Western Political Tradition · The Development of Modern Liberalism

Author: Frederick Watkins [USA]
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: The political tradition of the West has been deeply intertwined with modern liberalism. Modern liberalism believes that freedom is only possible under the rule of law, and government officials must accept public opinion supervision. Even in the Middle Ages, such beliefs could shape the presuppositions of Western political thought in one form or another. The purpose of this book is to analyze various issues of modern liberalism from a historical perspective. Frederick Watkins achieved this goal by adopting a unified perspective called "an intellectual history of liberalism." He focuses on major theorists throughout history, examining the successes, failures, and adversaries in the development of liberal thought, and provides very effective definitions and suggestions for modern liberalists trapped in dilemmas.