classical liberalism Flashcards
John locke was key to its emergence , his ideas presented a major challenge to the understand of
society and the political system at the time and contributed to significant changed to the British state acted and how politics was understood
Locke argued that in the state of nature there were natural societies in which indviduals enjoyed natural rights and freedoms , in this context the state was
a threat to these freedoms and rights and should be limited to ensure freedom and individualism are maintained
rather than being based on divine right , the state should be based on a
social contract between the rulers and those who are ruled , the latter having the right to remove the powers if they didnt serve in their interests and the people no longer consented to their governance
locke and almost all elnlightment thinkers at the time had a very narrow view of what society was , excluding women those who
weren’t white and those who weren’t wealthy
Locke also promoted religious tolerance , a very radical idea at the time that advocated for the
seperation of church and state and the freedom of individuals to practice their religious without gov interference
early classical liberalism saw individuals as rational and able to reason it focused on
promoting the freedom of indviduals in order to allow them to make progress and pursue their goals
it presented the state as the key potential threat to this freedom theirfore advocating for a very limited night watchmen state that simply adjudicated
disputes and left each indvidual to live their life in freedom
Adam smith was central to making this case in the economic sphere supporting
laissez faire capitalisme defined by minimal state gov
Mary Wollstoencraft made the case for formal equality under the law and equal rights for women based on
these liberal principles
Wollenstoencraft argued that the treatment of women was against reason ands they should be treated as rational indviduals and given the freedom and rights and education to develop their individual potential just as men were , not only would this result in
indvidual progress and freedom it would also improve the economy and lead to collective societal progress
liberalism certainly influenced the glorious revoloution and development of the Uk state away from divine right however it was the
American revolution and founding of the US states in the late 18th century that truly saw liberalism put into practice
key ideas that motivated the revolution were drawn from classical liberalism and locke such as the ideas of
indvidual rights , representative government and rule of law
furthermore the US constitution with checks and balances , operation of power etc shows the influence of
liberalism and commitment to limiting power
the 19th century brought sweeping societal , political and economic changes that forced liberalism to evolve and adress
new challenged and questions
the industrial revolution transformed economies and societies creating
unprecedented levels of wealth and povo
this era saw the rise of the working class , urbanisation , capitalist economies , raised issues related to
workers rights , economic disparities and role of gov in regulating industry
politically the expansion of democratic ideals and the push for broader suffrage through the chartist movement brought into question the role of the state in
ensuring welfare and how to balance indvidual freedom with emerging social needs
these changes led to a re evaluation of classical liberal principles some sought to double down on these classical liberal ideas and some argued that
liberalism needed to change to adapt its key principles to a changing context
faced with industirliation and the rapid societal change and inequality that came with it , some classical liberals doubled down on core liberal principles emphasising
individualism and minimal government intervention
Samuel Smiles advocated for the concept of self help , emphasising that person responsibility and indvidual effort were key to
overcoming adversity and achieving success
his ides suggested that individuals can improve their social and economic conditions through hard work and perseverance rather than relying on the state
Herbert Spencer appleid the concept of social darwinism to society advocating for the idea that like in nature that only the fittest should survive in an economic context , he promoted laissez faire approach arguing for min gov intervention and to allow for natural competition and societal evolution , Spencers views justified
limite astate and regulation , aligning with classical liberalisms emphasis on individuals responsibility but were also highly controversial due to their justification of inequality and poverty
Benthams utiliteranism was another way in which liberals sought to tackle the challenged of industirliation in the 19th century , this was deeply rooted in liberal principles of freedom and rationalism and suggested that
individuals actions were motivated by the pursuit of happiness and the avoidance of pain ; a mechanistic view of human nature
Bentham and others believed that maximising “ the greater happiness for the greatest number “ could be a liberal bison of how the
state should act aswell to enact policies that benefit the greatest number of citizens
His promotion of utilitarianism also raised concerns among some liberals who worried about its potential implications for minority rights , the emphasis on the
majority welfare could lead to the intreats of minorities being overlooked or overridden
one key opponent to utilitarianism being used to justify state action was John Stuart Mill , who was particularly worried about its impact on
minority rights and justification of tyranny of the majority
John Stuart Mill , built upon and expanded key classical liberal principles in the 19th century particularly those
related to freedom and individualism
his famous harm principle articulated “ on liberty “ provided further justification for indvidual stating that only propose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilised community against their will is to prevent
harm to others
this principle reinforced the liberal emphasis on personal autonomy and the limits of state intervention
as calls for universal suffrage grew Mill updated Lockes notion of government by consent by advocating for
representative democracy , he saw it as a means to reconcile indvidual livery with collective decision - making
While Mill was supportive of broader democratic participation , Mill was also deeply worried about the dangers of tyranny of the ,majority , he argued for a system of representation where
elected officials were not mere delegates of the popular will but were independent thinkers who could exercise their own judgement and represent a diversity of views , aiming to balance the majority rule with the protection of minority rights
Mill also advanced the concept of developmental individualism , he believed the for indviduals to be truly free they needed to not only rights but also the
ability to effectively use those rights
Education for Mill was a crucial tool in realising this vision he saw ir as an essential for helping
individuals reach their full portnetial and for the proper function of society and democracy
Mill even suggested a plural voting system where more educated indviduals would have more votes , reflecting his belief that an
educated electorate was crucial for informed decision making in a democratic society
On the whole Mill can be seen as a trasitional liberal , in some sense he continued to support key classical liberal principles and sought to justify their continued implementation in a changing society
In other important ways, however, in particular his articulation of a liberal justification for representative democracy and developmental individualism, Mill developed classical liberalism significantly, paving the way for the more radical modern liberal thought that came afterwards.
