Liberalism Flashcards
What does John Locke believe about human nature?
- Humans are rational beings, guided by self-interest.
- As rational beings people realise that co-operation with others is in their own best interests.
What does John Rawls believe about human nature?
- Saw the empathetic side of human nature to a greater degree than earlier liberal thinkers.
- Saw humans as self-interested but also concerned about the welfare of those around them.
What does Betty Friedan believe about human nature?
- Women and men are equally capable, however society has conditioned women to think of themselves as inferior.
What does John Locke believe about the society?
- Society predates the state = government by consent
-In the ‘state of nature’ there are natural rights and laws which derive from humans’ rational nature, e.g. the right to own property.
What does John Rawls believe about society?
- Put forward a ‘thought experiment’ arguing that if individuals had to choose a society from behind a ‘veil of ignorance’, they would choose a fairer, more equal society, which ensured equality of opportunity.
What does Betty Friedan believe about society?
-Traditional society has conditioned women to adopt certain gender roles, e.g. childcare and home-making.
-This cultural conditioning has been communicated through social channels eg. media and must be challenged.
What does John Locke believe about the state
-The state exists as the result of a ‘social contract’ between citizens and the government.
-The legitimacy of the state derives from the ‘government by consent’.
- mechanist theory = people are capable of forming a state that reflects their needs instead of an authoritarian state
- Argues limited government, laissez-faire economics
What does John Rawls believe about the state?
-He was a strong advocate of the enabling state, arguing that intervention is necessary in order to create equality of opportunity
- Government should support people from ‘cradle to grave’
- this allows people to get positive freedom = the ability to achieve
What does Betty Friedan believe about the state?
-The state is male-dominated but is capable of change if people can be educated to realise the fundamental equality of men and women.
-The state should pass laws to bring about greater equality. - affirmative action is necessary
What does John Locke believe about the economy?
-Property ownership is the basis of the economy and individuals should be free to trade in the pursuit of their own interests.
-The state should protect property rights
What does John Rawls believe about the economy?
- Comfortable with the capitalist economy alongside state intervention to ensure poorer citizens can have equality of opportunity (but not equality of outcome).
What does Betty Friedan believe about the economy?
- Women are capable of making significant contributions to the capitalist economy if they are freed up by new laws to overcome the historical gender bias.
What type of liberalists were the 5 key thinkers?
JS Mill = later classical liberalism
Betty Friedan = Modern liberalism
Mary Wollstonecraft = early classical liberalism
John Locke =
John Rawls =modern liberalism
What does John Locke argue about egotistical individualism?
- Humans are naturally drawn to the advancements of their own and the pursuit of their own happiness
What do neo-liberalists believe about keynesianism economics?
- we need an economic system that requires government involvement to achieve full employment and price stability
- readvertised negative freedom and minimal state
What is neo-liberalism?
a modified form of liberalism tending to favor free-market capitalism.
What is the Beveridge Report?
What does neo-liberalist Hayek say about this?
- 1942
- talked about the state supporting the people from cradle to grave
- Hayek said this was a form of state paternalism
What is Social Darwinism?
The belief that only the fittest survive in human political and economic struggle.
What is equality of opportunity?
- all individuals should have equal chances in life to rise and fall
Why do social liberals put forward positive freedom?
positive freedom = enlarged state where the most vulnerable in society can be protected
Why do classical liberals such as T.H Green put forward negative freedom?
negative freedom = harm principle and limited role of the state.
How can limitations on individual freedom be justified?
Locke’s social contract theory - Gov can act on behalf of the people because they chose them.
Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarianism - actions are morally right if they tend to promote happiness or pleasure, actions therefore limited are in benefit for society by the state
TH Green’s negative freedom - laws to prevent discrimination, FGM etc are good even though they limit freedom
Rawls view on the individual freedom
he argued that the individual rights, freedoms and beliefs of each person must be respected. Therefore, approaches such as utilitarianism (the greatest happiness for the greatest number) are flawed. Excessive inequality should therefore be avoided, as it harms the poorest in society
Friedan view on individual freedom
She wished to reform society so that women were able to easily choose either a career or a domestic role, depending on what they wanted. This would result in true equal rights. Any laws which prevented this should be repealed.