Liberalism Flashcards
Individualism
the primacy of the individual in society over any group
egotistical individualism and developmental individualism
Freedom/ liberty
the ability to make decisions in your own interests based on your view of human nature
freedom is ‘under the law’
guarantee individual freedom
State
it is ‘necessary’ to avoid disorder but ‘evil’ as it has the potential to remove individual liberty and therefore should be limited
Rationalism
the belief humans are rational creatures capable of reason and logic
allows a progressive society to define their own best interests and make their own moral choices
Equality/ social justice
the belief that individuals are of equal value and should be treated impartially and fairly by society
foundational and formal equality, equality of opportunity
Liberal democracy
a democracy that balances the will of the people, as shown through elections, with limited government and a respect for civil liberties
John Locke (1632-1704)
- Two Treatises of Government
- social contract theory - society state and government are based on a theoretical voluntary agreement
- natural society before the state worked well
- limited government, needed consent from the people to be legitimate
- positive view of human nature and rationalism
- ‘natural rights’ e.g. property
- dispersal of power and state to have ‘no other end than the preservation of property’
- ‘life, liberty, estate’
Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-97)
- A Vindication of the Rights of Women
- reason - women were rational and independent beings
- formal equality - in order to be free women should enjoy full civil liberties and a career
- society denied women individual freedom, e.g. denied land ownership
- no right to vote - violation of government by consent
- countries were limiting their stock of intelligence and wisdom
- women were complicit in their subjugation, formal education to fix this
- ‘the mind has no gender’
John Stuart Mill (1806-73)
- bridge between modern and classical liberalism
- On Liberty - ‘transitional liberalism’
- negative freedom - absence of restraint
- harm principle - actions should be tolerated unless they harm others
- self regarding vs other regarding actions
- tolerance - belief that the popularity of a view does not make it correct
- human nature a ‘work in progress’
- ‘government by consent’ compromised by uneducated voters
- fear of ‘tyranny of the majority’
- ‘the individual is sovereign’
John Rawls (1921-2002)
- A Theory of Justice - society must be just and guarantee each citizen a life worth living
- ‘foundational equality’ - formal and social equality
- enabling state, significant redistribution of wealth through public spending and progressive tax
- ‘veil of ignorance’ - a hypothetical scenario where individuals agree on the type of society they want from a position where they lack the knowledge of their own position in society
- people would create a better society - especially for the poor
- state intervention will improve conditions of the poor but not necessarily narrow the wealth gap
Betty Friedan (1921-2006)
- The Feminine Mystique
- legal equality - women are as capable as men and oppressive laws and social views must be overturned
- equal opportunity - women are held back from their potential because of the limited number of ‘acceptable’ jobs
- all individuals should seek self-determination
- gender is a hindrance to women
- cultural conditioning - women convinced of ‘iron laws’ driven through cultural channels e.g. schools
- acknowledged Lockean constitution
- ‘a woman is handicapped by her sex’
- ‘is this all’
Classical Liberalism
- laissez faire economics - importance of consumer choice and free exchange of labour
- negative freedom - freedom from constraints
- individualistic - liberty is the result of limitations placed upon the state
- the individual is independent from society and pursues own happiness
Modern Liberalism
- progressive outlook on the state - support for worker co-operatives and an enabling role
- positive liberty - freedom to do something
- constructivist - create new rights via an enabling state
- individuals are interdependent and have concern for others
