more on this theme | more from this thinker
Full Idea
Liberalism has been defended as a theory of minimal government, or as a theory of basic individual rights, or as an egalitarian philosophy.
Gist of Idea
Liberalism is minimal government, or individual rights, or equality
Source
Avineri,S/De-Shalit,A (Intro to 'Communitarianism and Individualism' [1992], §5)
Book Ref
'Communitarianism and Individualism', ed/tr. Avineri,S. /de-Shalit,A. [OUP 1992], p.11
A Reaction
Minimal government tends towards anarchist liberalism, but then what grounds the right to be free of government? Presumably any sensible theory of rights has to be egalitarian. What could ground unequal rights?
| 22803 | Can individualist theories justify an obligation to fight in a war? [Avineri/De-Shalit] |
| 22804 | Autonomy is better achieved within a community [Avineri/De-Shalit] |
| 22806 | Communitarians avoid oppression for the common good, by means of small mediating communities [Avineri/De-Shalit] |
| 22807 | If our values are given to us by society then we have no grounds to criticise them [Avineri/De-Shalit] |
| 22808 | Liberalism is minimal government, or individual rights, or equality [Avineri/De-Shalit] |