Political

Paddy Ashdown on social and economic liberalism

Not a view I wholly agree with, but an interesting one from the former leader of the Liberal Democrats:

I have always held the view that there are two competing strands in Liberalism. The first is social liberalism, which understands the importance of what we hold in common, seeks to heal the divisions in society and is dedicated to setting people free from the intrusions of a overweening state. The second is economic liberalism, which understands the importance of individual liberty, the free market and free trade. The two are often in conflict, so the essence of the liberal debate is to find the appropriate balance between the two for the time and context in which we live.

For a different (and longer!) take, see David Howarth’s excellent discussion of social and economic liberalism. This is a topic also covered in my Lib Dem philosophy course.

Taken fromĀ Paddy Ashdown, A Fortunate Life.

One response to “Paddy Ashdown on social and economic liberalism”

  1. For me social and economic liberalism rarely clash. Social liberalism is about letting people get on with things and economic liberalism is about letting business get on with things.

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