Dragon
Senior Member
- Sep 16, 2011
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Classical liberalism has nothing in common with modern liberalism.
Sure it does: the ends and values. Both seek to protect the common people from the rich and powerful. The difference is that in the view of classical liberals, the only way the rich and powerful could oppress the common people is if they got the government to do it for them, hence the desire for small, restrained government. Modern liberals recognize that while the rich and powerful will certainly get the government to oppress people on their behalf if they can, they're also capable of doing their own dirty work nowadays.
Classical liberalism always valued small government as a means to an end, not as an end in itself. That's what conservatives don't understand about it. If Adam Smith were alive today, he'd be a socialist.