Liberalism Flashcards
what is the historical context of liberalism
- liberalism developed during the Enlightenment period, which was the belief that individuals should have free will
- john locke seen as the ‘father of liberalism’ began to question the relationship between the government and the people
- Locke argued for a state reflecting mankind’s needs, a representative state, as individuals are rational and capable of making decisions about how they are governed, this is called the mechanistic theory
key thinker: John locke - backround info
- classical liberal
- locke denied the fact that the state was part of gods creation
- he argued for a state with the consent of those governed
- didn’t like the monarchy ruling without considering the people’s needs
- he argued that before the current state there was a ‘state of nature’ which served mankinds interests
- he argued that the state of law(current state) should only solve disputes in society which would occur in the state of nature
Locke on human nature
humans are rational, guided by self interest but also mindful of others concerns
lockes view of the state
state must be representative, based on the consent of the governed
lockes view on society
society predates the state - there was a ‘state of nature’ with natural laws and rights
lockes view on the economy
State policy should respect the ‘natural right’ to private property and mediate effectively between individuals competing for trade and resources.
key thinker: mary wollsontecraft - background
- focused on the fact that BOTH male and females are rational and that the current state implied that woman are not rational, and were therefore denied equality
- formal equality should be for everyone, not just men
- liked french revolution - as it didnt show indifference to gender differences
- she beleived that many women didint realise that they were opressed, and argued for more education for women to achieve her feminist goals
- she disliked aristocratic rule
wollsontecraft on human nature
both genders are rational - intellectually men and woman are equal
wollstonecraft on the state
the monarchical state should be replaced by a republic that enshrines women’s
Wollsonecraft on society
society infantilised woman and stifled female individualism
wollsonecraft on the economy
a free market economy would help liberate women
Key Thinker: John Stuart Mill - backround
- transitional liberal
- ‘harm principle’ - the idea that individuals that harm others should be stopped by the state - if someone were to harm another person’s freedom than they shouldn’t be tolerated by the liberal state
- developmental individuals: we all progress through our lives
- mill feared that a democratic state would create a ‘tyranny of the majority’
mills view on human nature
though fundamentally rational, human nature isn’t fixed and is forever progressing - developmental individualism
mill on the state
The state should proceed cautiously towards representative democracy, mindful of minority rights.
mill on society
Individuality should coexist with tolerance and self improvement
