My article “Liberalism: The Fifteen Best Arguments” [pdf] is now out in Reason Papers 37:2 (Fall 2015), pp. 108-132.
I make fifteen arguments for the free society — the ones that I judge to be most essential and most influential. The arguments are:
1. Liberalism increases freedom
2. People work harder in liberal systems
3. People work smarter under liberalism
4. Liberalism increases individuality and creativity
5. Liberalism increases the average standard of living
6. The poor are better off under liberalism
7. Liberalism generates more philanthropy
8. More outstanding individuals flourish under liberalism
9. Liberalism’s individualism increases happiness
10. Liberal societies are more interesting
11. Tolerance increases under liberalism
12. Sexism and racism decrease under liberalism
13. Liberalism leads to international peace
14. Liberalism is the most just system
15. Liberalism is more moral in its political practice
Along the way I cite the contributions made to those arguments by the giants in the history of liberal thought: Aristotle, John Locke, Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek, Ayn Rand, Milton Friedman, and others.
My follow-up article, “The Fifteen Best Arguments Against Liberalism” will be published in the next issue of Reason Papers. Both are part of my forthcoming book project entitled Liberalism: The Meaning of Political Life.
Thanks to the editors — professors Carrie-Ann Biondi and Shawn Klein — for their professionalism and helpful suggestions.