Liberalism The Basics The Basics Series

Liberalism: The Basics is an engaging and accessible introduction to liberalism. The author provides a comprehensive overview of liberal practices, liberal values and critically analyses liberal theories, allowing for a richer understanding of liberalism as a whole.

The book is divided into three parts:

• Liberal practices: the rule of law, free speech, freedom of association and movement, economic freedom and sexual freedom.
• Liberal values: freedom, autonomy, equality, and the universal values of political societies ? the communal identity ? and well-being of their members.
• Liberal theories: natural rights, utilitarianism, Kant's rationalism and the contemporary theories of John Rawls and the post-Rawlsians.

Presented in a clear and concise way, this book will be an ideal introduction for students and scholars of liberalism, political philosophy, political theory and political ideology.

Introduction Part I: Liberal Practices 1. The Idea of a Practice and the Initial Distinction between Liberal and Illiberal Societies 2. The Rule of Law 3. Free Speech 4. Freedom of Association and Movement 5. Economic Freedom 6. Sexual Freedom Part II: Liberal Values. Introduction 7. The Idea and Value of Freedom 8. The Equality of the Participants 9. Community 10. Liberalism and Human Well-being Part III: Liberal Theories. Introduction 11. Libertarian Theories 12. Utilitarian Theories of Liberalism 13. Kant's Idea of Freedom as Rational Self-determination 14. Contemporary Theories of Liberalism

John Charvet is an Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the London School of Economics, UK. He has also been a Visiting Professor at Johns Hopkins University, USA, and a Visiting Fellow of the Australian National University, Australia.