Key figures

John Locke - brief info

Classical liberal thinker of the 17th Century, with his famous text being ‘Two Treaties of Government’

What assumptions do both Locke and Hobbes share about human nature?

Share individualistic assumptions, with the idea of natural rights.

How does Locke derive his understanding of the origins, nature and purpose of government?

Its only by abstracting ourselves into pre-social condition that this can be truly understood.

How does Locke disagree with Hobbes’ idea of human nature?

He thinks of humans as more gregarious and sociable. Not only are humans bestowed by natural rights but also by a rational and intuitive sense of natural law.

How does belief in natural rights lead to a rational conclusion?

As they are in essence bestowed by God, they must be protected and preserved.

Locke’s’ belief in social contract

This is created as part of the rational recognition that natural rights need protection from both individuals and the state.Wh

Locke’s belief in constitutionalism and consent

The relationship is two-way; individuals must obey the laws in exchange for protection of their rights by the government.

Locke’s belief in a limited government

The state’s legitimacy is derived from the consent of the people, who are acting rationally in giving the state some power to protect their life, liberty and estate.

How does Locke believe the government is reliant on consent?

People can remove consent at any point if the social contract is broken, it is conditional.

Therefore govt. is limited based on consent from below.

Locke’s quote about freedom and the law

“Where laws do not exist man has no freedom “

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) - Famous writing

A vindication of the rights of women

What was her argument for women’s rights?

Women have equal rational capacity to that of men. Their ability to reason is equally shared, so should have equal rights.

Her response to the belief that women are more emotional

This is an ideological and social construct serving a patriarchal power structure.

Key quote about gender equality:

'“The mind has no gender”B

Belief about education

Both men and women should have equal educational opportunities

Her view on women that internalise patriarchal ideology

Believed they damage their own intellectual, moral and spiritual potential and limit civilisational progress.

How does she use religion in her arguments?

She uses the metaphysical backdrop of God to argue that men and women are equal in the eyes of God and have equal access to spiritutal truths, so should be given equal opportunities to develop their potential.

Why is the belief that intrinsic gender equality a metaphysical concept a point of tension for liberalism

The liberal ideology conceives itself as a secular one.

John Stuart Mill (1806-73) - Famous writing

“On Liberty” - put forward a powerful argument for freedom of expression, action and association

What ideology are these liberties central to?

Liberal democracy

What was Mill’s belief on developmental democracy?

He advanced the idea of developmental democracy believing liberty isn’t a static reality but that it should be protected but also nurtured to develop and grow.

How did Mill believe that liberty should be nurtured to develop?

Through participation in public life, as without this, it would become difficult to develop intellectual and moral excellence

What form of democracy did Mill see as a means of protecting liberty as well as enhancing moral and intellectual capabilities of individuals?

Representative democracy

What did he believe democracy becomes a means for

Cultivation

What was Mill’s view on freedom of speech?

He advocated for absolute freedom of speech on philosophical and practical grounds

Philosophically, Why did he believe it was unjustified to suppress any view?

Since beliefs values and ideas are only provisionally valid it cannot be justified simply because it conflicts with the dominant or conventional view

Did he believe that one could claim an absolute monopoly on truth? What does this mean for freedom of speech?

No, because knowledge is always being enhanced by further study and observation therefore it’s unjustified to suppress views of others or impose on one another

Why did Mill believe that minority views are important?

As they may possibly contain element of truth or insight.

furthermore social and moral progress is more likely to occur when there’s an uninhibited clash of conflicting ideas

Why did he believe it was okay to share views even if they are irrational or logical?

As the more rationally valid argument will triumph in the marketplace of ideas

John Rawls (1921-2002) - brief info

An American, modern liberal political philosopher, known for his famous writing ‘A theory of justice’

What tension did he try to resolve

The one between liberty and equal

Which of his works adressed this tension?

Justice as fairness - arguing that freedom + equality can be balanced.

What were his two principles of justice?

1. Maximisation of freedom

2. The difference principle

Why did Rawls believe the maximisation of freedom was important?

Without liberty, you cannot nurture + develop whatever set of characteristics that you inherit

What is the difference principle?

Inequality must never get so extreme that anybody is unable to meet their basic economic needs - a social safety net.

What is the veil of ignorance?

A thought experiment in which an individual has to imagine which society they’d want to live in, but they are unaware of any attributes that they will have (like before you were born)

What does the veil of ignorance aim to show

That liberal principles of fair justice and equality of opportunity could be derived on a rational basis and thus assume universal validity.

What economic system does Rawls propose?

Property-owning democracy, involving a market economy with continuous government intervention to disperse capital.

Betty Friedan (1921-2006) - Key writing

She surveyed female graduates from her university in order to publish Feminist Mystique in 1963

What did she find in her survey? (The problem that has no name)

Women were stifled by laborious housework and childcare tasks.

What does the question “Is this all?” Refer to

Women still had a sense of satisfaction, should be more to life than just raising kids

How did she aim to free women?

By freeing them from the constrains on patriarchal institutions and ideology. She focused on female emancipation and formal equality.

How did she believe that the advertising industry perpetuates the patriarchy?

It is male dominated and cemented the inferior position of women in society by idolising the suburban housewife.

How were women discriminated against if they were equal under law

They suffered subtle forms of discrimination, falling victim to delusory values which encouraged personal fulfilment through domestic work. This limited role led to a lack of meaningful fulfilment.

Arguments that friedan was a liberal

She believed in: Individual Choice, Equality of opportunity, Meritocracy, Positive Liberty - she endorsed legislation that provided women freedom

In what way was she illiberal

She was intolerant to the lesbian and transgender movement