10/02/2010
Our view is that ideas have consequences and that different schools of political thought produce different social models. We also believe that ideas should be used to prompt and shape political agendas, which can otherwise be no more than rationalisations for the exercise of power. This is why, at FAES, we study and debate political ideas and publish papers on them. FAES upholds the ideas and principles of liberalism and works to disseminate and promote these ideas. As a foundation we are dedicated to spreading the values associated with freedom, liberal democracy and western humanism. We believe in liberal democracy founded on the Rule of Law because this is the only form of government that respects human rights and the freedom of the individual. And we believe in western humanism because it is western values that have enabled liberal democracy to flourish in our societies. The Foundation is also aware of the existence of new anti-liberal ways of thinking and we are therefore constantly monitoring the development of a number of ideological trends that have a negative impact on the freedom of the individual. These trends include populism, anti-globalisation, relativism, exclusive nationalism and buenismo (buenismo can be explained at the practice of putting forward well-intentioned but empty propositions as a way of dealing swiftly and easily with difficult issues).