Classical Liberalism Without Strong Gods

Why are liberal democracies facing a crisis of meaning? In this video, we explore Roger Partridge’s powerful defence of Karl Popper’s Open Society—a vision of liberalism based on freedom, tolerance, and civic engagement. As figures like Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Jordan Peterson, and Peter Thiel call for a return to religion and nationalism, many argue that the West has lost its moral and spiritual foundation. But is abandoning liberalism the answer? Partridge argues that the real problem isn’t liberalism itself—but our failure to maintain the institutions and civic culture that once gave it meaning.