Knowra Classical liberalism Classical liberalism Classical liberalism is a political tradition centered on individual liberty, limited government, private property, free markets, and equality before the law.
Individual liberty : The freedom of individuals to make choices and pursue aims without undue interference. Classical liberalism treats personal freedom as the central political value.
John Locke : An English philosopher whose political writings defended natural rights, consent, and resistance to tyranny. His account of rights and limited government became a lasting liberal foundation.
Mercantilism : An economic doctrine favoring state direction of trade and accumulation of national wealth. Classical liberals opposed its trade restrictions and extensive economic management.
Constitutionalism : The principle that government authority is defined and constrained by a constitution. Constitutional limits turn classical liberal suspicion of power into institutional rules.
Rule of law : The principle that public power must operate through stable, public laws applied equally. Equal, predictable laws limit arbitrary government and protect individual rights.
Scottish Enlightenment : An eighteenth-century intellectual movement associated with inquiry into society, commerce, and human nature. Its thinkers developed influential accounts of spontaneous social and economic order.
Absolutism : A system of government in which a ruler holds concentrated, largely unchecked authority. Limited government developed in opposition to absolute political power.
Free trade : The exchange of goods across borders with few government-imposed barriers. Removing tariffs and quotas applies liberal arguments for voluntary exchange to international commerce.
Private property : A system of rights allowing people to possess, use, transfer, and exclude others from resources. Classical liberals regard secure ownership as a foundation of independence and exchange.
Adam Smith : A Scottish philosopher and economist whose work analyzed moral life, markets, and economic growth. His account of commercial society shaped classical liberal arguments for free exchange.
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