The Idea Vacuum of Liberalism and the Quest for Meaning and Community

Nils Karlson

Journal of Contextual Economics (JCE) – Schmollers Jahrbuch, 2019, vol. 139, issue 2–4, 259-269

Abstract: Liberalism is losing ground, while populist or even authoritarian nationalist regimes are on the rise. This article argues that the causes of the decline are, at least partly, endogenous, that a narrow focus on economic efficiency and the successful critique of socialism and the welfare state have created an idea vacuum that has opened up for these illiberal tendencies. The conclusion is that a central challenge for liberalism is to offer a comprehensive idea and narrative about meaning and community that is not socialist, conservative or nationalist, but distinctly liberal, to counter these developments.

JEL-codes: B53 B55 D63 H11 I38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Journal of Contextual Economics (JCE) – Schmollers Jahrbuch is currently edited by Peter J. Boettke, Nils Goldschmidt, Stefan Kolev, Stephen T. Ziliak and Joachim Zweynert

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