Précis of "Renewing Liberalism" (original) (raw)

1. The Book in Brief a. The Purpose of the Book The purpose of the book is to develop, articulate, and defend an original and comprehensive philosophical theory of the nature and justification of modern political liberalism. Modern political liberalism can be understood negatively, by contrast with the essential tenets of modern political conservatism, or positively, as a set of affirmative theses. The purpose of the book is best explained in the former way, the approach of the book in the latter. The essential tenets of modern political conservatism, which can be traced back to the work of Edmund Burke, are as follows: a preference for liberty over equality; an attitude of suspicion toward the power of the State; elitism; and respect for tradition and established institutions, coupled with a cautious skepticism of the idea of progress. The point of departure for the theory of liberalism developed in the book is the first of these, and in particular the interpretation of the concept of individual liberty which is assumed, often implicitly or unconsciously, by the modern conservative