Human nature

Question 1

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Answer 1

All liberals have a positive view of human nature and believe that individuals are rational, morally equal and desire to maximise their own personal utility (achieve their own version of happiness and success in society)

Question 2

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Answer 2

Liberalism sought to replace the norms of hereditary privilege, state religion, absolute monarchy and traditional conservatism with representative democracy and rule of law

Question 3

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Answer 3

Liberals agree with Locke that individuals are born with natural rights which are inalienable and include ‘life, liberty and property’. This involves protecting and the idea that all individuals deserve formal equality under the law.

Question 4

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Answer 4

liberals have conflicting conceptions of what constitutes as freedom
- classical liberalism is based on negative freedom (freedom from interference with others) and consider the highest form of freedom is freedom from constraints. This implies freedom from oppressive governments and laws and freedom from external threats such as crime and exploitation. Therefore, the role of the state must be limited to enforcing rule of law and protecting property rights. Modern liberalism prefers positive freedom - a concept of freedom that sees the state play as a positive role to assist individuals to reach their full potential.

Question 5

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Answer 5

classical liberals such as Locke argue that individuals are rational or capable to rationality (regards logic and reason as the chief source of knowledge) and prefer to pursue enlightened self-interest. They therefore prefer a limited state involvement. Classical liberals argue individuals success or failure is entirely in their own hands. Modern liberals such as Rawls who disagree that individual success is solely in the hands of the individual and argue that the state is needed to offer individuals assistance in reaching their full potential, advocate an enabling state that provides, welfare, education and healthcare

Question 6

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Answer 6

Classical liberals see society as atomistic, with human nature governed by egotistical individualism. Therefore they struggle to see human nature as having clear social dimension or striving for a common good, and focus primarily on foundational equality. Modern liberals support foundational equality but argue that there is a common good. Therefore, if formal equality is to exist, there has to be an equality of opportunity to facilitate developmental individulism. Rawls expressed this view succinctly in his three principles of justice.

Question 7

Wollenstoncecraft

Answer 7

in her work A vindication of the rights of women speaks of formal equality - in order for women to be free, women should enjoy full civil liberties and have a career.
In accordance with Enlightenment ideas she believed that people are rational and that human nature is naturally good, displaying sympathy and empathy for one’s fellow men and women

Question 8

Rawls three principles of justice

Answer 8

Individuals must have the same set of absolute freedoms
There must be equal opportunities for all
Although some inequalities are inevitable, it must be a priority to help the disadvantaged