We Must Return to the Radical Roots of Liberalism (w/ Matt McManus)

Current Affairs

🦩 This episode originally aired on April 29, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Liberalism and socialism are often treated as opposites — but what if they’re actually part of the same fight for freedom, equality, and democracy? We’re joined by political theorist Matt McManus, author of The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism, a new book that challenges conventional narratives about liberalism, socialism, and the history of political philosophy.

McManus explains how thinkers from John Stuart Mill to John Rawls argued that true freedom requires not just political rights, but freedom from domination in the workplace and economy. He also addresses the deep confusion around the word "liberal" today — why many leftists recoil at liberalism after decades of association with hollow technocrats like Matt Yglesias — and why the older liberal tradition, rooted in egalitarian principles, is worth retrieving.

0:00–6:45 Why Political Philosophy Matters

6:45–23:34 Recovering the Radical Roots of Liberalism

23:34–27:20 John Rawls Was More Radical Than You Think

27:20–32:30 Can Liberalism Be Saved From Its Hypocrisy?

32:30–38:42 What Separates Liberal Socialists From Other Socialists

38:42–46:06 Why Understanding Liberalism and Socialism Still Matters Today

🌹 The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism: https://www.routledge.com/The-Political-Theory-of-Liberal-Socialism/McManus/p/book/9781032647234

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🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/