Denying liberty in order to make room for freedom: liberalism, conservatism, and Kantian philosophy

Abstract

The author analyses the notions of “liberalism” and “conservatism”, the diffi culties that
are inherent in their basic principles, and suggests an interpretation of several central aspects of
I. Kant’s political philosophy seen as an attempt to overcome the said diffi culties. Kant’s ideas
are juxtaposed with those of J. Rawls, C. Schmitt, R. Nozick, and also E. Burke, N. Machiavelli,
T. Hobbes, J. Locke. The author concludes that the consistent application of principles of both
liberalism and conservatism leads to theoretical ramifi cations and practical dangers, that their
opposition has the form of an antinomy or of a dialectical contradiction, which cannot be resolved
in favor of one of the doctrines and demands for their synthesis.