Liberalism- Key Debates Flashcards
Liberal democracy: a contradiction in terms?
Arguments For
- democracy guided by majorities - tyranny of maj
-CL favour limited electorate to safeguard property rights
-J.S.Mills thoughts votes only for formal educated
-ML flirt w/ supranational bodies like EU where there’s democratic deficit
-liberals seek to mitigate democracy’s effect
Liner democracy: a contradiction in terms?
Arguments against
-democracy complements individualism
-democracy complements govt by consent
-democracy helps avoid conc of political power
-democracy optimistic about human nature
-J.S.Mill thought democracy would have educative effect on voters
Liberal democracy: a contradiction in terms?
Arguments For
- democracy guided by majorities - tyranny of maj
• Democracy tends to be guided by majorities. It therefore threatens some individuals with the ‘tyranny of the majority’.
Liberal democracy: a contradiction in terms?
Arguments For
-CL favour limited electorate to safeguard property rights
• Classical liberals favoured a limited electorate, so as to safeguard property rights.
Liberal democracy: a contradiction in terms?
Arguments For
-J.S.Mills thoughts votes only for formal educated
• John Stuart Mill thought votes should be given only to those with appropriate, formal education.
Liberal democracy: a contradiction in terms?
Arguments For
-ML flirt w/ supranational bodies like EU where there’s democratic deficit
• Modern liberals flirt with supranational bodies like the European Union, where there is a ‘democratic deficit’.
Liberal democracy: a contradiction in terms?
Arguments For
-liberals seek to mitigate democracy’s effect
• Liberals seek to mitigate democracy’s effects via assorted constitutional devices (e.g. Bill of Rights, Supreme Court).
Liberal democracy: a contradiction in terms?
Arguments Against
-democracy complements individualism
• Democracy complements individualism, allowing individuals to shape their lives via the ballot box.
Liberal democracy: a contradiction in terms?
Arguments Against
-democracy complements govt by consent
• Democracy complements ‘government by consent’.
Liberal democracy: a contradiction in terms?
Arguments Against
-democracy helps avoid conc of political power
• Democracy helps avoid the concentration of political power.
Liberal democracy: a contradiction in terms?
Arguments Against
-democracy optimistic about human nature
• Democracy is optimistic about human nature: it presupposes an intelligent electorate, capable of rational decisions.
Liberal democracy: a contradiction in terms?
Arguments Against
-J.S.Mill thought democracy would have educative effect on voters
• John Stuart Mill thought democracy would have an ‘educative’ effect upon voters and thus abet developmental individualism.
Has modern liberalism abounded the principles of classical liberalism ?
Arguments for
-CL and ML view on individual
-CL and ML like different types of states
- CL and ML views on taxation
-CL and ML favoured diff types of capitalism
-CL and ML have diff view of democracy
Has modern liberalism abounded the principles of classical liberalism ?
Arguments against
-both optimistic view on Human potential
-rationalism
-individualism is goal
-believe in capitalism
-constitutional state and gov by consent
Had modern liberalism abounded the principles of classical liberalism ?
Arguments For
-CL and ML view on individual
• Classical liberalism defined liberty as individuals being left alone (negative freedom). Modern liberals think individuals are not free unless they are actively ‘enabled’ via interference from others (positive freedom).
Has modern liberalism abounded the principles of classical liberalism ?
Arguments For
-CL and ML like different types of states
• Classical liberalism championed a minimal state. Modern liberals champion an enlarged, enabling state.
Has modern liberalism abounded the principles of classical liberalism ?
Arguments For
- CL and ML views on taxation
• Classical liberalism was inclined to see taxation as ‘theft’ and sought to restrict it. Modern liberals often see increased taxation as the key method for implementing positive freedom.
Has modern liberalism abounded the principles of classical liberalism ?
Arguments For
-CL and ML favoured diff types of capitalism
• Classical liberalism favoured laissez-faire capitalism from which the state is detached. Modern liberals favour Keynesian capitalism, where the state seeks to ‘manage’ market forces.
Has modern liberalism abounded the principles of classical liberalism ?
Arguments For
-CL and ML have diff view of democracy
• Classical liberalism had an ambivalent view of democracy, prioritising instead the interests of property owners. Modern liberalism has championed representative democracy.
