David Nolan

David Nolan (1943–2010) was a political thinker and strategist best known as the principal founder of the Libertarian Party in the United States. At a time when conventional ideologies left advocates of both economic and personal freedom without a clear home, Nolan offered an alternative grounded in individual rights, limited government, and voluntary action. He also created the Nolan Chart, a two-axis framework that replaced the traditional left–right political spectrum with a more revealing map based on economic freedom and personal freedom as separate dimensions. The chart made it easier to distinguish libertarian views from both conservatism and progressivism. It later became the foundation for the World’s Smallest Political Quiz, a widely used tool for mapping views on liberty. Through practical organizing and a clear articulation of libertarian ideas, Nolan helped define a movement that continues to influence American politics.