When ‘Liberal’ Was Lost
We find ourselves using the term “classical liberal,” to distinguish from what is now understood as “liberal.” What is classical liberalism? “Classical liberalism” is the term used to designate the ideology advocating private property, an unhampered market economy, the rule of law, constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and of the press, and international peace based on free trade. Up until around 1900, this ideology was generally known simply as liberalism. Doesn’t sound too bad. What happened? The qualifying “classical” is now usually necessary, in English-speaking countries at least (but not, for instance, in France), because liberalism has come to … Continue reading →