I seem to have this issue lately.

I sometimes meet people that have no respect for liberal values and themselves never participate in elections or any part of the democratic system apart from paying taxes. They really don't care what type of government they are governed by as long as they are safe and live comfortably.

They sometimes lean right wing and to steelman their arguments they believe in the Thomas Hobbes theory of absolute monarchy or absolute sovereignty being the best form of governance.

I am really concerned since some Muslims are really supporting more radical ideas in Islam and people are openly praising Putin and dictators in the media. These people look like they are on an upward trajectory. How do we survive?

How do you convince or argue against people like that?

Hello can someone help me? Cause I've seen people display liberal democracy and democratic liberalism as 2 seperate ideologies. So if they are can someone please explaine the difference 🙏

Hey, I just joined this sub after getting banned from r/libertarian for saying that Ukraine has the right to defend themselves and should be supported to strike back.

Do you support Ukraine? How? What principles is your stance based on?

Adam Smith is considered the father of capitalism, but his opinion on landlords is one today we would consider very anti-capitalist:

As soon as the land of any country has all become private property, the landlords, like all other men, love to reap where they never sowed, and demand a rent even for its natural produce**.** The wood of the forest, the grass of the field, and all the natural fruits of the earth, which, when land was in common, cost the labourer only the trouble of gathering them, come, even to him, to have an additional price fixed upon them. He must then pay for the licence to gather them; and must give up to the landlord a portion of what his labour either collects or produces. This portion, or, what comes to the same thing, the price of this portion, constitutes the rent of land, and in the price of the greater part of commodities makes a third component part.

His idea is essentially that since a landlord is not responsible for the value of the land that he should have no right to it. The issue I have with this idea is that I don't see how this doesn't violate property rights and free trade. If you have the right to your property and the right to trade that property with others voluntarily for their own property, then how can you justify stopping people from trading for land and then trading with others their ability to labor on that land in exchange for a wage?

It's often said that Classical Liberals are for "open borders" however I've seen some conflict on what exactly that means. I've seen it said that open borders is literally what it sounds like, all it takes to become a citizen is to set foot in U.S. soil. I've also seen it said that that's a misconception and open borders aren't as open as people make it seem. What do you think thr U.S.'s immigration policy should look like?

https://www.pionline.com/industry-voices/commentary-chilean-retirement-system-good-idea-went-badly-wrong

I was thinking of ways to fix my home country's (Japan) gov't spending problem and privatized pensions seemed to be a possible remedy.

Hey everyone,

I am looking for an article, or book chapter, which specifically details Karl Marx's predictions and how they turned out.

Thank you and have a great day !

Populism seems to be the thing right now. Personally, I view populism like I view clickbait, so long as the promise is delivered on, I don't think it's a bad thing. The issue is that populism tends to rely on telling people the goverment will fix your problems, which is antithetical to liberalism. Is there anyway Clasical Liberalism could use this popularity of populism to its advantage?

From Wikipedia:

Generally, the left wing is characterized by an emphasis on "ideas such as freedom, equality, fraternity, rights, progress, reform and internationalism" while the right wing is characterized by an emphasis on "notions such as authority, hierarchy, order, duty, tradition, reaction and nationalism".

Many people would consider classical liberalism to be right wing, but it seems to fit the actual definition for a left wing ideology far more. Why is it so associated with the right?

With Trump being the nominee, what are you expecting the next four years? Good things? Bad things? Will he do anything at all?

Is that I always get a nice of map states to avoid. It's usually the south.

What do you think the best part of election day is?

Greetings,

Never posted here before, somewhat of a lurker, though I feel this time I have something to talk about. Might be a bit of rant so I apologize in advance, also didn't know whether to file this under discussion or opinion.

Every election cycle third party voters and people that choose not to vote are always routinely criticized for not "giving up and voting for big parties already in power". It's annoying to go through the same shtick every election cycle. I've heard every insult and argument about now, and my least favorite has to be the "lesser of two evils" one.

Beating a dead horse saying this, but with continued attitudes like this the duopoly will never be broken.

Obviously posting this on Election Day and some content of my rant means I'm American, but if anyone else has similar experiences, American or not, akin to this.... well.... then it'd be good to know that it's not just Americans that have to put up with this.

Thanks

Excerpts from a column by Veronique de Rugy ("Which Nations Are the Freest, and Why Should We Care?"), written to cover the Fraser Institute's 2024 Economic Freedom of the World index:

Economic freedom isn't just some wonky concept debated in academic halls. It's about whether a government protects property rights or seizes assets at will; whether regulations are sensible or suffocating; whether you can trade freely or face a maze of obstructions; whether your money holds its value or your purchasing power gets eroded by government mismanagement; and whether you can count on courts to enforce contracts fairly...

The freest economies enjoy an average GDP per capita about 7.6 times greater than that of the 25% least economically free places. They have cleaner environments, better health care outcomes, and longer life expectancies — by a lot. Even the poorest citizens of free countries fare better than the middle classes in economically repressive nations...

[E]conomic freedom isn't chiefly about profits; it's about prosperity for ordinary people...[We] shouldn't wish economic oppression on our worst enemies. For example, inhabitants of the 25% least economically free countries experience infant mortality rates nine times greater than those who live in the freest 25%. Extreme poverty is 30 times likelier. Child labor is routine, as is illiteracy, especially among girls...

History shows that economically free societies are more resilient and adaptable. They respond to challenges through decentralized problem-solving rather than central planning, unleashing the creative potential of millions rather than relying on the blindered purview of a few regulators...

Let's remember that economic freedom isn't about abstract ideology — it's about real people enduring the consequences of real choices made by government officials about their lives...[I]t measures human potential, and that's something worth protecting.

How important is economic freedom to you? Should it get credit for the prosperity of rich, clean, and healthy nations?

The column, citing the index, also says "we're now witnessing a global retreat" from economic freedom. Do you agree?

What are the classical liberals view on civil rights. Do they support civil rights?