IDEOLOGIES Flashcards
WHAT FACTORS? Modern liberals accept ideas of classical liberals?
Freedom
State size
Economy
Liberals: Freedom.
Classics support negative freedom.
J Locke: ‘Two Treatises on Government’ Argued all indivs born equal/free, everyone possesses natural rights e.g., property.
M Wollstonecraft: extent on neg freedom. 1792 ‘A Vindication on the Rights of Women’ argued women as rational as men.
J S Mill: ‘On Liberty’ argues ‘harm principle’. Inheritance should be heavily taxed as unfair advantage… flat rate tax as ‘equality of sacrifice’.
Moderns criticise negative freedom as freedom of choice=exploitation… freedom to starve.
J Rawls: 1971 ‘A Theory of Justice’ liberty principle.
Liberals: state size.
Both support principle of self-govt- groups should have power to rule themselves, help protect civil liberties.
Classics advocate minimal state to maximise personal freedom.
Limited state which upholds justice + prevent foreign invasion. Key= army etc.
J Locke: ‘Two Treaties on Government’. Argued for ‘limited govt’ subject to legal restraint.
J S Mill: ‘On Liberty’ govt can only interfere to prevent harm to others. Advocated big freedom of speech even if offensive.
Moderns believe govt purpose to create condits to fulfil indiv potential.
J Rawls: criticise minimal state as ‘freedom to starve’
Moderns like state intervention e.g., poor don’t have freedom to act to wishes so welfare state.
Equality of opportunity!
Classics see Rawls’ ideas unliberal… surrender to socialism.
Liberals: economy.
Significant disagreement.
Classics promote laissez-faire based on free market principles.
Argue state dominated economy= monopolies w no motivation to improve quality/reduce prices.
Ideas stemmed from J Locke ‘Two Treatises on Government’.
E.g., 1979-90 Thatcher: reduced state role in economy.
Moderns influenced by Keynesian economics- allows greater state intervention to advance equality of opportunity + maximise indiv freedom.
WHAT FACTORS? Socialists on how economy should operate.
Privatisation
Free market
Equality
Socialists: privatisation.
Revs: overthrow capitalism to stop exploitation.
K Marx + R Luxemburg: believed rev necessary to rid capitalism, after proletariat should seize capital + operate to benefit everyone.
R Luxemburg: “Those who do not move, do not notice their chains”
Hugely disagrees.
Dems e.g., A Crosland: didn’t desire rev as happy with increase equality in modern society, but make it more equal e.g., high welfare spending etc.
Third Way e.g., A Giddens: limited welfare state, believe encourages ‘culture of dependency’.
Socialists: free market.
Socialists believe unchecked market can’t deliver social justice.
Dems want planned economy.
B Webb: state needs to provide for workers’ needs. Centrally planned economy w trained admins to organise society/economy on peoples’ behalf.
A Crosland: capitalism Marx knew has changed, now should have state-managed capitalism. Keynesian economics.
Somewhat disagrees.
Third Way e.g., A Giddens: mixed economy, allow free market to dictate for efficiency/growth but invest heavily in education etc.
Socialists: equality in economy.
Socialists aim for equality.
Revs e.g., K Marx: communism.
R Luxemburg: agreed w Marx, but in response to Webb, against evolutionary socialism as impossible to reform capitalism from inside. Can’t reduce capitalism’s probs as essential to work.
Hugely disagrees.
B Webb: central govt deal w inequalities through planned economy.
‘Evolutionary socialism’ rather than rev. Educate ruling class to care for workers.
‘Inevitability of gradualness’ principle.
WHAT FACTORS? Conservatives on management and nature of economy.
Role of state over economy
How human nature influences need for type of economy
Capitalist economy
Conservatives: role of state over economy.
Most signif area of disagreement regarding state.
Tradit e.g., Oakeshott saw pragmatism as defining idea + tradition key. State intervention necessary.
E.g., post-war govt Macmillan etc, emphasised NHS spending, state house building etc.
Paternalistic state role.
Hugely disagrees with neo-lib economics, focus on reducing state.
R Nozick: ‘minimal state’, allow indivs to flourish. Tax low, anti-welfare state (dependency). Influenced by Adam Smith.
One nation: Disraeli liked regulated economy w minimum intervention (laissez-faire).
Ayn Rand: claimed state must ‘keep its hands off’.
Conservatives: human nature influences type of economy.
Tradits/one nation e.g., M Oakeshott believe human imperfection. Indivs intellectually imperfect due to irrational nature, would create instability in free market economy… cause disproportionate rich/poor divide.
Tradit e.g., T Hobbes: neg view. Humans driven by self-interest, would cripple w/o reg as rich/poor divide would= rev. W/o state, life would be ‘nasty, brutish, and short’.
Huge disagreement to neo-libs/neo-cons.
A Rand: humans can rationally pursue self-interests. Should be able to succeed on own merit.
R Nozick: indivs rational. Should be allowe to manage unreg economy.
Conservatives: capitalist economy.
Tradit e.g., E Burke: protect capitalism as in organic society, humans need to maintain individualism to create ‘natural aristocracy’. Tradit e.g., M Oakeshott: pragmatism promoted capitalism as previously worked to maintain hierarchy but reduce rich/poor divide.
Similar to neo-libs.
A Rand: pure capitalist economy to increase indiv freedom= promote meritocratic state- indivs respond to success/fail… create hierarchy.
-R Nozick: capitalism’s power unbalance maximises indiv freedom.
WHAT FACTORS? Socialists on collectivism.
Human nature
Collectivism emphasis (extent)
Capitalism
Socialists: human nature on collectivism.
Revs: human nature is inherently collectivist.
Final form of human development= communism (complete collectivism).
K Marx: indivs naturally like to work together for a common goal. Everyone eventually working together in ‘stateless communism’. Capitalism only abolished through WC uprising.
R Luxemburg: rev necessary to rid capitalism, after proletariat should seize capital + operate to benefit everyone. “Those who do not move, do not notice their chains”
Dems e.g., A Crosland: didn’t want rev as happy w increased equality in modern society, but more equality e.g., high welfare spending. etc.
Socialists: emphasis on collectivism.
Revs: huge emphasis on collectivism.
K Marx: create a classless society (communism).
Dems: less emphasis on collectivism.
-A Crosland: agreed with revs about tendency for humans to work together + would be more efficient.
B Webb: agreed view of human tendency to work together, TUs evident. Supported welfare state. Reduce poverty by state-level action, gradual reforms.
General consensus on human collectivist nature but revs think natural but dems believe by welfare state.
Socialists: capitalism regarding collectivism.
Revs: communism as more collectivist.
K Marx: any capitalism exploits workers. Believes false consciousness distracts workers from reality. “You have nothing to lose but your chains”.
R Luxemburg: proletariat uprising. Disagreed on evolutionary socialism by Webb.
Dems: believe in gradual change, not by revs.
B Webb: reforms to ensure freedoms but not ‘freedom to starve’. ‘Evolutionary socialism’. State cares for workers.
-A Crosland: don’t need rev but more equal society e.g., welfare state.
WHAT FACTORS? Liberals on types of equality.
Equality of opportunity
Equality of outcome
Foundational equality
Liberals: equality of opportunity.
Agree.
Classics e.g., M Wollstonecraft: ‘A Vindication on the Rights of Women’ argued women as rational as men, entitled to same rights e.g., education etc.
J S Mill: ‘Subjection of Women’ argued for women’s votes decades before achieved. Like MW, argued women enslaved to husbands. ‘legal dependence of one sex on the other is wrong’.
Moderns e.g., J Rawls: 1971 ‘A Theory of Justice’ argued justice principles chosen behind ‘veil of ignorance’ (indivs unaware of own characteristics). Each indiv right to certain basic liberties.
Rawls equality principle: allows inequalities ONLY if favour those lowest e.g., affirmative action programmes for university.
Liberals: equality of outcome.
Classics e.g., J Locke: equality of opportunity rather than outcome.
Classics don’t explicitly mention it but would argue attempts to impose it would lead to excessive state intervention, undermining indiv freedoms.
M Wollstonecraft: focus on women’s rights suggests she would support efforts to address systemic inequalities.
Moderns argue equality of outcome is designed to ensure fairer distribution of chances/wealth.
2010-15 coalition: pupil premium to try decrease social exclusion amongst pupils.
J Rawls: ‘A Theory of Justice’, ‘difference principle’ inequalities ONLY allowed if they benefit lowest in society. Doesn’t use term equality of outcome but more concerned on heavier equality.
Liberals: foundational equality.
Foundational equality= everyone should enjoy same legal/political rights e.g., voting.
Classics e.g, J Locke: ‘Two Treatises on Government’. Believed everyone possesses natural rights e.g., property.
J S Mill: ‘On Liberty’ argued everyone has capacity for reason which entitles them to certain rights/freedoms. ‘Harm principle’, indivs can pursue own interests if don’t harm others.
Moderns agree.
J Rawls: indivs equal in moral worth, entitled to basic rights/opportunities.
WHAT FACTORS? Liberals on human nature.
Equality of opportunity
Society not equal (freedoms)
Optimistic on human nature
State response on human nature.
Liberals: optimism on human nature.
Both optimistic on human nature- indvis rational, morally equal + independent.
Classics e.g., 18th century Enlightenment movement inspired by scientists/philosophers e.g., Isaac Newton. Believed humans capable of reason + logic.
J Locke: ‘reason must be our last judge and guide in everything’.
Moderns e.g., J Rawls: argue indivs behind ‘veil of ignorance’ would make rational + impartial decisions, recognises personal bias.
B Friedan: ‘The Feminine Mystique’ reflects indiv capacity to make rational choices.
Liberals: state response to human nature.
Classics e.g., J Locke + J S Mill: society atomistic in nature (made up of indivs with own interests). Advocated egotistical individualism: indivs self-reliant + rational.
J Locke: involved govt would enslave indiv lives.
J S Mill: indivs are sovereign beings, should organise own lives.
Some contrast to moderns, agree over self-reliance but argue state must provide help for every indiv to achieve goal.
J Rawls; ‘veil of ignorance’. Need of welfare state for equality of opportunity.
WHAT FACTORS? Liberal on role of state.
General role
Size
Economy involvement
