Why Liberalism Failed by {author}: summary and why it matters
Patrick Deneen's 2018 argument that liberal individualism has undermined the communities and virtues it needs, producing the populist backlash.
The book
| Author | Patrick J. Deneen |
|---|---|
| First published | 2018 |
| First publisher | Yale University Press |
| Kind of book | Political philosophy |
What it argues
Deneen, a Notre Dame political theorist, argues that liberalism's success is the cause of its decay. By treating the individual as a free-standing chooser, it dissolves the ties of family, place, religion and tradition, and then relies on the state and the market to fill the gap. The result, he writes, is a society of isolated people dependent on distant institutions, with a widening gap between a mobile elite and the rest.
He claims that left and right liberalism are two versions of one project, differing mainly in whether they emphasize economic or personal freedom. He also contends that liberal education has stopped forming character and now trains consumers and managers.
The book offers no program, though it calls for rebuilding local practices and communities beneath the level of politics.
Why it matters
It is the main text of the post-liberal conservative current, which challenges the fusionism of the past half century. Many conservatives and classical liberals reject its thesis, which is exactly why it is worth reading with a pencil.
About the author
Patrick J. Deneen (born 1964) is a political theorist who taught at Georgetown and then at the University of Notre Dame. His earlier books include Democratic Faith and Conserving America. Why Liberalism Failed was widely reviewed.
Who should read it
Readers following the debate between traditional conservatives, populists and libertarians on the right.
Sources
Profile last reviewed November 8, 2026