These, then, are the bedrock principles of
classical liberal theory: the primacy of individual
liberty understood primarily as freedom
from state interference with one’s
personal development and projects; a very
broad protection of freedom of inquiry,
speech, and worship; a deep suspicion of
state power over individuals; the restriction
of state coercion to those areas of activity in
which individuals’ conduct affects others;
and a strong though rebuttable presumption
in favor of privacy, markets, and other forms
of private ordering. In the last century and a
half, of course, countless political, social,
and economic theorists have built upon the
foundations laid by Locke and Mill while
glossing, challenging, or refining virtually
all of their claims. In applying the principles
of classical liberal theory to questions
of citizenship, I shall discuss some of the
contemporary critics.