classical liberal
Old-school freedom advocate
Classical liberal describes a political philosophy emphasizing individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and rule of law—the liberalism of Locke, Smith, and Mill rather than modern American liberalism.
Someone might identify as a classical liberal to signal support for economic freedom while distancing themselves from contemporary progressive positions: I'm a classical liberal, not a leftist.
Noninterference in commerce
- free tradeUnrestricted international exchange
- free marketCommerce without state intervention
- capitalismPrivate profit-based economy
- privatizationState sells public assets
deregulation · supply and demand · competition · entrepreneurship · comparative advantage · division of labor · economic freedom · spontaneous order
English empiricist philosopher
- Adam SmithClassical economics founder
- John Stuart MillBritish empiricist and reformer
- David HumeScottish Enlightenment philosopher
- VoltaireFrench Enlightenment satirist
Montesquieu · Thomas Jefferson · James Madison · tabula rasa · invisible hand · moral philosophy · political theory · philosopher
Doctrine of personal independence
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
- secularismSeparation of faith, state
progress · tolerance · humanism · personal responsibility · self-reliance · meritocracy · voluntarism · equality before law
Freedoms inherent to personhood
- limited governmentOfficially bounded political authority
- rule of lawSupremacy of established laws
- consent of the governedRulers need citizen approval
- social contractAgreement exchanging freedom for order
separation of powers · constitutionalism · individual rights · property rights · civil liberties · toleration · free speech · free press
Era prioritizing reason over dogma
- neoliberalismPro-market, anti-regulation ideology
- WhigAnti-monarchist political faction
- Bill of RightsInitial constitutional amendments guaranteeing freedoms
- Declaration of IndependenceAmerica's founding proclamation
laissez-faire
Noninterference in commerce
- free tradeUnrestricted international exchange
- free marketCommerce without state intervention
- capitalismPrivate profit-based economy
privatization · deregulation · supply and demand · competition · entrepreneurship · comparative advantage · division of labor · economic freedom · spontaneous order · sound money
John Locke
English empiricist philosopher
- Adam SmithClassical economics founder
- John Stuart MillBritish empiricist and reformer
- David HumeScottish Enlightenment philosopher
Montesquieu · Voltaire · Thomas Jefferson · James Madison · tabula rasa · invisible hand · moral philosophy · political theory · philosopher · natural law
individualism
Doctrine of personal independence
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
secularism · progress · tolerance · humanism · personal responsibility · self-reliance · meritocracy · voluntarism · equality before law · pluralism
natural rights
Freedoms inherent to personhood
- limited governmentOfficially bounded political authority
- rule of lawSupremacy of established laws
- consent of the governedRulers need citizen approval
social contract · separation of powers · constitutionalism · individual rights · property rights · civil liberties · toleration · free speech · free press · checks and balances
Enlightenment
Era prioritizing reason over dogma
- neoliberalismPro-market, anti-regulation ideology
- WhigAnti-monarchist political faction
- Bill of RightsInitial constitutional amendments guaranteeing freedoms
Declaration of Independence · Glorious Revolution · civil society
- political labelsconservative, leftist, rightist, moderate, centrist
classical liberalauthoritarian
Favoring absolute control
totalitarian · statist · collectivist · fascist · autocrat
classical liberalsocialist
Proponent of collective ownership
communist · Marxist · collectivist · protectionist · interventionist
classical liberalfeudalist
Advocate of serfdom-based hierarchy
reactionary · monarchist · progressive · social justice advocate · conservative
classical, classic, classics, classically, classicism, classicist, class, liberal, liberals