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Liberalism and democracy: legitimacy and institutional expediency

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  • Viktor J. Vanberg

    (Walter Eucken Institut)

Abstract

This paper takes a closer look at how the relation between liberalism and democracy has been addressed by different strands of the liberal tradition. Its purpose is to argue in support of two claims. Firstly, the claim that discourse on what the two ideals are about, and how they are related to one another, has been impaired by a failure to pay due attention to the distinction between the question of legitimacy and the question of institutional expediency. Secondly, the claim that, when the noted distinction is taken into account, the two ideals can be shown to complement each other in their outlook at how social and political life should be organized.

Suggested Citation

  • Viktor J. Vanberg, 2023. "Liberalism and democracy: legitimacy and institutional expediency," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 195(3), pages 251-268, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:195:y:2023:i:3:d:10.1007_s11127-021-00873-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-021-00873-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Georg Vanberg, 2018. "Constitutional political economy, democratic theory and institutional design," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 177(3), pages 199-216, December.
    2. Viktor Vanberg, 2014. "Darwinian paradigm, cultural evolution and human purposes: on F.A. Hayek’s evolutionary view of the market," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 35-57, January.
    3. Samet, Dov & Schmeidler, David, 2003. "Between liberalism and democracy," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 110(2), pages 213-233, June.
    4. Vanberg, Viktor J., 2005. "Market and state: the perspective of constitutional political economy," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(1), pages 23-49, June.
    5. Bellamy, Richard, 1994. "‘Dethroning Politics’: Liberalism, Constitutionalism and Democracy in the Thought of F. A. Hayek," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(4), pages 419-441, October.
    6. von Mises, Ludwig, 1957. "Theory and History," History of Economic Thought Books, McMaster University Archive for the History of Economic Thought, edition 1, number mises1957.
    7. James Buchanan, 1990. "The domain of constitutional economics," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 1-18, December.
    8. Hayek, F. A. & Caldwell, Bruce, 2007. "The Road to Serfdom," University of Chicago Press Economics Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226320540 edited by Caldwell, Bruce, Febrero.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lars P. Feld & Daniel Nientiedt, 2023. "The Freiburg School and the Virginia School: introduction to the special issue," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 195(3), pages 193-196, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Democracy; Liberalism; Libertarianism; Ordo-liberalism;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D - Microeconomics
    • H - Public Economics

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