Classical Liberalism

Terms/Concepts People + Events

absolute monarch

form of monarchy where the king has complete control and rules in his own right or power

authoritarian

a government where an elite group of people may not rule in the favour of the people.

these systems can take the form of oligarchies, military dictatorships, ideological one-party states, and monarchies

beliefs

aspects of an identity that influence a person’s behaviour and choices, and guide people in their interactions with others and how they view the world

capitalism

an economic system based on free markets, fair competition, wise consumers, and profit-motivated producers; a minimum of government involvement is favoured

charter of rights and freedoms

sets out those rights and freedoms that Canadians believe are necessary in a free and democratic society. one part of the Canadian Constitution

guarantees everyone the freedom of conscience and religion; thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press and other means of communication; peaceful assembly; and association.

classical liberalism

political tradition and a branch of liberalism which advocates free market and laissez-faire economics; and civil liberties under the rule of law, with special emphasis on individual autonomy, limited government, economic freedom, political freedom and freedom of speech.

more extremist view on liberalism

collective norms

standards imposed by groups on their members as a condition of membership in the group

collectivism

a current of thinking that values the goals of the group and the common good over the goals of any one individual

common good

the good of a community; something that benefits the public health, safety, and/or well-being of society as a whole

constitution

it was drafted by the Convention to create a government with enough power to act on a national level, but without so much power fundamental rights would be at risk.

controls the amount of power that the government has over the people

crown corporation

public sector organizations established and funded by the government to provide specialized goods and services to citizens. They operate at varying levels of government control and report on their planning, governance, and accountabilities.

democracy

a form of government in which power is ultimately vested in the people

dictatorship

autocratic form of government which is characterized by a leader, or a group of leaders, who hold governmental powers with few to no limitations

direct democracy

a form of government in which the people participate in deciding issues directly. operates on the belief that every citizen’s voice is important and necessary for the orderly and efficient operation of society

dystopia

an imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice, typically one that is totalitarian or post-apocalyptic

divine right of kings

a political doctrine in defense of monarchical absolutism, which asserted that kings derived their authority from God and could not therefore be held accountable for their actions by any earthly authority such as a parliament

egalitarianism

the doctrine that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities

enclosure acts

the act of enclosing. Land that had been held in common becomes the private property of an individual. put lots of farmers out of jobs during the Industrial Revolution, forcing them to work in factories

free market

a market that operates with limited government intervention. questions regarding production and marketing of goods and services are decided through the free interaction of producers and consumers

hegemony

leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others

ideology

a set of principles or ideas that explains your world and your place within it, which is based on certain assumptions about human nature and society and provides an interpretation of the past, an explanation of the present, and a vision for the future

identity

the qualities, beliefs, personality traits, appearance, and/or expressions that characterize a person or a group. emerges during childhood as children start to comprehend their self-concept, and it remains a consistent aspect throughout different stages of life

individualism

a current of thinking that values the freedom and worth of the individual, sometimes over the security and harmony of the group

intellectual property

a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. The best-known types are patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets.

invisible hand

created by Adam Smith

a metaphor for the unseen forces that move the free market economy. Through individual self-interest and freedom of production and consumption, the best interests of society, as a whole, are fulfilled.

kibbutz

an intentional community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. The first, established in 1910, was Degania

a group that initially embraced collectivism in their community and way of life, but slowly started to work in aspects of individualism

laissez-faire economics

non-interference or non-intervention. theory supports free markets and an individual’s right to own private property.

liberalism

a collection of ideologies all committed to the principle of the dignity and freedom of the individual as the foundation for society. has faith in human progress and tends to favour decentralized power, both in political and economic affairs, and respect for the sovereignty of the reasoning individual.

libertarianism

a political philosophy that advocates only minimal state intervention in the free market and the private lives of citizens.

most extreme view of liberalism

majority rule

the principle that the greater number should exercise greater power.

mercantilism

an economic theory that says the aim of all economic pursuits should be to strengthen the power and wealth of the state

ex. Britain and Canada during the fur trade

minority rights

normal individual rights as applied to members of racial, ethnic, class, religious, linguistic or gender and sexual minorities, and also the collective rights accorded to any minority group.

natural rights

those that are not dependent on the laws, customs, or beliefs of any particular culture or government, and are therefore universal and inalienable

ngo (non governmental organization)

a nonprofit organization that operates independently of any government, typically one whose purpose is to address a social or political issue.

organized labour

a strategy of workers joining together to engage in collective bargaining for higher wages, job benefits, or better working conditions. (aka union)

philosophes

intellectuals of the 18th-century European Enlightenment. Few were primarily philosophers. they were public intellectuals who applied reason to the study of many areas of learning, including philosophy, history, science, politics, economics and social issues.

pluralism

a political philosophy is the recognition and affirmation of diversity within a political body, which is seen to permit the peaceful coexistence of different interests, convictions, and lifestyles.

private property

something that is owned by an individual, including real estate, other forms of physical possessions, and intellectual property. The right to this is a central principle of liberalism and is seen as a natural extension of the concept of the worth of each individual.

privatization

the transfer of a business, industry, or service from public to private ownership and control.

public property

anything (for example, land, buildings, or vehicles) not privately owned by individuals. Generally speaking, it is owned by the state or the community, and managed according to the best interests of the community.

representative democracy

a form of government in which a small group of politicians are elected by a larger group of citizens. The people participate in deciding issues through elected officials who represent them and make laws in their interests.

rule of law

everyone is subject to the law; that no one, no matter how important or powerful, is above the law

self interest

one’s personal interest or advantage

separation of powers

an act of vesting the legislative, executive, and judicial powers of government in separate bodies. Proposed by Baron de Montesquieu

social contract

an implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits, for example by sacrificing some individual freedom for state protection. These theories became popular in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries among theorists such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as a means of explaining the origin of government and the obligations of subjects.

social safety net

consists of non-contributory assistance existing to improve lives of vulnerable families and individuals experiencing poverty and destitution

taxation without representation

political movement surrounding this originated in the American Revolution and which expressed one of the primary grievances of the American colonists for Great Britain.

having to pay taxes to a government but not having a say in the decision making process

totalitarianism

a government system that seeks complete control over the public and private lives of its citizens

universal suffrage

the right of all members of society, once they reach the age of accountability, to fully participate politically. This participation begins with the right to vote.

us bill of rights

the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. It spells out Americans' rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, press, and religion

inspired by John Locke

us constitution

the supreme law of the United States of America. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the national frame and constraints of government.

first paragraph inspired by Locke, rest of it is Montesquieu

us declaration of independence

adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, the 13 American colonies severed their political connections to Great Britain. It summarized the colonists' motivations for seeking independence.

Lots of influence from Locke, some from Montesquieu

values

individual beliefs that motivate people to act one way or another. They serve as a guide for human behavior.

worldview

a collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or group; the lens through which the world is viewed by an individual or group; the overall perspective from which the world is interpreted

agricultural revolution

the name given to a number of cultural transformations that initially allowed humans to change from a hunting and gathering subsistence to one of agriculture and animal domestications.

enlightenment

An intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries when classical liberalism spread through Europe and changed some people’s beliefs about religion, reason, nature, and human beings; also called the Age of Reason

aldous huxley

wrote the novel “a brave new world”
Community, Identity, Stability” is the motto of the utopian World State. Here everyone is provided for and there is no violence. Thinking, art, originality, and philosophy are simply forbidden. Instead, people take a drug to ensure that they never feel depressed, and the government strictly controls reproduction.

feared that information would overwhelm us and that nobody would be interested in learning anymore

industrial revolution

describes the transition of Britain from an agricultural and mercantile society to a modern industrial one. It provided the impetus by which capitalism became the dominant economic force in Europe. Through the transformation of agriculture, industry, and economics, great wealth was created for some, along with great poverty for others.

thomas jefferson

• an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father

• served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809

• wrote the Declaration of Independence

john locke

• believed that people are rational, intelligent, and reasonable.

• He argued against the Divine Right of Kings and believed that the source of power should be derived from the people themselves.

• wrote Two Treatises of Civil Government in the early 1680s in which he developed a theory on natural law and rights.

• He believed that governments have obligations to their citizens, have only limited powers over their citizens, and can ultimately be overthrown by citizens under certain circumstances. 

• endorsed religious toleration on the grounds that the enforcement of religious conformity was outside the proper scope of government. He also suggested that governments should tolerate the religious beliefs of individual citizens because enforcing religious belief is actually impossible.

baron de montesquieu

• believed in a system of ‘checks and balances’ known as the “separation of powers”

• He argued against the Divine Right of Kings and believed that every citizen had to participate in and be aware of the laws and the workings of government.

• wrote On the Spirit of Laws, published in 1748, in which he articulated his view on the need to ensure checks and balances on government power.

• His separation of powers idea is the basis of governance for almost all modern democracies, including Canada and the United States.

george orwell

wrote the novel “1984”

“War is Peace, Ignorance is Strength, Freedom is Slavery” are the three slogans of the government of Big Brother. In this fictional world where there are only three countries, Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia, Oceania is a totalitarian society led by Big Brother that censors people’s behaviour, even their thoughts.

feared that knowledge/resources/the truth would be concealed

the renaissance

a period in European history from about 1350 to 1600 that was characterized by a renewed interest in classical Greek and Roman culture, which included a renewed interest in humanism, the power of human reason and human creative potential, and the concept of the worth of the individual

adam smith

• believed that if people worked first and foremost for themselves, everyone—including the state—would be better off

• He argued against mercantilism and in favour of capitalism

• wrote The Wealth of Nations, published in 1776, in which he advocated for a free-market economic system unencumbered by government involvement.

• He developed the theory of the ‘invisible hand’, arguing that the marketplace was essentially self-regulating and, for the most part, not requiring government intervention.

• He saw the role of government limited to maintaining the rule of law, ensuring contracts are followed, and providing some public works.

• His views on political economy had a substantive influence on the United States, which was emerging as an independent state, and, subsequently, many other nations.