Liberalism means the deliberate self-limitation of governmental reason

Evidence

At this moment he has laid down clearly the principle of the self-limitation of governmental reason. But what does “the self-limitation of governmental reason” mean? What is this new type of rationality-in the art of government, this new type of calculation that consists in saying and telling government: I accept, wish, plan, and calculate that all this shquld be left alone? I think that this is broadly what is called “liberalism.” — Michel Foucault, The Birth of Biopolitics, 262

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines liberalism not as freedom but as a calculated self-limitation of government.
• XREF: connects to: Political economy replaced equitable justice with maximum-minimum self-limitation in government — Michel Foucault, The Birth of Biopolitics: Lectures at…, 248; Liberalism is not actually impartial in theory or practice — David Schlosberg, Defining Environmental Justice:…, 357; Liberalism must dominate the unredeemed world by reason or by force (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Liberalism must dominate the unredeemed world by reason or by force #contradicts (0.80)
• Liberal neutrality masks power by presenting exclusion as reason’s product #qualifies (0.78) — Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox, 135
• Liberal thought assumes the world should conform to liberal premises #complicates (0.75) — Wael Hallaq, Restating Orientalism, 497
• Liberalism is not actually impartial in theory or practice #qualifies (0.72) — David Schlosberg, Defining Environmental Justice, 357