Liberalism Thinkers Flashcards
John Locke
Social contract - govt is based on a theoretical contractual agreement
Individuals form together to form society
”where laws do not exists man has no freedom”
Rule of law
Tolerance - called for Catholic emancipation
Mary Wollstonecraft
“The mind has no gender”
Men and women are both rational beings and should be treated equally
Advocated for careers and education provided by government
Advocated formal equality for women which was constrained by the patriarchy
Wante dwomen to be able to choose their future
J S Mill
Idndividuals should be free to do anything except harm other individuals
(Harm principe) self regarding and other regarding actions
Later in life accepted some intervention to save the poor from injustice
Upheld the idea of tolerance and the right to express minority views
John Rawls - modern
“Justice as fairness”
Must balance freedom and equality
Veil of ignorance experiment - all would imagine a society where everything was equal
Didn’t take into account power hungry individuals who would want some to be poor so they would benefit the most
Rejected extremes of communism and unregulated capitalism and favoured property owning democracy
Betty Friedan - modern
Women are as capable as men and oppressive laws prevent this
Condition rather than biology led women to become wives rather than to pursue a career
Being confined to this role prevents fulfilment and deep unhappiness
Individuals are of equal worth and entitled to equality
Argued for wider opportunities for women
