This book provides a broad survey of the existing views on political freedom, from conservative to radical. Brenkert identifies their weaknesses and presents his own alternative contribution to the debate.

The debate over political freedom is a central contemporary concern, not only in the West, but also in Eastern Europe and around the world. "Political Freedom begins with an examination of the three important accounts that inform this debate: the conservative view found in the work of Edmund Burke and Michael Oakeshott; the liberal account of John Locke, J.S. Mill and Isaiah Berlin; and the radical tradition that originated with Karl Marx.
In this study, George Brenkert argues that these conservative views, as developed in modern political thought, fail to meet even their own standards and that none will serve as a satisfactory model of political freedom. In the second part of this book, the author develops an alternative model of political freedom as empowerment. This model argues that discussions of political freedom must acknowledge multiple definitions of political freedom rather than a single concept.
"Political Freedom provides a judicious survey and imaginative development of the debate surrounding the political dimensions of freedom. It will appeal to readers in the fields of philosophy, political theory, jurisprudence, and sociology, as well as anyone interested in this important contemporary issue.

'This is one of the most thorough and insightful treatments of this complex concept to come along in many years and it deserves close scholarly attention.' - John Christman, MIND