classical liberalism

Question 1

John locke was key to its emergence , his ideas presented a major challenge to the understand of

Answer 1

society and the political system at the time and contributed to significant changed to the British state acted and how politics was understood

Question 2

Locke argued that in the state of nature there were natural societies in which indviduals enjoyed natural rights and freedoms , in this context the state was

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a threat to these freedoms and rights and should be limited to ensure freedom and individualism are maintained

Question 3

rather than being based on divine right , the state should be based on a

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social contract between the rulers and those who are ruled , the latter having the right to remove the powers if they didnt serve in their interests and the people no longer consented to their governance

Question 4

locke and almost all elnlightment thinkers at the time had a very narrow view of what society was , excluding women those who

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weren’t white and those who weren’t wealthy

Question 5

Locke also promoted religious tolerance , a very radical idea at the time that advocated for the

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seperation of church and state and the freedom of individuals to practice their religious without gov interference

Question 6

early classical liberalism saw individuals as rational and able to reason it focused on

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promoting the freedom of indviduals in order to allow them to make progress and pursue their goals

Question 7

it presented the state as the key potential threat to this freedom theirfore advocating for a very limited night watchmen state that simply adjudicated

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disputes and left each indvidual to live their life in freedom

Question 8

Adam smith was central to making this case in the economic sphere supporting

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laissez faire capitalisme defined by minimal state gov

Question 9

Mary Wollstoencraft made the case for formal equality under the law and equal rights for women based on

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these liberal principles

Question 10

Wollenstoencraft argued that the treatment of women was against reason ands they should be treated as rational indviduals and given the freedom and rights and education to develop their individual potential just as men were , not only would this result in

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indvidual progress and freedom it would also improve the economy and lead to collective societal progress

Question 11

liberalism certainly influenced the glorious revoloution and development of the Uk state away from divine right however it was the

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American revolution and founding of the US states in the late 18th century that truly saw liberalism put into practice

Question 12

key ideas that motivated the revolution were drawn from classical liberalism and locke such as the ideas of

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indvidual rights , representative government and rule of law

Question 13

furthermore the US constitution with checks and balances , operation of power etc shows the influence of

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liberalism and commitment to limiting power

Question 14

the 19th century brought sweeping societal , political and economic changes that forced liberalism to evolve and adress

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new challenged and questions

Question 15

the industrial revolution transformed economies and societies creating

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unprecedented levels of wealth and povo

Question 16

this era saw the rise of the working class , urbanisation , capitalist economies , raised issues related to

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workers rights , economic disparities and role of gov in regulating industry

Question 17

politically the expansion of democratic ideals and the push for broader suffrage through the chartist movement brought into question the role of the state in

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ensuring welfare and how to balance indvidual freedom with emerging social needs

Question 18

these changes led to a re evaluation of classical liberal principles some sought to double down on these classical liberal ideas and some argued that

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liberalism needed to change to adapt its key principles to a changing context

Question 19

faced with industirliation and the rapid societal change and inequality that came with it , some classical liberals doubled down on core liberal principles emphasising

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individualism and minimal government intervention

Question 20

Samuel Smiles advocated for the concept of self help , emphasising that person responsibility and indvidual effort were key to

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overcoming adversity and achieving success
his ides suggested that individuals can improve their social and economic conditions through hard work and perseverance rather than relying on the state

Question 21

Herbert Spencer appleid the concept of social darwinism to society advocating for the idea that like in nature that only the fittest should survive in an economic context , he promoted laissez faire approach arguing for min gov intervention and to allow for natural competition and societal evolution , Spencers views justified

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limite astate and regulation , aligning with classical liberalisms emphasis on individuals responsibility but were also highly controversial due to their justification of inequality and poverty

Question 22

Benthams utiliteranism was another way in which liberals sought to tackle the challenged of industirliation in the 19th century , this was deeply rooted in liberal principles of freedom and rationalism and suggested that

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individuals actions were motivated by the pursuit of happiness and the avoidance of pain ; a mechanistic view of human nature

Question 23

Bentham and others believed that maximising “ the greater happiness for the greatest number “ could be a liberal bison of how the

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state should act aswell to enact policies that benefit the greatest number of citizens

Question 24

His promotion of utilitarianism also raised concerns among some liberals who worried about its potential implications for minority rights , the emphasis on the

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majority welfare could lead to the intreats of minorities being overlooked or overridden

Question 25

one key opponent to utilitarianism being used to justify state action was John Stuart Mill , who was particularly worried about its impact on

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minority rights and justification of tyranny of the majority

Question 26

John Stuart Mill , built upon and expanded key classical liberal principles in the 19th century particularly those

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related to freedom and individualism

Question 27

his famous harm principle articulated " on liberty " provided further justification for indvidual stating that only propose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilised community against their will is to prevent

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harm to others this principle reinforced the liberal emphasis on personal autonomy and the limits of state intervention

Question 28

as calls for universal suffrage grew Mill updated Lockes notion of government by consent by advocating for

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representative democracy , he saw it as a means to reconcile indvidual livery with collective decision - making

Question 29

While Mill was supportive of broader democratic participation , Mill was also deeply worried about the dangers of tyranny of the ,majority , he argued for a system of representation where

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elected officials were not mere delegates of the popular will but were independent thinkers who could exercise their own judgement and represent a diversity of views , aiming to balance the majority rule with the protection of minority rights

Question 30

Mill also advanced the concept of developmental individualism , he believed the for indviduals to be truly free they needed to not only rights but also the

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ability to effectively use those rights

Question 31

Education for Mill was a crucial tool in realising this vision he saw ir as an essential for helping

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individuals reach their full portnetial and for the proper function of society and democracy

Question 32

Mill even suggested a plural voting system where more educated indviduals would have more votes , reflecting his belief that an

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educated electorate was crucial for informed decision making in a democratic society

Question 33

On the whole Mill can be seen as a trasitional liberal , in some sense he continued to support key classical liberal principles and sought to justify their continued implementation in a changing society

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In other important ways, however, in particular his articulation of a liberal justification for representative democracy and developmental individualism, Mill developed classical liberalism significantly, paving the way for the more radical modern liberal thought that came afterwards.