Unit 1 Flashcards
Conservatism
political views that favour traditional values and ideas that favour free enterprise and private ownership.
Liberalism
political doctrine where protecting and enhancing individual freedom is the central focus of political and economic functions.
Liberal (with a capital “L”)
A specific political party, like the Liberal Party of Canada.
liberal (with a lowercase “l”)
Beliefs about personal freedom, equality, and helping others.
“liberal” (in quotes)
A way to label someone’s views, often used in discussions about politics
Political Spectrum
a system to characterize and classify different political positions in relation to one another.
-Left = liberal
-right = conservative
John Locke
-believed in natural rights that every individual is born with, including the rights to life, liberty, and property.
-introduced the idea of a social contract, If the government fails to protect these rights, citizens can overthrow it.
-influenced the development of modern democracy.
Baron de Montesquieu
-advocated for separating governmental powers into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful
-created The Spirit of the Laws
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
introduced the concept of the “general will,” the collective interest of the people
-believed that true democracy involves citizens directly participating in making laws and decisions.
-discussed the social contract, but he emphasized that it should reflect the general will and the common good, rather than individual interests.
Thomas Hobbes
-wrote “Leviathan,” where he argued that in a state of nature, life would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” without a strong central authority.
-believed that people consent to be governed in exchange for security and order.
-advocated for a powerful, absolute sovereign to maintain peace.
Voltaire
-advocate for freedom of speech, religion, and separation of church and state.
-used satire to criticize the French monarchy and the Catholic Church, advocating for a more tolerant and enlightened society.
Immanuel Kant
-encouraged individuals to “Dare to know!” and to use their own reason in matters of understanding.
-introduced the idea of the categorical imperative, a universal moral law that should guide human actions.
John Stuart Mill
-Emphasized individual liberty and freedom of expression in his work “On Liberty.”
-Advocated for utilitarianism, the idea that actions should promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number.
-Supported limited government intervention to protect individual freedoms and prevent harm to others.
Adam Smith
-In “The Wealth of Nations,” Smith promoted the idea of the invisible hand, where individuals pursuing their own self-interest inadvertently contribute to the overall economic well-being.
-Advocated for laissez-faire economics, where government intervention is minimal.
Key Principles of Classical Liberalism
Liberty -the belief that individuals should be free to act as they choose, as long as their actions do not harm others.
Equality -all individuals have the same legal rights and protections. Does not necessarily imply economic equality, as classical liberals support the idea that individuals should be free to pursue their economic interests and that inequalities may arise from this process.
Tolerance -Emphasis on the importance of tolerance and the protection of diverse opinions and beliefs.
Reason -Reliance on reason and rationality as the basis for making decisions and forming policies.
Self-Interest -Belief that individuals, when free to pursue their self-interest, will contribute to the overall good of society.
