C1: Liberalism

Question 1

What is Liberalism?

Answer 1

A political ideology that stressed the rights of the individual against the state

Question 2

What event is considered the classic statement of the Liberal outlook?

Answer 2

The Declaration of Independence in 1776

Question 3

What is Individualism?

Answer 3

The idea of the inidividual having rightsa that cannot be infringed by the state.

Question 4

What is the classical Liberal interpretation of individualism?

Answer 4

Egoistical individualism - People are self-sufficient and self-reliant. Society is a collection of separate individuals.

Question 5

What is the new Liberal interpretation of individualism?

Answer 5

Developmental individualism - State intervention to help the most disadvantaged be self-sufficient is justified.

Question 6

What is a core idea linked to the concept of individualism?

Answer 6

Tolerance

Question 7

What is the most important of all Liberal values?

Answer 7

Freedom

Question 8

What is a positive freedom?

Answer 8

Freedom to do or have something (e.g. freedom to have money)

Question 9

What is a negative freedom?

Answer 9

Freedom from something (e.g. freedom to privacy)

Question 10

What do Liberals beleive about the state?

Answer 10

it is a necessary evil: state is needed to avert disorder and protect the vulnerable from exploitation.

Question 11

What do Liberals argue for regarding the state?

Answer 11

Limited Government: the state should have checks & balances on the exercise of power. This is most often seen in Constitutionalism.

Question 12

What do Liberals argue for regarding the economy?

Answer 12

Laissez-Faire Capitalism

Question 13

What is Rationalism?

Answer 13

The idea that individuals should be free to exercise their judgement about their own interests without needing to be guided by external authorities.

Question 14

What are some examples of Rationalism in action?

Answer 14

Free-market economy: people will do what is best for them
International Relations: War is a last resort, peace is better
United Nations: Interconnectedness leads to more freedom for the people

Question 15

What equality do Liberals argue for?

Answer 15

Equality of opportunity

Question 16

What is Foundational Equality?

Answer 16

Everyone starts with the same rights as virtue of being born: They cannot be taken away.

Question 17

What do Classical Liberals believe about societal inequality?

Answer 17

It is necessary: Meritocracy leads to some people having more than others based on their skills and talents.

Question 18

What is Liberal Democracy?

Answer 18

Free elections to give the people the power
Limitations on the power of the state
Respect for civil liberties & toleration of differing opinions

Question 19

What disagreements are there between Liberals around Human nature?

Answer 19

Classical Liberals beleive that people should only be limited where there is risk of threatening the freedom of others. New Liberals are more conscious of injustice, and favour some external intervention to counter this.

Question 20

What disagreements are there between Liberals around the state?

Answer 20

Classical Liberals believe it should lay down the rules for orderly existence and that’s it. In contrast, Modern Liberals believe that the state needs to work towarsd equality of opportunity.

Question 21

What disagreements are there between Liberals around the economy?

Answer 21

Classical Liberals beleive in fully free-market capitalism. New Liberals believe that state intervention is necessary, and can help promote sustainable growth and limit the injustice associated with unemployment & poverty.

Question 22

What disagreements are there between Liberals around society?

Answer 22

Classical Liberals believe in society as a collection of independent individuals, and advocate full meritocracy.
Modern Liberals believe this is not enough, and some state assistance to combat poverty is necessary to allow people to fully flourish.

Question 23

Why do Classical Liberals support the idea of negative freedom?

Answer 23

It encourages people to take personal responsibility, as they will not receive help from the state.

Question 24

Why do Modern Liberals suport the idea of Positive freedom?

Answer 24

Negative freedom amounted to little more than ‘freedom to starve’, so positive freedom helps liberate people from social evils such as poverty.

Question 25

What is mechanistic theory?

Answer 25

The idea that the state is a machine created to serve the individual, so it can be changed to suit the needs of the society.

Question 26

What is the ‘enabling state’?

Answer 26

When the state works in order to achieve equality of opportunity for its citizens
Best shown in HH Asquith’s reforms in the early 1900s

Question 27

What was the Beveridge Report?

Answer 27

A report published in 1942 that argued liberty should be equally available to all, and that people were held back by the ‘five giants.’

Question 28

What were the ‘five giants’ in the Beveridge report?

Answer 28

Want, Ignorance, Disease, Squalor, Idleness

Question 29

What are some similarities between Modern & Classical Liberalism?

Answer 29

Both seek to enhance individual freedom
Both beleive in equal rights & equality of opportunity
Both wish to place limits on the power of the state
Both support the fundamental concepts of private ownership & capitalism

Question 30

What are some differences between Modern & Classical Liberalism?

Answer 30

Negative vs. Positive freedom
Classicals see society as individuals, Moderns think the comon good must go hand in hand with individual freedom
Classical Liberals are against state intervention, Modern liberals accept it

Question 31

What were the ideas of John Locke?

Answer 31

Society & the state are based on a social contract; the state works for the people, not the other way around
Government should be limited and based on the consent of the people.

Question 32

What were the ideas of Mary Woolstonecraft?

Answer 32

Women are rational, independent beings the same as men. Women should therefore enjoy equal rights and liberties, just the same as men do.

Question 33

What were the ideas of John Stuart Mill?

Answer 33

Individuals should be entirely free to do whatever they want apart from harming others. He also said that it is important to accept and tolerate behaviour or ideas that are different from your own.

Question 34

What were the ideas of John Rawls?

Answer 34

Society must be just, and guarantee each citizen a life worth living. There will always be a degree of inequality, but the state should aim to minimise the difference in outcomes for the best off and poorest. Rejected the extremes of communism & unregulated capitalism.

Question 35

What were the ideas of Betty Friedan?

Answer 35

Women are as capable as men, and opressive laws should be rejected. Conditional is what leads women to seek housekeeping and mothering duties, and a level playing field between men and women should exist.