Liberalism

Liberalism

An ideology that focuses on the rights and freedom of the individual.

Individualism

Individuals are at the centre of liberalism, they are the origin of political rights and must be protected and supported.

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Evaluation:

• People are judged based on their own abilities

• Ignores subtle issues that can impact groups, such as sexism and racism, leading to unconscious bias.

Freedom / liberty

An individual should be free of restrictions because freedom is important - unless there are restrictions to safeguard the freedom of others.

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Evaluation:

• Allows for self-development

• Allows for people to express what they believe

• Freedom could be a threat to themselves, such as assisted dying.

State

The purpose of the state is to ensure individual freedom and to prevent people from becoming so powerful that they restrict the freedom of others. Everybody is under a ‘social contract’ as individuals choose and agree to live by the laws of the state.

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Evaluation:

Rationalism

Individuals are expected to have logical reasoning and thinking skills in order to do what is best for them.