Ideology and History Flashcards
Laissez - Faire Economics
An economic philosophy of free-market capitalism that opposes government intervention.
Social Contract Theory
People who live together in society follow an agreement that establishes moral and political rules of behaviour. Can be explicit or implicit.
The Two Row Wampum Belt (Kaswentha)
Symbolizes an agreement of mutual respect and peace between the Haudenosaunee and European newcomers to North America.
Principles of Classical Liberalism
Consent of the Governed
Rule of Law
Limited Government
Individual Rights and Freedoms
Natural Right
Refers to all rights given to all humans simply for the sake of being human; free speech, religious liberty, the right to private property, and the right of political opposition.
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
The natural state of man is evil.
Government, strict laws, and sovereign ruler is necessary in order to have a peaceful society.
Rational politics over divine right.
Social contract.
John Locke (1632-1704)
The existence of Natural Law exceeded man-made law.
Citizens have the right to life, liberty, and property.
Government receives legitimacy through the consent of the governed.
First extending rights to all men, initially excluding women.
Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
Society is a human construct and should be remade to reflect man’s natural state (free and equal).
Decisions should be made on general will.
Will of the people, majority rule, consent of the goverened.
Romantic movement.
Montesquieu (1698 - 1755)
Separation of power: A system composed of 3 branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. Tied together by rule of law, equal with different powers. Checks and balances.
Adam Smith (1723 - 1790)
Laissez-faire government. Free trade, invisible hand. Self-interested traders and consumers leads to a greater good and markets are guided to positive outcomes.
Specialization, consumer capitalism.
John Stuart Mill (1806 - 1873)
Liberty provides the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.
Liberty is limited only when it stands in the way of someone else’s liberty.
Utilitarianism (actions are right if they are useful or for the benefit of a majority) - Greatest good for the greatest number of people.
Karl Marx (1818 - 1883)
Advocated for a radical form of socialism and a worker’s revolution to overthrow capitalism.
Beginning of modern-day capitalism.
Edmund Burke (1729 - 1794)
Reactionary preferring the pre-industrial past.
Disagreed with the general will of the people; believing that it would result in chaos and rule by mediocre uneducated and disinterested people.
Classical Conservatist
Industrial Revolution (1760 - 1840)
Move from an agriculturally based economy to large-scale production and the factory system.
European Exploration
Stimulated a money favouring free trade.
Agricultural Revolution
Fertilizers and new machinery increased food production and life expectancy.
Enclosure Acts
Private ownership of large fields of land.
Forcing farm people into cities for a large amount of cheap labour.
Helped to industrialize.
Luddites
Following Luddism, armies broke into factories and destroyed machinery.
Conservative right reactionaries.
The government response was to make it a capital offence, and created very violent protests.
Opposed the industrial revolution.
Chartism
Working-class movement that emerged in 1836.
Gain political rights and influence for the working class and challenge the elitism of political and social liberalism.
Votes for men who did not own property.
Classical Liberalism
- Natural Right
- Limited Government
- Rule of Law
- Consent of the governed.
Natural Right
Personal freedom refers to the absence of coercion in the various realms of life. Includes free speech, religious liberty, the right of private property, and the right of political opposition.
Limited Government
State is an instrument serving a particular function in society and is not in general charge of all society.
Rule of Law
Equality of rights implies that all must abide by the same laws, which the state enforces with impartiality.
Consent of the Governed
Means that government emanates from the people, is responsible to them, and may e changed by them; it is a moderate and practical statement of the doctrine of popular sovereignty.
Status Quo
The accepted norms in the current date.
Elitism
The advocacy or existence of an elite as a dominating element in a system or society.
Popular Sovereignty
Government is created by and subject to the will fo the people.
Progressivism
Improve the human condition through social reform based on advancements in science, technology, economic development and social organization.
Libertarian
Minimal state intervention in free market and the private lives of citizens.
Welfare State
The government undertakes to protect well-being of citizens, especially those in financial or social need by means of grants, pensions and other benefits.
Right/Left Wing
Left: Radical, Communism/Socialism
Right: Reactionary, Conservative/Fascist
Authoritarian
Favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority, especially that of the government, at the expense of personal freedom
Great Law of Peace
Constitution of the Haudenosaunee.
Divided powers between levels of government.
Guaranteed rights and freedoms.
Individuals carefully selected to represent groups of people.
Decisions by consensus.
Principles of Individualism
Rule of Law: individuals are equal in the law and they apply to everyone.
Individual Rights and Freedoms
Private Property
Economic Freedom
Self-interest and Competition
Principles of Collectivism
Economic Equality: to each according to his need
Cooperation
Public Property
Collective Interest: Set of interests that members of a group have in common.
Collective Responsibility
Adherence to collective norms: including censorship
Executive/Legislative/Judicial
Executive: Carries out and enforces laws. In Canada: includes the cabinet that develops policies to govern the country and introduces bills to transform these policies into law.
Legislative: Law-making branch. Made up of the appointed senate and house of commons.
Judicial: Represented by the courts and has the function of resolving conflicts related to laws.
