liberalism

Question 1

Who are the five liberalism key thinkers?

Answer 1

John Locke
Mary Wollstonecraft
John Stuart Mill
John Rawls
Betty Friedan

Question 2

Who is seen as the father of liberalism?

Answer 2

John Locke

Question 3

What was the enlightenment?

Answer 3

intellectual movement that emerged in the mid-1600s, continued to exert a powerful influence during the 1700s

Question 4

What radical ideas did the enlightenment inspire?

Answer 4

• every individual has an ability to think freely
• an individuals life should be determined by their own judgement
• the relationship between individuals and governments should be reexamined, to improve the status of the individual

Question 5

What is the Mechanistic Theory?

Answer 5

argues that human beings are rational and can build a state that reflects their needs, rejected the ‘divine right of kings’

Question 6

What is the ‘divine right of kings’?

Answer 6

argued that a state should reflect God’s wishes and that obedience to such a state was a religious duty

Question 7

What was Lockes view on human nature?

Answer 7

egotistical

Question 8

What is egotistical individualism?

Answer 8

belief that human beings are naturally drawn to the advancement of their own, selfish interests

Question 9

What do liberals believe the individual seeks?

Answer 9

• self-realisation
• self-determination
• self fulfilment

Question 10

What do liberals believe occurs when self-realisation, self-determination and self fulfilment are denied?

Answer 10

human beings are left demoralised, de-energised and afflicted by the sense of a wasted life

Question 11

What do both Locke and Stuart Mill think about being rational?

Answer 11

we may be egotistical but our behaviour is also rational and therefore respectful to others

Question 12

What is the overall liberal view on human nature?

Answer 12

fundamentally self-centred, but also thoughtful and empathetic

Question 13

What is the liberal idea of human nature being progressive?

Answer 13

human nature is constantly progressing and developing through greater knowledge, improved understanding of the world around us and greater education

Question 14

What is developmental individualism?

Answer 14

relates to the liberal philosophy of John Stuart Mill, who wished to focus on what individuals could become

Question 15

What is the doctrine of ‘utility’ or ‘utilitarianism’?

Answer 15

doctrine advanced by the radical philosopher Jeremy Bentham, and asserting that human beings are guided by the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain