Liberalism Flashcards
What is Liberalism?
A political ideology that stressed the rights of the individual against the state.
What event is considered the classic statement of the Liberal outlook?
The Declaration of Independence in 1776.
What is Individualism?
The idea of the individual having rights that cannot be infringed by the state.
What is the classical Liberal interpretation of individualism?
Egoistical individualism - People are self-sufficient and self-reliant. Society is a collection of separate individuals.
What is the new Liberal interpretation of individualism?
Developmental individualism - State intervention to help the most disadvantaged be self-sufficient is justified.
What is a core idea linked to the concept of individualism?
Tolerance.
What is the most important of all Liberal values?
Freedom
What is a positive freedom?
Freedom to do or have something (e.g. freedom to have money)
What is a negative freedom?
Freedom from something (e.g. freedom to privacy)
What do Liberals believe about the state?
It is a necessary evil: the state is needed to avert disorder and protect the vulnerable from exploitation.
What do Liberals argue for regarding the state?
Limited Government: the state should have checks & balances on the exercise of power. This is most often seen in Constitutionalism
What do Liberals argue for regarding the economy?
Laissez-Faire Capitalism
What is Rationalism?
The idea that individuals should be free to exercise their judgment about their own interests without needing to be guided by external authorities.
What are some examples of Rationalism in action?
Free-market economy: people will do what is best for them.
International Relations: War is a last resort, peace is better.
United Nations: Interconnectedness leads to more freedom for the people.
What equality do Liberals argue for?
Equality of opportunity.
What is Foundational Equality?
Everyone starts with the same rights by virtue of being born: They cannot be taken away.
What do Classical Liberals believe about societal inequality?
It is necessary: Meritocracy leads to some people having more than others based on their skills and talents.
What is Liberal Democracy?
Free elections to give the people the power.
Limitations on the power of the state.
Respect for civil liberties & toleration of differing opinions.
What disagreements are there between Liberals around Human nature?
Positive and Negative Freedom
What disagreements are there between Liberals around the state?
Positive and Negative Freedom
State Intervention into economy
What was the Beveridge Report?
What were the ‘five giants’ in the Beveridge report?
A report published in 1942 that argued liberty should be equally available to all, and that people were held back by the ‘five giants.’
Want, Ignorance, Disease, Squalor, Idleness.
What are some similarities between Modern & Classical Liberalism?
Both seek to enhance individual freedom.
Both believe in equal rights & equality of opportunity.
Both wish to place limits on the power of the state.
Both support the fundamental concepts of private ownership & capitalism.
What were the ideas of John Locke?
Society & the state are based on a social contract; the state works for the people, not the other way around.
Government should be limited and based on the consent of the people.
What were the ideas of Mary Wollstonecraft?
Women are rational, independent beings the same as men. Women should therefore enjoy equal rights and liberties, just the same as men do.
What were the ideas of John Stuart Mill?
Individuals should be entirely free to do whatever they want apart from harming others. He also said that it is important to accept and tolerate behavior or ideas that are different from your own.
What were the ideas of John Rawls?
Society must be just, and guarantee each citizen a life worth living. There will always be a degree of inequality, but the state should aim to minimize the difference in outcomes for the best off and poorest. Rejected the extremes of communism & unregulated capitalism.
What were the ideas of Betty Friedan?
Women are as capable as men, and oppressive laws should be rejected. Conditioning is what leads women to seek housekeeping and mothering duties, and a level playing field between men and women is necessary.
What did Locke believe about Human Nature
-In the State of Nature people are egotistical (self-interested) but respectful
-People are naturally reasonable
-Natural rights exist
What did John Locke believe about the economy?
-saw property as a natural right
-Laissez-faire capitalism
What did John Locke believe about society?
-rejected divine right of kings
-consent to be governed comes from below
-the Social Contract
-championed rights of religious non-comformists
What did John Locke believe about the state?
-Limited gov
-minimal state
-constitutionalism
-representative gov
-only property owners vote
-mechanistic theory-In the State of Nature people are egotistical (self-interested) but respectful
-People are naturally reasonable
-Natural rights exist
Human Nature agreement
Individualism is key
All liberals believe that humans have the capacity for rationality and tolerance.
They ALL believe in foundational and formal equality. They differ over equality of opportunity.
ALL reject equality of outcome
ALL liberals believe that morality is the choice of the individual
Human Nature disagreement
Classical
Egoistical individualism
self-interested, competitive, self reliant
Foundational equality = natural rights
Formal equality = legal rights
Equality of opportunity = strict meritocracy
Locke, Mill
Women just as rational as men - Wollstonecraft (and Mill)
Modern
developmental individualism
Altruism (self-interested to care for others)
foundational equality = human rights (UDHR)
Formal equality = legal AND political rights (universal suffrage)
equality of opportunity = enabling state
Rawls, Freidan
Society - Agreement
ALL liberals favour individualism over collectivism.
ALL liberals believe that society ought to maximise freedom
ALL liberals believe that society ought to be tolerant.
ALL liberals believe that society ought to promote equality of opportunity.
Society disagreement
Classical
Negative freedom - opposed to slavery (Locke)
tolerance is beneficial:
based on rationalism
provides autonomy for individuals
benefits society as well as individuals
Equality of opportunity = strict meritocracy
Modern
positive freedom - opposed to a lack of opportunity - Green, Friedan
tolerance allows for a diversity of lifestyles. Rawls
equality of opportunity = enabling state
The state - Agreement
ALL liberal believe that the state is a necessary evil
ALL liberals believe that the state should be limited because it restricts individual freedom
All liberals support limited government and checks and balances.
ALL liberals fear the tyranny of the majority.
ALL liberals believe that the state should maximise freedom
ALL Liberals believe that the state should protect and promote foundational and formal equality
State - disagreement
Classical
Generally distrusted democracy
giving the vote to the working classes would lead to socialism and a loss of individual rights
uneducated voters would vote for tyrants who would remove rights
Not everyone is entitled to equal political rights
Democracies are collectivist
However… democracy provided consent (locke)
Wishes to limit state power through
codified constitutions
bicameral legislatures
separation of powers
Belief in a night-watchman state to maximise individual (negative) freedom. Low levels of welfare
laissez-faire economics / ‘invisible hand’
The state should help protect individual legal rights
Modern
Generally in support of liberal democracy because it:
Prevents an overly powerful executive
creates a separation of power
creates accountability
creates equality of rights (universal suffrage)
demonstrates the social contract
Wishes to further limit state power through
devolution/ federalism
proportional representation
Belief in an enabling state to maximise (positive) freedom. Role of the state to provide some welfare to tackle 5 giants.
Keynesian economics & mixed economy
The state should help protect individual legal AND political rights
The economy
ALL Liberals support capitalism and a large free market. This is because it maximises choice and individualism. Rewards the most meritocratic.
Economy - disagreement
Classical
laissez-faire
Invisible hand
Comparative advantage
Adam Smith
Negative freedom + egoistical individualism
Little government intervention
Cradle to grave welfare state
Mixed economy
Keynesian welfare management.
Modern
positive freedom + developmental individualism
As little government intervention as necessary, but more than classical or neoclassical
Thinkers
Classical
John Locke (1632−1704)
Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-97)
John Stuart Mill (1806−73)
Modern
John Rawls (1921−2002)
Betty Friedan (1921−2006)
