liberalism Flashcards
what is classic liberalism
most commonly associated with the Age of Enlightenment
government by consent
guarantee of individual freedom
representative democracy
a limited role of the state within society and the economy
individuals are born with natural rights
what is modern liberalism
argued for increased role of state within society and economy
what are the core ideas of liberalism
Individualism
freedom/liberty
state and rationalism
equality and democracy
what do different liberals believe about individualism
all - believe we should preserve rights and freedoms above any claims by the state
classic liberals - egoistical individualism which is concerned for maximising there own utility (personal worth) so they can thrive
modern - positive freedom whereby the state practices a form of developmental individualism to help make society a fairer place
classic - the state should be small , limiting to maintaining law and order and protecting society from invasion so there rights aren’t infringed on and respects formal equality
this limited interference is Called negative freedom
modern- expand state and welfare provisions so rights are better protected
both want to protect human rights however disagree how
classic - small state
modern - interventionist state which guarantees freedoms
Locke focused on protecting political and religious rights whereas Wollstonecraft and Freidan argued for an end of sexual discrimination
what do different liberals believe about freedom
Locke (classic liberal) asserted that the role of government was the protection of mans right to ‘life, liberty and state’
freedom is a natural right
locke argued for a state constructed by a social contact where individuals govern by consent - for many classic liberals the American revolution was a perfect example of a broken contract between ruled and rulers as they withdrew consent
Locke believed state would practice limited government so individuals can enjoy maximin amount of freedom
j.s mill (classic and modern liberal) - broadened whats meant by freedom - individuals should be free from interference eg allowed to commit suicide if they want
what are the different views on the state
CLASSIC - the state is a necessary evil
the state must protect ‘life, liberty and estate’
must intervene to maintain rule of law + protect society from foreign invasion
locke - govern by consent with social contract - would ensure ‘government should always be the servant and not master, of the people’
want limited government by limiting power - divided between branches of government, and Lockes government by consent, by limiting jurisdiction and electorate
MODERN - should promote equality of opportunity through education and reductions in inherited privilege
should organise welfare to help those unable to defend themselves like unemployed
Keynesian economics not laissez faire(free economy) to stop unemployment
Rawls - state should take more proactive role in reducing inequality within society - preventing social injustice
Freidan - saw state as structure to tp ensure equality of opportunity especially for women
classic - night-watchmen/minimal state - Locke, mills early ideas
modern - enabling state - mill, Freidan, Rawls, Wollstonecraft
liberal ideas on rationalism
Locke argued - ‘reason must be our last judge and guide in everything’
Believe humans are rational and shouldn’t make decisions on emotion
tensions over freedom
they have fundamentally different attitudes towards freedom
classic - views freedom in negative sense
mill argued individuals actions should be not be stopped unless they directly negatively affect other - harm principle
this lead mill and Locke to have a strong tolerance for peoples views
Egotistical individualism - self interested and realist
people would be freer in a negative freedom based society but less encroachments on them also wld facilitate there development as individuals
ideas influenced the creation of us constitution
the paternalistic aspect of state intervention is oppressive to classic liberals as believes its at the expense of individual liberty
eg welfare states require taxation
eg spanner case 1990 - where 15 people were men were arrested on assault even though it was consensual
– js mill - ‘over himself, over his own mind and body , the individual is sovereign’
MODERN - positive freedom
they broadly agree with classics on self reliance but not with negative freedom
as believe the lack of assistance of the state only compounds social and economic disadvantage
positive freedom evens the playing field
equality of opportunity - Rawls
tensions over the state
all subscribe to a mechanistic theory of the state (created by individuals to serve them ) but disagree on how it should best serve them
classic - minimal
modern - enabling to allow people to reach there full potential
modern/ Rawls equality of opportunity - still wants meritocracy but wants more social justice weather that be through minimum wage, state spending to support welfare state, stopping discrimination
classic - limited and controlled by a government based on representative democracy
modern - state intervention social justice, equality and welfare - enabling
power of state should be limited by constitutional rules and robust democracy
views on the economy
modern liberalism - Keynesian economics - mixed of private and state owned
injustices through capitalism stopped by welfare state
classic - laisezz faire - free market - no state intervention
views on human nature
modern - individuals crave freedom but also understand they have obligations to less fortunate
classic- individuals are rational and prefer to pursue there enlightened self interest
views on society
modern - society should embrace a degree of social welfare and social justice - individualism should be tempered with social action and recognition of common good
classic - society is naturally competitive - being made up of free individuals pursuing there own interests - does not recognise common good
what is John Lockes main views
human nature - humans are guided by self interest but are concerned for others
state- govern by consent
society- natural laws and rights of society predate the state
economy - private property is a natural right and state is too merry arbitrate between individuals competing for trade and resources
what are Mary mains views
human nature - both men and women are capable of rational thought
state- republican states that entrench women rights
society - society infantilised women and this inhibited female individualism
economy - liberated women would thrive and enhance the free market economy
what are John Stuart mills main views
human nature- rational but not fixed and capable of progressing to higher levels
state - be a representative democracy and be mindful of minority rights
society - individuality should coexist with tolerance and self improvement
economy - laissez faire capitalism promotes individual initiative and progress
