Abstract
This article sets forth Voltaire’s philosophy of liberty. Contrary to generally accepted readings, which take Voltaire at face value rather than considering the environment in which he wrote, Voltaire had a clear normative political thought. He was an early proponent of rule of law, ordered liberty, freedom of conscience and expression, and the right to prudent rebellion against tyranny. At the root of his political theory lay a rejection of slavery, and hence of all forms of subjugation.
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Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Editorial
- The French Intellectual Tradition of Liberty: A Special Issue of the Journal des Economistes et des Etudes Humaines
- Articles
- Montaigne, Architect of or Modern Liberty
- Taking Montesquieu’s Advice: On Liberty
- The Physiocrats: French Precursors to Classical Economics and Laissez Faire
- Voltaire on Liberty
- Benjamin Constant: Soulful Theorist of Commercial Society
- Jean-Baptiste Say: A Proto-Austrian Warning against Lord Keynes
- Tocqueville’s America
- G. de Molinari: the Building of a Rigorous Economic Method
- Jacques Rueff: Unorthodox Classical Liberal, Civil Servant, and Monetary Theorist
- Bertrand de Jouvenel’s Philosophy of Individual Liberty
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Editorial
- The French Intellectual Tradition of Liberty: A Special Issue of the Journal des Economistes et des Etudes Humaines
- Articles
- Montaigne, Architect of or Modern Liberty
- Taking Montesquieu’s Advice: On Liberty
- The Physiocrats: French Precursors to Classical Economics and Laissez Faire
- Voltaire on Liberty
- Benjamin Constant: Soulful Theorist of Commercial Society
- Jean-Baptiste Say: A Proto-Austrian Warning against Lord Keynes
- Tocqueville’s America
- G. de Molinari: the Building of a Rigorous Economic Method
- Jacques Rueff: Unorthodox Classical Liberal, Civil Servant, and Monetary Theorist
- Bertrand de Jouvenel’s Philosophy of Individual Liberty