"Liberty as method" is a catchword that I have come to use in the course of my studies of liberty; it is meant to signify the fact that those conscious of liberty must compete with many other ideologies, and that to the extent that liberal pluralism admits of rival political views and policies, and their (relative) dominance in government and real life, liberty may still have a decisive role to play as a method of questioning and challenging these rival political beliefs, and thus still be a very influential part of reality, though not overly visible.
For example: to the extent that the classical liberal system of law is being honoured in everyday legal practice, liberty may be rather strongly enmeshed in the goings-on of our society, even though classical liberals may not be very prominent politically ("the paradox of freedom").
Yet, liberty is present as method - and in this way she may be a very important corrective and guarantor of "robust conditions of freedom" - which do not bring about an ideal world of freedom, but still one with substantial liberty in place. Freedom as method may also be an important early warning system, when society is deviating too strongly from the legal requirements ("robust conditions") of freedom.
In arguing this way, my concern is to encourage a more willing participation, intellectually and practically, of those conscious of liberty in politics and the state, so as to be able to advertise and defend freedom not only by denouncing politics and staying away from it, but by taking part in it, learning from it, discovering freedom and her conditions in it.
See also The Corridor of Success and A Culture of Freedom - Oakeshott on Liberty (1/3).
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