This is the Cato Daily Podcast for Wednesday, August 20th, 2014.

I'm Caleb Brown.

When one advances a view of social justice,

what does that view imply?

Randy Barnett at Cato University argued that a typical view of social justice

will necessitate a large intrusive government

to assure that a given perhaps even desirable distribution of resources is maintained.

That is, he argues, unlibertarian.

So libertarians are offered often portrayed as radicals.

And in a sense, this is accurate.

The three senses of radical could each

be said to characterize libertarianism.

Here's the first sense.

Quote, relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something, far reaching or thorough.

Second meaning of radical.

Characterized by a departure from tradition, innovative or progressive.

Third meaning of radical, relating to the root of something.

Libertarian do make claims about the fundamental nature of things and strive to be thorough in the application of their principles.

Libertarian policies are often a departure from tradition.

Libertarian do strive to go to the root

of how society should be structured,

and they claim that route to be liberty.

...