Has Liberalism failed? Or are we, as a society, failing to be liberal?
We live in a time where the majority of people are, in the most fundamental sense, liberal and yet we are plagued by growing illiberalism, authoritarianism and polarisation. Why is this happening and how do we fix it?
Liberalism is the underlying philosophical framework of liberal democracies and, consequently, the defining feature of Western Civilisation. If you hold the following values, you are, in the most fundamental sense, liberal:
A commitment to individual liberty - freedom of belief, speech, association (individualism)
Tolerance of difference and a will to live and let live as well as a recognition of the value of viewpoint diversity to advancing knowledge and resolving conflict in a democratic society (pluralism)
Recognition of our shared humanity and the common rights, freedoms and responsibilities this bestows upon us all (universalism),
A drive for reform over revolution or reactionism as a model for resolving societal problems.
A commitment to actively protecting others' right to believe, speak and live as they see fit, provided they do no material harm to anyone else nor deny them the same freedoms.
The belief that all people come into the world with the same right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and this can only justifiably be removed from any individual due to their own demonstrable harmful actions.
An understanding that threats to freedom come not only from the state but from authoritarian ideologies, individuals and groups, so liberal principles need to be protected not only in law but widely understood and valued in society.
A belief that it is in the interests of the overwhelming majority to conserve liberalism and the liberal democracies within which it flourishes.
The Overflowings of a Liberal Brain with Helen Pluckrose is a community for people who hold those fundamental values.
If you have been following my previous work, you will know that I have focused more on addressing a particular form of illiberalism coming from the identitarian left - that which is known colloquially as Critical Social Justice (CSJ) or ‘wokeism’. In the Grievance Studies Affair, my collaborators and I attempted to show the problem with scholarship coming out of certain identity studies fields. My co-authored book, Cynical Theories, broke down and explained the theories underlying CSJ activism, and my most recent book, The Counterweight Handbook, offers practical guidance and support with dealing with authoritarian CSJ policies and programmes in places of employment, universities and schools. I have focused more on addressing illiberalism on the left because I, myself, am left-wing, and also of the humanities where this particular illiberalism arose. I think liberals all over the political spectrum are often most effective at getting their own house in order. However, it is essential that liberals address illiberalism consistently and collaboratively so I also address the rising illiberalism on the right, and am delighted to do so with liberal conservatives whom I respect.
I am honoured that people have found my work on breaking down CSJ ideology and applying liberal arguments to thorny problems helpful for understanding and thinking through Culture War issues and addressing ‘wokeness’ as it arises in their own lives. The feedback I value most highly has been when someone has told me that I have been able to give verbal shape to what they have been thinking and feeling but struggling to articulate to their own satisfaction or that I have helped to bring clarity to their deliberations on a certain ethical issue. I have previously tried to engage with everyday issues and common concerns on Twitter (or X), but that simply is not a productive or healthy platform for me, and I have accepted the need to leave it behind. Going forward, I intend to concentrate my energies here and be much more regularly productive of written and spoken posts, chats, threads, notes and podcasts. For this reason, The Overflowings of a Liberal brain will be a heavily reader-dominated platform. It will be focused on what people in this community are talking about, concerned about or uncertain about and provide plenty of opportunities for subscribers to raise issues that they would like to see covered in more detail. Here, people can ask me questions or disagree with me or bring issues to my attention and this will guide what I will write about and, hopefully, create a much healthier and more productive community.
Why is Liberalism faltering?
I believe it is because too many people in the West who are fundamentally and intuitively liberal in their worldview have come to take liberalism for granted, ceased to think and talk about what liberalism is and why it matters, and forgotten how to argue for it and defend it. Too many of us have come to think of a liberal society as something we live in, and which owes us rights of protection from any infringement on our individual liberties. Too few recognise a liberal society as something we are, and which gives us the responsibility of protection.
Therefore, we find ourselves in a situation where people increasingly find their freedoms of belief and speech infringed upon, wonder where this liberal society we allegedly live in has gone, if it ever existed at all. Some conclude that liberalism has failed. This is an error. The governing system rooted in individual liberty, democratic pluralism and universalism that has produced the best systems of knowledge production, self-correction, institutional reform and conflict resolution the world has ever known has not failed. Too many of the beneficiaries of liberal democracies have been failing to uphold their foundational principles. This is not mere semantic wordplay. It’s the difference between antibiotics failing to eradicate an infection and an individual failing to take their antibiotics. The outcome might be the same - a persistent and worsening infection - but the problem and thus the solution are different. When antibiotics do not work, we need to consider another, more radical, solution. When people do not take their antibiotics, we need to persuade and demonstrate to them the benefits of doing so.
I would urge those who say that liberalism has failed to think carefully about whether they have been doing it. Have you been consistently defending the freedoms of belief and speech of those with whom you disagree? Have you defended viewpoint diversity as both an individual liberty and as a societal good? Are you committed to treating people as individuals and members of our shared humanity and defending the right of all of them to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
Many of you who follow me here have been committed to all of these and more and have remained consistently liberal in your principles throughout the culture wars. You give me hope. You may be from all over the political spectrum and be of any religion or none. You may not call yourself “a liberal” but prefer to think of yourself as ‘anti-authoritarian’ or ‘universalist.’ You may consider yourself primarily a conservative and recognise that we cannot conserve our liberal democracies and our cultural heritage without conserving liberalism. Equally, you might consider yourself a progressive and accept that it has been liberalism and the freedom to speak truth to power and have a say in our own governance that has brought about so much progress and can continue to do so. Whatever your other political, philosophical or religious frameworks, together, we are liberal society and to overcome illiberalism, we need to expand our ranks. It is only by uniting against authoritarianism consistently and supporting each other that we stand a chance of doing that. This is an advantage that the liberals of any group have. We can work together in a way the authoritarians of any group cannot. That is what The Overflowings of a Liberal Brain is for. Here we come together to evaluate our current cultural milieu and think about how to apply consistently liberal principles to situations that arise in all our lives and social circles. (And if you are not liberal, you are still welcome to join the conversation. That’s what we’re all about, after all.)
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But I know that not everyone facing disciplinary action, firing or cancellation for standing up to authoritarian CSJ in their workplace, university or school is in a position to contribute financially. Therefore, all my written work here will always be freely available.
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Liberalism has not failed. Our societies have been failing to be liberal. Let’s see what we can do about that.
