The Evolution of Classical Liberal Thought

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering the origins of classical liberalism, key political and economic philosophers, and core Enlightenment principles.

Authoritarianism

A political system characterized by a dictatorship with an unelected leader, such as a king or emperor, who is not controlled by a constitution.

Political Liberalism

A political approach focused on liberating people from authoritarian control to establish "people power" through systems such as constitutional monarchies, republics, parliamentary systems, congressional systems, or direct democracy.

Magna Carta (1215)

The "great charter" issued in 1215 to King John of England, representing the first major challenge to the absolute authority and Divine Right of Kings.

Divine Right of Kings

A Middle Ages doctrine holding that political authority and legitimacy derived directly from conquest and divine sanction, progressing from warlord to lord to king.

Republic

A form of government revived from classic Greek and Roman ideas featuring elected leaders who represent the wishes of the people.

Humanism

An Enlightenment and Age of Reason perspective that interprets history, society, and life based on reason and logic rather than religious dogma.

Thomas Hobbes

An early philosopher concerned with social and political order who argued that individuals must sacrifice their personal sovereignty to a strong monarch to guarantee security.

John Locke

An Enlightenment philosopher who championed natural rights and maintained that the role of government must be strictly limited to protecting individual liberty.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

A political philosopher associated with the concept of the "general will," governance by consensus, and the idea of a "benevolent dictator."

Baron de Montesquieu

A French Enlightenment thinker (1689–1755) who advocated for the equality and worth of the individual, government accountability, and the separation of government powers into executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Checks and Balances

Montesquieu's governmental framework in which the executive, legislative, and judicial branches are distinct yet dependent on one another to ensure no single branch becomes too powerful.

The Harm Principle

John Stuart Mill's principle stating that the only legitimate purpose for which power can be exercised over an individual against their will is to prevent harm to others.

John Stuart Mill

A liberal philosopher who advocated for personal liberty and women's rights, asserting that the state's role should be restricted to preserving the rule of law, protecting private property, and ensuring personal physical security.

Adam Smith

A Scottish political economist who provided the foundations of capitalism, arguing that self-interest within a free-market economy drives production, distributes wealth, and benefits society as a whole.

The Wealth of Nations (1776)

The seminal text published in 1776 by Adam Smith asserting that individual self-interest in an open market strengthens the economy and broadens societal well-being.

Laissez-faire

An economic doctrine linked to Adam Smith that advocates for limited government interference in order to maintain social stability and foster capitalist trade.