The Conservative Critique of Liberalism

Liberalism, conceived as that set of political doctrines that proposes the liberty of the population as a justification for state authority, is currently undergoing a process of critique and problematisation. Indeed, we appear to be reaching a moment at which liberal hegemony could be thought to be, if not coming to an end, then at least weakening under sustained pressure. Since much of this pressure currently comes from the political right, it is an apt moment to bring together and analyse the rich theoretical arguments that those on the philosophical and intellectual right have produced since the French Revolution, in order to make sense of the current political moment. This book provides this with a collection of essays from writers from across the globe, situated in a variety of disciplines, including history, law, political science and computing, whose contributions trace the roots of the conservative critique of liberalism and predict its trajectory. A valuable toolkit for scholars and students interested in the relationship between conservatism and liberalism, this book is a vital one for those in the disciplines of political science, philosophy, history, law and sociology.