Rethinking Liberty before Liberalism

Liberty before Liberalism explores Quentin Skinner's neo-Roman conception of liberty, offering reinterpretations of individual thinkers and reassessing its relationships with other political thought traditions.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 330 pages
Publication date: 03 February 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This groundbreaking work by Quentin Skinner, originally published nearly twenty-five years ago, has revolutionized our understanding of freedom and republicanism. Building upon his seminal work, Liberty before Liberalism, the volume presents a fresh perspective on neo-Romanism, a normative and historical hermeneutic tool that has enormous power. Leading historians and philosophers delve into the depths of this concept, shedding light on its significance as a framework for reinterpreting individual thinkers such as Montaigne, Grotius, and Locke. Moreover, the volume explores the role of neo-Roman liberty within hierarchies and structures beyond the realm of citizen and state, including gender, slavery, and democracy. By reassessing the relationships between neo-Romanism and other political thought traditions such as liberalism, conservatism, socialism, and the human rights tradition, the volume offers a comprehensive reappraisal of our understanding of political ideas. The concluding chapter, penned by Skinner himself, further deepens our understanding of this influential and enduring philosophy. This volume is a must-read for scholars and students of political thought, as it provides a valuable contribution to the ongoing dialogue about freedom, republicanism, and the history of political ideas.

Weight: 458g
Dimension: 151 x 228 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108948395
Edition number: New ed