During the last several years I have noticed that it has become fashionable to cite the inherent weaknesses and flaws of Western liberal societies. Some think there is an inherent individualism that is to blame for the instability of liberalism while others point to their version of “equity” or private ownership of property as the basic flaws. Classical liberalism, or simply liberalism, is the social-political theory that stresses freedom from undue governmental interference and views the state as the guarantor of the basic liberties and rights of the individual. In the West, classical liberalism rests on some form of constitutional consensual government which forms the basis of the rule of law. I believe that it is profitable and healthy to rationally and carefully debate and explore the merits and demerits of classical liberalism. But as one who does not promote all or nothing type of thinking, it would be difficult to find another social or political order that provides more freedom, opportunity, and prosperity to individuals, families, and communities. As Aristotle would remind us, democracy is always an ideal. Representational democracy will always be an imperfect expression of a great ideal. Western civilization depends on this ideal.
I am not a political philosopher, but I did spend some time in my first MA program investigating the key ideas of freedom and democracy in the Western intellectual tradition. Further, ideas such as constitutional consensual representation, citizenship, natural law, and the rule of law are central to Western liberal democracies. These are great ideas and worth understanding and serious study.
In upcoming posts, I plan to take a break from metaphysics and explore some of these important concepts that are central to classical liberalism. As I indicated, many across the political spectrum have become disillusioned with Western liberalism. But as my advisor once asked me when I was exploring the pros and cons of democratic order in Western societies, “what other alternative do we have?”
As first principles are important when trying to understand any field of endeavor, the following posts will simply explore and investigate the intellectual history of consensual government and why it might be worth understanding. It is my hope that we begin again to understand and rediscover the importance of these foundational truths together.
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