Welcome to PHI101!

This course invites you to explore the evolution of freedom throughout history by analyzing the major schools of thought that have shaped it. You will explore how the concept of freedom has evolved over the centuries, either in opposition to or in collaboration with power, through a historical journey from Antiquity to contemporary debates.

Section 1: Freedom or Power
We will begin with an overview of the two major political philosophies that have marked history: freedom and power. This section will examine the visions of thinkers such as Frédéric Bastiat, who contrasts production with spoliation; Lord Acton, who views freedom as the driving force of history; Karl Marx, with his theory of class struggle; and Murray Rothbard, who opposes the state to society. This conceptual introduction will provide a framework for analysing the historical periods.

Section 2: The Origins of Freedom: Antiquity
Here, we will return to the roots of philosophical thought with the Greeks, who invented critical rationality, and the Romans, who laid the foundations of modern law. We will also examine the fall of Rome as a pivotal moment that redefined political and social organization around the notion of freedom.

Section 3: The Origins of Freedom: The Middle Ages
The Middle Ages are often seen as a dark period, but we will discover that they laid the foundations of modern freedom. We will examine the assertion of human freedom, the debates between reason and faith, the emergence of the sovereign state, the biblical ethics that value the individual, and the early outlines of capitalism that appear during this period.

Section 4: The Rise of Freedom: From the Renaissance to the Enlightenment
This section will focus on the emergence of religious tolerance and economic freedom, which gained momentum during the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. We will also analyse the significance of the year 1776, which marked a major turning point with key events that shaped the free world, before delving into the era of revolutions that redefined the very notion of freedom.

Section 5: Apex and Decline: From the 19th to the 20th Century
We will continue by studying the upheavals of the 19th and 20th centuries, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of democracy, Marxist critiques of capitalism, and the Austrian response to these criticisms. We will also explore warnings about the dangers of collectivism through major works, such as "The Road to Serfdom".

Section 6: The Rise of the Welfare State in the 20th Century
Finally, this section will examine how the welfare state gradually took precedence over the ideas of economic freedom, notably through the triumph of Keynes and the abandonment of the gold standard. We will conclude by emphasizing the importance of ideas in shaping the course of history and the continued role of freedom in our modern societies.

Ready to embark on this unique philosophical journey on the quest for freedom? Let's go!