Political Ideas

• What are the origins of Liberalism?

  Within the Reformation, taking a more individualist approach to Christianity
• How is John Locke significant?

  seen as father of liberalism

  
  

  wrote 'Two Treatise of Government (1690)'

  
  

  [classical liberal]
• What did John Locke believe about human nature?

  In the State of Nature people are egotistical (self-interested) but respectful

  
  

  People are naturally reasonable

  
  

  Natural rights exist
• What did John Locke believe about the economy?

  saw property as a natural right

  
  

  Laissez-faire capitalism
• What did John Locke believe about society?

  rejected divine right of kings

  
  

  consent to be governed comes from below

  
  

  the Social Contract

  
  

  championed rights of religious non-comformists
• What did John Locke believe about the state?

  Limited gov

  
  

  minimal state

  
  

  constitutionalism

  
  

  representative gov

  
  

  only property owners vote

  
  

  mechanistic theory
• how is Betty Friedan significant?

  Leading figure in the Woman's Movement

  
  

  Wrote 'Feminine Mystique' (1963)

  
  

  [modern feminist liberal]
• What did Betty Friedan believe about human nature?

  cultural conditioning has turned people against their human nature
• What did Betty Friedan believe about the state?

  the state should illegalise forms of discrimination

  
  

  liberals should reject paternalism and respect its citizen's interests

  
  

  had reservations about direct democracy
• What did Betty Friedan believe about society?

  society remained chauvinistic towards women

  
  

  'cultural conditioning' in society spread illiberalism
• What did Betty Friedan believe about the economy?

  free-market capitalism could be an ally to female emancipation
• How is Mary Wollstonecraft significant?

  argued enlightenment thinking should extend to women

  
  

  Wrote 'A Vindication of the Right's of Women' (1792)

  
  

  [classical feminist liberal]
• What did Mary Wollstonecraft believe about human nature?

  rationalism defines both men and women, are not so different intellectually so rights should extend to women

  
  

  "the mind has no gender"
• What did Mary Wollstonecraft believe about the state?

  supported the French Revolution, believed in:

  
  

  Republican government

  
  

  formalized constitution

  
  

  should grant formal equality to women
• What did Mary Wollstonecraft believe about society?

  nation's limited their potential by depriving women of education, lower stock of intellectuals
• How is John Stuart Mill significant?

  furthered ideas about individualism

  
  

  wrote 'On Liberty' (1859)

  
  

  [reformist liberal]
• What did John Stuart Mill believe about human nature?

  individuals have free will and are responsible for their lives

  
  

  believed in developmental individualism and that education can bring out people's rationality
• What did John Stuart Mill believe about the state?

  believed in minimal state to respect negative liberty

  
  

  State interference was sometimes necessary to combat poverty

  
  

  believed in representative democracy but sceptical of universal suffrage and 'tyranny of the majority' with an uneducated electorate
• What did John Stuart Mill believe about society?

  harm principle, society is best with tolerance and individuality

  
  

  believed franchise should extend to women on basis of developmental individualism

  
  

  opposed collectivism
• What did John Stuart Mill believe about the economy?

  laissez-faire capitalism in accordance to negative liberty
• How is Adam Smith significant?

  leading figure of free market capitalsim

  
  

  wrote 'The Wealth of Nations
• How is Thomas Hill Green significant?

  wrote 'Lectures on Principles of Obligation' (1895)

  
  

  developed arguements in favour of positive freedom

  
  

  [reformist liberal]
• What did Thomas Hill Green believe about human nature?

  Human beings are guided by reason but this reason is impacted by socio-economic circumstances
• What did Thomas Hill Green believe about the state?

  the state had a duty to intervene and reduce extreme inequality

  
  

  the state should act in a way that allows people to maximise their opportunities in life
• What did Thomas Hill Green believe about society?

  Society was fundamentally altered by industrialisation and a reappraisal of 'freedom' was needed
• What did Thomas Hill Green believe about the economy?

  A free-market economy best supports individualism but can threaten equality of opportunity without regulation
• How is John Rawls significant?

  Wrote 'A Theory of Justice' (1971)

  
  

  [modern liberal]
• What did John Rawls believe about human nature?

  While mankind is egotistical it is also empathetic and values those around them
• What did John Rawls believe about the state?

  believed in an enabling state to create equality of opportunity necassary for individual freedom through public spending and services
• What did John Rawls believe about society?

  Freedom and equality can be balanced through the principle of 'justice as fairness'

  
  

  'justice as fairness' states that principles of justice in society are principles everyone would agree with if they approached them from a position of ignorance ('the veil of ignorance')

  
  

  inequality between the rich and poor wouldn't narrow but the conditions of the poorest would improve and entrepreunarialism would be rewarded
• What did John Rawls believe about the economy?

  Free-market capitalism should be tempered by the state's obligation to advance its poorest citizens
• What is Keynesian economics?

  Created by John Maynard Keynes, influential on FDR's New Deal and post war economics

  
  

  Stated that public spending and services (fed by redistributive taxation) can ensure full employment

  
  

  Avoids recession
• Mechanistic Theory

  that a system should be governed on reason and was created to serve people and act in their interests
• The State of Nature

  Society predates the state and without laws natural rights are still protected
• Social Contract Theory


  a voluntary agreement between the government and the governed
• Enabling State


  a larger state that ensures positive liberty and provides welfare to prevent poverty
• Minimal state

  leaves a lot of matters up to the individual, ensures negative liberty
• Developmental Individualism

  The view that individual freedom is linked to the desire to create a society in which each person can grow and flourish

  
  

  Focuses on what human nature can become
• Egotistical Individualism

  individuals seek freedom that's based on self-reliance and fulfilling their own wants and needs, support minimal state
• What is formal equality?

  equality under the law