16/17 - Liberalism Flashcards
What is common for liberalism?
- Aim to promote individual liberty
- Value liberty
- Disagree about the nature of liberty
Barry’s 3 common features of liberal states
1) Religious toleration
2) Freedom of the press
3) Abolition of servile social status - not born into social status
Barry’s 3 features of liberalism
1) No religious dogma can reasonably be held with certainty
2) Every doctrine should be open to critical scrutiny
3) Fundamental equality of all human beings: inequality is an artifact (construction)
The origin of liberalism and its development (medieval Europe)
- Religious conformity
- Feudalism = wealth ↑ power ↓
- Ascribed status
- Political absolutism
The origin of liberalism and its development (medieval Europe - challenging the medieval order)
- Questioning religious conformity
- Rejecting ascribed status
- Favour:
1. achieved status
2. equal opportunity
- Favour:
- Overthrowing absolute monarchy
The origin of liberalism and its development (medieval Europe - protestant reformation)
- Luther against Church corruption and priestly authority
- Unintentionally paves the way for religious pluralism and eventually toleration
- Luther and John Calvin: non-resistance to political authority
- Later Calvinists: right to overthrow rulers who do not tolerate free exercise of their religion
The origin of liberalism and its development (revolutions - England 1688)
- Out James II and Catholicism
- Constitutional monarchy
- Freedom of worship for dissenters
- Religious toleration
The origin of liberalism and its development (revolutions - American 1776)
- No taxation without representation
- All men are created equal
- Legitimate government protects our natural rights
The origin of liberalism and its development (revolutions - France 1789)
- The rights of man and the citizen
- Equal opportunity
- Constitutional government
- Religious toleration
Central themes of liberalism
1) Individualism
-The primary of the
individual
-Immanuel Kant (1724-
1804): enlightenment,
morality, freedom, dignity
-Kant: Treat human
beings never merely as a
means to an end but
always at the same time
as ends in themselves
2) Freedom (liberty) - Mill’s harm principle
-Negative freedom:
absence of obstacles,
barriers, and constraints
-Positive freedom:
freedom to take control
of one’s life
-The three-part concept
of freedom: A is free from
B to do or become C
3) Reason
-The enlightenment and
progress
-Against paternalism
-Promoting discussion
and argument
4) Justice
-Moral equality
-Equal citizenship
-Equal opportunity
5) Toleration
-Secularism - no state
religion
-Pluralism
-Toleration and autonomy
(two types of liberalism)
The liberal state
- State and the rule of law applies to everyone equally
- State as a social contract
- John Locke on political authority and the state
What is constitutionalism?
Constitution, Bill of -Rights, Rule of Law, prevention of tyranny of the majority
- Separation of powers: executive, legislative, and judicial
- Other ways to check power: cabinet, parliament, bicameralism, federalism
Common themes of classical liberalism
- Individuals are predominantly self-interested
- Negative freedom
- See the state as a necessary evil
- Positive view of civil society as a realm of freedom
Sources of classical liberalism
1) Natural Rights
-John Locke and Thomas
Jefferson
-Three minimal functions
of the state: property and
public order, defence,
and contract
enforcement
-Argument for the
administration of justice
2) Utilitarianism (Bentham)
-What makes the majority
of people happy
-Utilitarianism and
classical liberalism
3) Economic liberalism
(Adam Smith)
-Against mercantilism
-Seeking economic liberty
Smiths ideas on capitalism
- 1776: Smith’s wealth of nations
- Competition is fair and efficient
- Invisible hand: from self-interest to the public good
- Free trade benefits everyone
- Benefits those who are the worst off
- Promotes international peace
- Conductive to order, good government, liberty, and security
- Fosters self reliance
