Recovering the Soul of Liberalism

Vero is joined by colleagues Rebecca Lowe, a political philosopher, and Henry Oliver, a literary critic, to discuss their new project, The Pursuit of Liberalism.

While the liberal order—built on free markets, free speech, and the rule of law—has delivered more for human flourishing than any other system, many feel it is currently "losing the argument". The trio explores whether this is because the defense of liberalism has been narrowed down to economics and legal theory, neglecting the deeper questions of meaning, dignity, and the human soul.

Key topics discussed include:

• The "Vibe Contest": Why liberalism often sounds "stuffy and old-fashioned" compared to the rising influence of post-liberal and "New Right" movements.

• The Legacy of Adam Smith: A debate on whether Smith was a better economist or philosopher, and how his original breadth of thought (covering everything from astronomy to moral sentiments) has been lost to modern academic specialization.

• Specialists vs. Generalists: The costs of over-specialization in economics and why we need more thinkers who can bridge the gap between policy and culture.

• Pluralism and Choice: Drawing on Isaiah Berlin's idea that there are many "good" ways to live and that liberalism's true value lies in the freedom to choose between them.

• The Future of Freedom: Why politics is downstream of culture and the challenge of passing liberal values on to a new generation.

About the Guests: Rebecca Lowe is a political philosopher and Henry Oliver is a literary critic. Both are based at the Mercatus Center and are the founders of the Substack project, The Pursuit of Liberalism.