This document contains all necessary information regarding the core ideology of liberalism. It contains the thoughts of all key liberal thinkers and their views on human nature, state, society and economy, along with quotes for each.
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Liberalism
— everything you need to know —
Key thinkers + key books + quotes
(Human nature)
(State)
(Society)
(Economy)
Key thinker – John Locke (classical liberal)
Work: ‘Two treatises of government’ 1690
His thoughts on…
1. Human nature
- Human beings are rational, guided by the pursuit of self
interest, but mindful of others concerns
- “The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it of which
obliges everyone”
2. State
- Must be representative, based on consent of the people
governed
- “Government has no other end than the preservation of
private property”
3. Society
- Society predates the state, there were natural societies with
natural laws and rights
- “Being all equal and independent”
- “No one ought to harm another in this life”
4. Economy
- Should respect the natural right to private property
“all wealth is a product of labour”
, Key thinker – Mary Wollstonecraft (classical liberal)
Work: ‘A vindication of the rights of women’ 1792
Her thoughts on…
1. Human nature
- Rationalism defines both genders intellectually, men and
women are not very different
- “No man chooses evil because it is evil, he only mistakes it
for happiness”
2. State
- The monarchical state should be replaced by a
representative democracy, mindful of minority rights
- “Women ought to have representatives (in government)”
3. Society
- Society remains chauvinistic towards women, though
women were complicit in their oppression
- “Man and women must be educated, in a great degree, by
the opinions and manners of the society they live in”
4. Economy
- A free-market would be energised by the enterprise of
liberated women
- “How much more respectable is the women who earns her
own bread”
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