Recent political developments acrossarge parts of the globe have made it clear thatiberalism is in crisis. Several political regimes and politicaleaders haveittle time and respect foriberal values but it is important to understand that in many cases they have been empowered by popular social attitudes that have turned againstiberalism. In order to understand this phenomenon, Rudrangshu Mukherjee goes back to the origins ofiberalism to understand its substantive ideas andineage. He shows howiberalism, a western doctrine, flourished when western empires dominated much of the world. Ironically, while valuesike freedom, democracy and citizenship were nurtured in the west, they were denied to the people of the countries that had been colonized by western nations.iberalism in the west thrived by being illiberal elsewhere. The contradictions within madeiberalism vulnerable to attack. Totalitarian regimes swept it aside and other doctrines replaced it with increasing frequency. In the twenty-first century, in both the east as well as the west,iberalism appears to be fast disappearing. This important book tells us why.