Freedom, Equality, and Community: G. A. Cohen’s Criticism of Liberalism

This thesis introduces G. A. Cohen’s critics to liberalism. This thesis argues that, on the one hand, Cohen criticized that the liberals defended for capitalism, but on the other hand, he responded to socialist normative principles via debate with liberalism. Three normative concepts, freedom, equality and community, are used for framing Cohen’s critics to liberalism in the article. Cohen tried to provide a normative theory by critics to liberalism, and believed that the contemporary socialists should also work on the normative theory as guideline for socialism. However, this thesis points out that because Cohen ignored the empirical analysis of capitalism, he could not illustrate his theory was socialist.