Liberalism: A Very Short Introduction [Paperback]

Liberalism is one of the most central and pervasive political theories and ideologies, yet it is subject to different interpretations as well as misappropriations. Its history carries a crucial heritage of civilized thinking, of political practice, and of philosophical-ethical creativity.

ThisVery Short Introductionunpacks the concept of liberalism and its various interpretations through three diverse approaches. Looking at its historical and theoretical development, analysing the liberal ideology, and understanding liberalism as a series of ethical and philosophical principles, this is a thorough exploration of the concept and practice of liberalism.

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1. Navigating through liberalism
2. The emergence of liberal narratives
3. Layers of liberalism: disaggregating an ideology
4. The morphology of liberalism: reaggregating an ideology
5. Liberal luminaries
6. Liberal philosophy: Ethical visions and academic colonizations
7. Liberal Party Politics: The struggle over dominance
8. Appropriations and misappropriations of liberalism
9. The liberal balance sheet: achievements and failures
Further reading
Index

Michael Freedenis a Professor of Political Theory at the University of Nottingham and Emeritus Professor of Politics at the University of Oxford. His books includeThe New Liberalism: An Ideology of Social Reform(Oxford, 1978);Liberalism Divided: A Study in British Political Thought 1914-1939(Oxford, 1986);Ideologies and Political Theory: A Conceptual Approach(Oxford, 1996);lC¶