Through a fusion of philosophical, social scientific, and
historical methods, A Brief History of Liberty provides a
comprehensive, philosophically-informed portrait of the elusive
nature of one of our most cherished ideals.
* Offers a succinct yet thorough survey of personal freedom
* Explores the true meaning of liberty,
drawing philosophical lessons about liberty from history
* Considers the writings of key historical figures from Socrates
and Erasmus to Hobbes, Locke, Marx, and Adam Smith
* Combines philosophical rigor with social scientific
analysis
* Argues that liberty refers to a range of related but specific
ideas rather than limiting the concept to one definition