Overview

So-called liberalism has been twisted out of shape by both the left- and right-wing who incorrectly conceive of it in ideological terms, without understanding what a liberal philosophy really entails. In untangling these misconceptions, Wooldridge reveals why the world desperately needs to adopt a proper liberal mindset. The cycles of history predict that, without a return to liberalism, we face autocracy, fascism, and the societal stratification already visible in the world's structures of opposition. Wooldridge guides us through liberalism's intellectual, cultural, and political histories to remind us of the true liberal's values: freedom through self-determinism, individual rights, healthy skepticism, thoughtful tolerance, and aversion to dogmatism. The author diagnoses areas of necessary improvement for today's passive liberals, who would do well to embody the flexible, moderate, and critical approaches of their Cold War predecessors. The West's success against Communist totalitarianism came from recognizing the need for a strong military defense while using open communication. This energy must be applied to our understanding of overseas regimes and of Western capitalism at home. We must learn from the liberal past and look ahead, critiquing the structures we find ourselves in and those further afield.

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Adrian Wooldridge is the global business columnist at Bloomberg News. Previously, he was the Economist's political editor, author of the Bagehot column, author of the Schumpeter column, Washington bureau chief, and author of the Lexington column. Adrian was educated at Balliol College and All Souls College, Oxford, where he earned a doctor of philosophy in history. He is the author of twelve previous books, most recently Capitalism in America (with Alan Greenspan) and The Aristocracy of Talent. Adrian lives in London. Martyn Swain is a former NATO simultaneous interpreter. For more than thirty years, he interpreted in French and English for the world's senior diplomats and international organizations. He interpreted personally for Nelson Mandela shortly after his release from prison in South Africa in 1990. He is a professional audiobook narrator (APA and PANA member) with a home studio. He has significant titles (Christopher Hitchens, KJ Charles, John Marco Allegro, Bob van Laerhoven, Jung, Clausewitz, Heidegger, Popper, Thomas Aquinas, among others) to his credit. In the 1980s, he spent four years traveling the world by motorbike, summiting Kilimanjaro, and crossing the South Atlantic under sail. Martyn's French is native speaker level. He also speaks German and Spanish. He has acted on stage and screen, produced and voiced content for current affairs radio, and tutored in media and presentation skills.

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