Liberalism

First published in 1911, L. T. Hobhouse’s *Liberalism* is one of the most lucid and compelling defences of liberal democracy ever written. This new modern-English edition strips away the archaic phrasing of the original while preserving every argument and insight intact. Hobhouse sets out the core elements of liberalism—civil liberty, economic freedom, self-government—and then traces their historical development from ancient Greece through the Enlightenment to the industrial age. He confronts the tensions between liberty and equality, individual rights and social welfare, and offers a vision of a ‘new liberalism’ that balances personal freedom with collective responsibility. Whether you are a student of politics, a concerned citizen, or simply curious about the ideas that shape our world, this edition makes a classic of political philosophy accessible to today's readers. Part of The Modern Wisdom Library.