Ideas and Principles

Question 1

Where did liberalism emerge from?

Answer 1

It emerged in reaction to the rule of monarchies and aristocratic privilege in the early modern world

Question 2

Who’s views did it represent?

Answer 2

Reflected the views of educated middle classes who sought wider civil liberties and opportunities to better themselves

Question 3

What movement did liberalism emerge from?

Answer 3

The Enlightenment; an 18th century intellectual movement that rejected traditional social, political and religious ideas and stressed the power of reason and importance of tolerance and freedom

Question 4

Who wrote the US Declaration of Independence and when was it written? What was it’s key message?

Answer 4

Thomas Jefferson; 1776; unalienable rights- life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

Question 5

What did Immanuel Kant believe?

Answer 5

Individuals are unique and have equal worth.
People should be treated as instruments to achieve a particular goal, but should be regarded as having their own intrinsic value.

Question 6

What was Kant’s ‘categorical imperative’?

Answer 6

It is an absolute moral requirement to perform an action for its own sake rather than any gain.

Question 7

What are classical liberals belief on individualism?

Answer 7

Egotistical individualism- the view that people are self-seeking and self-reliant.
Minimises the importance of society seeing it as little more than a collection of independent individuals

Question 8

What are modern liberals belief on individualism?

Answer 8

Developmental individualism- individual freedom is linked to the desire to create a society in which each person can grow and flourish.
This justifies their support for some state intervention in society to help the disadvantaged

Question 9

What is tolerance?

Answer 9

A willingness to accept values, customs and beliefs which on disagrees

Question 10

What formed liberals views on freedom?

Answer 10

They objected to the way in which authoritarian govts claimed a right to take decisions on behalf of people and attempted to regulate their behaviour

Question 11

What was John Locke’s (1632-1704) view on freedom?

Answer 11

‘Where there is no law, there is no freedom’
Freedom can never be absolute but must be exercised under law, in order to protect people from interfering with each others rights

Question 12

What is utilitarianism?

Answer 12

Aims at attaining the greatest happiness for the greatest number
A society based upon utilitarianism would provide the basis for a liberal utopia

Question 13

What does Jeremy Bentham’s view on a liberal society?

Answer 13

Each individual can decide what is in their own interest
Human actions are motivated mainly by a desire to pursue pleasure and to avoid pain
Govt should not prevent people from doing what they choose unless their actions threaten others ability to do the same for themselves
Mechanistic view of human behaviour that saw people as driven by rational self-interest
When applied to society could lead to tyranny of the majority

Question 14

What is negative freedom?

Answer 14

Classical liberal concept by John Stuart Mill

Freedom from interference by other people

Question 15

What is positive freedom?

Answer 15

Modern liberal concept by T.H. Green

Having the capacity to act on one’s free will and to realise personal potential

Question 16

What are liberals view on the state?

Answer 16

It is a ‘necessary evil’
The state is needed to avert disorder and to protect the vulnerable from exploitation
The state mistrusts power because they believe that human beings are essentially self-seeking, so may use position of power to pursue their own interests probably at the expense of others.

Question 17

Why do liberals oppose the concentration of power?

Answer 17

It gives people a greater incentive to benefit themselves and to use other people for their own ends
Victorian liberal historian Lord Acton (1834-1902): “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”

Question 18

What is a limited government?

Answer 18

Where the role of govt is limited by the checks and balances and a separation if powers because if the corrupting nature of power

Question 19

What is constitutionalism?

Answer 19

Govt in which power is distributed and limited by a system of laws

Question 20

What are separation of powers?

Answer 20

Authority is shared between the three branches of govt: the legislature, executive and judiciary
The branches are given some influence over each other and they act to check abuses of power

Question 21

What are Bill of Rights?

Answer 21

A clear statement of citizens rights and defines the relationship between citizens and the state

Question 22

What is laissez-faire capitalism?

Answer 22

An economic system, organised by the market, where goods are produced for exchange and profit and wealth is privately owned

Question 23

What is rationalism?

Answer 23

Individuals should be free to exercise their judgement about their own interests without needing to be guided by external authorities (state or church leaders)
It is better for individuals to take responsibility for themselves than to take instruction from above

Question 24

Example of Rationalism in action

Answer 24

Use of reasoned debate and discussion to resolve disputes
League of Nations- UN
EU

Question 25

What is equality of opportunity?

Answer 25

The idea that all individuals should have equal chances in life to rise and fall

Question 26

What is foundational equality?

Answer 26

Rights that all humans have by virtue of being born, which cannot be taken away

Question 27

What is meritocracy?

Answer 27

A society organised on the basis that success is based on ability and hard work

Question 28

What is an example of meritocracy?

Answer 28

William Gladstone, the British liberal Prime Minister, introduced competitive examinations for entry to the civil service in the 1870s, bringing to an end the practice of making appointments on the basis of aristocratic connections

Question 29

What did Mary Wollenstonecraft believe in?

Answer 29

Women were no less rational beings than men and were entitled to the same rights to pursue a career and to own their own property when married- something the law prohibited at the time

Question 30

What do modern liberals believe in on equality?

Answer 30

Some degree of state intervention to narrow social inequalities
True equality is not possible without social justice
Total equality of outcome is not possible or desirable

Question 31

What does a liberal democracy involve?

Answer 31

Free elections to give expressions to the will of the people
Limitations on the power of the state, which should act as a neutral arbiter between different interests in society
Respect for civil liberties and toleration of different viewpoints

Question 32

What is a social contract and which liberal thinker explained it?

Answer 32

An unofficial agreement shared by everyone in a society in which they give up some freedom in return for security
John Locke- Two Treaties of Government 1960
He argued that the people must freely give and renew their consent to be governed

Question 33

What happens if there isn’t a social contract?

Answer 33

Government lacks legitimacy
Thomas Hobbes- Leviathan 1651
People should come together to erect a great power over them to guarantee peace and security
Individuals have the right to rebel

Question 34

What are the advantages of a liberal democracy?

Answer 34

It enables citizens to hold govt to account
Encourages popular participation and performs an educational function in society, promoting the personal development of individuals
Gives a political voice to different groups and interests
Promotes consensus and underpins political stability giving equilibrium or balance to a political system

Question 35

What are the disadvantages liberal democracy?

Answer 35

Tyranny of the majority

Only take into account of the elite, educated and rich