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| Signing the Non-Aggression pledge, or just "the pledge" for short, is a requirement to join the [[Libertarian Party]] as a voting member. It reads, ''"I certify that I do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force as a means of achieving political or social goals."''
| | See [[Libertarian Membership Pledge]]. |
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| The pledge was introduced early in the party's history [year?] with the intent to reassure authorities and the public that the [[Libertarian Party]] is a non-violent organization. Its language evokes the [[Non-Aggression Principle]] commonly held to be the philosophical basis of [[libertarianism]].
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| Some libertarians believe the pledge does not necessarily preclude violent action to resist tyranny, because tyrannical governments initiate force, and therefore, revolutionary acts qualify as self-defense.
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| The pledge has both passionate supporters and critics. It has been cited as a reason why policies such as the so-called "Fair Tax", a plan for a [[national sales tax]], militarized borders, restrictions on campaign contributions, and other policies that have been supported by some Libertarian candidates and members, are in fact un-libertarian, due to the fact that these policies involve initiating force.
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| ==References==
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| [[Document:Letter 20 Jan 1993 David Nolan on Meaning of Membership Pledge|David Nolan explains meaning and use of the Pledge]]
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| [[Category:Libertarian Party]] | | [[Category:Libertarian Party]] |