This enlightening book identifies liberalism’s relevance to contemporary society and identifies how and where it offers robust opposition to modern forms of authoritarianism. Frank Vibert first clarifies the concept of liberalism, before tracing the tradition’s main dimensions from its origins in the eighteenth century to the present day. Rejecting the view that liberal individualism is to blame for the rise of authoritarian governments, Vibert points instead to the way in which markets and political institutions are challenged by the superabundance of information associated with the information age. Chapters decry neo-liberalism and post-liberal theory as misrepresentations of the liberal tradition and advocate for narrowly defined constitutional processes as opposed to constitutional declarations. Emphasising the importance of liberal values such as tolerance, moderation, accommodation and harmony, the book warns against political forces which encourage a divisional ‘them versus us’ culture. The Liberal Tradition and Political Order is an essential resource for scholars and students of politics and public policy, constitutions and political theory. Think tank professionals and NGO workers will similarly benefit from its actionable approach to preempting modern authoritarian movements.
