Liberalism

• Classical liberals

  Locke, Mill, Wollstonecraft, Friedan - emphasise limited government and negative liberty
• Modern liberals

  Rawls, Keynes - promote an 'enabling state' to maximise personal liberty (positive liberty)
• Liberals agree

  The core function of the state is to protect 'natural rights'
• The concept of 'natural rights' originated from Locke and modern liberals, such as Rawls, were also huge advocates for 'natural rights'
• Liberals agree that individuals have fundamental rights such as Freedom of Speech that should be respected by the State
• Liberals argue that we must tolerate views that we may find offensive, but individuals have a duty to ensure that their actions do not limit the rights of others
• Liberals do not support speech that advocates violence as it holds the potential to limit the freedom of others
• Harm principle

  Proposed by Mill - limits freedom of speech that can harm others
• Liberals firmly believe that we should be allowed to express ourselves fully as guided by our own free will rather than by outside authorities (religion, the authoritarian state) via a rationalist education system
• Classical liberals


  Advocate a minimal or 'night watchman' state to maximise personal freedom (negative liberty)
• Modern liberals

  Advocate an enabling state to maximise equality of opportunity (positive liberty)
• Classical liberals see Rawls' ideas as 'illiberal', as in their view, redistribution of wealth is a 'surrender to Socialism' and collectivist thinking at the expense of the individual
• Classical liberal economics

  Promotes a laissez-faire approach - the market will correct itself, the economy should be based on free market principles only
• Classical liberals argue that a state-dominated economy is likely to see monopolies, with little motivation to improve quality or reduce prices
• Keynesianism

  Allows a greater degree of state intervention in the economy to advance equality of opportunity and to maximise freedom for the individual (particularly in relation to employment)