Liberalism 2 Flashcards
(25 cards)
What are the political ideas of classical liberalism mostly associated with
The age of enlightenment century where rationalistic ideas of science and philosophy challenged the traditional religious order and divinely ordained monarchial government.
Summary of classical liberal ideas
- Government by consent
- Guarentee of individual freedom
- Representative democracy
- Limited role for the state within society and the economy
- The belief that individuals are born with natural rights
What is foundational equality
A fundamental belief that all individuals are born with natural rights that entitle them to liberty, the pursuit of happiness and avoidance of pain. In a liberal state this is such as the rule of law.
What is egotistical individualism
The belief that individual freedom is associated with a rational sense of self-reliance and self-interest
John Lockes work
Two Treaties of Government
What did Locke believe about human nature
Rulers and people must be subject to law
Else will be like animals in a farmyard, where they are kept from harming each other with no guarantee of not being abused by the farmer.
Believed all human beings are born with a barren, empty, malleable mind
Every characteristic is observed, perceived and learned via senses
“Nature vs Nurture debate
In the ‘state of nature’ individuals are essentially selfish however people also have the capacity to work towards a common goal cooperatively.
What did Locke believe about the state
Limited government
Social contract – if broken through abusing rights they are entitled to resist and overthrow government
Government should protect property rights
Government should exercise tolerance in religious matters and not interfere in private conscience
No rational person would submit to arbitrary rule
State should serve the individual
Government derives legitimacy from the people and should govern in accordance with natural rights
Did not believe in democracy or political equality
What does Locke believe about society
His writings were unclear on whether he believed in the equality of men and women, and would not extend toleration to atheism
Importance of civil society
Tolerance
Basing authority on consent
Guarantee their natural rights – life, liberty and property
Social contract protected natural rights
Using reason to grasp the truth will optimize institutions and humans, flourishing society
What does Locke believe about the economy
Locke believed in individual liberty, i.e. you are
the owner of your own life, and this formed the
basis of his support for a free market economy
He did not, however, support free trade
He believed there was a moral limit to asset
accumulation because we have a natural limit
to consumption however money, as the ultimate
durable good, provided a solution to this
problem
Writes similarly to the founding fathers on the
economy
What does Wollstonecraft believe about human nature
Humanity’s greatest gift is their ability to reason, & humans natural aim for self-improvement to become rational & moral
Agreed with Locke on the view than humans are ‘blank slates’
‘the mind had no gender’: women are rational & capable of reason, so not naturally inferior to men
However, biology makes women more likely to opt for marriage & children, but they should have equality of opportunity to choose
What does Wollstonecraft believe about the state
Arbitrary power creates dependence & subordination
State’s role should be limited to preserving human rights
Women should have formal equality, with equal civil liberties to stop them being constrained by the patriarchy
Education must be available for all in order to create a gender-neutral society
Re-education is only sustainable in an institutional switch towards a republican meritocracy
What does Wollstonecraft believe about society
Lived in a time where women lacked legal independence- upon marriage husbands took control of all their property.
Wollstonecraft wanted women to have formal equality- to have full civil liberties.
Believed in marriage as an institution but said it should be a partnership.
Also pushed for education for all, to help women gain self-respect and realise their potential
What does Wollstonecraft believe about the economy
Said women were being wasted at ‘convenient domestic slaves’ and pushed for economic equality
Believed women should have the opportunity to have full economic independence from men
What does John Stuart Mill believe about human nature
JSM argues that humans have a “desire for perfection” that drives them in their life
Mill believes even if someone is correct they only learn by having their views challenged
Mill also believed that humans were sympathetic to each other
What does John Stuart Mill believe about the state
Mill believes the state is only justified in limiting our actions when those actions infringe upon the freedom of others
He also accepted later in his life that some degree of state intervention was justified to prevent the poor from enduring injustice, he appealed for a flat income tax.
What does John Stuart Mill believe about society
Mill celebrated diversity saying that a Liberal society is one that tolerates all lifestyles
He encouraged people in society to hold minority views that may improve society (Mill supported female emancipation very early)
Mill argued for total equality in society including free speech so all opinions could be heard
What does John Stuart Mill believe about the economy
Surprisingly, Mill was not a consistent advocate of laissez-faire economics
Mill believed in free enterprise and initiative
However, he also believed in taxation, trade protectionism and employee protection
In the economy it is clear JSM is not a classic Liberal.
What does Rawls believe about human nature
People want a fairer society with adequate housing, safe
neighbourhoods, a good education system and an unbiassed criminal justice system
There should be no discrimantion from fellow humans in society that has anything to do with gender, race, religion or any other factor and those should never have their right to free speech taken away from them
However, Rawls’ view of Human nature was undeniably positive in the belief that Humans are not ‘irredeemably’ self-centred, dogmatic or driven by a perpetual desire of power after power. He believed that Humans have at least the capacity for genuine toleration and mutual
respect
What does Rawls believe about the state
Society must be organised around a set of fair rules
While fair institutions will influence the life chances of everyone in society, they will leave individuals free to exercise their basic liberties as they see fit within this fair set of rules
What does Rawls believe about society
Economic justice - should aim to minimise the difference between the outcome for the best off and the poorest
Basis of society should be fair for all, devised behind a ‘veil of ignorance’ so it would not be skewed by knowledge of their own class, gender, race, talents or other characteristics’
‘justice as fairness’ - equal rights including freedom of speech and the right of assembly
An accepted minimum standard of living
‘difference principle’ - allow people to enjoy as much freedom as possible, provided it was not exercised at the expense of others
There would be inequality in society, but it would be tolerated only if it did not make those at the bottom worse off
Society could be fair when we can state no one would care what circumstances we would be born into
What did Rawls believe about the economy
The only morally acceptable economic
systems are democratic socialism or
‘property-owning democracy’ – a market
in which government continually
intervenes to ensure widespread
dispersal of capital ownership
Believed in a social minimum (an income
guarantee for low-income people)
What does Friedan think about human nature
Rather than in nature, women were conditioned
to be housewives by school, religion, family,
society and culture.
Women have the ability to be just as successful
in the working world/public sector as men.
Believes that human nature evolved in a way that
discouraged self-advancement among women.
What does Friedan believe about the state
Limited role of government
However, government should provide a level
playing field for men and women through
legislation.
No laws should promote inequality between men
and women.
Legislation should provide women with the
opportunity to escape the private sphere where
they are often trapped against their will.
She believed in positive freedom.
What does Friedan believe about society
Friedan felt that women were prevented from
fulfilling their potential in life due to the confines
of the cultural myth.
As well as this, she felt that women were sold a
lifestyle that centred around marriage, the home,
the family and their associated material goods.
She was a liberal as she wanted to make reforms
withing the existing structure of society , rather
than fundamentally transforming it.
Society remains chauvinistic towards women,
although women are complicit in their
repression.
She had no issue with women being wives and
mothers if they chose to, but they need the
choice.
