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Introduction

Matthew S. Hedstrom

in The Rise of Liberal Religion: Book Culture and American Spirituality in the Twentieth Century

The Introduction outlines the broad themes and arguments of the book, and provides critical background in late nineteenth-century religious publishing and liberal religious intellectual life. The ... More

The Introduction outlines the broad themes and arguments of the book, and provides critical background in late nineteenth-century religious publishing and liberal religious intellectual life. The philosophers William James and Rufus Jones articulated approaches to religion, rooted in psychology and mysticism, that formed the basis of popular religious liberalism in the twentieth century. This liberalism developed along two lines: an ethical liberalism that used religious experience as the basis for social engagement, and a laissez-faire liberalism, most often associated with mind cure or positive thinking spiritualities, that was more individualistic and success oriented. The modernization of religious publishing after World War I, and especially the rise of a distinct religious middlebrow culture, provided the critical mechanism for the popularization of liberal religious sensibilities. These twentieth-century developments grew out of a nineteenth-century foundation in religious publishing and reading, and the broader engagement of American Protestantism with consumer capitalism.Less

Liberal Economics in Crisis: The Weimar Period

A. J. Nicholls

in Freedom with Responsibility: The Social Market Economy in Germany 1918-1963

This chapter provides an account of liberal economics in Germany during the Weimar period. It presents a history of the economic activity of Germany from the late 15th and 16th century to the present ... More

This chapter provides an account of liberal economics in Germany during the Weimar period. It presents a history of the economic activity of Germany from the late 15th and 16th century to the present century. In the first half of the 19th century, German liberals hoped that unification would lead to the abolition of restrictions on industry and trade. The free-market mechanism had no sense of liberation when the new currency was introduced, on the contrary, stabilization brought drastic cuts in public spending and large-scale unemployment. Germany's financial and economic problems came to the fore after the humiliating terms imposed on Germany by the Versailles Treaty in June 1919, which as a result lead to protectionist trade-policies to be temporarily abandoned when the treaty forbade Germany to erect tariff barriers against her former enemies. German economic depression after 1929 attacked all forms of government intervention, including unemployment benefit. Despite these unfortunate political circumstances, there were many economists who defended the old canons of laissez-faireliberalism.Less

Patriotism Properly Understood

in The Lost Promise of Patriotism: Debating American Identity, 1890–1920

This chapter investigates the response of the philosopher William James to U.S. imperialism to establish the broad cultural context of liberalism and democratic participation. James was unique in ... More

This chapter investigates the response of the philosopher William James to U.S. imperialism to establish the broad cultural context of liberalism and democratic participation. James was unique in linking the American belligerence, among anti-imperialists, to a psychological malaise cause by a crisis in laissez-faire liberalism. According to him, egoism and corruption had robbed American political economy of its association with transcendent ideals. He hoped to channel the zeal of his compatriots away from war and toward a defense of equal opportunity and equal justice by instilling liberalism with a moral dimension missing from corporate capitalism. He insisted that a commitment to democracy at home in no way mandated a policy of American isolation abroad; on the contrary, democracy compelled America's intervention in world affairs in the interest of national self-determination and individual self-realization.Less

Economic Liberalism: Embracing Bilateral Investment Treaties

Prabhash Ranjan

in India and Bilateral Investment Treaties: Refusal, Acceptance, Backlash

This chapter discusses the Balance of Payments (BoP) crisis of 1991 that led to the advent of economic reforms that changed the course of India’s economic trajectory for ever. As a conscious break ... More

This chapter discusses the Balance of Payments (BoP) crisis of 1991 that led to the advent of economic reforms that changed the course of India’s economic trajectory for ever. As a conscious break from the past, India undertook many bold structural economic reforms. Liberalization of foreign investment was one of them. This ushered in an age of embracement of BITs and the willingness to be bound by those international law principles pertaining to foreign investment that India had opposed earlier. India started negotiating and signing BITs from 1992 with the clear objective of promoting and protecting foreign investment in India. In this phase, India had a marginal involvement in investor–state dispute settlement (ISDS) cases. Also, there was not much discussion on the impact of BITs on India’s right to regulate. The BITs singed in this period resembled the laissez faire liberalism model.Less