What we classical liberals see clearly, and what modern progressives do not, is that all too often having a majority on their side only renders the progressive movement a tyranny of the majority. A democracy it may be, but it is not a proper government.

What we classical liberals also see all too clearly – perhaps from hanging onto those old‐​fashioned ideals – is that neither modern democracy nor modern socialism is really all that new. Both propose, as Wilson boasted, that a “radically individualistic political philosophy” be thrown away. In its place comes vigorous, unrestrained state action across every aspect of life. It is the ideal of the ancient state‐​apologists, not at all unlike that of Plato with his wise Statesman at the helm – except, in place of Plato’s divination by sacred numbers and the counsels of the few, we do our divination by poll numbers, and by the counsels of the lowest common denominator.

Where that will lead us is, frankly, anyone’s guess. The will of the majority has cooked up some awful ideas in the past, and it will undoubtedly continue to do so in the future. (And no, “wise” statesmen haven’t done any better. Grasping that we can expect competence from neither the one nor the other is, for many, the beginning of libertarianism.)