This twentieth chapter explores intersections between ideological minds and sociopolitical systems—between the individual psychology and its socio-political manifestation. Avenues of exploration are effectively endless; however, we develop a specific thesis focusing on liberal republics and conservative ideology. Most pointedly, our thesis runs thus: Classical Liberal republics (This term “classical liberal republic” refers to Enlightenment Era republics which insinuated classical liberal values into ancient republican models. Thus, we use the term classical to differentiate classical liberalism from modern liberalism, and classical liberal republics to differentiate these from ancient republics.), meaning Modern Republics incorporating liberal enlightenment ideals into classical republican models, are products of biocultural evolution that can amount to evolutionarily stable strategies—strategies that stably coexist in competition with rival strategies. Considered as evolutionarily stable strategies, it then follows that liberal republics will remain stable only insofar as they, and the selective regimes in which they evolved, remain stable. Stability relies on preserving geographic and material preconditions undergirding liberalism, remaining martially competitive with illiberal rivals, and moderating the rate and extent of change. In connection with this last point, the rate and extent of change, we emphasize the importance of conservative ideology: Conservatism served as a brake on liberalism, ensuring that it did not go too fast so as to outpace what was possible given geopolitical and biocultural realities; and now that it does not go too far, so as not to undermine its preconditions and extend beyond bounds of possibility given perennial risks of internal dissolution and external conquest. In developing this thesis, we ask a series of questions, all variously related to liberal republicanism’s stability and trajectory. More specifically, we ask, in Sect. 2, can liberal republicanism be considered an evolutionarily stable strategy; in Sect. 3, is liberal republicanism reliant on preconditions; in Sect. 4, is liberal republicanism vulnerable to threats; in Sect. 5, is liberal republicanism subject to limits? In the confines of this chapter, we can only ask these questions rhetorically, rather than answer them empirically.

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Liberty after Liberalism: A Precarious Balance Derived from Dynamic Tension

  • Steven Charles Hertler,
  • Aurelio José Figueredo,
  • Mateo Peñaherrera-Aguirre

摘要

This twentieth chapter explores intersections between ideological minds and sociopolitical systems—between the individual psychology and its socio-political manifestation. Avenues of exploration are effectively endless; however, we develop a specific thesis focusing on liberal republics and conservative ideology. Most pointedly, our thesis runs thus: Classical Liberal republics (This term “classical liberal republic” refers to Enlightenment Era republics which insinuated classical liberal values into ancient republican models. Thus, we use the term classical to differentiate classical liberalism from modern liberalism, and classical liberal republics to differentiate these from ancient republics.), meaning Modern Republics incorporating liberal enlightenment ideals into classical republican models, are products of biocultural evolution that can amount to evolutionarily stable strategies—strategies that stably coexist in competition with rival strategies. Considered as evolutionarily stable strategies, it then follows that liberal republics will remain stable only insofar as they, and the selective regimes in which they evolved, remain stable. Stability relies on preserving geographic and material preconditions undergirding liberalism, remaining martially competitive with illiberal rivals, and moderating the rate and extent of change. In connection with this last point, the rate and extent of change, we emphasize the importance of conservative ideology: Conservatism served as a brake on liberalism, ensuring that it did not go too fast so as to outpace what was possible given geopolitical and biocultural realities; and now that it does not go too far, so as not to undermine its preconditions and extend beyond bounds of possibility given perennial risks of internal dissolution and external conquest. In developing this thesis, we ask a series of questions, all variously related to liberal republicanism’s stability and trajectory. More specifically, we ask, in Sect. 2, can liberal republicanism be considered an evolutionarily stable strategy; in Sect. 3, is liberal republicanism reliant on preconditions; in Sect. 4, is liberal republicanism vulnerable to threats; in Sect. 5, is liberal republicanism subject to limits? In the confines of this chapter, we can only ask these questions rhetorically, rather than answer them empirically.