Liberalism

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-2

   PDF

2. Introduction

   1. Introduction

      • Susan Dimock, Jan Narveson

      Pages 3-18

3. Understanding Liberalism

   1. Liberal-Conservative: The Real Controversy

      • Jan Narveson

      Pages 19-40

   2. Liberal Neutrality

      • Susan Dimock

      Pages 41-58

   3. Liberalism, Skepticism, and Neutrality: Making Do Without Doubt

      • Steve Scalet

      Pages 59-77

   4. Liberalism and Atomistic Individualism

      • Tibor Machan

      Pages 79-99

   5. Liberalism, Communitarianism, and Asocialism

      • Andrew J. Cohen

      Pages 101-113

4. Some Political Implications

   1. Diminishing Marginal Utility and Egalitarian Redistribution

      • David Schmidtz

      Pages 115-124

   2. Public Goods Theory and Public Policy

      • Randall G. Holcombe

      Pages 125-138

   3. Libertarian Rectification: Restitution, Retribution, and the Risk-Multiplier

      • J. C. Lester

      Pages 139-149

   4. Restitutionism Defended

      • Joseph Ellin

      Pages 151-169

5. Challenges to the Foundations

   1. Pure Contractarianism: Promise, Problems, and Prospects

      • Robert Bass

      Pages 171-184

   2. A Moral Obligation to Obey the State

      • Christopher Tucker

      Pages 185-199

   3. The Poverty of Market Contractarianism

      • Bob Bright

      Pages 201-209

   4. A Proof that Libertarianism Is Either False or Banal

      • Paul Viminitz

      Pages 211-219

   5. The Nature of Coercion

      • Michael R. Rhodes

      Pages 221-233

6. Back Matter

   Pages 235-237

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No theory is more passionately and widely defined, or decried, than is liberalism in contemporary Anglo-American philosophy. But what is this theory, on which so much ink is spilled? This collection of original essays by leading specialists in political philosophy, legal theory, and economics offers answers to that question, by exploring the theoretical commitments of liberals and some of the practical implications of their view. Among the topics explored is the distinction between liberalism and conservatism, and the degree to which liberals must be committed to neutrality, individualism, equality, freedom, and a contractarian theory of justification. The practical implications of liberalism are further examined by considerations of the proper role of the liberal state in undertaking egalitarian redistribution, the provision of public goods, and retributive punishment.
The papers assembled by Narveson and Dimock will be of benefit to anyone working in the areas of political philosophy, political theory, or political economics.

• Communitarianism
• Liberal
• Liberalism
• Policy
• morality

• University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada

  Jan Narveson

• York University, Toronto, Canada

  Susan Dimock

Policies and ethics