core ideology: liberalism Flashcards
1
Q
human nature
A
our fundamental character and nature
shapes perspective on the society
2
Q
state
A
what is the role of the state?
should it be large, omnipotent and strong or limited in range and purpose?
3
Q
society
A
what sort of society do we want to encourage and build?
in what circumstances do individuals live their best lives?
4
Q
economy
A
what type of economy do we wish to create?
what should it be aiming to achieve?
5
Q
liberalism
A
- political philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties and democracy
- economy views it as - more right wing (private property)
- law views it as - more left wing
- 2/3’s of the worlds nations are ‘liberal democracies’
- ‘end of history’ - the inevitable destination for advanced societies
evolved over time, was the opponent of conservatism and closer to socialism - informs understanding of democracy
6
Q
origins
A
- the reformation (15/16th century), challenge to power of church, assertion of individual choice
- the enlightenment (17th century), intellectual movement promoting science, reason and rationality over superstition - challenging traditional ideas of power and authority
- individuals have free will, best judge of their own interests
7
Q
The Reformation (15/16th century)
A
challenge to power of church, assertion of individual choice
8
Q
The Enlightenment (17th century)
A
intellectual movement promoting science, reason and rationality over superstition - challenging traditional ideas of power and authority
9
Q
key thinker: john locke (1632-1704)
A
- ‘father’ of liberalism
- questioned relationship between government and individual and why and how should individuals defer those in government
- challenging centuries old belief that the natural form of government was monarchy which possessed ‘divine right’
- believed humans uniquely possessed power of logic and reason, they should therefore decide how they wish to be ruled
- challenged view that the state was gods creation and the ‘divine right’ of the monarch to govern
- rejected view that people were subjects of the state and compelled to obey it
- argued a true state would be one created by human kind to serve their interests, arising from consent of those governed by it
- argued a future state would be based on ‘state of law’ that respected natural rights and one that citizens had consented to voluntarily - social contract theory
10
Q
divine right
A
authority of god, ‘all subjects’ must obey the monarch
11
Q
social contract theory
A
written consent of citizens on how they wish to be ruled
12
Q
human nature: core ideas
A
- locke and john stuart mill rejected christian belief that man was deeply flawed and imperfect
- optimistic view: human nature has huge capacity to realise progress and happiness, guided by rationalism to develop answers to problems through debate and peaceful argument
- while individuals are self seeking and drawn to pursuit of individual happiness, their rationality prevents this from descending into greed and competition
- humans are capable of understanding others perspectives
13
Q
society: core ideas
A
- optimistic view of human nature, especially regarding capacity for reason informs liberalisms view of society
- reject view of life in state of nature as ‘natural society’ with ‘natural laws’ and therefore ‘natural rights’
- john stuart mill argued purpose of society is to promote individualism
- society should be built on individual freedom, the right to property
14
Q
the economy: core ideas
A
- devotion to private property informs liberalisms approach to the economy, if property is a natural right then liberals support an economic system that places private property as its heart: capitalism
- driven by liberals stress on individualism and positive view of human nature
15
Q
the state: core ideas
A
- state performs important role in adjudicating between competing claims of rational individuals
- liberals reject state where power is concentrated in one individual and exercised randomly
- state is only legitimate if those governed by it have volunteered to be under its jurisdiction - must have consent of the people
- liberals believe that in state of nature they have ‘natural rights’ that support individualism
- individuals would therefore only agree to abandon natural rights and individualism if under a state their natural rights were better protected
- stuart- mill argued state should tolerate all actions and opinions unless they harmed others freedom
- liberals believe power should be exercised only by those who are worthy who through their own efforts earn trust of the people
16
Q
the liberal state - methods and structures
A
- constitutional, limited government - government by consent is underpinned by a ‘contract’ between the people and government, embodied in a constitution
- constitutional government exists to restrain government by rules and procedures and preventing it from eroding natural rights
- state must reflect liberal belief in equal natural rights by striving for formal equality, everyone has same legal and political rights, ‘rule of law’
17
Q
different types of liberalism
A
- classical
- modern
18
Q
classical liberalism
A
- 17-19th late centuries
- period of 200 years, during which time different political figures contributed to development of liberalism
- is divided between ‘early’ and ‘later’
19
Q
early liberalism
A
- sought to apply liberalism core beliefs to the political and economic climate of the time
- key features: revolutionary potential, negative liberty, minimal state, laissez-faire capitalism
20
Q
revolutionary potential (early liberalism)
A
- liberal idea of rationalism was fiercely resisted in 18th century as was idea society should maximise individual freedom
- locke’s ‘government by consent’ was radical, dangerous idea suggesting revolutionary upheaval
- locke’s philosophy underpinned 1688 glorious revolution, which secured constitutional government and the end of concentrated power
21
Q
key thinker: mary wollstonecraft (1759-97)
A
- mary shelley’s mum
- argued treatment of women was affront to reason, denying individual liberty to half the population and condemning women to a ‘state of listless inactivity and stupid acquiescence’
- argued all men and women be educated to release their innate powers of reason
- developed liberal thinking in 18th century
- ‘vindication of the rights of women’, her gender focused feminist approach was founded on liberalism
- agreed human nature was rational and applied to all
- argued women irrational by denying their individual freedom and equality
22
Q
negative liberty
A
- early liberals championed individual liberty necessary for self determination and self reliance as well as the condition for government by consent
- ‘absence of restraint’ seen as allowing individuals opportunity to peruse their destiny, any attempt to intervene is an infringement of liberty
23
Q
minimal state
A
- if liberty is defined as the absence of restraint, then governments should be limited in how they behave and what they do
- minimal state would also reduce risks associated with concentration of power: the smaller, less powerful the state, the less likely it is to abuse power
24
Q
laissez faire capitalism
A
combination of negative liberty and minimal state led early classical liberalism to embrace adam smiths ‘market forces’ and ‘trickle down’ economics
25
Q
adam smith - the wealth of nations (1776)
A
in promoting free trade, the ‘invisible hand of the market’ would foster economic success, wealth will ‘trickle down’ to everyone
26
Q
later classical liberalism
A
- by 18th century UK and USA had become industrialised and urban and with it increasingly class conscious, posing a challenge to liberalism
- samuel smiles: acknowledged industrial life hampered individuals ability to be self reliant but feared that calls for greater state intervention
- herbert spencer: also rejected state intervention as promoting the ‘feeble and feckless’ at the expense of individual liberty
- he argued a minimal state would ensure ‘survival of the fittest’ and gradual elimination of those who can’t enjoy benefits of individualism
27
Q
jeremy bentham (1748-1832)
A
- founder of utilitarianism, supposedly scientific alternative to natural rights theory
- individuals would maximise their own ‘utility’, personal pleasure and absence of pain
- bentham acknowledged industrial society may promote conflict between individuals, therefore liberal state should be pro active
- ‘the greatest happiness of the greatest number’
28
Q
key thinker: john stuart-mill (1806-73)
A
- had an immense contribution to political philosophy and development of liberalism, sometimes known as transitional liberalism/ development individualism
- faced growing challenge of demands for universal suffrage but feared ‘tyranny of the majority’
- developed model of representative government and democracy where individuals elect suitably liberal minded representatives to make policy decisions
- he proposed universal education before introduction of universal suffrage
- had adherence to minimal state and negative freedom, so was unwilling to promote a greater role for state
- had idea of ‘negative freedom’ the harm principle that an individual’s actions should always be tolerated by the state and others, unless it’s harmful to others
29
Q
modern liberalism
A
reality of poverty in industrial britain forced liberals to question the application of their core beliefs, relating to liberty, individualism and society
30
Q
liberal social justice
A
- liberal government introduced state pension funded by increased tax of property owners
- ## john maynard-keynes argued mass unemployment deprived millions of their individuality - rejected laissez faire capitalism and promoted rule of the state in steering the economy to maintain full employment through public investment
31
Q
key thinker: john rawls
A
- justified larger enabling state as challenge to new socio economic threats
- only an enlarged state could protect individual freedom through guaranteeing equality of opportunity
- individuals needed to sacrifice more of their money and earnings to state through progressive tax
- constructed series of philosophical conditions to prove this was consistent with liberal principles
- individuals were in a ‘veil of ignorance’ asked to construct a superior society
- argued we should choose a fairer society where poor had better life than in a state of nature
32
Q
foundational equality
A
individuals need more than formal equality but also greater social and economic equality, achievable only through a significant redistribution of wealth via progressive tax and public spending
33
Q
constitutional reform/ liberal democracy
A
- as liberalism has sought to extend the state, in turn it has sought to reform it to better protect individual liberty
- it was the liberal party that first extended franchise to women and argues for lower voting age
34
Q
constitutional reform
A
- liberalism sought to extend the state in turn has sought to reform it to better protect individual liberty
35
Q
social liberalism
A
- updating ‘tolerance’ especially with respect to minorities
- development of ‘positive liberty’ and the enabling state, introduction of legislation on discrimination towards women and minority ethnic groups
36
Q
key thinker: betty friedan (1921-2006)
A
- argued too many individuals are held back due to innate factors such as their face, gender, sexual orientation and physical disability
- legislation to outlaw discrimination was entirely consistent, she argued, with mill’s ’harm principle’
- argued illiberal attitudes in society condemned women and others to underachievement, these attitudes were promoted through institutions described as cultural channels
37
Q
neo liberalism: liberalism or conservatism?
A
- neo liberalism emerged in the west in 1970’s
- pioneered by friedrich von hayek - a self confessed radical liberal who sought to apply adam smith to the modern age
- he argued that the growing state fostered paternalist attitudes and dependence
- 1970’s global economic problems led to calls for a reduction of the size of the state, seen as an expensive tax burden that undermined the efficiency of the market
38
Q
liberalism today
A
- following collapse of soviet communism and emergence of new capitalist states in eastern europe, liberalism entered in the 21st century with confidence
- equally, internet technology encouraged individual expression while many societies embraced alternative lifestyles
- new labour embraced economic liberalism, while conservatives embraced same sex marriage
- growth of global islamic terrorism has forced liberal democrat’s into a war on terror that involves limiting individual freedoms and undermined tolerance
- backlash within liberal democracies against negative aspects of globalisation, fuelling support for ‘populist’ political movements that challenged both economic liberalism and social liberalism
