The origins of ‘liberalism’ in Britain: the case of The Liberal

Craig, David

Abstract

This article examines the public reception of the periodical The Liberal to establish how the language of ‘liberalism’ began to develop in Britain in the eighteen-twenties. It shows that Hunt, Byron and Shelley had difficulty establishing a claim to this terminology partly because the conventional meanings of the word ‘liberality’– as in generosity and gentlemanliness – could be turned against their contributions, and partly because of their existing reputations as subversive, irreligious Epicureans. As a result, The Liberal helped to establish a negative typology of ‘liberalism’ that quickly gathered force among reactionaries.

Citation

Craig, D. (2012). The origins of ‘liberalism’ in Britain: the case of The Liberal. Historical Research, 85(229), 469-487. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2281.2012.00601.x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Aug 1, 2012
• Deposit Date: Mar 13, 2012
• Journal: Historical Research
• Print ISSN: 0950-3471
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-2281
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 85
• Issue: 229
• Pages: 469-487
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2281.2012.00601.x