5 thoughts on “Welcome to the Moorfield Storey Institute

  1. The classical liberal founders of libertarianism were great advocates of extending social freedom and improving the lives of the most vulnerable in society. Classical liberalism, before Smith’s Wealth of Nations was even written, fought for freedom of conscience and for the separation of church and state. Classical liberals actively opposed slavery and the slave trade and helped lead the Abolitionist cause.

    Hello, Jason. Hope this finds you well.

    Who are these classical liberals?Report

  2. Ah, thank you, Jason. Locke fought for nothing, really, and the Letter Concerning Tolerance can be taken in a completely Christian milieu.

    Roger Williams is interesting, although a bit of a unique case.

    The person who fits the above description of “all things good” that are credited to “classical liberalism” is of course the “godfather of conservatism,” Edmund Burke. 😉Report

    1. I can’t say I agree about Locke. While the toleration he proposed was strikingly narrow, the arguments supporting it were not. That’s worth something in my book.

      The rest of the agenda cited often didn’t arise until later, and I’m willing to give Burke at least some of the credit for parts of it. Still, the man was utterly blind to the abuses of the Old Regime, and that’s a fault I don’t take lightly.Report

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