Liberalism is not Neutral

Conservatives often argue that liberalism is not a neutral political system. Liberalism, they say, has values of its own. It sneakily promotes these values as normative, and even good, for the citizens of liberal societies — whether those citizens like it or not.

The philosopher and self-proclaimed liberal Alexandre Lefebvre believes that, empirically speaking, this conservative critique is pretty much true. As the title of his new book, Liberalism as a Way of Life, suggests, liberals should own up to the fact that they believe in more than a political system. They believe in a way of life. But a way of life requires values, and where do liberals get their values from?

Christine and Shadi talk to Alex about these questions and more in a probing, contentious examination of Alex’s book. How does liberalism ground its preferences? How does it defend the idea of human dignity? Why is personal freedom a good thing? Moreover, how do religious people, who want to live in a liberal political society without necessarily believing in liberalism as a way of life, fit into Alex’s theory?

In the bonus section for paid subscribers, Alex explains why becoming a true liberal requires overcoming your “inner Karen,” and Christine and Shadi quiz Alex on his list of the seventeen joys of liberalism. How does liberalism lead to playfulness? What about redemption? Find out by listening to this rapid-fire, ideas-packed episode.

Required Reading:

* Liberalism as a Way of Life by Alexandre Lefebvre.

* Alex’s personal website.

* “Natural Law” (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy).

* Justice: Rights and Wrongs by Nicholas Wolterstorff.

* Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland.

* “John Rawls” (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).

* Ordinary Vices by Judith N. Shklar.

* Disney Princess (tvtropes.org).

* “Carl Schmitt” (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).

* Irving Kristol: A conservative is a liberal who was “mugged by reality.”

* Surgeon General’s Advisory on Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation (hhs.gov).

* “Long Term Trends in Deaths of Despair” (US Senate, Joint Economic Committee).

* “Karen” meme origin.

This post is part of our collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Governance and Markets.