About the lecture

In this module, we think about the development of liberalism as an ideology from the late 17th century to the present day, focusing in particular on: (i) the figure of John Locke and the concepts of rationalism and consent; (ii) the development of liberal thought under John Stuart Mill; (iii) the rise of New Liberalism from the end of the 19th century; and (iv) the major policy achievements of the 20th century, including Keynesian economics in the 1930s and the creation of the Welfare State in the 1940s.

About the lecturer

Matthew Cole is Teaching Fellow in the Department of History at the University of Birmingham. He is a historian of modern Britain with a particular interest in twentieth century constitutional and party politics, and local history.