1. what are origins of liberalism Flashcards
what is capitalism
Capitalism – private ownership, and they exchange of money for goods and services
what is feudalism
Feudalism:
- Feudalism is a system of organising society through the exchange of land for services
- Individuals pledge their loyalty and services to someone of a higher rank, who, in return, promises to protect them, and grant them land
What are some of the main differences between feudalism and capitalism?
Differences:
- Rather than exchanging goods and services, landowners increasingly charged rent, or hired their own labourers
- Fields that had been divided into strips… for peasants to work on, side by side, were increasingly fenced off, to be more efficiently farmed as larger plots
- With the help of parliament, common land, which peasants had used to hunt and fish, became private land, fenced off, bought and sold for profit
What were some of the consequences of the transition from feudalism to capitalism?
- Workers became more mobile, selling their labour to the highest paying employer, often moving by necessity, to towns and cities
- Workers now had to earn money to buy the essentials of life on the open market, rather than grow or make their own
What was the Reformation?
The Reformation was a 16th century religious revolution that challenged the catholic church and led to the founding of Protestantism
Reformers, like Martin Luther, argued that the church has become corrupt, with religious leaders abusing their position for material gain
They wanted individuals to use their own conscience, rather than relying upon and obeying religious authorities
What were some of the consequences of the Reformation?
The challenge to the catholic church soon led to violence and religious war across Europe
The Reformation encouraged people to think of themselves as in control of their own destiny, this contributed to the growing conception of people as unique individuals
The violence that followed the Reformation would also encourage liberals to advocate greater tolerance for different religious views and ways of life
What was the Enlightenment?
The Enlightenment was a philosophical movement in the 18th century, where people began to prioritise science and reason over faith and tradition
Logic, rational thinking, reason and critical thinking; challenged blind faith
How did the Enlightenment contribute to the emergence of new liberal ideas?
Enlightenment thinkers began to argue that the states authority to govern should come form the people, rather than God
If all humans are capable of rational thought, perhaps they are more equal than the divinely ordered feudal hierarchy led them to believe
