Liberalism

• Liberalism emphasizes individual rights and freedoms as fundamental values in society.
• Liberalism is the belief that individuals are free to make their own choices, as long as they do not harm others.
• Liberalism advocates for a limited government that protects individual liberties and promotes equality of opportunity.
• Individuals have natural rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and property ownership.
• Individuals have the right to choose what happens to them, but must also accept responsibility for those decisions.
• Liberalism supports the idea of a social contract where citizens agree to be governed in exchange for protection of their rights and freedoms.
• The state has an obligation to protect individual rights and freedoms.
• The liberal tradition is characterized by its emphasis on the importance of liberty, equality, and justice.
• John Locke's ideas about natural rights were influential in shaping modern political thought.
• Locke believed that people have certain inherent rights, including life, liberty, and property.
• John Locke was an English philosopher who developed liberal political philosophy during the Enlightenment era.
• The social contract theory proposed by John Locke suggests that people give up some of their natural rights to form a civil society governed by laws.
• The state has a duty to promote social welfare by providing education, healthcare, and other services.
• John Locke's ideas about natural rights influenced modern political philosophy.
• Government intervention can sometimes be necessary to ensure fairness and prevent harm to others.
• Liberals believe in the importance of reason, science, and empirical evidence over tradition and superstition.
• Locke's ideas were influential in shaping modern Western democracies.
• The liberal viewpoint supports freedom of speech, religion, and association.
• Classical liberalism key thinker

  Adam smith
• Classical liberalism


  -A term given to the philosophy of John Locke.

  -people are separate and self governing.

  -reason above tradition

  - humans are self interested and self reliant
• Neo liberalism key thinker

  Milton Friedman
• Modern liberalism key thinker

  Thomas Hill Green
• Modern liberalism


  Argue that social and legal justice are needed for individuals to fulfil their potential.

  A larger state is needed to repel the, socioeconomic threats to freedom and individualism.

  strongly linked to collectivism.
• Negative Freedom


  No external restrictions on the individual, allowing freedom of choice

  (freedom from)
• Positive Freedom


  individuals need enabling to exercise their individual rights.

  (freedom to)
• Neo liberalism


  -self reliant individuals capable of making rational decisions in their own interests

  -Eliminate government intervention in the market

  - government involvement causes problems

  - atomistic individualism
• Individualism


  The unique importance of each individual.
• John Locke(1632-1704)


  He argued that people must give and renew consent to be governed and that it is to help improve lives.

  first to promote positive freedom and limited government.

  Believed people are rational and in tolerance of religion.
• John Locke view of human nature


  Humans are rational, guided by self-interest, but mindful of others' concerns
• John Locke view on the state

  The state must be representative, based on the consent of the governed
• John Locke view on society


  there were 'natural' societies with natural laws and rights before the state
• John Locke view on economy


  State policy should respect the 'natural right' to private property and judge effectively between individuals competing for resources.
• J.S Mill(1806-73)


  came up with the idea of negative freedom.

  Argued that freedom mainly involved an absence of restraint and connected to the Harm's principle.

  Saw liberty as the engine of ongoing human development.

  Feared that a democratic state had the potential to create a "tyranny of the majority"
• J.S. Mill on the state

  The state should proceed towards representative democracy, mindful of minority rights.
• JS Mill view on society

  The best society was one where

  'individuality' existed with tolerance.
• J.S. Mill on human nature

  fundamentally rational but human nature is not fixed: it is forever progressing.
• J.S Mill on the economy

  Laissez-faire capitalism was vital to progress, individual enterprise.
• Thomas Hill Green(1836-82)


  believed that laissez faire economy deepened inequality and divided freedom into negative and positive freedom.
• The state


  Liberals believe that the state is needed to protect the vulnerable from exploitation but it must be limited as humans are self seeking.

  support a constitution as it prevents concentrated power.

  Social contract.
• Rationalism


  A belief that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge instead of religious belief or emotions.

  
  

  Liberals accept competitive individuals, but they favour the use of reasoned debate and discussion to solve things .