Liberalism Between the Terror of Freedom and the Terror of Equality Cover Image

Liberalizam između terora slobode i terora jednakosti
Liberalism Between the Terror of Freedom and the Terror of Equality

Author(s): Davor Rodin
Subject(s): Political Philosophy, Political Theory
Published by: Fakultet političkih znanosti u Zagrebu
Keywords: liberalism; terror of freedom; terror of equality; political and economic freedom;

Summary/Abstract: The author analyses the ambivalence of liberalism regarding political and economic freedoms. While classical liberals advocated individual freedom versus aristocratic state, modern liberals advocate the controlled rule of the majority by means of the state and the law. Since their original idea of the freedom of private ownership led to the creation of boundless wealth, they have sought ways of limiting state ownership and establishing an intermediate category of ownership. However, the advocacy of intermediate ownership and intermediate state does not suffice for a success at the polls, so liberals have adopted the conservative concept of the protection of public good from the fury of private interests. Today’s marginalization of liberal parties has not prevented liberal ideas to penetrate into the programmes of all democratic parties. Hence, liberalism has become more of a cultural achievement and less of a viable political option.

  • Issue Year: XXXI/1994
  • Issue No: 03
  • Page Range: 30-36
  • Page Count: 7
  • Language: Croatian
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