Lost Language, Lost Liberalism

A review of the changes 1880-1940 to the central semantics of liberal civilization.

Liberty

Classical liberal meaning
New meanings; confusions
Others not messing with your stuff (liberty is the flipside of commutative justice); understood on an individualist/atomistic configuration of ownership.(1) Liberation of the polity to act and create meaning; (2) positive capabilities for the individual; (3) rights to terms prescribed by government (or “civil liberty”).

4L is authored by Daniel B. Klein, Professor of Economics, JIN Chair at the Mercatus Center, George Mason University, Associate Fellow of the Ratio Institute; email: dklein@gmu.edu

Quotations compiled by Ryan Daza & Daniel B. Klein