Abstract
The goal of this article is to review the ideas set forth by classic liberal philosophers which contributed to the establishment of democratic values and the institutionalization of reason as a method. The emphasis is to examine the critical ideas which led to the study of natural law and civil society, focusing on freedom, equality, reason, and law. This review will provide social science students the foundational knowledge to understand the goals of human progress as expounded by classic liberal philosophers, as well as understanding reason as inextricable to democracy and the advancement of knowledge. The ideals set forth by the classic liberal philosophers such as Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Wollstonecraft, and Condorcet, have left a legacy of justice from which we can continue to progress as citizens and students.
Recommended Citation
Resendiz, Rosalva; Espinoza, Lucas E.; and Espinoza, Luis E.
(2022)
"Classic Liberal Philosophers and their Contributions to Democracy & Justice: Discourses on Freedom, Equality, Reason, and Law,"
Journal of Ideology: Vol. 41:
No.
1, Article 1.
Available at:
https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/ji/vol41/iss1/1