views of certain strands

Question 1

classical liberals

Answer 1

1. Understood freedom as negative freedom: a lack of restrictions -individuals should be free to do as they wish, as long as they don’t harm others
   (Mill)
2. They saw a minimal role for the state as a ‘night watchman’ – to prevent citizens from harming each other; law and order. 3. They supported ‘laissez-faire capitalism’ with minimal government intervention.
3. They supported democracy and equal rights, but had an elitist view of democracy; they worried democracy
   could lead to ‘tyranny of the majority’ and ‘mob rule’.

Question 2

modern liberals

Answer 2

1. Rejected the persistence of inequality and oppression through laissez-faire economics: People are not truly free if they live in poverty
2. Freedom is not just the lack of restrictions – it is also the ability to reach your full potential (positive freedom).
3. Support a more active role of the state – an ‘enabling state’ to remove disadvantages of people held back by circumstances (poverty, racism, etc.). Supported Keynesian economics instead of neo-liberalism.
4. Still supporting equal rights, but less suspicious about democracy.