Are Americans Becoming More Libertarian-Minded?

The basic definition of a libertarian is "a person who maintains the doctrine of free will," but in political circles, the word becomes more complex, encompassing  a wide range of perspectives on a litany of issues.

Generally speaking, though, libertarianism -- in a practical sense -- can be boiled down to a penchant for a more minimized governmental role in society and an increase in individual freedom and expression.

With recent societal patterns in mind, it is important to ask: Are Americans becoming more libertarian-minded? On The New York Times' FiveThirtyEight blog this morning, Nate Silver explored the issue, writing the following:

Libertarianism has been touted as the wave of America’s political future for many years, generally with more enthusiasm than evidence. But there are some tangible signs that Americans’ attitudes are in fact moving in that direction.

These "tangible signs" come from polling data that was collected earlier this month. According to Silver, CNN has been asking the following questions since 1993:

Some people think the government is trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses. Others think that government should do more to solve our country’s problems. Which comes closer to your own view?

Some people think the government should promote traditional values in our society. Others think the government should not favor any particular set of values. Which comes closer to your own view?

In terms of the first question, a libertarian would typically say that the government is trying to do too much. As for the second question, he or she would contend that the government should not favor a "particular set of values."

Interestingly, these indicators have stayed fairly consistent over time. But, the libertarian response to both questions reached an all-time high in the recent CNN study.  It was found that 63 percent of respondents feel that the government is currently doing too much, with only 46 percent indicating that the government should promote traditional values. Below, you can see a Times graphic that shows the uptick and trend in libertarian views:

With opinions changing about gay marriage and with increasing scrutiny over government spending, these patterns are certainly interesting. But, are they indicative of a permanent collective swing towards libertarianism? That remains to be seen.

(h/t FiveThirtyEight)