona
United States Senate election in Arizona, 2010
The 2010 United States Senate election in Arizona took place on November 2, 2010 along with other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on August 24,...
, and received 63,000 votes, 4.7% of the total.
In 2009, Nolan publicly endorsed the Free State Project
Free State Project
The Free State Project is a political movement, founded in 2001, to recruit at least 20,000 libertarian-leaning people to move to New Hampshire in order to make the state a stronghold for libertarian ideas....
, an attempt to move 20,000 Libertarians to New Hampshire to experience "Liberty in their Lifetimes".
External links
- "David Nolan - Libertarian Celebrity"
- The Libertarian Vote, by David Boaz and David Kirby. Cato InstituteCato InstituteThe Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
policy analysis paper 580, October 18, 2006. - David Nolan for Senate 2010 Senate candidacy page