Enlightenment

The Political Morality of Freedom: The Liberal Legacy of the French Revolution in the “Atlantic” Perspective

The French Revolution was a complex historical event, and its intellectual foundations were likewise complex. It is a mistake to reduce it to the Jacobin terror. It was a liberal revolution whose ideals sprang from the Anglo-Saxon legal tradition.

Politics Is Not about the Friend-Enemy Distinction, but a Struggle for the Rule of Law

Since Putin’s war against Ukraine, the West once again has a clear enemy. Many now recall Carl Schmitt, who saw the essence of the political in the distinction between friend and enemy. But that is too simplistic.

“Doux Commerce,” or the Peacemaking Power of Trade: Just a Dangerous Illusion?

Does trade among nations promote peace? The liberal-minded Enlightenment affirmed this under the phrase “doux commerce.” At present, however, we are witnessing how economically closely linked nations are at war with each other.

Ukraine Defends Its Freedom—And That of Russia

For years, Russian propaganda has tried to spread the narrative of NATO endangering Russia’s security. However, with his war against Ukraine, Putin is trying to thwart a free, Western-oriented Ukraine because it is a threat to his power.

The (Classical) Liberal Is No Relativist but Instead Grapples with the Truth

Today, anyone who claims that all opinions are of equal value is considered tolerant. Liberals therefore often define themselves as relativists and skeptics. But this is a big misunderstanding.

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