Liberalism Key Thinkers

Question 1

John Locke on the state?

Answer 1

• Locke felt that the primary purpose of the of the state was to protect individual rights and to prevent society from descending into a state of nature characterised by violence

Question 2

John Locke on society?

Answer 2

• Locke’s views on society were rooted in the concept of the social contract and natural, given rights

Question 3

John Locke on the economy ?

Answer 3

• Locke’s ideas on the economy were underdeveloped compared with his other discussed ideas

• His opinions on the matter were grounded in individual property and the importance of labour in society

Question 4

Mary Wollstonecraft on the state?

Answer 4

• She advocated for a state that prioritised individual rights, formal equality and a rather republican form of government

• She advocated for much more societal freedoms and opportunities for women

Question 5

Wollstonecraft on society?

Answer 5

• Wollstonecraft was an outspoken feminist, one of the earliest in the west, who advocated for societal equality between both sexes
• She always strongly advocated for educational opportunities for young women in society

Question 6

Wollstonecraft on the economy?

Answer 6

• Wollstonecraft spoke openly about how denying women economic independence from their husbands was a waste of social resources
• She also spoke about the possibility of economic growth through the education of women in Britain

Question 7

John Stuart Mill on the state?

Answer 7

• Stuart Mill advocated for a relatively limited state that protected individual liberties and prevented any harm coming to others

• He emphasised self-autonomy and and the importance of self-determination

Question 8

Stuart Mill on society?

Answer 8

• Stuart Mill placed emphasis on individualism in society and the potential of society in stifling individual growth

• He was also a utilitarian and because of this felt society should prioritise activities that bring about happiness for all people

Question 9

Stuart Mill on the economy?

Answer 9

•Mill believed in the superiority of a socialist system in which economic production is driven by worker-owned cooperatives. But he also believed in free enterprise, competition, and individual initiative

Question 10

John Rawls on the state?

Answer 10

•John Rawls envisioned a state that actively redistributes wealth through progressive taxation, public spending, and welfare programs to promote a fair and just society

Question 11

John Rawls on society?

Answer 11

• Rawls theory of “justice as fairness” recommends equal basic liberties, equality of opportunity for all removing major inequalities in a society

Question 12

John Rawls on the economy?

Answer 12

• Rawls largely felt that inequalities in wealth and income should be arranged so as to benefit the least well off in society

Question 13

Betty Friedan on the state?

Answer 13

• Being a Prominent figure in feminisms second wave, she argued that the state and the society it created restricted women’s opportunities and limited their opportunities

Question 14

Betty Friedan on society?

Answer 14

• Friedan critiqued societal constraints on women, particularly calling out the “feminine mystique “ that she felt confined women solely to domestic roles

Question 15

Betty Friedan on the economy?

Answer 15

• Friedan believed that women’s participation in the workforce was not just a matter of equality but was also necessary for for individual freedom and general societal progress, thus furthering the economy

Question 16

Areas of agreement between Locke and Wollstonecraft?

Answer 16

• Both shared the philosophical basis of social contract theory and the belief in natural rights and equality, given to all at birth

Question 17

Areas of agreement between Locke and Mill?

Answer 17

• Both Mill and Locke believed in the importance of individual liberty. They both felt the government should exist largely to protect these rights and that these rights are individual and don’t stem from government

Question 18

Areas of agreement between Wollstonecraft and mill ?

Answer 18

• Both Wollstonecraft and Mill championed individual rights and autonomy, both also seeking to encourage equality and justice in society

Question 19

Areas of agreement between Wollstonecraft and Friedan?

Answer 19

• They both heavily advocated for women’s equality and challenged societal norms that were limiting the potential of women in society. Both also called for higher education for women as a means of economic growth and societal progression

Question 20

Areas of agreement between Mill and Rawls?

Answer 20

• Both Mill and Rawls rejected a completely laissez-fare society, believing that the state must have involvement to properly support all. They both also believed in “positive “ freedom where one has the ability to properly pursue their conception of a successful life

Question 21

Areas of agreement between John Stuart Mill and Friedan?

Answer 21

• Both called for societal, structural change for all citizens, be it the poor or women, to be able to flourish. They also both felt the state had to be altered for freedom to be given to all

Question 22

Areas of agreement between Rawls and Locke ?

Answer 22

• Both placed individual rights given to all humans at the basis of all their thinking’s, also both believing in the social contract that exists between a state and its inhabitants to create a society

Question 23

Areas of agreement between Rawls and Friedan?

Answer 23

• Both thinkers stress the importance of individuals , such as women, having their freedom to make their own decisions in society
• Both advocate for a social order based on equality not imposed hierarchy