I always wondered why the Less Wrong community was so "libertarian" (US-style, ie, pro-free market).

Were you aware of the LW survey results?

The most popular political view, at least according to the much-maligned categories on the survey, was liberalism, with 376 adherents and 34.5% of the vote. Libertarianism followed at 352 (32.3%), then socialism at 290 (26.6%), conservativism at 30 (2.8%) and communism at 5 (.5%).

Compare to the philpapers survey results for philosophy faculty and PhDs below. The differences are moderate, and can be explained by the disproportionate presence of computer science, hard science, male gender, Anglosphere origins, and industry (as opposed to academia; comparing people with equal IQ and education, those with more 'right' political views are more likely to enter non-academic fields) in the LW population.

Politics: communitarianism, egalitarianism, or libertarianism?

Other 672 / 1803 (37.2%) Accept or lean toward: egalitarianism 595 / 1803 (33%) Accept or lean toward: communitarianism 294 / 1803 (16.3%) Accept or lean toward: libertarianism 242 / 1803 (13.4%)

For "philosophy of computing," which may be especially relevant for comparison to LW:

Politics: communitarianism, egalitarianism, or libertarianism?

Accept or lean toward: communitarianism 4 / 11 (36.3%) Accept or lean toward: libertarianism 3 / 11 (27.2%) Other 2 / 11 (18.1%) Accept or lean toward: egalitarianism 2 / 11 (18.1%)

And for "social and political philosophers":

Politics: communitarianism, egalitarianism, or libertarianism?

Accept or lean toward: egalitarianism 101 / 203 (49.7%) Other 51 / 203 (25.1%) Accept or lean toward: libertarianism 30 / 203 (14.7%) Accept or lean toward: communitarianism 21 / 203 (10.3%)

For philosophers of the physical sciences:

Politics: communitarianism, egalitarianism, or libertarianism?

Other 37 / 90 (41.1%) Accept or lean toward: egalitarianism 24 / 90 (26.6%) Accept or lean toward: libertarianism 16 / 90 (17.7%) Accept or lean toward: communitarianism 13 / 90 (14.4%)