自由主義是關於一定類型的國家權威的可辯護（證成）的學說。自由主義的國家學說一般以無政府的自然狀態為起點，認為人類必然走出無政府的自然狀態，而進入國家政治狀態。自由主義認為只有保護其成員權利的國家才是在道德上可辯護（證成）的，因而反對霍布斯的專制主義和絕對主義的君主國。自由主義強調國家的證成，認為其可辯護性是合法性、正當性的前提條件。當代自由主義兩種主要型態以羅爾斯和諾齊克為代表，前者強調康得意義上的公民平等的自由權利與尊嚴的實現，後者則強調洛克意義上的權利的至上性。羅爾斯的正義論內蘊的國家雖然不是最低限度的國家，但有著很強的可辯護性。

Liberalism is a doctrine that certain types of states can be justification, the starting point of which is, generally, the anarchic state of nature, then argues that it inevitably goes out off the state, and enters a political state. Liberalism, opposed to Hobbes's view of the state of despotism and Absolute monarchy, emphasizes that only can the political state which protects its citizen's rights be justified, the justification for a country is prerequisite for its legitimacy, Are two main types of modern liberalism as represented by Rawls and Nozick, the former emphasizes on achievement of the equality, namely, rights of freedom and dignity, of all citizens on Kantian philosophy, the latter emphasizes the supremacy of individual rights on Locke's philosophy. The viewpoint of state which John Rawls's theory of justice described though is not about the minimal state, but can be justified strongly.