Collection – One Volume Surveys

Introduction

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries classical liberals became self-conscious that they were advocating an entire worldview (Weltanschauung) of political, economic, and social relationships in general which was

• a) based upon a small group of basic ideas
• b) consistent internally,
• c) comprehensive in its scope
• d) different from other worldviews (such as socialism),and
• e) which could be articulated in one volume

With the exception of Wilhelm von Humboldt’s The Limits of State Action which was written in 1792 but was not published in full until 1854, it seems that it was not until the mid-19th century before people began thinking of classical liberalism as a coherent body of thought which could be encapsulated in a one volume treatment. I include in this early group Gustave de Molinari, Herbert Spencer, and John Stuart Mill who published their books between 1849 and 1859. Molinari’s Evenings on Saint Lazarus Street (1849) is perhaps the first one volume, comprehensive statement of the classical liberal political and economic worldview designed to appeal to an educated reader rather than a specialist, ever written. This was followed very soon after by Herbert Spencer’s Social Statics in 1851.

I call this the “first wave” which was part of the emergence of “classical liberalism” per se, which saw the dramatic liberal reforms of the Victorian period, such as the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 which ushered in the period of free trade which lasted up until the First World War.

This was followed by a “second wave” which emerged in the 1970s when the modern libertarian movement appeared in the United States and included works by John Hospers, David Friedman, and Murray Rothbard. Several of these were designed to be political “manifestos” for groups like the Libertarian Party (founded 1971).

One might also pinpoint the period of the last 10 years as the latest burst of activity, a “third wave” if you will, with works by Eric Mack, Richard Ebeling, Deidre McCloskey, and perhaps George Will.

For a fuller discussion of this, see my blog post on “One Volume Surveys of Classical Liberal Thought” RLP (Jan. 11, 2021).

Works in the Collection