Posted on 05/05/2017 5:19:48 AM PDT by pabianice
Many academics trace the word “liberalism” back to the famed economist Adam Smith, who believed in a form of laissez-faire market economics where the market should not be heavily restricted. But Smith’s idea of classical liberalism, from which modern liberalism later evolved, also extended to the concept of fundamental liberty for all—whether it be freedom of thought, religion, speech or any other such right. Unfortunately, the modern liberal movement has strayed far from its namesake.
As of late, campus liberalism has devolved into an assault on any forms of free speech it deems offensive and into an attack on our very constitution . But this assault isn’t just occurring in liberal bubbles like New York or California—it’s occurring on this campus, and on campuses across the nation. The very institutions meant to promote intellectual curiosity and the exchange of ideas have become breeding grounds for a fascist strain of liberalism that seeks to violently silence the voices of their detractors.
Fascism isn’t just when an authoritarian government suppresses dissent. It rears its ugly head any time a political movement decides to silence, rather than defeat, their detractors.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailycollegian.com ...
I’ve lived my whole life in Massachusetts. I am stunned that UMass publication would have such a rational view of the issue.
I would have expected some more of the Liberal screed. I expect the author will be rooted out and pilloried.
The Left’s War on Free Speech by Kimberley Strassel
published in the Imprimis, April 2017
https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/lefts-war-free-speech/
Excellent article.
Bkmk
What? The Wealth of Nations is about as far from liberalism as you can get. He wanted the gov't out of the market place totally. He wouldn't even have any idea of classical liberalism other than to denounce it.
“He wanted the gov’t out of the market place totally. He wouldn’t even have any idea of classical liberalism other than to denounce it.”
Classical liberalism is a retroactive categorization, it didn’t exist in Smith’s time. We classify him and other like him, such as Hobbes, or Jefferson as “classical” liberals to distinguish them from the increasingly socialist left that sprang up later.
He would be better classified as a modern conservative and Friedman-ist.
“He would be better classified as a modern conservative and Friedman-ist.”
I think you’ve got it quite backwards. Modern conservativism incorporated many ideas from classical liberalism and Friedman’s ideas evolved from Adam Smith-style free market capitalism.
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