What is the difference between liberalism and libertarianism?

[JB]

Note - I don't mean liberal in the US 'bleeding heart liberal' sense, I mean classic/neo-liberal as in Milton Friedman etc. Are libertarians just more extreme in the emphasis they place on individualism and the free market, or are there other differences? Thanks, will give ten points

[Excessiveman425]

Libertarians are just confused republicans.

[Chewy Ivan 2]

You're pretty close. Libertarians mostly believe in a very reduced government. They believe government overreaches in every aspect of society, from banning drugs to regulating financial markets. Liberals, on the other hand, tend to support a larger, more proactive government in order protect people's rights.

[zaïd]

Short answer: Liberalism in the classical sense is the same thing as libertarianism.

Austrian economists and social commentators such as von Hayek and von Mises often described themselves as liberals, but they were almost always against any kind of government intervention in private or economic affairs. If we go back through time, the same can be said about the French philosopher Voltaire.

Perhaps some years after WW2, socialist lefties have hijacked the term and used it to describe themselves.

So as not to confuse others, the real liberals call themselves libertarians instead. Indeed, the USA Libertarian party site suggests that it holds the same philosophies that von Hayek held. I fail to see how libertarians are more extreme.