The Liberal Mind in a Conservative Party

Intellectuals and the Liberal Party of Australia
1. Auflage 2025
ISBN: 978-1-032-43288-5
Verlag: Routledge

Buch, Englisch, 268 Seiten, Format (B × H): 161 mm x 240 mm, Gewicht: 570 g

Robinson analyses the peculiarly Australian intellectual tradition of liberal conservatism within the mainstream centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. Conservative intellectuals in Australia have forged a pragmatic, sceptical and utilitarian liberal conservatism focused on the tasks of government. It remains distant both from the romantic and organicist ideas of the populist right and the simplicities of libertarianism.

Focusing on key figures within this tradition, Robinson tracks the progress of Australian liberal conservatism over the years through its origins in the work of David Hume to the thoughts of Peter Coleman, David Kemp and Andrew Norton before moving forward to George Brandis and Gregory Melleuish. The Liberal Party of Australia has appealed successfully to the conservative sentiments of voters in a liberal society. The Liberal Mind in a Conservative Party tells the story of seven intellectuals who helped make this possible. Peter Coleman drew on John Anderson, Georges Sorel and Michael Oakeshott to champion neoconservatism. He argues that this potent political ideology has shaped a distinct political identity, which rejects conservative traditionalism, and libertarian economics, while defending a pragmatic approach to capitalism.

A fascinating read for students and scholars of Australian politics, this book will also be of great value to readers with an interest in international centre-right politics.

Zielgruppe

General, Postgraduate, Undergraduate Advanced, and Undergraduate Core

Autoren/Hrsg.

Robinson, Geoffrey

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Ideologien Konservativismus
• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaften Interdisziplinär Regionalwissenschaften, Regionalstudien
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Stadt- und Regionalsoziologie
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Sozialphilosophie, Politische Philosophie
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Ideologien Liberalismus, Libertarismus

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1.Liberal conservatism as the mind of the master class 2. Cold war liberalism against itself: Peter Coleman from intellectual to politician 3. Ideas have consequences: Peter Coleman as politician 4. Peter Coleman and the Australian neoconservative persuasion 5. Liberalism in the house of government: David Kemp and Andrew Norton 6. David Kemp and Gregory Melleuish: The use and abuse of liberal history 7. The loneliness of the Liberal feminist: Louise Asher and Margaret Fitzherbert 8. Flight of the phoenix: liberal conservatism and political capitalism

Über Autor(innen)

Geoffrey Robinson is a senior lecturer in Politics and Policy Studies in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Deakin University, Australia.