When Liberty Dies

Overview

Course Details

We live in democracies – the old word for free states – but we don’t understand them. Many believe democracies are doomed as we head for a third world war, populist dictatorship or polycrisis underpinned by global warming. For others, the word democracy or free state is a misnomer, because we’ve never been free, having lived in racist and imperialist pirate polities. But free states are miracles of modernity, formerly small and fragile, until Britain became the first free state to be militarily superior to any other state form. The collapse of Britain and its empire in the early to mid-twentieth century, alongside France, Belgium and the Netherlands, ignited a controversy about liberty. Liberty lovers from across the political spectrum, socialists and pan-Africanists, cosmopolitan Europhiles, Liberals and Conservatives, debated liberty lost and the consequences for the future. Several hated Britain and placed their faith in the Soviet Union or the Global South; others venerated or despised the newly dominant United States and looked to Africa, Asia or the EEC; some dreamt of abolishing nations altogether, saying farewell to fanaticism and Fascism in the process. 

When Liberty Dies recovers a forgotten history of liberty, revealing the post-war crisis of free states, which we are still living through. The course is global in range but also moves from ideas about liberty in ancient times to the present. It addresses the issue of whether we should - as so many people are - be concerned about the loss of liberty today and its replacement by fanaticism and tyranny; and what we should do in such a predicament.

The course is about the history of liberty, which means the history of equality. The course will give people a far deeper knowledge of the struggle for equality (the view that we do not actually live in and have never lived in free states is a main theme of the course); the debate about equality of course is central to current perceptions that liberty either has died or is about to die.

Who is this course for?

This course is an ideal learning experience for lovers of history and politics. When Liberty Dies will give you a deeper understanding of the rise and fall of democracies through history and the impact that has on the present day. 

Teaching Format

When Liberty Dies takes 50 learning hours to complete fully. This course is designed to be a self-paced experience, with pre-recorded videos, selected readings, and asynchronous discussion forums, which you can take in your own time around your schedule.  All the content for this course is available from the start of the course and can be accessed at any time before the course end.