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Politics Paper 1 > 5.2 Liberalism tensions > Flashcards

5.2 Liberalism tensions Flashcards

1
Q

2

Describe the emergence of the liberal branches

A
  • Classical - emerged during enlightenment (17th and 18th Centuries)
  • Modern - emerged after WW2
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2
Q

2

Which areas do liberal broadly agree/disagree on?

A
  • Agree - human nature, society
  • Disagree - state, economy
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3
Q

5

Describe unity on human nature among liberals

A
  • Both hold positive view of human nature
  • All agree with Locke that individuals are born with natural rights that require protection and formal equality under law
  • Agree on Locke’s tolerance in society, which supports liberty for all (harm principle)
  • Women are as rational as men and require enfranchisement + equality of opportunity in public sphere
  • Share concerns over popular democracy
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4
Q

3

List the areas of disagreement on human nature among liberals

A
  • Type of individualism
  • Type of freedom
  • Democracy
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5
Q

5

Describe classical liberal views on human nature (individualism)

A
  • Egotistical individualism governs human nature
  • Atomistic society - view human nature as much more individualistic
  • Therefore struggle to see human nature as striving for common good
  • Formal equality
  • Individual’s capability for rationality means that they succeed or fail due to own efforts
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6
Q

3

Describe classical liberal views on human nature (freedom)

A
  • Negative freedom
  • Human nature succeeds with freedom from oppressive government and laws
  • Role of state should be limited to rule of law and protecting property rights
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7
Q

6

Describe modern liberal views on human nature (individualism)

A
  • Developmental - prioritises common good over self-interest
  • There exists a common good
  • Rawls’ social justice suggests a more collective human nature, focusing on individuals’ connection to society
  • For formal equality to exist, there must be equality of opportunity to facilitate development individualism
  • Counters idea that individual success due to own efforts
  • Expressed in Rawls’ 3 principles of justice
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8
Q

4

Describe modern liberal views on human nature (freedom)

A
  • Positive freedom
  • Enabling state needed to assist individuals in reaching full potential
  • Criticised classical liberalism for being primarily concerned about men
  • Rawls supportive of ideas such as affirmative action
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9
Q

7

Describe unity on the role of the state among liberals

A
  • All accept Locke’s social contract
  • Agreement on constitutionalism to define state autonomy and prevent centralism
  • Separation of powers
  • Mechanist theory of state - not organic, but created by individuals
  • Some form of democracy (against monarchies)
  • Foundational and formal equality should be enshrined into constitution
  • State should promote rule of law, individualism and liberty
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10
Q

3

List the areas of disagreement on the state among liberals

A
  • Size of state
  • Type of democracy
  • Economic model of state
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11
Q

4

Describe classical liberal views on the size of the state

A
  • Minimal state
  • Limited to maintaining law and order, preventing foreign invasion, harm principle, protecting private property rights (‘life, liberty and property’)
  • Locke and Mill believed state should play nightwatchmen role
  • Informed by negative liberty
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12
Q

4

Describe modern liberal views on the size of the state

A
  • Enabling state
  • State intervention to create conditions where individuals could help themselves
  • e.g. state-education system, healthcare, welfare
  • Accept required taxation to allow development individualism via positive freedom
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13
Q

1

Describe disunity on democracy among liberals

A
  • Differ on how to deal with conflict between popular democracy and individual rights
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14
Q

6

Describe classical liberal views on democracy

A
  • Popular democracy stifles individualism by valuing majority
  • Mill and Locke favoured RD with limited suffrage
  • e.g. electoral college in USA
  • Mill adovcated plural voting for educated elites to counteract single votes of largely uneducated populous
  • These individuals would represent everyone’s best interests
  • Would control ‘tyranny of majority’
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15
Q

3

Describe modern liberal views on democracy

A
  • RD based on universal suffrage for men and women
  • Would more aptly prevent ‘tyranny of the majority’
  • Greater participation advances self-development (developmental democracy)
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16
Q

5

Describe unity on society among liberals

A
  • Society should allow individuals to flourish
  • Ideal society has individualism co-existing with tolerance and self-improvement
  • Society should be based on constitutionalism
  • Foundational equality
  • Society predates state and only exists once society grants consent
17
Q

List the areas of disunity on society among liberals

A
  • Freedom - state role in equality
  • Rights
18
Q

3

Describe classical liberal criticism of positive liberty

A
  • Increased intervention is infringement of freedom
  • Enabling state must tax individuals
  • Enabling state reduces self-reliance and creates dependency culture
19
Q

3

Describe modern liberal criticism of negative liberty in respect to society

A
  • JSM argued negative freedom does not account for social disadvantage - stifled individual freedom
  • Rawls’ advocated increased social justice where poverty, inequality and discrim in society would be tackled by the state
  • Required increased state spending to fund enabling welfare state
20
Q

4

Describe classical liberal views on rights

A
  • Foundational equality
  • Natural rights of society predate state
  • In natural society, humankind will obey natural laws due to rationality
  • Natural laws ensure tolerance in society
21
Q

2

Describe modern liberal views on rights

A
  • MW and Friedan felt society needed to be reformed to extend equality for women
  • MW: patriarchal society ‘infantilised’ women and inhibited female individualism
22
Q

5

Describe unity on the economy among liberals

A
  • Private property (see other card)
  • Free markets promote economic activity and best way to create wealth
  • Removal of tariffs maximise wealth
  • Individuals will rationally pursue self-interest in free market
  • Capitalism leads to unequal outcomes for individuals
23
Q

3

Describe unity on private property among liberals

A
  • Both influenced by Locke’s idea that state should respect ‘natural right’ to private property e.g. Rawls property owning democracy
  • Private property an essential tenet to freedom
  • Protects individual from state
24
Q

2

List areas of disunity on the economy among liberals

A
  • Laissez faire v Keynesianism
  • Taxation
25
Q

3

Describe classical liberal support for laissez-faire capitalism

A
  • State rarely justified in interfering in economic activity (save for controlling monopolies)
  • Taxes and regulations hinder economic growth
  • Subsidies distort free market
26
Q

2

Describe modern liberal criticism of laissez-faire capitalism

A
  • Can lead to exploitation, deprivation
  • Accentuates inequality
27
Q

3

Describe modern liberal support for Keynesianism

A
  • General state management of economic cycle to negate effects of recessions
  • Maintains full employment and price stability
  • Assist developmental individualism and social justice
28
Q

2

Describe classical liberal criticism of Keynesianism

A
  • Critical of supposed efficacy of Keynesian economics
  • State ill-equipped to plan or intervene in economy
29
Q

5

Describe classical liberal views on taxation

A
  • Taxes would hinder econ development/growth
  • ideological opposition to compulsory welfare taxation
  • Erodes egotistical individualism
  • Leads to dependency culture
  • Excessive welfare spending leads to unmanageable levels of debt that risk bankruptcy
30
Q

2

Describe classical liberal’s ideological opposition to compulsory welfare taxation

A
  • individuals can opt out of services provides
  • individuals cannot opt out of taxation
31
Q

2

Describe modern liberal views on taxation

A
  • Rawls argued for individual/corporate taxation to fund state-managed welfare provisions
  • Would aid developmental individualism
32
Q

3

Describe liberal branches’ views on supranational organisations

A
  • Modern liberal belief in modern capitalism saw growth of supranational entities (e.g. EU)
  • Classical liberals argue they are obstacle to global free trade
  • Incompatible with classical liberal idea of limited state involvement in economy

Politics Paper 1 (27 decks)

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