Classical Liberalism Flashcards
What are the key tenets of classical liberalism ?
- Social contract theory
- Foundational equality
- Negative freedom
- Laissez-Faire economics
- Rugged individualism
- Representative democracy
What is social contact ?
- Contract between goverment and people
- goverment agree to make itself accountable to the people and operate within the law
- people agree to obey and uphold the security of the state
What did John Locke say the social control theory is for individuals to do ?
Classical liberalist thinker John Locke argued individual consent by social contract to be governed by the state
What is foundational equality ?
All individuals born with natural rights and including freedom from unnecessary influence by the state
Which theories emphasised that foundational equality should extent to women and individuals of different religions
Wollstonecraft and Mill
According to foundational equality what did Classical liberalism argue for ?
Tolerance
What is tolerance according to foundational equality ?
- liberal idea that society should tolerate wide range of ideas : beliefs, religions, ethnicity and races
- should not be superior to another
- liberality for all
What is negative freedom/liberity ?
Highest form of freedom or absence of constrains
- individual left alone to pursue their destiny as individuals are autonomous and atomistic
What does negative freedom argue for ?
- freedom from oppressive and interventionist goverment and laws
- State should have limited role in society but keep order and property rights
What did negative freedom favour ?
Limited goverment
What is limited goverment ?
Role of state in capitalist economy and that capitalist and wealth is enhanced if the state does not interfere with market goods, services and labour
What classical liberalist argue that negative freedom was the highest form of freedom ?
Locke and Mill
What is Laissez-faire?
Belief in a free market capitalist economy and minimal state intervention in economy
What do classical liberalist say on laisssez-faire economics ?
Wealth is enhanced in state does not interfere with market goods,services and labour
What does rugged individualism say ?
People suffer and fall on own effort and position in society is in their hands
(Meritocracy )
What does rugged individualism say if state provide welfare will mean ?
It will arrest development of individuals
What is representative democracy ?
Favoured representative democracy as well educated elected individuals make decisions on their behalf
What did classical liberalist argue representative will provide ?
Create a broad consensus in all sort of society rather than blindly following will of uninformed and uneducated majority
What are the key thinkers for classical liberalism
- John Locke
- Mary Wollstonecraft
- John Stuart Mill
What was Mary Wollstonecraft key ideas ?
- reason
- formal equality
What is Wollstonecraft idea of reason ?
Women are rational and independent beings capable of reason
What is Wollstonecraft key idea of formal equality ?
Women should enjoy full civil liberty in Order r to be free
How was England in the 18th century for women
State implied women are not rational and denied individual freedom and liberty
- women rarely allowed land ownership/ employment
- once married women little protection against violence and no divorce
- no vote
What’ did Wollstonecraft point out due to women not being able to vote for those who governed?
Goverment of consent
By Wollstonecraft point out goverment by consent what did she accuse ?
Accusing liberalism of hypocrisy and double standards
What did Wollstonecraft say happens if deny liberty to entire gender ?
Threatened enlightenment
Who are to blame for women’s inferior position according to Wollstonecraft ?
Women alongside men are to blame as accepted superiority of men
What did Mary Wollstonecraft say all individuals should enjoy equality ?
Under law free from discrimination
Why is free exercise of individualism essential according to Wollstonecraft?
For society to progress economically and culturally
How is human nature according to Wollstonecraft?
Optimistic , naturally good, sympathy and empathy for men and women
What did Wollstonecraft support ?
French Revolution on indifference to gender differences and attacked Edmund Burke critism of French Revolution
What did Wollstonecraft stress support of ?
- republic goverment
- formal equality
- defence of individual rights
- formal education to all as possible
- divine right of kings promote individual potential
What does restraining women lead toaccorimf to Wollstonecraft?
Limits intelligence, wisdom and morality
What should do-exist with Minimal state ?
Limited state
Useful quote for Mary Wollstonecraft ?
‘I do not wish them (women) to have power over men but over themselves’
Who was later classical liberalist key thinker ?
Jeremy Bentham
What did Jeremy Bentham seek to do ?
Seek to maximise own utility by maximising personal pleasure and minimising personal pain
What did Jeremy Bentham acknowledge?
That in industrialised society this can create clashes between individuals that early classical liberalist envisaged
What did Jeremy Bentham liberal state say makes it more proactive ?
With greatest happiness for greatest number
Example of how greatest happiness for greater number is used ?
To elect accountable,greatest amount of voters
What was Mill concerned for later classical liberalism ?
How most voters were ill-equipped to choose intelligent representatives to act rationally on their behalf
According to Mill, how must universal suffrage be preceded ?
By universal education
For Mill what will universal education promote ?
Developmental individualism
- individuals focus on what they could be rather than what they are
According to Mill what would the advancement of individual potential what would they produce ?
Produce liberal consensus in society
What are the key ideas of John Stuart Mill ?
- negative liberty from he derived the harm principle: individual action should always be tolerated by state or individual unless harms others
- others actions should be tolerated unless they do harm
What did John Stuart Mill divide human action into ?
Self regarding and other regarding
What did John Stuart Mill say would happen if individuals are able to develop their individualism ?
Whole of society would benifit
What did Mill oppose ?
Popular democracy due to tyranny of majority as interest of majority favoured so be supported representative democracy, limited gov
What does Mill say on Former and Latter ?
Former should not be subject to any restriction and latter should have restriction as can cause harm to others
What individualism did Mill support ?
Developmental individualism
- individual could become
What is John Locke key ideas ?
Social contract theory and limited government
What is John Locke social contract theory ?
Society, state and goverment based on a theoretical voluntary agreement
What is John Locke limited goverment ?
Role of goverment should be limited and based on consent
What did John Locke say the state is not that creation of ?
-Creation of spiritual creator
Or
- possession of monarch who claims divine right of kings to govern
What did John Locke say the state was a creation of ?
- Creation of humankind
- government by consent
According to John Locke before the state existed how did humankind live ?
In State of nature , where humankind was subject to natural laws and could claim natural rights
What did the John Locke say the state was a result of ?
Social contract between citizen and government , where goverment was subject to the consent of people and people agreed to obey laws
How should the state be according to John Locke ?
Limited and powers should be divided between different agencies largely goverment and elected parliament
What did John Locke say there should a tolerance of ?
Of alternative religious and political view
What is the evaluation of classical liberalism ?
- absence of state involvement was not liberating but enfeebling and vice versa
- ## liberals themselves noticed that inequality and poverty was due to personal failings, lack of opportunity and education, employment, housing issues were issues beyond individual to solve but the state
