Liberalism

Question 1

When did liberalism emerge?

Answer 1

During the Reformation, and the Enlightenment movement during the 17th century.

Question 2

What are liberalism’s core ideas on human nature?

Answer 2

• optimistic and universal view of human nature
• individuals are guided by reason and rationality
• humans’ innate reason manifests itself through debate, in order to forge progress through consensus
• individuals are self-seeking and self-serving (egotistical individualism)

Question 3

What stops individuals leading to destructive selfishness and competition, according to liberals?

Answer 3

Humans innate capacity for rationality. Humans are both egotistical and reasonable.

Question 4

What is the natural condition of human nature according to liberals?

Answer 4

It is one of self-aware individuals, living in harmony and mutual understanding.

Question 5

What is liberalism’s view on society?

Answer 5

Locke proposed the existence of ‘natural’ society, with ‘natural’ rights and ‘natural’ laws, which preceded the state. For liberals, life before the state was pleasant and civilised.

Question 6

What is the main purpose of civilised society according to liberalism?

Answer 6

main purpose of civilised society is to facilitate individualism

Question 7

What is individualism?

Answer 7

Individuals need to be at heart of political thought, economic life and social organisation. Society should prioritise the improvement of individual lives.

Question 8

As a result of individualism, what should liberal politicians seek to do?

Answer 8

Maximise the number of individuals achieving self-determination.
Maximise number of individuals achieving self-realisation.
Maximise the number of individuals attaining fulfilment.

Question 9

Why is the right to property so important for liberals?

Answer 9

It is seen as a tangible expression of an individual within society. For Mill, it is the ‘prism’ through which individuals develop their potential.

Question 10

What is liberalism’s view of the economy?

Answer 10

• supports an economy that puts private property at the centre of its approach (I.e. support capitalism)

Question 11

What was Adam Smith’s theory of markets book called?

Answer 11

The Wealth of Nations (1776)

Question 12

What was the invisible hand?

Answer 12

According to Adam Smith, if the obstacles to free trade were removed, the invisible hand would of market forces would guide traders towards success.

Question 13

What was the basis of trickle down economics?

Answer 13

Any resulting wealth from the invisible hand, would trickle down to everyone. Reflects optimistic tone of liberalism.

Question 14

What is liberalism’s view of the state?

Answer 14

Liberals believe that individualism and capitalism work best when accompanied by a certain kind of state.

Question 15

What was the state of nature?

Answer 15

A philosophical device used by Hobbes and Locke to justify the different types of political state they were proposing. It referred to what life might have been like before laws, and governments came into being.

Question 16

What was liberalism’s view on the state of nature?

Answer 16

While liberals are optimistic, they also accept that there would have been clashes of interests between people. Locke believed that only a state could resolve these clashes efficiently.

Question 17

What is the liberal state founded upon?

Answer 17

It is based on a rejection of the ‘traditional’ state.

Question 18

What does the rejection of the traditional state involve?

Answer 18

It rejects states marked by monarchical, absolutist, and arbitrary rule, that was often found previous to the Enlightenment.

Question 19

What was Locke’s quote regarding the the liberal objective of government by consent?

Answer 19

‘government should always be the servant, not master, of the people’

Question 20

What was the social contract?

Answer 20

Developed by Rousseau, the state should be a deal between governments and those governed. Citizens should be guaranteed certain rights in return for submitting to the state’s laws.

Question 21

Why does the liberal state advocate for the promotion of tolerance?

Answer 21

Particularly developed by Mill, he argued that the state should tolerate all actions and opinions unless they violated the harm principle.

Question 22

What is the harm principle?

Answer 22

Individuals should be free to do and say anything unless it harms the rights of other individuals within the state.

Question 23

What is meritocracy?

Answer 23

Political power should be exercised only by those who show themselves to be worthy.

Question 24

Why is meritocracy a principle of the liberal state?

Answer 24

It stands against the traditional state (hereditary rule) and it compliments liberalism’s emphasis on individualism.

Question 25

What is equality of opportunity?

Answer 25

Within a liberal state, all individuals must therefore have equal opportunity to develop their potential and achieve control of their own lives. If they fail, they must assume total responsibility.

Question 26

What is the structure of the liberal state?

Answer 26

• limited government
• fragmented government
• formal equality

Question 27

What does limited government ensure?

Answer 27

Governments must act according to prearranged rules and procedures, as well as preventing government’s from eroding the natural rights of their citizens.

Question 28

What does a fragmented government ensure?

Answer 28

Enables the dispersal of state power (e.g. US Constitution and its checks and balances)

Question 29

What is formal equality?

Answer 29

All individuals have the same legal and political rights in society. No one is above or outside of the law.

Question 30

What are the different types of liberalism?

Answer 30

• Early classical liberalism
• Later classical liberalism
• Modern liberalism

Question 31

What are the 4 distinctive features of early classical liberalism?

Answer 31

• revolutionary potential
• negative liberty
• minimal state
• laissez faire capitalism