Hayek and modern liberalism
Publication Type
Book
Publication Date
10-1989
Abstract
In the history of modern liberal political thought the work of F. A. Hayek stands out as one of the most significant contributions to liberal theory since J. S. Mill. This book critically examines the nature and coherence of Hayek's defence of liberal principles, and tries both to identify its weaknesses and to show why it makes such an important contribution to contemporary political theory. The book argues that Hayek's defence of liberalism is unsuccessful because it rests on presuppositions, which are philosophically incompatible. The unresolved dilemma of Hayek's political philosophy is how to mount a systematic defence of liberalism if one emphasizes the limited capacity of reason. However, this book states that Hayek's social philosophy offers us a significant theory of the nature of social processes, and is therefore an important account of how this must constrain our choice of political principles. For this reason, Hayek's work is worthy of attention both by supporters and critics of liberalism.
Keywords
Liberal principles, Political theory, Political philosophy, Social processes, Political principles
Discipline
Ethics and Political Philosophy | Political Theory
Research Areas
Political Science
First Page
1
Last Page
247
ISBN
9780198273264
Identifier
10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198273264.001.0001
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Citation
KUKATHAS, Chandran. (1989). Hayek and modern liberalism. : Oxford University Press.
KUKATHAS, Chandran, "Hayek and modern liberalism" (1989). Research Collection School of Social Sciences. Paper 3004.
https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3004
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3004
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198273264.001.0001