Liberalism key terms

Minimal state

classical - least amount of intervention as possible

Laissez-faire capitalism

no govt interference

relies on the ‘invisible hand’ to guide trade + market

Egotistical individualism

individuals will seek to maximize their own value/situation to best fulfill their own potential

means putting one’s desires over others

requires no state intervention

Atomistic society

a collection of autonomous individuals because of the belief of negative freedom and egotistical individualism

Keynesian economics

govt intervention

influencing aggregate demand

Individuality

freedom is a right and duty

humans have potential to improve

Negative freedom

freedom is the absence of constraint

no intervention from state

Positive freedom

ability to pursue and achieve individual goals, with a sense of self rule rather than reliance on others

Original position

Rawls thought experiment where you can make a new society

Developmental individualism

the individual should be assisted in maximizing their value with state intervention

Invisible hand

individuals acting in their own self-interest instead of state intervention in the economy

Social contract

every citizen agrees to be part of the state - political authority comes from below

State of nature

natural society

tolerable and secure due to natural laws, liberties and freedoms

Constitutionalism

having a constitution to codify the responsibilities and powers of govt

Beveridge report

1942

5 Giant evil - want, ignorance, disease, squalor and idleness

Equality of opportunity

an individual or group are disadvantaged by social circumstance than there is a social responsibility to aid them- this must be completed by the Enabling State.

Foundational equality

everyone is born equal

Social Darwinism

Herbert Spencer

society as the survival of the fittest

best suited rise to the top, least suited fall to the bottom

Harm principle

Individuals should be free to do anything except harming others

Nightwatchman state

State remains in the background but acts as a warning to those who might the established laws.

Representative democracy

John Stuart Mill

only the educated should vote to prevent tyranny of the majority

all parts of society need a say so should elect representative