Episode #132 - Carl Schmitt on Liberalism Pt. 1
Carl Schmitt on Liberalism pt. 1
In this introduction to Carl Schmitt, the podcast situates his critique of liberalism within the turbulent political shifts of the early 20th century—a period when war, revolution, and the collapse of Enlightenment ideals pushed political philosophy into crisis. Schmitt challenges liberalism not as a modern partisan stance, but as the foundational Enlightenment-era framework that sought to replace authoritarian rule with reason, debate, and individual rights. While liberalism promised peace, tolerance, and rational governance, Schmitt argues it merely masks the persistent presence of sovereign power and fails to deal with irreconcilable political conflict. He criticizes the liberal faith in rational debate and constitutional norms, suggesting that when truly existential threats arise, liberal societies abandon these ideals and reveal the sovereign power they claim to have left behind. For Schmitt, liberalism is a utopian illusion that obscures the political realities of power, conflict, and decision-making, and he positions himself as a post-liberal thinker confronting those realities directly.
Further Reading:
Carl Schmitt's Critique of Liberalism: Against Politics as Technology by John P. McCormick (1997)
Carl Schmitt and Authoritarian Liberalism: Strong State, Free Economy by Renato Cristi (1998)
Law as Politics: Carl Schmitt's Critique of Liberalism edited by David Dyzenhaus (1998)
See the full transcript here.
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