Key Thinker - Thomas Hill Green Flashcards
Who was Thomas Hill Green
-born 1836 died 1882
-influenced a new generation of liberals called the ‘new liberals’
What did Green believe regarding what classical liberalism promoted
-believed the unrestrained pursuit of profit advocated by classical liberalism gave rise to new forms of poverty + injustice
-the economic liberty of the few has blighted the life changes of the many
What did Green reject following Mill
-rejected the early liberal conception of human beings as essentially self-seeking utility maximisers suggesting a more optimistic view of human nature
What was this optimistic view of human nature held by Green
-individuals have sympathy for one another - egoism thus constrained by some from of altruism
-individual possesses social responsibilities + it merely individual responsibilities so linked to there by ties of caring + empathy
What was this optimistic view of human nature perhaps influenced by
-socialist ideas that emphasised the sociable + cooperative nature of humankind
-due to this Green’s ideas have been described as ‘socialist liberalism’
What other classical liberals notion did Green challenge
-the notion of freedom
Why did Green challenge the notion of freedom
-classical liberal notion of negative freedom merely removes external constrains I’m indivivudal giving individual freedom of choice
-regarding businesses wishing to maximise profits negative freedom allows them to hire cheaper labour possible like children + pay them little
What did Green propose instead of negative feed on
-Geen proposed concept known as positive freedom
What was positive freedom
-freedom is the ability of the individual to develop + attain individuality
-involves people’s ability realise their individual potential, attain skills + knowledge + achieve fulfilment
How was this different to negative freedom
-negative freedom acknowledged only legal + physical restraints on freedom
-positive freedom recognises that liberty may also be threatened by social disadvantage + inequality
How did this positive freedom impact Green’s view of the state
-implied a revised view of the state where the state can expand freedom + not merely diminish it
How did modern liberals view the state that was different to that of classical liberals
-instead of a minimal sate modern liberals proposed a enabling state
What was the enabling state
-exercising an increasingly wide range of social + economic responsibilities
