Chapter 8 -- contemporary challenges to liberalism

historical environmentalism: 3

• gained widespread support in the 1960s as an ideology

• banning certain types of nuclear testing, dumping of toxic wastes, using certain toxic chemicals in computer products

• environmentalists are critical of many human economic activities

environmentalism in the 1970s:

greenpeace and friends of the earth successfully lobbied governments to enact laws to protect the environment

free market economists and global warming skeptics claim that

environmental reform of the economy will do more harm than good

environmentalism today: 2

• the green party and other parties in Canada address canadians’ growing concerns about the environment and the impact of these policies on the Canadian economy

• major debate is carbon tax even though there are major consumer and business implications

neo-conservatism: 2

• emerged in the us in 1960s as a reaction against modern liberal principles that were believed to have taken “too far”

• gained support in the 1980s under the leadership of Margaret thatcher and Ronald reagan

aspects of neo-conservatism: 2

• some aspects challenge modern liberal principles and favor a return to certain classical liberal values

• other aspects challenge both classical and modern liberal principles and favor “family values” often resting on old fashioned religious foundations

neo conservative economic policy: 4

• resembles classical liberal laissez faire economic policy

• economic growth can be stimulated by cutting taxes; lower taxes create conditions that provide everyone with the opportunity to prosper

• government involvement in economic markets should be limited

• promoted by Milton Friedman and embraced by Reagan and thatcher

neo conservatism and the role of government: 3

• prefer alternative ways to deliver services currently provided by many governments

• challenges modern liberals who believe that the government should provide most essential services

• classical liberals want to minimize government intervention but do believe that the government should be responsible for such things as education (want government to be as small as possible)

examples of neo conservative influence (individual over collective): 4

• private schools

• privatizing state owned industries

• decreasing taxes

• reducing government programs related to health, employment, education, and social security

foreign policy regarding neo-conservatism: 2

• area of common ground for neo conservatives

• a large country has interests that extend beyond its own borders and therefore needs a large military

patriotism, world government, and democratic capitalism in the eyes of neo conservatives: 3

• patriotism is good and should be encouraged

• world government is not a good idea and would lead to tyranny

• democratic capitalism is he most preferred system and should be internationally supported

neo conservatives and morality: 4

• traditional view on social issues

• concerned about the end of the traditional moral culture

• suspicious of counter cultures

• influenced by Christian right

religious perspectives: 3

• wide range of religious perspectives exist

• some people believe that the needs of community should be placed above those individuals

• emphasis on the community is against individualism

why does the government put limitations on religious practices

prevent them from conflicting with the rights of individual members of a religious community

christian right

group of conservative groups in the US (and other liberal democracies) that focus on applying specific Christian beliefs to public policy

what does Christian right represent

a challenge to modern liberalism because they see it as straying from religious values and principles that they believe that they should follow

key aboriginal policies challenge modern liberalism: 4

• importance of collective

• traditions provide different interpretations of progress than that of liberalism

• tradition and continuity are important (elders and wisdom); collective over individual

• aboriginal justice in the forms of sentencing circles

Civil rights movements

Abolish legalized racial segregation, discrimination, etc

Environmentalism

Focused on protecting the natural world from harmful human impacts

Neo conservatism

Blends traditional political and social conservatism with individualism