Politics Paper 3

Origins of Liberalism

• The four stages that led to liberalism creation

• Give details on each stage 3x points

• Give conclusion from each stage that shows overall sentiment/thinking of that stage

1. Feudalism ⚔

• Peasants had were on a FIXED contract to word X land and could not leave

• Community had common land which was used for enjoyment

• A good harvest would benefit all and a bad harvest would make all suffer

  = Collectivism was strong 🧑‍🤝‍🧑

2. Reformation ✝

• Protestantism emerged, whereby authoritarian catholic church lost influence

• People encourage to inform on their own views by reading translated bible

• Violence from catholic church followed this!

  = People feel in control of destiny ☆

3. Capitalism 🤑

• Common land that peasants previously used for enjoyment was sold to private business

• Peasants, now called workers, were allowed to move and sell labour to highest bidder

• Workers didn’t have fixed contracts to any one land

  = Individualism emerging 🫰

4. Enlightenment 🕊

• Science and reason over faith and tradition

• Scientific revolution led to HUGE advancement in knowledge

• Divine right of kings theory was challenged

  = All men are more equal 🏳‍🌈

What are the core ideas and principles of liberalism?

• 3 core ideas

• Name the core ideas 3x

• Describe each of them

• Give a quote from John locke if applicable

Core Idea // Individualism 😎

• Tends to be SKEPTICAL of giving up freedom for loss of individualism

• Criticising online surveillance and ID cards

Core Idea // Rationalism

• Humans have the power to think and form decisions that make SENSE

• John Locke argued that “humans were formed as a blank piece of paper and that their knowledge is based on EPXERIENCE”

• This shows why liberals support education as it creates hopefully positive knowledge (“What makes a man good or evil is down to education” — john locke)

Core Idea // Equality 🏳‍🌈

• “Humans are equal” — (foundational equality) John Locke

• Everyone has equal moral worth even if they are different physically = Natural Rights

What are the core ideas and principles of liberalism?

• 3 core ideas

  Name the core ideas 3x

• Describe each of them

• Give a quote from John locke if applicable

Core Idea // Tolerance 🫂

• Individuals should allow others to live how THEY want

• Used to justify tolerating other people’s religious views

• John Locke — “no friend can be established if religion is forced by weapons”

• This made Locke believe that the state should be separate from the church

Core Idea // Small Government🫂

• Clashes may still exist between people so consensual gov is still needed

• John Locke — “social contract means that people surrender some freedom to ruler who protects rights”

Core Idea // Liberal democracy 🗳

• Seeks to protect minorities who would be outvoted by MAJORITY

What are the core ideas and principles of CLASSICAL liberalism?

Negative rights!

• 5 core ideas and brief explanation

Negative Freedom

• freedom from restrictions from others

John Mill (1859) Harm Principle

• it is only acceptable —for the state— to restrict freedom if someone is causing harm to others (‘other-regarding actions’)

Negative Rights

• not having other interfere with your actions

James Mill Utilitarianism

• Best actions are those that achieve GOOD for the greatest amount of people, so laws and actions are only good if they create pleasure

Egoistical Individualism

• Individuals just purse their own self-interest

What are the core ideas and principles of CLASSICAL liberalism?

• 5 core ideas and brief explanation

Society

• collection of atomised individuals

State

• Nigh-watchman state is best with the state standing guard on property rights but nothing else (not welfare)

Laissez-fare economy

• As few taxes as possible as they undermine free market

Invisible Hand

• Far more effective at making decisions like increasing wages or planning production than a NANNY state planned-economy

Meritocracy

• Those who work hardest and are most intelligent should hold positions of power NOT those who have just inherited wealth

1. Liberal Feminism/First wave

• Influences x1

• Key thinkers x3

• Key concerns x6

• Key approaches x2

Key approaches

• Education and propaganda to fight against sexist attiutudes and laguage—REFORMISM

• Fight to achieve full legal equality—REFORMISM

Key concerns

• Women should be able to VOTE 🗳 and run for office 🧑‍💼

• Women should be educated 🏫

• Women should be able to have any job 🧑‍🏭

• Women should be equal in the LAW

• Women should be free from husbands/fathers authoritarinism

• Women should have CHOICE (career OR housewife!)

Influences

• Liberalism — looking at women’s rights from a liberal POV

Key thinkers

• Mary Wollstonecraft 1792

• John Mill

• Charlotte Perkins Gilman

2. Radical Feminism

• Influences x2

• Key thinkers x1

• Key concerns x4

• Key approaches x2

Key approaches

• Abolishing the nuclear family and living communally (removing male domination of family)

• Favouring bio-technology to remove the need for men for reproduction—forming lesbian communities

Key concerns

• Men opress women in the home

• Men opress women in economy

• Men opress women in the home

• Men see women as ‘sex-objects’

Influences

• Making women aware of the ways that they are oppressed in patriarchal society

• Dismantiltg Patriarchy! in favour for a new equal social order

Key thinkers

• Kate Millett

3. Cultural Feminism (Women’s rule)

• Influences x3

• Key concerns x1

• Key approaches x4

Key approaches

• Uniting women regardless of social or ethnic group

• Taking raw action [rape crisis centres & Women’s homeless shelters]

• Patriarchy should be replaced with Matriarchy as society is better run by women (who heal discord)

• Persuading to achieve aims—Reformism

Key concerns

• NOT: stereotypical gender roles BUT womens traditional role isn’t sufficiently valued

Influences

• Emerged from radical feminism

• Essentialism—women are different to men in both NATURE and BIOLOGY

• A women is caring & empathetic

4. Socialist Feminism

• Influences x2

• Key thinkers x1

• Key concerns x3

• Key approaches x3

Key approaches

• Descructing capitalism to achieve LIBERATION of women (marxist-fem)

• Change in culture and education of women (socialist-fem)

• All issues that women face (sexual harrasment, lower pay, taken advantage in home) need to be solved all-togtehr

Key concerns

• Women cannot be free until economic freedom

• Women had been DEPRIVED of private property

• Women are a vital source of LOW-PAID labour

Influences

• Marx (marxist-feminism)

• Gradualism (Socialist-feminism)

Key thinkers

• Sheila Rowbotham

5. Post Modern Feminism/Ultra-woke
(3rd wave)

• Influences x1

• Key thinkers x2

• Key concerns x2

• Key approaches x3

Key approaches

• Creating a ‘sisterhood’ welcoming those from across racial and class spectrum

• Opening up feminism to gay-gay

• Freedom should be expanded to alll who indetify as women (Womenx)

Key concerns

• Diversity, POV of each women is unique

• Thinking that Liberal and Radical feminists were just all white and rich

Influences

• postmodernism—challenge to essentialism (single universal female experience)

Key thinkers

• bell hooks

• Rebecca Walker

6. Post-colonial feminism (quite lefty marxist)

(kind of liberals that are fine with women wearing hijabs)

• Influences x1

• Key concerns x2

• Key approaches x1.5

Key approaches

• Embracing WOMEN as a single universal banner (like cultural & marxist feminists)

  • Not allowing class or ethnic to separate them

Key concerns

• Social & economic impact of colonialism on women was BIG!

• Western white women liberals just see the west as important, developing world women have their own cultural norms

Influences

• Liberal and Radical feminism being too narrow in attitudes

Do feminists share the same view of pathrarchal power?

• yes 3x

• no 3x

YES:

1. Agree that patriarchy has existed for years upon years!

2. Agree that patriarchal power restricts women!

3. Agree that problem is the system of patriarchy NOT individual men!

NO:

1. Liberal feminists believe patriarchy can be reformed vs Radical and socialist feminists think patriarchy can be dismantled

2. Liberal and Radical feminists say patriarchy similarly affects all women vs Post-modern feminists arguing women of different ethnicites are affected differently

3. Liberal feminists think biggest probelm with patrarchy is that it limits women’s freedom in public sphere (politics + career) vs Radical feminists see patriarchy as problem in private sphere as more

Do feminists beleive that capitalist socities oppress women?

• yes and no x3

YES:

1. All feminists think that as long as men hold the most power—women will be discriminated against

2. Socialist/marxist feminists argue that women are 2x exploited in capitalism (cheap source of labour + free work at home)

3. bell hooks: capitalism works with other factors to oppress women

NO:

1. Liberal feminsts are supportive of capitalism and want more of it! — for all women

2. Moderate-socialist feminists believe that welfare capitalism can distribure wealth to women

3. (Third-wave) post-modernist feminists argue that some women do well in capitalism but not all

What are the core ideas and principles of MODERN liberalism?

Positive rights!

• 6 core ideas of modern liberalism and brief explanation

• Explain Beveridge report, the 5 giants and what each pointed to (e.g poor healthcare)

John Stuart Mill Pleasure:

• “some kinds of pleasure are more valuable than others!” — these pleasures do more in the LONG-TERM compared to alcohol

Developmental Individualism:

• Ability of individuals can achieve potentials with OTHERS in society

Positive Freedom (TH Green style):

• Simply removing oppression and forcing doesn’t make a man free if they are not free to improve their quality of life

Positive Rights:

• Are necessary (right to education, work, healthcare) if an individual can achieve self-potential, self-mastery, and self-determine

More Collective Society:

• If lots of individuals around you are poor and ignorant then it will be difficult to achieve self-potential so Atomised Society is WRONG

FAIR Equality Of Opportunity:

• Those that are disabled or poor from birth should have the same opportunities as those born rich and strong—STATE ACTION needed!

→ Led to Beveridge Report and Five Giants:

1. Want — Poverty

2. Ignorance — Poor education system

3. Disease — Lack of free healthcare

4. Squalor — Bad housing

5. Idleness — High unemployment

What did Marx and Engels contribute to socialism? Part One

• 4 key pricniples

  • description of each

Capitalism ‘alienated’ workers from natural human state through:

1. Products of their labour—workers spend time making STUFF that they can’t afford

2. Machine-like Labour processes—workers work in assembly lines that limit natural creativity

3. Individualism—not appreciating others and seeing them as rivals ⚔

Human nature:

• Ideas are shaped by environment NOT naturally selfish

False Consciousness:

• the proletariat are unable to see that they are exploited as the ruling class controls education, culture, religion

Dialectical Materialism:

• Historical change from economic stage to another is driven by class overthrows—like Bourgeoise overthrowing Feudal class in French Revolution

What did Marx and Engels contribute to socialism? Part Two

• 4 key principles

  • description of each

Theory of labour value:

• Use value — basic use (shirt keeps you warm)

• Exchange value — exchanging X for money. This value is created based on amount of labour that was put into making the item

Theory of surplus value:

• Employees are paid far lower than the value of the labour produced

Class consciousness and revolution:

• Capitalism itself will eventually lead to workers launching a revolution

  • Capitalist 1 wants to pay his OWN workers the least amount possible but wants capitalist 2 to pay his workers the highest amount possible so that his workers pay for captialist’s 1’s goods

Socialism replaces capitalism:

• Socialism would have the following policies

  • Abolition of private property

  • A heavy progressive tax

  • Abolition of rights of inheritance

  • Confiscation of property of rebels

  • Centralisation of credit, communication and transport in hands of the state

Core ideas of socialism? 4 key principles

points for each

• compare 4 key tenets of socialism with revionist vs revolutuonary

Social Class

• Revolutionary socialists → abolishing class is the ONLY way to equality

• Revisionist socialist → redtrisbuting wealth is enough for equality of opportunity

Collective Human Nature

• Humans are naturally sociable and inclined to altruistic co-operation

• Environment is what impact on human nature

Common Ownership

• Private property encourages materialism (MCM equation) and so…

• Revolutionary socialists → abolishing private property is the needed

• Revisionist socialist → redtrisbuting wealth is enough

Workers Control

• Revolutionary socialists → abolishing capitalism now!

• Revisionist socialist → sufficient to strengthen unions or voters to vote via ballot

What is revolutionary socialism?

• (Rosa Luxemburg — 1871 to 1919)

1. Luxemburg content

2. Luxemburg policies ( 4 )

Luxemburg Context:

• German economy growing, wages on the UP

• SPD debating on whether to actually completely overthrow capitalizm [Bernstein wing of party]

Luxemburg’s Policies:

• Evolutionary socialism CANNOT work

  • 1 = only leads to a suppression of capitalism

  • 2 = state is not neutral and so only grants MINOR reforms

• Capitalism requires nations to constantly expand profits into colonies! (confirmed by WW1)

• Socialism must happen by the proletariat/mass action — a ‘Vanguard Party’ cannot just coerce the people if they haven’t DECIDED they want it

• Socialist democracy is vital — Lenin’s dictatorship will lead to ULTRA-centralised control

𐀪 Charlotte Perkins Gilman [1860-1935]

Liberal feminist

1. Human Nature 🍄‍🟫 x2

2. Freedom ⛓‍💥 x3

3. Economy $ x1

4. Society 𖨆 x3

5. State ★ x2

Human Nature 🍄‍🟫:

• It no longer made sense for women to be controlled by men

• Nothing innate about maternal feelings—no such thing as ‘feminine mind’

Freedom ⛓‍💥:

• Women were confined to menial household chores because of marriage

• Women should achieve economic independence to be free from men

Economy $:

• Women were dependant on their husbands financially

Society 𖨆:

• Society is androcentric

• Girls were encouraged to perform a feminine role from birth (‘girl’ toys)

• Communal living is needed for women to be free from child rearing

State ★:

• Should own public services so it can foment communalisation of child-rearing

• Women should have equality of opportunity to men

𖠋 Simone de Beauvoir [1908-1986]

Socialist feminist

1. Human Nature 🍄‍🟫 x1

2. Freedom ⛓‍💥 x1

3. Economy $ x1

4. Society 𖨆 x3

5. State ★ x2

Human Nature 🍄‍🟫:

• Women are raised to act like women but are not born to be that way as men decided

Freedom ⛓‍💥:

• Women are enslaved to men

Economy $:

• Was strongly against unpaid domestic ‘labour’

Society 𖨆:

• Women are seen as lesser members of society compared to men

• De Beauvoir wanted a society of not ‘men and women’ but of ‘workers’

• Acknoledged the role of class

State ★:

• State should legalise abortion

• State should allow contraception

Kate Millet [1934-2017]

Radical feminist

1. Human Nature 🍄‍🟫 x1

2. Freedom ⛓‍💥 x1

3. Economy $ x1

4. Society 𖨆 x3

5. State ★ x1

Human Nature 🍄‍🟫:

• No certain characteristics are feminist nor masculine

Freedom ⛓‍💥:

• Women must accept lesbianism to personally liberate themselves

Economy $:

• Men oppress women in the economy

Society 𖨆:

• Girls have confidence eroded from early childhood

• Oppression of women was entrenched in society in both private and public spheres

• Monogamous marriage should be ended

State ★:

• Political reform had failed women — women had the vote but very underrepresented in the USA

Sheila Rowbotham [1943…]

Socialist feminist

1. Freedom ⛓‍💥 x3

2. Economy $ x1

3. Society 𖨆 x3

4. State ★ x2

Freedom ⛓‍💥:

• Women had to work for free in the home AND accept lower wages paid by their employers

State ★:

• State is a servant of capitalism

• There should be greater availability of nursery schools, laundrettes and cheap restaurants to free women from day to day domestic care

Society 𖨆:

• ‘women’s work’ term should be banned

• Working class women were accorded little value

Economy $:

• Women are a low paid ‘reserve army of labour’

Bell hooks [1952-2021]

Black feminist

1. Human Nature 🍄‍🟫 x1

2. Freedom ⛓‍💥 x3

3. Economy $ x1

4. Society 𖨆 x3

5. State ★ x2

Human Nature 🍄‍🟫:

• Men have value because of who they are—not what they do/act

Freedom ⛓‍💥:

• Black women had a completely different experience of discrimination—being racisted on their race and not just sexist towards

State ★:

• Dominated by white males, so patriarchy exists

• State should legalise abortion

Society 𖨆:

• Richer white women often free themselves from housework by paying cheap women for childcare

• Patriarchy had taught women to hate themselves

• Inter-sectionalist—in order to resolve the patriarchal oppression love between different ethnicities must be established

Economy $:

• Women living in poverty have problems that richer women do not have

What is evolutionary socialism?

• Key thinker: Beatrice Webb

• Little Bio On Webb 2x points

• How Does Evolutionary Socialism Occur 3x points

• How Does Evolutionary Socialism Work 4x points

Little Bio On Webb :

• Born rich but then volunteered in a charity—saw that charity only treated symptoms of society but not cause

• Worked in sweatshops—seing the effects of heightened competition leading to awful conditions

How does evolutionary socialism occur :

• Increase class tensions would lead to collective action to gradually change the world

• As workers were able to vote they would vote for politicians who represented them

• If the state bought up shares of private bizs it would cause little distruption

How would Evoluntiary Socialism work :

• The whole community deciding what was the best decision would be more effective than just workers (who would decide in their best interest)

• State should treat the causes of poverty—those in poverty are only broke because ‘there are no jobs to be had’

• State should “secure a national minimum of civilised life” — basically a welfare state paid for by the wealthiest in society

• State elite would research & persuade those in power that socialism benefits them

• Nationalising industry (transport, mines & electricity)

• Using the Surplus [from Nationalised industry & Progressive taxes] to build up la comunidad del país