Radio Rothbard Five Myths About the History of Political Thought
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Aug 15, 2025 Dive into five common myths surrounding political thought and classical liberalism. Explore the radical roots of liberalism during the English Civil War, spotlighting the Levelers’ call for freedom. Unpack misconceptions linked to figures like Herbert Spencer and critique the traditional ties between liberalism and the French Enlightenment. Discover how Rousseau’s ideas have shaped oppressive regimes and reassess John Stuart Mill's controversial shift from laissez-faire principles to more modern leftist perspectives.
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Liberalism's Radical Roots
- Liberalism historically contained a strong radical streak, not a meek conservative compromise.
- Ralph Raico traces that radicalism from the Levelers through 19th-century laissez-faire advocates.
The Levelers' Libertarian Example
- The Levelers in the English Civil War opposed mercantilist monopolies and defended free speech and local militias.
- Rothbard called them the world's first self-consciously libertarian mass movement.
Rousseau Damaged Liberalism
- The French Enlightenment and Rousseau contributed little or negatively to liberalism's development.
- Raico argues Rousseau's social-contract theory justified total surrender to the community and empowered dictatorship.
