Published on July 1, 2024
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This summer, Counterpoints offers you a series of interviews on liberalism with several of our authors and special guests. Chantal Delsol is a philosopher and writer. She is a member of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences.
How do you define liberalism?
It is a polysemic term, which has been so much in the dust that it has become almost unrecognizable. The desire for freedom can apply to all areas of life – economic freedom, freedom of thought, moral freedom, etc. A society can be considered liberal when it lets individuals decide their economic, ethical, political choices. Liberalism is therefore necessarily linked, in one way or another, to individualism, and its main characteristic is to reject traditional holism in all cultures.
Do you consider yourself liberal and why?
Yes, I consider myself liberal, because I do not want a society that imposes their life choices on individuals. I am also conservative because I believe that freedom cannot be unlimited – there are limits, always to be sought and discussed, linked to responsibilities and the human condition.
Who are your reference liberal authors?
Stuart Mill et Tocqueville.
Why is liberalism so misunderstood in France?
France is a deeply socialist country, that is to say, it largely prefers equality to freedom. Also, as soon as freedom is praised, the French immediately see the inequalities that this will engender. This is why local powers are so hated there, as well as economic freedom.
What would be the benefits of liberal reforms in France?
France has only begun to liberalize in recent decades thanks to Europe. Previously, it was the country of the Plan and imposed prices, that is to say a socialist country. But liberalizations are very badly experienced by a part of the population, which makes the fortune of the Insoumis.
Two priority liberal reforms to put in place?
For French liberals who are residual, the priority would first be to clarify their doctrine. Because liberalism has changed profoundly in a few decades, that is to say since it was taken over by the old socialist elites disappointed by the fall of the Wall. These elites became liberals almost overnight, much like in Russia Soviet agents became oligarchs. But it is now a dogmatic liberalism/libertarianism, against which classical liberals should position themselves. Everything happens as if another face of liberalism had appeared, which blurs all the lines and all the definitions.
Read also :
Hatred of the World, by Chantal Delsol
