Liberalism - A Level Politics

Individualism

The primacy of the individual in society over any group.

Classical Liberalism - Individualism

People are self seeking and self reliant.

Modern Liberalism - Individualism

Plays down self interest and links individual freedom to a desire to create a society where individuals can flourish.

Egotistical Individualism

The view that humans are inherently self seeking and self reliant.

Developmental Individualism

The view that individual freedom is linked to the desire to create a society in which each individual can flourish.

Atomistic Individualism

Society is comprised of self-sufficient individuals.

Freedom

The ability and right to make decisions in your own interests based on your view of human nature.

Classical Liberalism - Freedom

Objects to the way in which authoritarian governments claim a right to take decisions on behalf of people.

Modern Liberalism - Freedom

Freedom can never be absolute but must be exercised under law in order to protect people from interfering with others rights.

Negative Freedom

Freedom from interference by other people.

Positive Freedom

Having the capacity to act on one's free will and realise personal potential.

State

The state is a necessary evil to avoid disorder but has the potential to remove individual liberty.

Classical Liberalism - State

Oppose the concentration of political power, fearing that it gives people a greater incentive to benefit themselves and to use other people for their own ends.

Modern Liberalism - State

A necessary evil in order to maintain a level of equality and ensure that individuals are able to operate under an increasing level of freedom.

Limited State

Where the role of the government is limited by checks and balances and separation of powers, due to the corrupting nature of power.

Enabling State

A state that enables individuals to fufill their potential and exercise the utmost freedom.

Laissez-Faire Capitalism

An economic system organised by the market, where goods are produces for exchange and profit, and all wealth is privately owned.

Equality

Individuals are of equal value and should be treated impartially and fairly by society.

Classical Liberalism - Equality

Individuals with different talents should be rewarded differently, and some social inequality is good because it encourages people to work hard.

Modern Liberalism - Equality

A belief that individuals should enjoy the same legal and political rights and protections in society.

Equality of Opportunity

The idea that all individuals should have equal chances to rise and fall in life.

Foundational Equality

Rights that all humans have by virtue of being born which cannot be taken away.

Meritocracy

A society organised on the basis that success is based on ability and hard work.

Rationalism

Humans are all capable of reason and logic.

Classical Liberalism - Rationalism

Individuals should be free to exercise their own judgement about their own interests without needing to be guided by external authorities such as state or church leaders.

Modern Liberalism - Rationalism

The state should provide some guidance in exercising judgement as humans are self reliant and self seeking.

Limited Democracy

A democracy that balances the will of the people, as shown through elections, with limited government and respect for civil liberties in society.

Classical Liberalism - Limited Democracy

Fear an excessive democracy on the grounds that it may lead to tyranny of the majority, suppressing minority rights or individual freedom, or it may create a culture of dull conformism.

Modern Liberalism - Limited Democracy

Supportive of democracy as long as it is limited by a constitutional framework, and individual and group rights are protected.

Social Contract Theory

An unofficial agreement shared by everyone in society in which they give up some freedom in return for security.

John Locke

Author of Two Treatises of Government (1690).

Suggests there was a natural society before the state's existence.

Human nature is guided by naturalism, and the current state was designed to improve on a tolerable situation.

The state (due to Social Contract theory) would have to embody the principle of limited government.

Mary Wollstonecraft

Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792).

Advocated for formal equality in which women's ere entitled to the same civil liberties from men. As a result women would be able to experience a life of genuine liberty free from the patriarchy.

Substantiated her view that women were not naturally inferior to men by stating that 'the mind has no gender'.

John Stuart Mill

Author of On Liberty (1859).

Believed in the Harm Principle - that the state should only intervene if an action infringes on the freedom of others.

Divided human action into 'self regarding' and other regarding'.

Believed in developmental individualism and government by consent.

John Rawls

Author of A Theory of Justice (1971).

The principles of justice would be chosen by a rational, impartial individual if they did not know their social position behind a 'veil of ignorance'.

The two principles of justice are equal basic liberties for all and regulation of social and economic inequalities.

Reflective equilibrium is a method of revising moral judgements and principles.

Betty Friedan

Author of The Feminine Mystique (1963).

Believed all individuals should be free to seek control over their own lives and achieve their full potential.

Illiberal attitudes condemn women to underachievement.