Learn Liberty: Steve Davies- 'Classical Liberalism: The Decline and Triumph of Classical Liberalism'

Source:Learn Liberty- Dr. Steve Davies giving a lecture at Bryn Mawr College about classical liberalism.

"Lecture until 52:43, then Q&A.  From the IHS Vault: Dr. Davies shows how classical liberal ideas grew as an intellectual movement in  the seventeenth century and gradually gained popular support. This rise of political ideas based on free markets and individual liberty achieved several notable political goals in the 19th century, such as abolition of slavery, extension of the franchise, and freer international trade. 

Filmed in 2006 at the IHS summer seminar "Advanced Studies in Freedom" at Bryn Mawr College. Produced by Inextinguishable Productions." 

From Learn Liberty 

To sort of movie Dr. Davies lecture up a bit: pre-New Deal in the 1930s or even 1920s, people who were called Liberals, were people who believed in limited government, individual rights, fiscal responsibility, equality under law, equal justice under law, personal and economic freedom, personal responsibility, the rule of law, decentralization of government, and other values, but this is what it meant to be a Liberal. 

It's really not up until the start of the Cold War in the 1940s and 50s when Socialist, Communist, socialism, and communism, became so unpopular in America (and for very good reasons) where you saw American leftists who in the 1930s probably would've been proud to be called Socialists or Social Democrats, at least, started adopting liberal and progressive to define their politics. 

So the reason why we have classical liberal versus modern liberal, is because American leftists (closeted Socialists) have been very successful in convincing millions of Americans, especially the mainstream media, that liberal is not about liberty and progressive is not about progress, but that liberal is actually about left-wing version of total equality and protection from government. 

Just about everywhere else in the developed world, liberal is actually considered Center-Right, not Center-Left or Left. But in America thanks to the closeted Socialists and mainstream media in this country, liberal is considered left-wing. But not my me, I've always self-described my personal politics as liberal (or classical liberal, if you prefer) because I believe in the defense of individual liberty.