Marijuana and sports gambling tell a story about American politics. Twenty years ago, both were largely illegal. Now, most people can partake in them legally.
Americans have embraced social libertarianism — the view that emphasizes individual freedom — in the last two decades. The Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. States relaxed laws for carrying a concealed gun, approved more exemptions for vaccine mandates, reduced penalties for nonviolent crimes and legalized psychedelics. Some places stopped enforcing laws against sex work and homeless encampments. (The shift isn’t uniform. Some states, for example, restricted abortion.)
What happened next?
The story is mixed. Libertarianism gives people the freedom to make their own choices, which works well when the choices produce few or no meaningful harms (like a gay couple’s decision to marry).
