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.

‎‎‎• Stated in the US Declaration of Independence

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:

• Ensures a limit for individual freedom of others being damaged.

• Ignores how individuals may not always have a choice in where they live depending on their wealth, so they may not always choose and agree on the governing on the state, which restricts their freedom.

Rationalism

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

• This builds the ‘marketplace of ideas’ - a competition between different beliefs and ideas that must be tolerated → the best ones will win.

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Evaluation:

• People can act upon what they believe is best for themselves.

• Their rationality can be seen as irrational by others, which may cause harm.

Equality and social justice

All views and perspectives are valued and everyone should be treated fairly before the law. However, the state should only intervene so far when creating equality and offering social justice.

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Evaluation:

• Important for individuals as it allows for everyone to have the same opportunities and for nobody to have an unfair advantage in life.

• State intervention could result in progressive taxation - restricting the rights of an individual.

Liberal democracy

A democratic state ensures everybody’s voice and opinion is heard, such as through elections. However, the government can impose tyranny, so they should have constitutional restrictions.

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Evaluation:

• Allows for the right of everybody to have free speech and gives way to local or worldwide issues being brought up

• Constitutions are unclear and uncodified, allowing for freedom in how a government could rule.

Classical liberalism

• An early form of liberalism where individualism and freedom is maximised with a minimal role of the state.

• There is a ‘laissez-faire’ approach.

• The government acts as a necessary evil.

John Locke

• Society was under a ‘social contract’ where people choose to be a party of society and must sacrifice their freedoms in order to have security (no violence or abuse).

• A minimal government should be in place to enforce laws to make sure no violence occurs. However, they should also not gain too much power over the people, instead of not protecting them from harm.

• Individuals should be allowed to criticise the state if they became too powerful.

• If individuals were unhappy with their ‘social contract’, they can move to a different part of land, provided there was evidence of labour.

Evaluation:

• This is seen as problematic as it erases the recognition of indigenous lands - Locke believed was not of ownership as the resources were ‘already there’.

Mary Wollstonecraft

• Acknowledged the ‘social contract’ was for the benefit of everybody if people were to give up part of their freedom to not risk harm for others in society.

• However, these were only imagined to be men as they were seen as rational and maximising the benefit for themselves from a situation.

• Men were dominant in the public sector because they earnt money, owned property and had jobs.

• Women were dominant in the private sector as they carried out domestic duties. The only representation women had was through men.

• If only men were seen as being rational, making them politically relevant, then women are and should be able to be a part of society and have the same independence and rights as men.

John Stuart Mill

• In his book ‘On Liberty’ - he stated that liberty was the most important society principle of society.

• ‘Harm principle’ - everybody has a right to do what they wish, as long as it does not physically harm another person (hurting somebody’s feelings does not count).

• This includes diversity as it allows us to gain a deeper understanding and tolerance of the personal beliefs of individuals - including religious beliefs.

• In the matter of committing suicide or taking illegal substances, the state should not prevent them in doing so as it is their own rational choice - a positive view of human nature as when individuals are free from the state, they do the best for themselves.

Modern liberalism

• Emerged in the late 19th and 20th century, where the government is seen as a force for positive change and can help the individual become free by solving the issues of poverty and inequality caused by capitalism.

John Rawls

• Society should treat everyone as an equal individual.

• ‘Veil of ignorance’ thought experiment - where you do not know your social characteristics but due to these unknown details, you would be expected to be given fair treatment regardless of what they are. This allows us to imagine a society that treats every social group fairly as we could end up in any group.

• Argued a liberal state should be an enabling state, where it should create the conditions reasonable enough for an individual to thrive, rather than focusing on our own personal needs.

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Evaluation:

• If we took away our social characteristics, how would we judge what other people need?

• Even if these characteristics are not present in society, people would still disagree on the conditions needed for an individual

Betty Friedan

• 'The Feminist Mystique’ - educated women were unfulfilled by their domestic roles and were not able to seek other opportunities in society.

• Patriarchal society believed women were unfulfilled if they were both in the public and private sector, or just the public sector, and would only be fulfilled if they stayed at home and took on domestic responsibilities (looking after children + staying with husband) - but many women were unfulfilled by this idea.

• She wanted women to have legal equality, which was most compatible with an ‘enabling state’ as society can meet the needs of the individuals in order for them to flourish.

• Although a minimal state allows little government interference with private matters, would protect minority groups and tolerate strong liberal ideas, the distinction between the public and private sector would be damaging for women.

Evaluation

• Lesbian women were rejected in her ideas as they were seen as private matters. This contradicted her ideas, and she later apologised and addressed them. However, it shows how liberals can be unsure on how to apply their own principles on certain matters.

Liberal individualism

• Individuals are at the centre of politics.

• Individuals have rights that are given by God, so they must primarily be considered in political decision making.

• Even if the majority suffers, the individual must be protected.

• Liberals view society as a collection of individuals.

Egotistical individualism

The belief from classical individuals that individuals should be left free by the states and by them pursuing their own selfish interests, it will lead to the best outcome for individuals and society.

↳ John Locke, John Stuart Mill

• Believes the government gets in the way of innovation.

• Would not consider society as they only care about the individual.

• Would not want social safety nets would need taxes from the public, requiring state intervention.

• State intervention should be minimal and act as a security net to protect individuals from harm (military, police etc.)

• Equality can be sustained itself once everybody can pursue their own interests without inflicting harm.

Developmental individualism

Belief from modern liberals that individuals should be provided support by the state in order to pursue their interests, which will lead to the best outcome for individuals and society.

• Believes that the government can allow for other people’s lives to improve with state intervention.

• Gives consideration for society as a more educated society will lead to individuals thriving.

• Would want social safety nets as it would improve individuals lives in their finances, allowing them to better contribute to society and benefit other individuals.

• State intervention is necessary (NHS, education, public transport etc.) as it allows individuals to thrive and be successful in society, benefitting other individuals. 

• The state should enforce equality laws to allow individuals to be protected in the public sector.

Positive freedom

• ‘Freedom to’ - individuals gaining freedom through the state through rights.

Negative freedom

• ‘Freedom from’ - individuals gaining freedom by moving away from the constraints of the state.