Individualism & Collectivism (Ch. 2)

Question 1

Define:

Individualism

Answer 1

• A possible foundation of ideology (particularly foundational in liberalism, and Western democracy)
• Emphasis on wellbeing and self-interest of the individual
• Values freedom and worth of the individual, sometimes over the security & harmony of the group
• Ideologies based on individualism and stress ideas of personal autonomy and self reliance

Question 2

Define:

Personal Autonomy

Answer 2

A state of individual freedom from outside authority

Question 3

Define:

Self-Reliance

Answer 3

The quality of being solely responsibly for one’s own well-being

Question 4

Define:

Collectivism

Answer 4

• Emphasis on wellbeing of the group
• Values the goals of the group and the common good over the goals of any one individual
• Collectivism focuses on community and society, and stresses ideas of interdependence

Question 5

Define:

Interdependance

Answer 5

The dependence of two or more people or things on each other

Question 6

Fill in the blank:

Individualism is one possible foundation of ideology and is a foundation in particular of ____________

Answer 6

Individualism is one possible foundation of ideology and is a foundation in particular of liberalism

Question 7

What is the prevailing ideology in Western democracy?

Answer 7

Liberalism

Question 8

What are the 7 principles of individualism?

Answer 8

1. Rule of law
2. Individual rights and freedoms
3. Private property
4. Economic freedom
5. Self-interest
6. Competition

Question 9

Define:

Rule of Law

(as a principle of indivdualism)

Answer 9

• Every individual is subject to the law, and equal before the law
• Citizens are subject to clearly defined rules
• No one, no matter how important or powerful is above the law

Ex. when Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi tried to use Italian immunity laws to avoid bribery charges, he was accused of trying to place himself above the law

Question 10

Define:

Individual Rights and Freedoms

(as a principle of indivdualism)

Answer 10

• A key principle of individualism and of liberal democracies
• These rights and freedoms may include (but are not limited to), freedom of religion, freedom of association, the right to life, liberty, and security, and the right to vote

Ex. after the American and French revolutions, the right to vote was granted only to some men, mainly property owners

Question 11

Define:

Private Property

(as a principle of indivdualism)

Answer 11

• Modern understandings of property law were developed during the Enlightenment, but at the time, these laws only applied to land
• They have now been adapted to apply to 3 different types of property: real estate, physical possessions, and intellectual property
• However, the notion of private property is only one way of looking at land and property; some cultures believe a person’s land reflects their interrelationship with nature, and others believe land cannot be owned

Ex. The ongoing dispute over land and resource management between Barrier Lake Algonquin First Nations, and the Federal Government

Question 12

Define:

Economic Freedom

(as a principle of individualism)

Answer 12

• On a personal level, economic freedom is the freedom to buy what you wish and sell your labour or product to whomever you wish
• Economic freedom for free-market entrepreneurs would mean that there are no barriers to trade for products they might want to export, and their customers would not have to pay taxes (free market: a market in which consumers and businesses have free choice to buy, sell, or trade)
• The Wall Street Journal rates economic freedom according to the following factors: business freedom, trade freedom, fiscal (tax) freedom, degree of government regulation, monetary fund, investment fund, financial freedom, property rights, freedom from corruption, and labour freedom

Ex. After the Great Depression, Canada implemented policies designed to create a “social safety net” for Canadians, transforming Canada into a welfare state (a state in which the economy is capitalist, but the government uses policies that directly or indirectly modify market forces to ensure economic stability and a basic standard of living for its citizens

Question 13

Define:

Self-Interest

(as a principle of individualism)

Answer 13

• The assumption that people generally act in their own self-interest (one’s personal interest or advantage, especially when pursued without a regard for others)
• Idea was first promoted by Adam Smith (18th century Scottish philosopher, and economist) who saw self-interest as an “invisible hand” that guides individuals to contribute for the common good of everyone (essentially, both the buyers’ self-interest and the sellers’ self-interest, work together to benefit the other)

Ex. Individual entrepreneurs who serve the common good through honestly and reliability may also serve their own self-interest by winning more customers

Question 14

Define:

Competition

(as a principle of individualism)

Answer 14

• The forces of supply and demand in the marketplace work to the benefit of the majority
• Stems from economic freedom; each individual’s buyer’s desire to find the best quality product at the lowest price ensures that sellers compete among themselves to provide a variety of products at the lowest prices
• This notion can also be applied to labour… like any other commodity, if there is an over supply of labour, wages will fall, and workers will look for employment in a sector of the economy which is in a labour shortage (decreasing demand), and vice-versa

high supply → low demand, price drop, and eventually supply drops as well

low supply → high demand, price raise, and eventually a raise in supply

Question 15

Fill in the blank:

The principles of collectivism are the foundation of ideologies such as ________________ and ________________.

Answer 15

The principles of collectivism are the foundation of ideologies such as communism and socialism.

Question 16

What are the 7 principles of collectivism?

Answer 16

1. Economic equality
2. Cooperation
3. Public property
4. Collective interest
5. Collective responsibility
6. Adherance to collective norms

Question 17

Fill in the blank:

While the principles of ________________ formed the basis of the classical liberal ideology that originally guided modern democracies, over time, most liberal democracies have evolved and incorporated aspects of ________________ into their political, economic and social systems.

Answer 17

While the principles of individualism formed the basis of the classical liberal ideology that originally guided modern democracies, over time, most liberal democracies have evolved and incorporated aspects of collectivism into their political, economic and social systems.

Question 18

Define:

Economic Equality

(as a principle of collectivism)

Answer 18

• People with larger incomes should pay more taxes
• All people should earn equal wages for work of similar value
• There should be a guaranteed annual income (GAI)
• All people should share the world
• People should own the means of production (factories or companies that produce goods) collectively
• Everything should be free, there should be no private property

Ex. the Canadian Progressive Taxation Policies could be viewed as an attempt to redistribute wealth across Canada

Question 19

Define:

Cooperation

(as a principle of collectivism)

Answer 19

• The means through which members of a group, or collective, achieve their common goals
• It may involve designating roles, following certain protocols for speaking, or following guidelines for decision making.
• Some of guiding principles of co-operatives include voluntary and open membership, democratic control by members, and economic participation by members

Ex. Co-operatives; daycare centres, health-care centres, stores, and credit unions are a few examples of enterprises that can be owned and managed co-operatively

Question 20

Define:

Public Property

(as a principle of collectivism)

Answer 20

• Public property is anything—land, buildings, vehicles—not privately owned by individuals.
• Generally speaking, public property is owned by the state or the community, and managed according to the best interests of the community.
• The concept of public property is present in communist nations, and liberal nations (like Canada) to a lesser extent.
• Public properties are maintained with public money raised through taxation.

Ex. parks, schools, roads, libraries, Crown land, and Crown corporations (such as Via Rail or the CBC) are examples of property that the gov. manages in the interest of all of society.

Question 21

Define:

Collective Interest

(as a principle of collectivism)

Answer 21

• Refers to the set of interests that members of a group have in common. More specifically, the principle of collective interest states that while individual members may have individual interests, these interests are often better addressed by making them a common set of interests that the group can address together.
• Collective interest is the basis for the organized labour movement, which began during the Industrial Revolution.
• Collective interest is also the foundation for social movements and lobby groups, such as human rights groups, professional groups, or international organizations

Ex. members of organized trade unions are able to fight for better working conditions and higher rates of pay and be successful. These are successes that individuals could not have reached alone

Question 22

Define:

Collective Responsibility

(as a principle of collectivism)

Answer 22

• Collective responsibility means holding the whole group responsible for the actions of individuals (or individual groups) within the group. Collective responsibility asserts that there is no individual action for which the group cannot in some way be held accountable.
• Collective responsibility means holding the whole group responsible for the actions of individuals (or individual groups) within the group. Collective responsibility asserts that there is no individual action for which the group cannot in some way be held accountable.
• Acknowledgment of collective responsibility is often made in response to deep-rooted social problems that cannot be addressed by targeting individuals or a single group.
• On the other hand, the idea of collective responsibility does not always guarantee a caring society… sometimes the idea of collective responsibility is used in totalitarian states such as North Korea. In such a society, if one member of a family criticizes the government or its leaders, the whole family might be punished to send a message that the behaviour is not tolerated.

Ex. campaigns against underage drinking often state that the cure for this problem must be a collective responsibility.

Question 23

Define:

Adherence to Collective Norms

(as a principle of collectivism)

Answer 23

• Groups usually impose norms, or standards, on their members as a condition of membership in the group
• These norms can relate to conduct, values, or appearance - While they are voluntary, the group members generally see these standards as binding, which makes adherence to collective norms important.

Ex. Sororities and fraternities, political parties, faith groups, trade unions, and professional groups all impose certain standards of conduct on their members. Living up to these standards may be considered a daily responsibility.