# Are there any libertarian developed countries **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 18, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-libertarian-developed-countries/322178 "2005-09-18T02:51:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-libertarian-developed-countries/322178/1 "2005-09-18T02:51:08Z")
Are there any developed countries that practice economic libertarianism? ie, no social social safety net, no minimum wage, no healthcare, no retirement benefits, no spending beyond military and some infrastructure? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-libertarian-developed-countries/322178/2 "2005-09-18T02:52:06Z")
No. This exact subject has been asked before. Try the search function. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Go\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Blue)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-libertarian-developed-countries/322178/3 "2005-09-18T03:00:39Z")
Has there ever been a libertarian country (deeloped or not)? The closest I can think of is medieval Iceland. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-libertarian-developed-countries/322178/4 "2005-09-18T03:07:49Z")
Among modern countries, perhaps Hong Kong came closest. Before that, I’d say the U.S. before Roosevelt might have been up there. But none have ever been fully Libertarian. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Go\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Blue)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-libertarian-developed-countries/322178/5 "2005-09-18T03:16:37Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > Among modern countries, perhaps Hong Kong came closest. Before that, I’d say the U.S. before Roosevelt might have been up there. > . The US might have been up there on economics but not in other areas. By the way you meant Teddy, right? Hong Kong might be a good example, but I don’t know about any areas other their economy. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-libertarian-developed-countries/322178/6 "2005-09-18T04:23:28Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > Among modern countries, perhaps Hong Kong came closest. Before that, I’d say the U.S. before Roosevelt might have been up there. > > But none have ever been fully Libertarian. Of course Hong Kong isn’t a country, though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-libertarian-developed-countries/322178/7 "2005-09-18T07:21:15Z")
Except that HK has quite a good social safety net and healthcare system. I think some of the former USSR countries are moving very economically libertarian. ---
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-libertarian-developed-countries/322178/8 "2005-09-18T12:49:28Z")
Hong Kong doesn’t have military expenditure either.