classical liberalism
Enlightenment freedom doctrine
Classical liberalism is a political philosophy emphasizing individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and protection of private property.
It emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries, associated with thinkers like John Locke and Adam Smith.
The philosophy influenced the American founding and shaped modern democratic institutions.
Today it's often invoked to distinguish older liberal traditions from contemporary progressivism: He describes himself as a classical liberal, not a conservative.
Freedoms inherent to personhood
- social contractAgreement exchanging freedom for order
- consent of the governedRulers need citizen approval
- rule of lawSupremacy of established laws
- limited governmentOfficially bounded political authority
individual rights · non-aggression · toleration · pluralism · constitutionalism · separation of powers · checks and balances · popular sovereignty
Noninterference in commerce
- free marketCommerce without state intervention
- capitalismPrivate profit-based economy
- private propertyIndividually owned assets
- free tradeUnrestricted international exchange
competition · deregulation · privatization · supply and demand · entrepreneurship · spontaneous order · economic freedom · invisible hand
Power over own choices
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- freedom of speechProtected right to speak
- freedom of religionRight to practice any faith
freedom of assembly · freedom of press · property rights · habeas corpus · due process · emancipation · noninterference · self-ownership
Governance bound by fundamental laws
- representative governmentRule by elected officials
- republicState with elected leaders
- separation of powersConstitutional distribution of authority
- federalismDivided governmental authority system
bicameralism · legislature · suffrage · franchise · consent · accountability · transparency · civil rights
Basis or justification
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
- empiricismKnowledge through observation
- secularismSeparation of faith, state
- progressMovement toward improvement
skepticism · science · reform · modernity · humanism · education · knowledge · intellectual freedom
natural rights
Freedoms inherent to personhood
- social contractAgreement exchanging freedom for order
- consent of the governedRulers need citizen approval
- rule of lawSupremacy of established laws
limited government · individual rights · non-aggression · toleration · pluralism · constitutionalism · separation of powers · checks and balances · popular sovereignty · inalienable rights
laissez-faire
Noninterference in commerce
- free marketCommerce without state intervention
- capitalismPrivate profit-based economy
- private propertyIndividually owned assets
free trade · competition · deregulation · privatization · supply and demand · entrepreneurship · spontaneous order · economic freedom · invisible hand · mercantilism
individual autonomy
Power over own choices
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- freedom of speechProtected right to speak
freedom of religion · freedom of assembly · freedom of press · property rights · habeas corpus · due process · emancipation · noninterference · self-ownership · personal sovereignty
constitutionalism
Governance bound by fundamental laws
- representative governmentRule by elected officials
- republicState with elected leaders
- separation of powersConstitutional distribution of authority
federalism · bicameralism · legislature · suffrage · franchise · consent · accountability · transparency · civil rights · bill of rights
reason
Basis or justification
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
- empiricismKnowledge through observation
- secularismSeparation of faith, state
progress · skepticism · science · reform · modernity · humanism · education · knowledge · intellectual freedom · free inquiry
- political ideologiesconservatism, conservative, anarchism, libertarian, socialism
- free marketsfree market, free enterprise, free trade, free markets, laissez-faire
- Liberalismindividual rights, civil liberties, free market, free trade, limited government
- libertarianismlibertarianism, anarcho-capitalism, limited government, free market, self-ownership
- LockeJohn Locke, tabula rasa, blank slate, social contract, natural rights
- economicssupply and demand, inflation, GDP, GNP, gross domestic product
classical liberalismsocialism
Communal economic control
communism · Marxism · central planning · collectivism · command economy
classical liberalismauthoritarianism
Concentrated, unchecked governmental power
totalitarianism · absolutism · despotism · statism · tyranny
classical liberalismconservatism
Preference for existing institutions
traditionalism · ancien régime · feudalism · monarchism · clericalism
liberal, liberty, classical, classic, liberalism, illiberal, liberalize, classically, liberalized