ISIL Freedom Network: Introductions to Issues > Western Europe
Libertarianism
- Society and the Crisis of Liberalism
Source: Policy
Author: Václav Klaus
City: Sydney, Country: Australia
- In this thoughtful essay, the incumbent President of the Czech Republic counters the Communitarian challenge to Liberalism. This paper is based on his address to the European Forum Alpbach 1998 Seminar devoted to 'Society and the Crisis of Liberalism,' 22 August 1998.
- Uniting Europe without the Union
Source: Libertarian International
Country: The Netherlands
- Resources and news stories on the EU, compiled by Libertarian International. Updated frequently, contributions welcomed.
Early Classical Liberalism
- Anders Chydenius – Defender of Freedom and Democracy
Source: Anders Chydenius Foundation
Country: Finland
- A short introduction to Anders Chydenius, 18th century Finnish classical liberal economist – "the Adam Smith of the North." Includes links to further resources.
- Brief biography: Hugo Grotius (1583-1645)
Source: Acton Institute
Country: Netherlands
- "In 1625, the excesses of the Thirty Years' War compelled Grotius, a lifelong opponent of tyranny, to write his magnum opus, The Law of War and Peace, which is an excellent example of the many treatises on natural law written by jurists and theologians."
- Liberalismus.at: Freiheit, Eigentum, Wettbewerb!
Source: Rahim Taghizadegan
Country: Austria
E-mail: rahim@liberalismus.at
- The first page in Austria with comprehensive information on classical liberalism, libertarianism, and the Austrian School. In German. Please note: This exceedingly dynamic site has changed a great deal over the years and you may sample its interesting past content by entering the domain name liberalismus.at in the Wayback Machine. The domain is now forwarded to liberty.li, a new portal, merging liberalismus.at with choices.li, and becoming the largest German language platform for liberty and responsibility, considering liberalismus.at a forerunner that still had associated the concept of liberty with political (classical) liberalism. It keeps the emphasis on the notion of liberty, freeing it from all political connotations, and completing it by stressing the very practical approach of enterprisers in life. It doesn't see itself as a "liberal" nor as a "political" site, but as an open platform for all those who seek personal liberty and are ready to accept responsibility. The best texts of the forerunner site are still documented, but you are invited to dare take a new path, away from ideological labels and political illusions towards concrete responsibilities or self-responsibility in life. But this "international portal for liberty and responsibility" has now also been closed and you are asked to visit the Institut für Wertewirtschaft (Institute for value-based economics), where you will find part of the content and the functionality of liberty.li.
American Founding Fathers and Freedom in History
- The Levellers: Libertarian Radicalism and the English Civil War
Source: Libertarian Alliance
Author: David Hoile
Country: United Kingdom
- The author describes the 17th century English political movement known as the "Levellers" as lineal ancestors of a distinctly libertarian school of political thought, having much more in common with certain free market and classical liberal intellectual trends within the British libertarian movement and Conservative Party, than with contemporary socialism. (Also available as PDF.)
- Brief biography: John Locke (1632–1704)
Source: Acton Institute
Country: United Kingdom
- While Philosopher John Locke is often blamed by Christian social ethicists for generally secularizing modern Western political thought, his influence on modern views of liberty is profound, and his place in the classical liberal tradition is secure. (10/00) (Also available in Portuguese and Italian from the same page.)
- Brief biography: John Milton (1608–1674)
Source: Acton Institute
Country: United Kingdom
- "Insisting fervently on humanity's rational freedom and responsible power of choice, Milton believed that liberty is best safeguarded by the strong moral character of a nation's citizens." (8/00) (Also available in Italian from the same page.)
- Brief biography: Adam Smith (1723–1790)
Source: Acton Institute
Country: United Kingdom
- "Adam Smith is the most well-known expositor of capitalism of all time. ... Much emphasis is placed upon Smith's contribution to the economic field. Under-appreciated is his view of religion and morality. In the 'Theory of Moral Sentiments,' Smith discussed the role of sympathy in connecting self-interest with virtue." (Also available in Portuguese and Italian from the same page.)
- Brief biography: Frédéric Bastiat (1801–1850)
Source: Acton Institute
Country: France
- "The state is the great fiction by which everybody tries to live at the expense of everybody else." These words by Frédéric Bastiat, a farmer by trade who became a politician, constitute one of history's most damning definitions of government. (Also available in Portuguese, Spanish and Italian from the same page.)
- Brief biography: Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)
Source: Acton Institute
Country: France
- Born in Paris in 1805, Tocqueville embarked on a nine-month exploration of the United States (May 11,1831–February 20, 1832) that took him from Boston in the east to Green Bay in the west, Sault Ste. Marie in the north and New Orleans in the south. His account of this visit has become a classic work of social commentary and political philosophy. (Also available in Portuguese, Spanish and Italian from the same page.)
- Brief biography: William Ewart Gladstone (1809–1898)
Source: Acton Institute
Country: United Kingdom
- Gladstone became leader of the British Liberal Party in 1867, and soon after served his first term as prime minister. "Gladstonian Liberalism was a coherent ideology deeply influenced by and consistent with a Christian world view." (Also available in Portuguese from the same page.)
- Profile of Antonio Rosmini-Serbati (1797–1855)
Source: Acton Institute
Country: Italy
- "Rosmini firmly grounded law and politics in the dignity of the human person. According to him, freedom and private property were necessary consequences of man's dignity and therefore needed to be protected." (Also available in Portuguese and Italian from the same page.)
- Profile of Francisco Suarez (1548–1617)
Source: Acton Institute
Country: Spain
- "...if a legitimate prince governs tyrannically and no other means of self-defence can be found than the expulsion and deposition of the king, then the people, acting as a whole...may depose him." (Also available in Portuguese and Spanish from the same page.)
Politics and Political Parties
- French elections: the rules under the Fifth Republic
Source: The Tocqueville Connection / AFP
Author: AFP
Country: France
- According to France's constitutional regulations, introduced under the 1958 Fifth Republic, both the president and the National Assembly are elected, with the National Assembly appointing a Prime Minister who is nominated by the President. This leads to problematic 'cohabitation' when the President and the National Assembly are different in political 'color'. The relevant Article 49 of the French Constitution and its repercussions are explained in this Wikipedia article. Please note that the translation from the French original into English is still in progress, so that at this writing only 30 % are translated. The AFP/The Tocqueville Connection text we had previously linked to has completely disappeared from the Web (no archive available).
- In their words: the candidates speak
Source: BBC
Country: France
- As the French presidential campaign draws to a close, BBC News Online gathers some of the key statements made by the two candidates, Jean-Marie Le Pen and Jacques Chirac, standing in the second and final round of the election on May 5, 2002. (05/03/02)
- UK policymaking puzzles
Source: The Adam Smith Institute
Country: United Kingdom
- A set of funny 'poly-gram' puzzles. Answers are 'buzzwords' of UK policymaking.
- Profile: Jean-Marie Le Pen
Source: BBC
Country: France
- "Even before his stunning breakthrough in the French presidential poll, Jean-Marie Le Pen was insisting that reports of his political demise had been grossly exaggerated." His key points are strict opposition to immigration, as well as "the abolition of inheritance tax so that small businesses can pass from father to son, and a renegotiation of European treaties." (04/22/02)
Activism
- The Purpose and Strategy of the Libertarian Alliance
Source: Libertarian Alliance
Country: United Kingdom
- Britain's premier libertarian organization puts forward what might be described as a long-term, fabian approach to libertarian activism, in contrast to the American search for short-term results.
- Libertarianism on Campus: How to Reproduce the York Phenomenon
Source: Libertarian Alliance
Author: Adam Chacksfield
Country: United Kingdom
- Advice from a British perspective on successful campus activism. (1993)
Secession, Nation-Building
- The Caucasus: Troubled borderland
Source: BBC
Author: Stephen Mulvey
Country: Russian Federation
- The Caucasus Mountains "have lain for centuries on the frontiers of empires and their rugged highland peoples have never been completely subdued by conquering armies... An area the size of California is home to dozens of nationalities... Some communities have troubled relations with their neighbors, others with central governments." A "quick guide to Caucasus flashpoints" is provided. (03/16/00)
- Profile: Batasuna
Source: BBC
Country: Spain
- "Basque separatist party Batasuna is widely regarded as the political wing of the Basque paramilitary group, ETA – a linkage it denies." (08/23/02)
Health and Welfare
- Options for the NHS
Source: Adam Smith Institute
Author: Eamonn Butler
Country: United Kingdom
- Chancellor Gordon Brown thought he had ended the debate on the future of the UK's National Health Service, and that the answer would be higher spending and continued nationalization. But the debate is far from over. "Only when we break down our Soviet-style management system and let loose real choice and competition, will we have an NHS worthy of the world's fourth largest economy."
Socialized Medicine
- Growth in private insurance undermines support for the NHS
Source: HealthMatters
Country: United Kingdom
- As NHS waiting lists grow, Britons turn to private alternatives, and lose interest in maintaining the government health system. (Winter 1995/96)
Social Security
- Donner aux travailleurs le libre choix
Source: International Center for Pension Reform
Author: José Piñera
Country: France
E-mail: jose@chile.com
- Privatized social security worked in Chile, Piñera writes, and it can work around the world.
- Wahlfreiheit für Arbeitnehmer
Source: International Center for Pension Reform
Author: José Piñera
Country: Germany
E-mail: jose@chile.com
- Privatized social security worked in Chile, Piñera writes, and it can work around the world.
- Ge löntagarna ett fritt val
Source: International Center for Pension Reform
Author: José Piñera
Country: Sweden
E-mail: jose@chile.com
- Privatized social security worked in Chile, Piñera writes, and it can work around the world.
- La rivoluzione delle pensioni in Cile
Source: International Center for Pension Reform
Author: José Piñera
Country: Italy
E-mail: jose@chile.com
- Piñera details the successful pension privatization in Chile – in Italian.
- De Macht Aan de Arbeiders: de Privatisering van de Sociale Voorzieningen in Chili
Source: International Center for Pension Reform
Author: José Piñera
Country: The Netherlands
E-mail: jose@chile.com
- Piñera details the successful pension privatization in Chile – in Dutch.
Regulation and Deregulation
- 'Super Mario' fights 'for competition'
Source: BBC
Country: United Kingdom
- Mario Monti, Europe's competition commissioner – known to his fans as "Super Mario" – tirelessly attacks "anti-competitive practices" everywhere, from governments to American companies to mobile communication providers. (07/11/01)
Population and Resources
no entry for the time being (one entry deleted that has become invalid)
Civil Liberties
- Stop them taking liberties
Source: London Daily Telegraph
Author: Stephen Robinson
Country: United Kingdom
- In Britain, the freedom of the individual is rapidly eroding, with the prime minister actually mocking "libertarian nonsense masquerading as freedom." (07/16/01)
Free Speech
- British ISPs Crack Down on Hate
Source: Wired
Author: Lakshmi Chaudhry
Country: United Kingdom
- Under pressure from a semi-official watchdog organization, British Internet service providers will exclude racist content from Web sites that they host. (1/25/00)
Church and State
no entry for the time being (one entry deleted that has become invalid)
Drug Prohibition and Regulation
- Sweden: A Totalitarian Threat to Europe
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy
Author: John Yates
Country: Sweden
- Sweden is waging a brutal effort to enforce drug prohibition that violates civil liberties while having no impact on actual drug usage. (6/16/00)
Porn, Prostitution, and Sexual Freedom
- Whores and Mothers: Some Ideas on Women and Pornogrpahy
Source: Libertarian Alliance
Author: Mary Hayward
Country: United Kingdom
- A joint Libertarian Alliance and British Association of Libertarian Feminists publication. Author Mary Hayward is secretary of the Campaign Against Censorship. (1990)
Law, Courts, and Constitutions
- The Precarious Influence of British Royalty
Source: Libertarian Alliance
Author: Antoine Clarke
Country: United Kingdom
E-mail: sean@libertarian.co.uk
- The author argues that the British monarchy is in quite serious trouble.
Number 14 in the Libertarian Alliance's "Historical Notes" series.
- Why Finland is soft on crime
Source: Ottawa Citizen
Author: Dan Gardner
Country: Finland
- While Canada, and especially the United States, have moved to tougher prisons and longer sentences, Finland has saved millions and prevented centuries of human misery doing the opposite. "More than 30 years ago, Finland made an explicit decision to abandon the country's long tradition of very tough criminal justice in favour of the Western European approach. Never before or since has a country so consciously and completely shifted from one philosophy of justice to its opposite." (03/18/02)
Death Penalty
- Death in Venice: Europe's Death Penalty Elitism
Source: The New Republic
Author: Joshua Micah Marshall
Country: United States
- Western European political elites have abolished the death penalty in the same way they achieved many of their goals: By ignoring public opinion. (7/31/00)
School Choice
- U.K. to Privatize Failing Schools
Source: Heartland Institute
Country: United Kingdom
- "Private companies could take over as many as 10 percent of Great Britain's local school districts, according to remarks made at a conference late last year by Estelle Morris, School Standards Minister in the U.K." (2/00)
Taxes and Taxation
- Poujade: Menace or Promise?
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
Author: Murray N. Rothbard
Country: France
- While France's 1950s Poujadist movement became tainted by charges of fascism, Rothbard reveals that it made its greatest impact as nothing more than an anti-tax movement that mobilized small business owners. (1956)
Internet Taxation
- VAT Traps and Opportunities in Electronic Commerce
Source: Ernst & Young
Country: United States
- Enforcement of Europe's all-encompassing value-added tax becomes problematic given the global nature of the marketplace created by the Internet. (1999) – Please note that the original text this entry was linking to has unfortunately completely disappeared from the Web. A very extensive search could not locate any archive. In view of the extreme importance of the subject, we decided to now link to the Jean Monnet Working Paper 13/01 by Cecília Hargitai "Value Added Taxation of Electronic Supply of Services within the European Community," which refers to that text at least 5 times. (NB: A person by the name of Cecília Hargitai is listed as a Scientologist.)
Privatization
- The Postal Services Bill: Competition is Coming
Source: IEA
Author: Ian Senior
Country: United Kingdom
- Britain is stepping closer to allowing for a fully free market in postal services. (01/01)
- The Push for Privatization in Britain
Source: NCPA
Country: United Kingdom
- Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair has plans to push privatization further in the areas of education and health care. His major opposition comes from labor unions, who see a threat to their power. (09/25/01)
Banking, Money, Finance
- The Languishing Euro
Source: www.sennholz.com
Author: Hans F. Sennholz (1922–2007)
Country: United States
- By classical criteria one would expect the euro to rise – yet it's falling. This article links this to the harsh measures against the black market that were included in the European currency reform; these measures push people to exchange the old Euro-currencies for dollars. He suggests the gold standard as the cure. (05/22/01)
(Editor's note: In the meantime the price of the Euro has risen from 90¢ to $1.50 and more. As a prediction, the author's statement has obviously not been accurate, at least till further notice. There were factors he could not predict. To quote Sennholz: "Experience may be the only teacher.")
Austrian Economic Theory
- Biography of Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
Author: Roger Garrison
Country: Austria
- Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk (Born February 12, 1851; Died August 27, 1914) was in the right place at the right time to contribute importantly to the development of Austrian economics. Von Böhm-Bawerk was the author of "Capital and Interest" and was able to put his theories into practice as the Austrian Minister of Finance during the 1890s. (02/12/01)
General Economic Theory
- The Invisible Hand
Source: Adam Smith Institute
Author: Madsen Pirie
Country: United Kingdom
- In this speech to a Mensa audience at Cambridge, Dr. Madsen Pirie expounds on Adam Smith's "invisible hand." This spontaneous order, unintended but caused by various human actions, is a positive feature of the free market, and indeed forms the market and free society themselves as well. But the hand can also cause well-meant regulations to create unexpected negative results. (2001)
Individualist Feminism
- Josephine Butler
Source: Spartacus Educational
Country: United Kingdom
- Home page for Josephine Butler, the courageous British feminist who fought against the Contagious Diseases Acts that oppressed working women. Follow the links that provide the story of this heroine.
Abortion, Women's Health
- Europe's terms for terminations
Source: BBC
Country: United Kingdom
- "This News Online guide shows the range of [abortion] policies across Europe – from Ireland's ban to the 'on demand' availability in many countries, though most impose their own criteria for the length of pregnancy that may be terminated as well as mandatory counseling and waiting periods." (06/02/02)
Futurism and Techo-Optimism
- An engine of anarchy: interview with Ken MacLeod
Source: Salon
Author: Andrew Leonard
Country: United Kingdom
- Ken MacLeod, the author of "The Star Fraction" and "The Cassini Division," talks about his rebellious youth, his political paradoxes and the visionary power of cyberpunk. (07/27/99)
- The Economics of the 21st Century
Source: Adam Smith Institute
Author: Madsen Pirie
Country: United Kingdom
- Globalization and IT? Maybe, but it's not all that the 21st century will be about. And freedom will be crucial for success of any country.
Wiretapping
- Police able to monitor all mobile phones
Source: The Norway Post
Country: Norway
- Norwegian police will soon be able to monitor and record cell phone conversations at will. (9/29/99)
- The ENFOPOL 98 Affair
Source: Telepolis
Author: Duncan Campbell
Country: United States
- With a little prodding from the United States, European Union authorities are laying the groundwork for a regime of electronic wiretapping – including the Internet. (4/29/99)
- ENFOPOL 19
Source: FIPR/European Union
Country: United States
- The text of the European Union's most recent proposal for electronic eavesdropping. (3/15/99)
- European Union and FBI launch global surveillance system
Source: Privacy International/Statewatch
Country: United Kingdom
- Statewatch, a British-based civil liberties group, blows the whistle on an FBI-inspired plan to make wiretapping easy and routine in the European Union. (2/97)
To recommend changes in this directory, e-mail isil@isil.org.
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International Society for Individual Liberty > Freedom Network > Western Europe
