Liberalism- The core ideas of Liberalism, Society (SB) Flashcards
Liberalism’s view of human nature is…
optimistic
Liberalism’s optimistic view of human nature, particularly our capacity for reason informs liberals…
about whether ‘society’ can ever exists without a state
Thomas Hobbes classic work
Leviathan (1651)
In his classic work, Leviathan (1651), Thomas Hobbes argued
that human nature is so brutally selfish that no society could possibly arise or survive, until human nature is restrained by a strong formal authority- in short, a state.
Early liberal’s view such as Locke offered a what type of view in comparison to Thomas Hobbes
Very different view
Early liberal’s view such as Locke offered a very different view than Thomas Hobbes,
citing the existence of ‘natural’ society, with ‘natural laws’ and therefore natural rights, all of which preceded by the state
(Locke) Natural rights:
the ‘right’ to life, liberty, property and happiness
So for Liberals , life before the state was created was…
not ‘nasty, brutish and short’ (as Hobbes famously asserted) but potentially pleasant, civilised and long
The liberal belief in a ‘natural society’, where certain ‘natural rights’ are enjoyed, helps explain…
why liberals place so much importance upon the individual
What did John Stuart Mill emphasise the purpose of a civilised society, during the mid-19th century ?
the main purpose of any civilised society- ‘natural’ or manufactured- is to facilitate individualism
Who emphasised that the main purpose of any civilised society- ‘natural’ or manufactured- is to facilitate individualism and when?
John Stuart Mill during the mid-19th century
What did Mill and other liberals argue ?
that each individual has a unique personality and peculiar talents; that individuals are rational in pursuit of their self interests; and that individuals are egotistical individuals driven by a wish to fulfil their potential and a desire to be self reliant and independent
therefore, in the view of all this, each individual seeks freedom
For Mill, in his critical work On Liberty (1859), the argument of each individual seeking freedom meant…
freedom from any dependency on other and the freedom to live one’s life in a way that maximises self-reliance and self- fulfilment.
Mill’s critical work?
On Liberty (1859)
Liberals believe that the ‘default setting’ of any society is
a focus upon individual freedom and that any society which seeks to deny individualism is dysfunctional
the ‘right’ to property is defined by Locke as
‘that with which Man has mixed his labour’
The ‘right’ to property is regarded by liberals
as particularly important, as it is seen as the tangible expression of an individual within society
For later liberals what is property
For later liberals like Mill, property is also the ‘prism’ through which individuals develop their potential, providing an opportunity, when civilised communities, for men and women to nurture their taste and judgment
Individualism is a
vital principle for liberal ideology
Individualism is a vital principle for liberal ideology
it means that individual needs should be at the heart of political thought, economic life and social organisation, and that society should prioritise the improvement of diverse, individual lives
Individualism implications are that liberal politicians seek to:
-maximise the no. of individuals achieving self-determination (control of their own lives)
-maximised the no. of individuals achieving self-realisation (discovering their ‘true’ selves and potential)
-maximised the no. of individuals attaining self- fulfilment (a sense of one’s ‘personal mission’ being achieved)
