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Essays
Were European Cities Responsible for Liberalism?
European cities are often considered a key origin of liberalism. But it's more complicated than you might think.
Essays
Religious and Other Freedoms
James A. Robinson looks to the history of West Africa for examples of religious freedom without liberalism.
Essays
State Capacity and General Rules
Hans Eicholz says that "state capacity" may not do as much work as we think.
Essays
Competition Among States Wasn’t Sufficient for Religious Liberty
Mark Koyama and Noel D. Johnson say that competition was important to Europe's story of religious liberalism, but it wasn't enough.
Essays
The Fitful March of Religious Liberty
Mark Koyama and Noel D. Johnson discuss the long road to a commonsense idea.
Essays
Federalism Is a Condition for Better States
Dalibor Rohac says that federalism is the strategy by which strong government can be turned to the defense of individual liberty.
Essays
Realizing Religious Liberty: “Stateness” or Competition?
Hans Eicholz argues that religious toleration emerged from a healthy competition among states and intrastate institutions.
Essays
The Perks and Perils of Having a State-Run Church
James A. Robinson looks at how early modern states took advantage of religion to support their own authority.
Essays
The Trouble in Getting to Denmark
Religion was central to premodern states. So why isn't it central to the story of how modernity arose?