Has liberalism failed? Are contemporary ‘liberal democracies’ dominated by something called ‘liberalism’, and if so, what would it mean for this liberalism to fail?
So-called ‘postliberal’ critics of liberalism like Patrick Deneen and Adrian Vermeule think that liberalism is grounded in a “false anthropology”, a vision of the good life as consisting of radical autonomy, value-positing, and unlimited self-expression. They charge this vision with not only being false to the higher human ideals of the classical philosophical tradition but leading, when applied in the real world without non-liberal safeguards, to social atomisation, spiralling inequality, family breakdown, and deaths of despair.
Postliberals propose instead a politics oriented around a conception of freedom, not as non-interference or the capacity for self-expression, but as the ability to act in accordance with ‘right reason’ (as defined by a teleological anthropology), and thereby to achieve mastery over one’s passions and the ability to achieve both individual and collective self-government.
Does this postliberal conception of freedom make sense? Could it be applied in contemporary circumstances without reversing a six-century-long process by which the natural world came to be viewed as lacking any inherent teleology? Would attempts to apply it end in “modern heresy trials, secret police, and mass surveillance” (Vallier)?
Dr Matt Sleat (University of Sheffield) has just completed one of the first book length examinations of these ideas. ‘Post-Liberalism’ (Polity, December 2025) asks whether the ‘postliberal order’ proposed by the likes of Deneen and Vermeule could ever be a viable political option today.
He will address the Oxford Conservative Thought reading group on postliberal conceptions of freedom and their coherence and viability.
An advance copy of a chapter of Dr Sleat’s book will be circulated to registrees. As we have strictly limited room capacity, registration is essential. We look forward to welcoming you to a fascinating and vital discussion!
Please register here: forms.gle/V3xhztQwVxEGL3jS7
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This event is organised by the Oxford Conservative Thought (OCT) Reading Group, a non-partisan group devoted to academic exploration of small-c conservative political thought. We welcome, and actively encourage, viewpoint diversity and constructive engagement across ideological divides (all good-willed participants are welcome!)
Each week we read one assigned text, and we recommend more for anyone who is very keen!
The OCT meets weekly in term time on Fridays from 4-5:30pm.
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You can view our reading list here:
docs.google.com/document/d/1resZIlhp8ZUqhChzFuq__OA0Mr3xj5uCQflp_HZwaSk/edit?usp=sharing
