liberalism - arguments Flashcards

1
Q

TWE do liberals share similar views about human nature

A

largely disagree:

(human rationality)
Agreement
Mill – boundless potential of human rationality, Wollstonecraft extended this to include women
Individuals – freedom from arbitrary state control, liberal view of rationality = limited, nightwatchman government, mechanistic state – Locke – social contract – rational humans must be derived from the state.
All liberals believe state is necessary since human nature is rational and selfish

Disagreement

Modern Liberals – enabling state – welfare, humans would rationally want a more supported state

Classic Liberals – limited state – welfare would undermine human rationality

Rawls – veil of ignorance, humans rational rationally choose world where risk of individual suffering was minimised – ML

(centrality of the individual)

Agreement
All state decisions should be centred around the individual – centric
Wollstonecraft – foundational equality of individuals
Friedan – legislation and anti-discrimination laws to extend individual freedom – women
Tolerance of the individual
Realm of the individual – private behaviour left from state interference
Realm of the state
Mill – Harm Principle
Meritocracy – talented at top of hierarchy not social engineering equal society, capitalism

Disagreement

Classic liberal – egotistical individualism – fixed self-interested human nature
Mill ‘unless harm caused to others’, laissez faire – limited state interference
Negative freedom – freedom from state obligation

Modern Liberal – developmental individualism – education – more enabling Rawls – increased taxation, Keynesian economics – economic assistance needed to promote individualism, markets tendency to fail
Positive freedom – freedom to be an individual
Mill ‘moral crime’ to bring a child into existence without fair prospect

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2
Q

TWE do liberals believe in freedom in society

A

Largely disagree due to fundamental different views

Individualism
Agreement
Individual central – rationality, capability – society should tolerate what they do

Disagreement
How much society can and do support the individual to be free
CL – egotistical individualism – should not be interfered – mills ‘harm principle’ individual actions unregulated by societal norms fine if it doesn’t harm others – MAXIMUM FREEDOM

ML – developmental individualism – enabling conditions can help individual to flourish and experience greater freedom

Equality
Agree in forms of equality – equality of opps and meritocracy
Wollstonecraft – jobs and power should be open to all without discrimination

Disagreement
CL – atomistic no collectivist interest unless it suits individual, self-interest, agree to lockes social contract, state of nature w/o society so society shouldn’t take away these rights
Negative freedom

ML – there is a common good
Friedan – formal and foundational equality not enough – positive freedom, structural poverty doesn’t set majority of society free
True freedom not possible w/o others playing a role
Broader definition of equality of opportunity
Rawls – veil of ignorance – individuals choose same things – services and enabling conditions for equality.

capitalism
Agreement
Capitalist society = more freedom, formal equality = economic equality inevitable
Wollstonecraft once women achieved political rights engagement with market economy

Disagreement with regulation of market economy extent of negatives of capitalism

CL – laisse faire economics and invisible hand of the market

ML – accept market failure = punishes freedom, Keynesian economics – maintaining employment levels ensures individuals are free. Redistributed taxes = society taking fair share
Extent to economic regulation has knock on effect on freedom.

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3
Q

TWE do liberals agree over the role of the state and the economy

A

structure of the state

Agreement
Mechanism for individuals – Locke mechanistic theory
Support government by consent – checks and balances, Lockes social contract
Rationality = limited government as individuals are capable of rational thought – Rawls enabling state that is consented to
Acknowledge humans can be selfish and break social contract – state required as a neutral umpire between individual – necessary evil

Disagreement
Only modern liberals support an enabling state
Rawls – veil of ignorance – rational choice of risk for potential for suffering minimised
Welfare state
Mill – ‘moral crime’ state’s role
Context – rawls barriers to freedom with poverty levels in society
Cl
Nightwatchman state – enabling would curb freedom through taxation etc
Property rights
Context – kings shutting down parliament - locke

Capitalism

Capitalism
Agreement
Capitalism therefore a limit on state intervention
Meritocracy
Inevitable inequality

Disagreement
ML – Keynesian economics increase state intervention – markets tendency to fail = intervention
CL – laissez fair limited state – adam smith – invisible hand market ought to be left alone w/o govt interference influence Thatcherism and reyganism

human rationality
Agreement
State a creation of individuals rational by product – locke

Disagreement
Cl – egotistical individualism – human nature is fixed – locke
ML – developmental individualism – impact of state intervention to ensure individual fulfilment – human nature not fixed – mill
- New labour education, education education – mill education opens one to many opportunities states role in giving one education

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4
Q
A
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