Liberalism and State Power in Modern Societies

By Philip Decker

This book delves into the evolution of liberalism and its ongoing relationship with state power in modern societies, examining the philosophical foundations, historical development, and contemporary challenges faced by liberal thought. Spanning a wide array of topics, the book explores how liberalism has navigated the complex terrain of individual liberty, economic policies, social justice, and global governance, while responding to the changing dynamics of politics, technology, and environmental crises. Beginning with its roots in Enlightenment thought, the narrative traces the rise of liberalism through key historical events such as the American and French Revolutions, the expansion of civil rights, and the establishment of the welfare state. As liberalism matured, it encountered significant tests, including the rise of totalitarianism, populism, and economic inequalities, prompting debates about its relevance in the face of new challenges.

The text also addresses the profound impact of technological change, the global rise of authoritarianism, and the limitations of neoliberal policies in the twenty-first century. In particular, the book examines how liberalism's commitment to individual freedom and democratic governance is increasingly challenged by global inequalities, climate change, surveillance capitalism, and the power of multinational corporations. Drawing on a wide range of primary sources, philosophical ideas, and historical case studies, the book ultimately asks whether liberalism can evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world or whether it risks becoming obsolete in the face of growing nationalism, economic disruption, and technological transformation.

By exploring the contradictions within liberal thought and the ways in which it has adapted over time, this work offers a comprehensive and critical analysis of liberalism's past, present, and potential future. It challenges readers to consider how liberal values—freedom, equality, and democracy—can be reimagined in a globalized, interconnected society, and whether these ideals can be preserved and strengthened in the face of contemporary global challenges.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Historia Magna
• Release date: Jan 26, 2025
• ISBN: 9798230828198

Book preview

Introduction

Liberalism, as both a philosophy and a political tradition, has profoundly shaped the modern world, particularly the development of the modern state. At its heart, liberalism champions individual liberty, equality before the law, and the sanctity of private property, ideas that trace their lineage to the Enlightenment era of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. These ideals have come to define the contours of modern governance, influencing constitutions, legal systems, and political cultures across the globe. Yet, liberalism’s relationship with the state has been anything but simple or harmonious. This introduction explores the historical trajectory of liberalism, its foundational thinkers, and the interplay between its principles and the ever-evolving nature of state power, situating this dynamic within the broader currents of modern history.

The roots of liberalism lie in the intellectual ferment of the Enlightenment, a period characterized by a burgeoning faith in reason, progress, and the potential of human agency. John Locke, often regarded as the father of liberalism, articulated a vision of governance grounded in the consent of the governed and the protection of natural rights—life, liberty, and property. In his Two Treatises of Government (1689), Locke rejected the divine right of kings and argued for a social contract in which individuals willingly ceded a portion of their freedom to the state in exchange for the protection of their fundamental rights. This revolutionary idea laid the groundwork for constitutional government, challenging the absolutist regimes that dominated Europe at the time.

Locke’s ideas were not formed in isolation but were deeply embedded in the political and social upheavals of his era. The Glorious Revolution of 1688 in England, which culminated in the overthrow of James II and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy, provided a practical demonstration of Locke’s principles in action. Similarly, the American and French Revolutions of the late eighteenth century drew heavily on liberal ideals, translating them into foundational documents such as the United States Declaration of Independence (1776) and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (1789). Figures like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin in America and the Marquis de Lafayette and Emmanuel Sieyès in France became leading proponents of liberal thought, blending philosophical principles with political praxis.

However, liberalism’s rise was not without contention. The Industrial Revolution, which began in the late eighteenth century, brought significant economic and social changes, posing new challenges to liberal ideals. While classical liberalism, championed by thinkers such as Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations (1776), celebrated the virtues of free markets and limited government, the rapid industrialization of the nineteenth century revealed the darker side of unchecked capitalism: exploitative labor conditions, stark income inequality, and the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few. These developments spurred debates about the role of the state in mitigating economic disparities and ensuring social justice, leading to the emergence of what would later be called welfare liberalism.

The relationship between liberalism and state power reached a critical juncture during the nineteenth century, as European states grappled with the demands of modernization. The unification of Germany and Italy, the expansion of colonial empires, and the rise of mass political movements transformed the nature of state power, often in ways that tested the limits of liberal principles. Figures like John Stuart Mill sought to reconcile individual liberty with the demands of collective governance, arguing in On Liberty (1859) for a delicate balance between personal freedom and societal regulation. Mill’s nuanced approach reflected the broader tensions within liberal thought: the recognition that state power was necessary to safeguard freedoms, yet a persistent fear that such power could become a tool of oppression.

The twentieth century brought these tensions to the forefront, as liberal democracies faced existential threats from totalitarian regimes and global conflicts. World War I and World War II exposed the fragility of liberal institutions, while the Cold War underscored the ideological divide between liberal democracy and authoritarian socialism. During this period, liberalism was forced to adapt, embracing a more active role for the state in ensuring economic stability and social welfare. The New Deal policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States and the establishment of welfare states in Western Europe exemplified this shift, demonstrating that liberal values could coexist with robust state intervention.

At the same time, the post-war era witnessed the global spread of liberalism, as newly independent nations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America adopted democratic constitutions inspired by liberal ideals. Yet, this process was far from straightforward, as many of these states struggled with the legacies of colonialism, economic dependency, and internal divisions. The question of how to build a liberal state in contexts marked by deep social and economic inequalities remains a pressing challenge, one that underscores the ongoing relevance of liberal thought.

In the twenty-first century, the relationship between liberalism and state power continues to evolve in response to new challenges. The rise of populist movements, the erosion of democratic norms, and the proliferation of surveillance technologies have sparked debates about the limits of state authority and the resilience of liberal values. At the same time, pressing global issues such as climate change, pandemics, and economic inequality highlight the need for effective state action, raising difficult questions about how to reconcile individual freedoms with collective responsibilities.

This book seeks to explore these complex dynamics, tracing the historical development of liberalism and its interactions with state power across different contexts and epochs. By examining the ideas of key thinkers, the impact of pivotal events, and the experiences of diverse societies, it aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how liberalism has shaped—and been shaped by—the modern state. Through this exploration, we hope to illuminate not only the achievements of liberal thought but also its limitations and the ongoing challenges it faces in an increasingly interconnected and uncertain world.

Chapter 1: The Roots of Liberalism

Liberalism, as a cornerstone of modern political thought, owes its intellectual foundations to a rich tapestry of historical events, philosophical inquiries, and social upheavals. Its emergence was not sudden but rather the result of centuries of evolution, a product of the interplay between humanism, scientific revolution, and political transformation in early modern Europe. Understanding liberalism’s origins requires an exploration of its intellectual precursors, the key figures who articulated its principles, and the historical context that made its rise possible.

The intellectual seeds of liberalism were sown during the Renaissance, a period marked by the revival of classical knowledge and the flourishing of humanist ideals. Thinkers such as Erasmus and Machiavelli challenged medieval notions of divine authority and emphasized human agency and rationality. While humanism did not directly advocate for liberal political systems, it set the stage for a worldview that prioritized individual worth and reason over dogma and tradition. This intellectual shift was further propelled by the Protestant Reformation, led by Martin Luther in 1517, which emphasized personal faith and conscience. By undermining the Catholic Church’s monopolistic authority, the Reformation encouraged a decentralization of power and laid the groundwork for the pluralistic ethos central to liberal thought.

The seventeenth century witnessed the crystallization of liberalism’s core ideas through the works of philosophers grappling with questions of governance, authority, and individual rights. Thomas Hobbes, in his seminal work Leviathan (1651), argued that human beings, in their natural state, were driven by self-interest and prone to conflict. To escape this state of nature, he proposed the establishment of a social contract in which individuals surrendered their freedoms to an all-powerful sovereign in exchange for peace and order. While Hobbes’s vision of absolute authority