Portraits of Liberty

In the 17th-century, many young noble girls were forced into nun convents by their fathers. In 1620 Arcangela Tarabotti was forced to stay in a convent until the day she died. Tarabotti dedicated herself to writing against the mistreatment of women and argued against the misogyny of her day. She believed women, like men, possessed free will, the God-given gift of choice. Because of this, no man has the right to dictate how women live. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discussions of Buddhism typically revolve around lofty topics like reincarnation and the nature of the self. Policy debates about tax rates and international trade seem to be outside of the Buddhist focus. Aaron Ross Powell joins to discuss how the ethical principles of Buddhism apply to the world of politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Writing during the calamitous Warring States period of Chinese history, Mozi was unlike any of his contemporaries. He was ardently opposed to wasteful government spending, loathed aggressive foreign wars, and believed government positions should be held by the best for the job, not just those with familial and political connections. His political philosophy can be characterized as the first-ever form of consequentialism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For too long history was just the study of great men, but with the rise of intellectual history we have focused more on how people have changed their ideas over time. In another sense, studying history is about studying the struggle for power. The host of Portraits of Liberty, Paul Meany, joins the show to highlight historical thinkers who may not have been strictly libertarian, but argued for a freer world. Portraits of Liberty celebrates a broader historical libertarianism.What is valuable about studying intellectual history? Why do certain philosophers get completely forgotten? What is the difference between tradition and truth? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Growing up in a black self-governing town, Zora realized the myth of race and that black Americans were just as capable citizens as their white counterparts. Battling through poverty and discrimination, Zora became one of the foremost figures of the Harlem Renaissance, but unlike her fellow intellectuals, she loathed any form of socialism or collectivism, preferring the greater gift of individualism instead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At it's lowest point in the early 20th-century, classical liberal ideas were in full retreat with the advent of extensive state interference in the economy. Rose Wilder Lane reignited a passion for liberal ideas in her numerous columns alongside her master work The Discovery of Freedom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Few philosophy curricula today cover the writings of eastern philosophers. Even though his teachings are over two millennia old, the work of Mencius covers many liberal themes. Mencius argued for a state which promoted both virtue and prosperity through a policy of non-interference. He staunchly opposed wars aimed at expanding state power and argued in favor of deposing rulers who did not fulfill their obligations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 12th-century clergyman John of Salisbury has been relegated to obscurity today. This is a great shame because his treatise on politics entitled Policraticus despite it's medieval trappings articulates a love of freedom, a respect for free speech and most controversially, discussions of when it is morally permissible to kill a tyrant. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Cicero is often read-only by classical scholars and reluctant students which is a great shame because his life and philosophy reflect a sort of proto-liberalism that came to influence a wide variety of thinkers such as John Adams, John Locke, Adam Smith, Voltaire, and Montesquieu. His life and works have echoed throughout the western tradition of political philosophy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coming from the humble position of a rural clergy member, the Swedish Anders Chydenius shocked his contemporaries with his radical arguments in favour of the free market and a minimal state. Anders dedicated his life to defending the economic liberty of the least represented in society. During his life, he repealed backward economic policies, protected religious minorities' rights, and played a crucial role in establishing the principle of free speech in law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.