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This is a study of the political theory of the Enlightenment, focusing on four leading eighteenth-century thinkers: David Hume, Adam Smith, Montesquieu and Voltaire. Dennis C. Rasmussen calls attention to the particular strand of the Enlightenment these thinkers represent, which he terms the 'pragmatic Enlightenment'. He defends this strand of Enlightenment thought against both the Enlightenment's critics and some of the more idealistic Enlightenment figures who tend to have more followers today, such as John Locke, Immanuel Kant and Jeremy Bentham. Professor Rasmussen argues that Hume, Smith, Montesquieu and Voltaire exemplify an especially attractive type of liberalism, one that is more realistic, moderate, flexible, and contextually sensitive than most other branches of this tradition.

Enlightenment. --- Liberalism. --- Liberal egalitarianism --- Liberty --- Political science --- Social sciences --- Aufklärung --- Eighteenth century --- Philosophy, Modern --- Rationalism --- Hume, David, --- Smith, Adam, --- Montesquieu, Charles de Secondat, --- Voltaire, --- Voltaire --- de Voltaire, F.-M. A. --- Vadé, Guillaume --- M. de V. --- Bazin --- Arouet, François Marie --- Mengdesijiu, --- Mongtētkiʻǣ, --- Monteskʹe, Sharlʹ Lui, --- Monteskīĭ, --- Monteskiusz, --- Monteskiyü, --- Monṭesḳyeh, --- Montesquieu, --- Montesquieu, Charles Louis de Secondat, --- Montesquiou, --- Montesukyū, --- Muntisikyū, --- Secondat, Charles-Louis de, --- מונטסקייה --- モンテスキウ̄, --- 孟德斯鳩, --- Arts and Humanities --- Philosophy

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Democracy in Moderation views constitutional liberal democracy as grounded in a principle of avoiding extremes and striking the right balance among its defining principles of liberty, equality, religion, and sustainable order, thus tempering tendencies toward sectarian excess. Such moderation originally informed liberal democracy, but now is neglected. Moderation can guide us intellectually and practically about domestic and foreign policy debates, but also serve the sustainability of the constitutional, liberal republic as a whole. Our recent theory thus doesn't help our practice, given our concerns about polarization and sectarianism in ideas, policy, and politics. A rediscovery of Montesquieu and his legacy in shaping America's complex political order, including influence on Washington's practical moderation and Tocqueville's philosophical moderation, addresses these enduring theoretical and practical problems. Moderation also offers a deeper theory of leadership or statesmanship, particularly regarding religion and politics, and of foreign policy and strategy rooted in liberal democracy's first principles.

Liberalism --- Philosophy. --- Montesquieu, Charles de Secondat, --- Tocqueville, Alexis de, --- Tocqueville, Alexis Charles Henri Maurice Clérel de, --- Tokvilʹ, Alekseĭ de, --- De Tokvilʹ, Alekseĭ, --- Tokvilʹ, Aleksis de, --- De Tocqueville, Alexis, --- Tokuviru, Alexis, de, --- Toqueville, Alexis de, --- טוקוויל, אלכסיס דה --- توكڤيل، ألكسي دو، --- Tūkvīl, Āliksī dū, --- توکويل، آلکسى دو --- Clérel, Alexis Henri Charles de, --- Mengdesijiu, --- Mongtētkiʻǣ, --- Monteskʹe, Sharlʹ Lui, --- Monteskīĭ, --- Monteskiusz, --- Monteskiyü, --- Monṭesḳyeh, --- Montesquieu, --- Montesquieu, Charles Louis de Secondat, --- Montesquiou, --- Montesukyū, --- Muntisikyū, --- Secondat, Charles-Louis de, --- מונטסקייה --- モンテスキウ̄, --- 孟德斯鳩, --- Moderation --- Democracy. --- Political aspects. --- Self-government --- Political science --- Equality --- Representative government and representation --- Republics --- Golden mean --- Mean, Golden --- de Montesquieu, Charles-Louis de Secondat, 1689-1755 --- Tocqueville, Alexis Charles Henri Maurice, 1805-1859