| Review of: | The Challenge of Liberty: Classical Liberalism Today edited by Robert Higgs, Carl P. Close |
|---|---|
| Reviewed By: | Edwin Van De Haar |
| Reviewed in: | Political Studies Review |
| Date accepted online: | 14/01/2008 |
| Published in print: | Volume 05, Issue 03, Pages 395-474 |
Book Reviews: Political Theory
This book defines classical liberalism as the belief in the worth and centrality of the individual and his rights, liberty, the rule of law, private property, limited government and free markets. Hence, it strongly opposes liberalism in the American meaning with socialism and other forms of collectivism. Some of the thinkers associated with classical liberalism are Adam Smith, Ludwig von Mises and, most notably, Friedrich Hayek, who is singled out by the editors as their main source of inspiration.
The collection comprises twenty essays previously published in
Among the contributors are reputed thinkers in the tradition, such as James Buchanan, Anthony de Jasay, Charles Rowley and James Otteson. The book commences with a discussion on the vitality of classical liberalism, followed by essays on the relation between freedom, morality and civil society, as well as ways to secure limited government. This is followed by reflections on the negative influence of collectivist thought, for example through public schooling, while the closing section provides a response to critics of classical liberalism, especially John Gray.
One of the attractions of the book is that it does not focus solely on economic arguments, contrary to so many other writings in the classical liberal tradition. Therefore it provides a much wider scope of thought and debate. The reader also gets a good idea of the level and content of the debate among classical liberals.
However, even with this large number of contributions the book cannot claim to provide a full overview of the degree of freedom in modern Western society and actually fails to provide a good answer to its central question: whether liberty is advancing or retreating. Also, it is largely a work by classical liberals, for classical liberals. It therefore has a tendency to be inward looking. That is a pity, as it provides more than enough insights which may be of interest to a wider audience. Nevertheless, this collection provides a much welcomed and sometimes stimulating overview of a distinct political ideology, which is all too often overlooked in mainstream political theory.