AbstractLiberal theory is better characterized as a family of concepts, ideals, and commitments than as a single, readily identifiable doctrine. Reflecting both the principle of toleration from which they emerge and the Enlightenment ideals of freedom and autonomy that run through them, liberal theories are inescapably diverse, mutable, and capacious, crystallizing in myriad ways around a foundational set of moral and political principles. It is thus misleading to speak of liberal theory in singular terms; liberal theory is best understood as a shifting network of moral, political, and philosophical concerns and commitments.
