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What Is Classical Liberalism?

The Stephenson Institute defines Classical Liberalism in the broadest possible and most disciplinarily inclusive terms. In this view, classical liberalism is an intellectual tradition dedicated to understanding the operations of human decision making and human civilizations so as to best understand and foster the conditions of a free, open, and prosperous society. As such, students and scholars from all academic backgrounds and disciplines are welcome and potentially relevant to the liberal project.

Key areas of interest to the Institute and Institute programs are listed on our “About Us” page. Readers and visitors may also find the quotes and additional resource links below useful and informative regarding the classical liberal tradition.

“Classical liberalism is essentially an end-of-innocence philosophy. It requires accepting the imperfect nature of man and, hence, the imperfect nature of all human constructs. It sadly, but firmly, insists that the New Jerusalem is never to be realized. It denies that man can consciously and deliberately plan himself into the good life and the good world. It places its restricted faith in the unpredictable and unplanned consequences of the individual decisions of free men and women.”

— Benjamin A Rogge, “The New Conservatism” in A Maverick’s Defense of Freedom (1961 [2010]).

“…that the sole end for which mankind is warranted, individually or collectively in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number, is self-protection. That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because it will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier, because, in the opinions of others, to do so would be wise, or even right. These are good reasons for remonstrating with him, or reasoning with him, or persuading him, or entreating him, but not for compelling him, or visiting him with any evil, in case he does otherwise.”

— John Stuart Mill, On Liberty (1859).

“Liberalism is not a completed doctrine or a fixed dogma. On the contrary: it is the application of the teachings of science to the social life of man.”

— Ludwig von Mises, Liberalism: The Classical Tradition (1927 [1996]).

“Unless we can make the philosophic foundations of a free society once more a living intellectual issue, and its implementation a task which challenges the ingenuity and imagination of our liveliest minds, the prospects of freedom are indeed dark. But if we can regain that belief in the power of ideas which was the mark of liberalism at its best, the battle is not lost.”

— F.A. Hayek, The Intellectuals and Socialism (1949).


Selected resources related to Classical Liberalism

* These books are free to access to the Wabash community through the Lilly Library website.

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