
The Conservative Critique of Liberalism
Edward Elgar Publishing
Will be published approx. on 28. January 2026
Book
Hardback
218 pages
978-1-0353-0921-4 (ISBN)
Description
Liberalism, conceived as that set of political doctrines that proposes the liberty of the population as a justification for state authority, is currently undergoing a process of critique and problematisation. Indeed, we appear to be reaching a moment at which liberal hegemony could be thought to be, if not coming to an end, then at least weakening under sustained pressure.
Since much of this pressure currently comes from the political right, it is an apt moment to bring together and analyse the rich theoretical arguments that those on the philosophical and intellectual right have produced since the French Revolution, in order to make sense of the current political moment. This book provides this with a collection of essays from writers from across the globe, situated in a variety of disciplines, including history, law, political science and computing, whose contributions trace the roots of the conservative critique of liberalism and predict its trajectory.
A valuable toolkit for scholars and students interested in the relationship between conservatism and liberalism, this book is a vital one for those in the disciplines of political science, philosophy, history, law and sociology.
Since much of this pressure currently comes from the political right, it is an apt moment to bring together and analyse the rich theoretical arguments that those on the philosophical and intellectual right have produced since the French Revolution, in order to make sense of the current political moment. This book provides this with a collection of essays from writers from across the globe, situated in a variety of disciplines, including history, law, political science and computing, whose contributions trace the roots of the conservative critique of liberalism and predict its trajectory.
A valuable toolkit for scholars and students interested in the relationship between conservatism and liberalism, this book is a vital one for those in the disciplines of political science, philosophy, history, law and sociology.
Reviews / Votes
'This volume brings together scholars from various disciplines who, combined, develop a multi-dimensional critique of liberalism from a conservative point of view. The excellent contributions to this volume will be of great value for everyone who is interested in the complex relationship between liberalism and conservatism. Beyond its academic merits, this volume makes a major contribution to the broader public debates over the nature of liberalism, conservatism and the frictions between them.' -- Thomas Biebricher, Goethe University Frankfurt, GermanyMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cheltenham
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-0353-0921-4 (9781035309214)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Edited by Martin Beckstein, Interim Professor of Comparative Politics and Political Economy, Institute of Political Science, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, Germany and David McGrogan, Associate Professor of Law, Northumbria Law School, University of Northumbria, UK
Content
Contents
Preface viii
Introduction to The Conservative Critique of Liberalism 1
David McGrogan and Martin Beckstein
1 'True striving for right and freedom': Prussian old-
conservatism between reception and appropriation of liberal
political thought 15
Laura C. Achtelstetter and Alexander Kruska
2 A conservative (critical) theory for a postliberal era? The
German radical conservative Gerd-Klaus Kaltenbrunner
(1939-2011) 35
Tobias Adler-Bartels
3 For a new consensus: heroes of a postliberal turning? 57
Claudia Franziska Bruehwiler
4 Conservatism and authority in the postmodern age 69
Eno Trimcev
5 Privacy and digital modernity: liberal and conservative
approaches to technology, personalisation and the individual 88
Kieron O'Hara
6 Disregard of the empirical; optimism of the will: the
abandonment of good government in the COVID-19 crisis 124
David Campbell and Kevin Dowd
7 A quietly conservative liberal: Ronald Dworkin and the
American politico-legal tradition 157
Richard Mullender
8 Continuity and change in the common law tradition 184
James Campbell
Preface viii
Introduction to The Conservative Critique of Liberalism 1
David McGrogan and Martin Beckstein
1 'True striving for right and freedom': Prussian old-
conservatism between reception and appropriation of liberal
political thought 15
Laura C. Achtelstetter and Alexander Kruska
2 A conservative (critical) theory for a postliberal era? The
German radical conservative Gerd-Klaus Kaltenbrunner
(1939-2011) 35
Tobias Adler-Bartels
3 For a new consensus: heroes of a postliberal turning? 57
Claudia Franziska Bruehwiler
4 Conservatism and authority in the postmodern age 69
Eno Trimcev
5 Privacy and digital modernity: liberal and conservative
approaches to technology, personalisation and the individual 88
Kieron O'Hara
6 Disregard of the empirical; optimism of the will: the
abandonment of good government in the COVID-19 crisis 124
David Campbell and Kevin Dowd
7 A quietly conservative liberal: Ronald Dworkin and the
American politico-legal tradition 157
Richard Mullender
8 Continuity and change in the common law tradition 184
James Campbell