Liberalism
Key Concepts
1. Edition November 2004
184 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
Liberalism is an innovative introductory textbook exploring
the dominant discourse of contemporary political theory and the
core ideas that underpin it. Despite the ubiquity of liberalism
there remains considerable disagreement about what contemporary
political liberals believe. This book distinguishes modern
political liberalism from earlier manifestations of the concept,
yet shows how contemporary liberalism is derived from a
long-standing historical tradition that includes John Locke,
Immanuel Kant and J.S. Mill.
Contemporary liberalism combines ideas from this historical
tradition to make a political theory that places at its heart the
equal treatment of each person. Paul Kelly provides an overview of
the basic building blocks of contemporary liberalism -
contractarianism, impartiality, justice and freedom, - and
introduces students to the ideas of its key theorists John Rawls,
Brian Barry and Ronald Dworkin. He goes on to consider three major
challenges facing liberalism today and concludes with a defence of
the continuing relevance of political liberalism in the
contemporary world.
1 Introduction: What is Liberalism?.
2 The Sources of Liberal Equality.
3 The Social Contract.
4 Liberalism and Liberty.
5 Liberalism and Equality.
6 How Political is Political Liberalism.
7 False Neutrality and Ethnocentrism.
8 Liberalism the State and Beyond.
Notes.
References.
Index.
political philosophy need look no further. In brief compass, Paul
Kelly sets out an idea of liberal equality for our times, explains
its rationale and defends it against a wide variety of challenges.
I don't know how he managed to accomplish all this in a short book
- I know it would have been beyond me.'
--Professor Brian Barry, Lieber Professor of Political Philosophy,
Columbia University
'This is a first-rate introduction to the philosophy and
politics of contemporary liberal thought. Kelly offers more than a
careful and concise statement of liberal egalitarianism. He also
traces its historical roots, explains its many attractions, and
rebuts fashionable but misplaced objections to it."
--Dr Matthew Clayton, Department of Politics & International
Studies,
University of Warwick
'This accessible little book in Polity's "Key Concepts" series
is a broad introduction to recent work in political theory. As
such, it provides useful background for other writing on
liberalism. But it is no dry textbook; it has a distinct point of
view. Kelly, who is a professor of political theory at the London
School of Economics and Political Science, defends a particular
type of liberalism: egalitarian liberalism, which he believes has
two core principles. Philosophically, it is committed to "the basic
substantive value of equal personhood"; politically, it attempts to
secure the "rights and economic resources necessary to protect
equal personhood."
'Kelly's liberal heroes are a broadly Americanized bunch -- (the
early) John Rawls, Ronald Dworkin, and Brian Barry -- and he
defends his heroes from attacks on both the left and the right. To
those on the right who argue that the egalitarian liberal's
emphasis on equality unduly restricts our freedom to accumulate
wealth, Kelly replies that property is not a pre-political right
that overrides the concerns of social justice. To those on the left
who claim that liberal egalitarianism is merely cultural
imperialism in disguise, Kelly distinguishes between respecting a
culture's practices -- which clearly makes sense -- and saying that
we can never criticize such practices in light of general
principles -- which is self-defeating. Liberal principles avoid
lapsing into moral subjectivism, Kelly says. It's time for liberals
to stand up and articulate them.'
-- Michael P. Lynch, in The Chronicle of Higher Education,
April 22, 2005, page 22. Lynch is associate professor of philosophy
at the University of Connecticut.
'[C]risp and elegant defence of liberalism'
--Times Higher Education Supplement
'Liberalism offers an erudite and stimulating defence of
liberalism as both a philosophical and a political project, and is
a valuable addition to the existing scholarship.'
--The Philosophical Quarterly
