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Edition 2026 — V0.1
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Atlas/Row 7 · Col 7/Classical Liberal
-2+2
§ Cell № 61 of 81
Row 7, Col 7
Economic: Capitalist
Governance: Democratic
Coords: X+2 · Y-2
Descriptor
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Classical
Liberal

“19th-century market liberalism.”

Exemplar ↓
John Locke
John Locke
§ 01
The Idea

What Classical Liberal actually means.

Classical Liberalism emphasizes individual liberty, private property, and minimal government, focusing on free markets and democratic governance.

John Locke laid the philosophical foundation for Classical Liberalism, emphasizing natural rights, limited government, and the rule of law. His 'Two Treatises of Government' argued that political authority derives from the consent of the governed and that individuals have the right to overthrow oppressive rulers.

§ 02 · Tenets

Core commitments.

01
Strict limits on government economic intervention.
02
Free trade and sound money.
03
Constitutional protection of property rights.
04
Equal civil and political rights under law.
05
Skepticism of war and standing armies.
§ 03 · Position

Where it sits on the grid.

Economic axis — X+2
CAPITALIST
Full collectivisationUnfettered markets
Governance axis — Y-2
DEMOCRATIC
Total controlNo state at all
§ 04 · Reading List

Canon & critics.

§ Canon
  • On Liberty
    John Stuart Mill
    1859 · ~140 pp
  • The Wealth of Nations
    Adam Smith
    1776 · ~950 pp
  • Principles of Political Economy
    John Stuart Mill
    1848 · ~970 pp
§ Critics
  • Conditions of the Working Class in England
    Friedrich Engels
    1845 · ~330 pp
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