About Us

 Why real Liberals? 

> We, real Liberals, want to reclaim the real meaning of the philosophy of John Locke, Adam Smith and John Stuart Mill –a philosophy that stands for liberty, equality under the law and tolerance.

                        We are not left-wing.                     We are not right-wing.

                                       >>>We are Liberals (and proud of it).

 

 What is realLibs.com about?   

> realLibs.com  is a space for Liberals across the world (those who believe in open minds, open markets, individual freedom, open societies, internationalism, equality under the law, civil liberties, human rights, social inclusion and tolerance) to find out what's going on in the US and around the world in matters of public policy and politics. We provide links to the latest news and developments affecting areas of deep concern for Liberals: from free speech to free trade to social tolerance. We also provide links to the most prominent Liberal organizations around the world as well as media outlets (not necessarily liberal) and political parties who share at least some of our ideals. We endorse individual candidates and political parties around the world before elections are held.

realLibs.com  wants you to speak up for Liberal ideals. You can comment on our Lib Blog and join our social networks (Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and Blip.tv). You can also send us your ideas to our email address @ contact@realLibs.com  

We hope you join us and help us spread Liberal ideas for a freer, fairer, greener and more open world!

 

 What is Liberalism?  

 

  What does Liberalism stand for?

> Political Liberalism                                              

  • The protection of individual, human and civil rights and liberties
  • The equality of all human beings under the law

  • The balance and separation of powers as the best tool against tyranny

  • The belief in liberal representative democracy as the best system of government, where there is a balance between majority rule and the rights of minorities
  • The limitation and decentralization of government power

  • The separation of church and state

  • International cooperation through defense alliances and economic integration 

                Must-read book:  Two Treatises on Government, By John Locke

 

 

> Economic Liberalism                                           

  • The belief in the market economy as the guarantor of prosperity and freedom

  • The protection of private property as an essential human right

  • The belief in free, fair and open trade as an engine of economic growth and international peace
  • The promotion of free enterprise and economic freedom
  • The belief in the state as provider of equality of opportunity

                Must-read book:  The Wealth of Nations,  By Adam Smith               

 > Social Liberalism                                              
  • The protection and expansion of civil liberties and human rights
  • The protection of free speech, freedom of the press, religious freedom and the freedom of association

  • A free, strong and active civil society

  • Personal freedom, social inclusion and tolerance of diverse lifestyles that do not infringe upon the rights of others

  • Equal rights for everybody, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation or national origin

  • The protection of the natural environment and the promotion of a sustainable economy 
  • The belief in cultural diversity and openness

                Must-read book:  On Liberty, By John Stuart Mill                    

 

These are the principles that define liberalism. A self-described “liberalism” that lacks one of these three main components (political, economic or social) and the principles they embody is not, and cannot, be defined as Liberalism.

 

 + Resources

> The Liberal Agenda for the 21st Century| Liberal International - Oxford, UK

> The Liberal Democrat Federal Constituion Preamble | UK Liberal Democrats

> Liberalism | Friedrich Naumann Foundation

 

 

 Why not Libertarians? 

As Friedrich von Hayek put it, the word libertarian "carries too much the flavor of a manufactured term and of a substitute." We too find it "singularly unattractive." But, besides this "unattractiveness" of the term, libertarianism has developed into an ideology very different from what liberalism has always stood for. For instance, libertarianism's disdain for any kind of government intervention, even in matters affecting public safety and the environment, is not a classical liberal notion. In other words, libertarians have distorted the liberal belief in limited government into an almost anti-government position. Libertarians have also somewhat forgotten about the importance of, not only promoting free markets, but also civil rights and liberties and the respect for human rights. Therefore, real liberals cannot define themselves as libertarians. We are not right-wing, neither in the big-government conservative form nor in the anti-government libertarian variant. 

 

 

 Why not Conservatives?  

What about conservatism? Well, it should be clear that real liberals cannot be philosophically conservative. In its core, the conservative philosophy is anchored on tradition and a resistance to change. Liberals, on the other hand, are intrinsically anti-tradition and passionate for change. In fact, no other philosophy has brought about so many changes -at the political, economic and social levels- in the history of mankind. The Glorious Revolution of 1688, the American and French Revolutions, the democratization of the political systems, the Industrial Revolution, the advancement of minority rights and the current globalized world have all been products of Liberalism. Therefore, it would be ironic to call these ideas 'conservative.' Liberals do not want to conserve anything, we want to change, we want to advance human dignity and individual liberty and empower human beings to be free, responsible and self-reliant. In other words, liberals are the real progressives. To paraphrase Hayek one more time, "one of the fundamental traits of the conservative attitude is a fear of change, a timid distrust of the new as such, while the liberal position is based on courage and confidence, on a preparedness to let change run its course even if we cannot predict where it will lead."

 + Resources

> Why I Am Not a Conservative | By Friedrich von Hayek

 

 



 
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