Has liberalism proven to be philosophically adaptable to new circumstances?

🧐 Intro: What’s the deal with Liberalism?

Liberalism = "You do you" 🎩
From freedom, markets, and rights → to welfare, identity, and the environment 🌱
But the big Q is: Can it keep up with changing times or is it just pretending to be cool? 😎

✅ YES! Liberalism = Master of Makeovers 💇‍♂️

1. Old School to Welfare Cool

   • Started as: "Let the markets be free!" 💸 (Hi, Locke & Smith)

   • Then came: "Wait! Poor people exist!" 💔 (Enter Green & Hobhouse)

   • Now we have: Govt + Freedom = Social Justice combo 🧑‍⚖️❤️

2. Neoliberal Phase (a.k.a. Wall Street's BFF)

   • 1980s: "Govt bad, markets awesome again!" 📉

   • Friedman & Hayek said: Privatise, deregulate, repeat 🔄

   • Some called it a glow-up, others called it a betrayal 😬

3. Multicultural Vibes

   • Kymlicka: “Let’s add some spice 🌶️—group rights and identity too!”

   • Liberalism started wearing traditional clothes and learning new dances 🕺🏽🎭

4. Now Eco-Friendly 🌍

   • Green Liberalism: “Let’s save the planet, but still keep our rights!” 🌳

   • Rawls & Pogge even started thinking globally 🌐

❌ NO! Liberalism = Aging Rockstar 🎸 Who Refuses to Retire

1. Neoliberalism = Old Wine in New Bottle 🍷

   • Looked shiny but created mega inequality 💰🚫

   • David Harvey: “It’s not adaptation, it’s a plot twist backwards!” 🔙

2. Can’t Handle Identity Drama 😓

   • Postmodernists (like Foucault): “You don’t understand power, bro.” 😤

   • Liberalism: “I believe in universal freedom.”

   • Reality: "Not everyone feels free." 🧕🏾🏳️‍🌈🧑🏽‍🦯

3. Crisis Mode in Liberal Democracies 🧨

   • Rise of populism, fake news, alienation 😵

   • Liberalism: “Trust the institutions!”

   • People: “Nah, we want real change.” 🗳️🚪

4. West-Centric AF 🌍❌

   • Liberalism sometimes says: “Everyone should be like us!” 🇬🇧🇺🇸

   • Other cultures: “No thanks, we have our own vibe.” 🌏

   • It struggles to adapt to non-Western or communal societies 🧘‍♂️🛕

🧠 Conclusion: Adaptable? Yes. Unlimited? Nah.

Liberalism is like that one friend who changes outfits to fit every party 🥳—
...but still thinks their playlist is the best 🎶
It has survived by evolving—welfare, identity, green stuff—but its core ideas are still up for debate.
Maybe it needs a deeper makeover—or a new bestie to learn from 🧘‍♀️🤝📖