Non-Aggression Principle, NAP

CORE DEFINITION

The Non-Aggression Principle, also known as the Non-Aggression Axiom, the Zero Aggression Principle, or the Anti-Force Principle, is a deontological ethical stance within the libertarian movement. This principle holds that any initiatory "aggression"—that is, the initiation of force or the threat of force against another person's person or property—is inherently illegitimate. The principle does not exclude defensive actions taken to repel or retaliate against prior aggression. The Non-Aggression Principle typically includes property as an extension of the individual, so that violating one's property is equivalent to violating one's body. Therefore, the principle opposes theft, murder, and fraud. When applied to government, many use the principle to oppose policies such as taxation and conscription. The Libertarian Party of the United States and many libertarians consider the principle to be a core tenet of all libertarian thought, though not all libertarians agree. The principle can be derived from various philosophical theories, including natural law, utilitarianism, egoism, and Objectivism. Murray Rothbard derived the principle from the concept of self-ownership. Ayn Rand derived it from the right to life. However, some support the principle purely out of personal preference.