'We Believe' in 2023
Almost 70 years ago in 1954, Robert Menzies formulated 17 principles to guide the political movement of Australian Liberalism.
Like so much of his work, they were concise and clear. The public were left in little doubt as to what values drove the emerging Liberal Party of the 1950s.
There was an obvious intention to make these principles ‘enduring’ and they are. The ‘We Believe’ statement provides a solid foundation for a modern Liberal movement in 2023. Many young Australians would find themself agreeing with the following Liberal precepts:
WE BELIEVE IN THE INDIVIDUAL.
WE BELIEVE IN THE RULE OF LAW.
WE BELIEVE IN THE SPIRIT OF THE VOLUNTEER.
WE BELIEVE IN LIBERTY; not anarchy, but an individual and social liberty based upon and limited by a civilised conception of social justice.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE ‘CLASS WAR’ IS A FALSE WAR.
WE BELIEVE THAT LIBERALISM MEANS FLEXIBILITY AND PROGRESS.
WE BELIEVE THAT IMPROVED LIVING STANDARDS DEPEND UPON HIGH PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENT SERVICE; and that these vital elements can be achieved only by free and competitive enterprise.
Over the next few months at the Menzies Research Centre, we will be showcasing perspectives from younger Australians of different backgrounds as they share why these principles are relevant to them and their contemporaries.