Menu Expand

Cite JOURNAL ARTICLE

Style

Karlson, N. The Idea Vacuum of Liberalism and the Quest for Meaning and Community. Journal of Contextual Economics – Schmollers Jahrbuch, 139(2–4), 259-270. https://doi.org/10.3790/schm.139.2-4.259
Karlson, Nils "The Idea Vacuum of Liberalism and the Quest for Meaning and Community" Journal of Contextual Economics – Schmollers Jahrbuch 139.2–4, 2019, 259-270. https://doi.org/10.3790/schm.139.2-4.259
Karlson, Nils (2019): The Idea Vacuum of Liberalism and the Quest for Meaning and Community, in: Journal of Contextual Economics – Schmollers Jahrbuch, vol. 139, iss. 2–4, 259-270, [online] https://doi.org/10.3790/schm.139.2-4.259

Format

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

Karlson, Nils

Journal of Contextual Economics – Schmollers Jahrbuch, Vol. 139 (2019), Iss. 2–4 : pp. 259–270

3 Citations (CrossRef)

Additional Information

Article Details

Author Details

Karlson, Nils, Linköping University and the Ratio Institute, Sveavägen 59, 103 64 Stockholm, Sweden.

Cited By

  1. Reviving Classical Liberalism Against Populism

    The Populist Divisive, Activist Ideas

    Karlson, Nils

    2024

    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49074-3_5 [Citations: 0]
  2. Reviving Classical Liberalism Against Populism

    The Classical Liberal Ideas, Predicaments, and Potentials

    Karlson, Nils

    2024

    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49074-3_6 [Citations: 0]
  3. Reviving Classical Liberalism Against Populism

    Explaining Populism and Autocratization

    Karlson, Nils

    2024

    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49074-3_4 [Citations: 0]

References

  1. Buchanan, J. M. 1965. “An Economic Theory of Clubs.” Economica 32 (125): 1 – 14.  Google Scholar
  2. Buchanan, J. M. 2000. “The Soul of Classical Liberalism.” Independent Review 5 (1): 111 – 9.  Google Scholar
  3. Buchanan, J. M. 2005. “Afraid to be Free: Dependency as Desideratum.” Public Choice 124 (1/2): 19 – 31.  Google Scholar
  4. Colantone, I. and P. Stanig. 2016. “Global Competition and Brexit.” BAFFI CAREFIN Centre Research Paper No. 2016 – 44.  Google Scholar
  5. Dippel, C., R. Gold, and S. Heblich. 2015. “Globalization and its (Dis–)Content: Trade Shocks and Voting Behavior.” NBER Working Paper No. 21812.  Google Scholar
  6. Downes, J. and E. Chan. 2018. “Explaining the Electoral Debacle of Social Democratic Parties in Europe.” EUROPP – European Politics and Policy Blog. June 29, 2018. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2018/06/21/explaining-the-electoral-debacle-of-social-democratic-parties-in-europe/  Google Scholar
  7. Dustmann, C., F. Fabbri and I. Preston. 2005. “The Impact of Immigration on the British Labour Market.” Economic Journal 115 (507): F324 – 41.  Google Scholar
  8. ECB. 2019. “The Economic Implications of Rising Protectionism: A Euro Area and Global Perspective.” ECB Economic Bulletin. April 24, 2019. https://www.ecb.europa.eu/pub/economic-bulletin/articles/2019/html/ecb.ebart201903_01~e589a502e5.en.html#toc1.  Google Scholar
  9. Esping-Andersen, G. 1990. The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism. Cambridge: Polity Press.  Google Scholar
  10. Fraser. 2019. Economic Freedom of the World: 2019 Annual Report. Vancouver: Fraser Institute.  Google Scholar
  11. Freedom House. 2019. Democracy in Retreat: Freedom in the World 2019. London: Freedom House.  Google Scholar
  12. Funke, M., M. Schularick, and C. Trebesch. 2016. “Going to the Extremes: Politics after Financial Crises, 1870 – 2014.” European Economic Review 88: 227 – 60.  Google Scholar
  13. Goodin, R. 1988. Reasons for Welfare: The Political Theory of the Welfare State. Princeton: Princeton University Press.  Google Scholar
  14. Gray, J. 1986. Liberalism. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.  Google Scholar
  15. Hayek, F. A. 1960. The Constitution of Liberty. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.  Google Scholar
  16. Karlson, N. 2009. Eight Prizes that Changed the World: The Sveriges Riksbanks Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel to Members of the Mont Pelerin Society. Stockholm: The Ratio Institute.  Google Scholar
  17. Karlson, N. 2017. The State of State: An Inquiry Concerning the Role of Invisible Hands in Politics and Civil Society. London: Routledge.  Google Scholar
  18. Karlson, N. 2018. Statecraft and Liberal Reform in Advanced Democracies. London: Palgrave Macmillan.  Google Scholar
  19. Kelman, H. C. 1997. “Nationalism, Patriotism, and National Identity: Social-Psychological Dimensions.” In Patriotism in the Life of Individuals and Nations, edited by D. Bar-Tal and E. Staub, 165 – 89. Chicago: Nelson-Hall.  Google Scholar
  20. Klein, D. 2005. “The People’s Romance: Why People Love Government (as Much as They Do).” Independent Review 10 (1): 5 – 37.  Google Scholar
  21. Klemke, E. D. and S. M. Cahn, eds. 2007. The Meaning of Life: A Reader. Oxford: Oxford University Press.  Google Scholar
  22. Kukathas, C. 2003. The Liberal Archipelago: A Theory of Diversity and Freedom. Oxford: Oxford University Press.  Google Scholar
  23. Kymlicka, W. 1989. Liberalism, Community and Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press.  Google Scholar
  24. Lindbeck, A. 1993. The Welfare State: The Selected Essays of Assar Lindbeck. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.  Google Scholar
  25. MacIntyre, A. 1984. After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press.  Google Scholar
  26. Marshall, T. H. 1950. Citizenship and Social Class: And Other Essays. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  Google Scholar
  27. Mill, J. S. 1972. Utilitarianism, Liberty, Representative Government. London: J. M. Dent and Sons.  Google Scholar
  28. Mounk, Y. 2018. The People vs. Democracy. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.  Google Scholar
  29. Mudde, C., ed. 2017. The Populist Radical Right: A Reader. London: Routledge.  Google Scholar
  30. Müller, J.-W. 2016. What Is Populism? Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.  Google Scholar
  31. Nathan, J. and H. L. Mencken. 1920. The American Credo: A Contribution toward the Interpretation of the National Mind. New York: A.A. Knop.  Google Scholar
  32. OECD. 2019. Social Expenditures. Accessed July 1, 2019. https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=SOCX_AGG  Google Scholar
  33. Pierson, P. 1994. Dismantling the Welfare State? Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  Google Scholar
  34. Putnam, R. 1993. Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy. Princeton: Princeton University Press.  Google Scholar
  35. Reker, G. T. and P. T. P. Wong. 1988. “Aging as an Individual Process: Toward a Theory of Personal Meaning.” In Emergent Theories of Aging, edited by J. E. Birren and V. L. Bengtson, 214 – 46. New York: Springer.  Google Scholar
  36. Roosma, F., J. Gelissen, and W. van Oorschot. 2013. “The Multidimensionality of Welfare State Attitudes: A European Cross-National Study.” Social Indicators Research 113 (1): 235 – 55.  Google Scholar
  37. Röpke, W. 1960. A Humane Economy. Chicago: Henry Regnery.  Google Scholar
  38. Rothstein, B., M. Samanni, and J. Teorell. 2012. “Explaining the Welfare State.” European Political Science Review 40 (1): 1 – 28.  Google Scholar
  39. Sandel, M. 1982. Liberalism and the Limits of Justice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  Google Scholar
  40. Schmitt. C. 1996. The Concept of the Political. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.  Google Scholar
  41. Taylor, C. 1989. Sources of the Self: The Making of the Modern Identity. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.  Google Scholar
  42. Timbro. 2019. Timbro Authoritarian Populism Index 2019. https://populismindex.com/report/  Google Scholar
  43. Tomasi, J. 2012. Free Market Fairness. Princeton: Princeton University Press.  Google Scholar
  44. Turner, H. and H. Giles. 1981. Intergroup Behaviour. Oxford: Blackwell.  Google Scholar
  45. Uslaner, E. 2002. The Moral Foundation of Trust. New York: Cambridge University Press.  Google Scholar
  46. Zika, S. and K. Chamberlain. 1992. “On the Relation between Meaning in Life and Psychological Well-Being.” British Journal of Psychology 83 (1): 133 – 45.  Google Scholar

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.