Summary
Summary ‘Liberalism and democracy are incompatible’ Analyse and evaluate with reference to the thinkers you have studied (25 marker)
- Course
- Institution
Answering the attached question
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
jodiekelly
Reviews received
Content preview
‘Liberalism and democracy are incompatible’ Analyse and evaluate with reference to thethinkers you have studied (25)
John Locke argued that men with property should represent the government, whilst
contrastingly, Mills challenged this view stating that a representative government would lead
to a tyranny of the majority. Both Mills and Locke’s ideas, although contradicting, both ideas
are incompatible with democracy in which promotes the rule of the people. Locke’s view
particularly challenges the ideas of democracy, as society is not made up of only property
owners and men.
Liberalism is compatible with democracy as democracy increases a person’s individualism
which is key in classical liberalism. The idea of democracy coincides with liberalism's right of
expression as, through democracy, individuals can vote for who they would like therefore
promoting individualism as that person is making individual and rational choices. If these
elections are free and fair, this also creates a government by consent. The writings of both
Thomas Hobbes as well as John Locke, outline a government by consent as a central and
key concept in classical liberalism. Democracy can limit state power by being accountable to
the electorate. The concept of a limited government is democratic, however is compatible
with liberalism as the concept of a limited government is crucial to classical liberalism. This
argument highlights that Liberalism and democracy are compatible as many of the ideas of
democracy encourage the ideas of individualism, as well as shares similar interest and ideas
over other factors such as limited governments as well as government by consent.
Democracy is not compatible with liberalism because as Mills argued, a liberal
representative system can lead to a tyranny of the majority. For example, if the majority fairly
voted for a white supremacy government in the United Kingdom, this would create a tyranny
of the majority, as the minority (for example black individuals) would become less liberal due
to inequality. However it can be argued that natural rights as well as constitutionalism would
protect the minority. Liberalism and democracy are incompatible, as Locke’s idea that the
government should only be represented by male property owners would therefore prevent
tyranny of the majority, as these men would only represent the minority of interest. This idea
therefore reduces the idea of democracy. However, it can be argued that a represented
liberal state may be subjected to the same issues as a representative democracy - for
example, problems with a mandate. This example shows that democracy and liberalism are
not compatible due to their conflicting ideas about the minority and the majority.
Democracy and liberalism are compatible, as modern day politics are introducing acts of
social liberalism to promote the quality of life, as well as to create a greater equality. The
ideas of liberalist thinker Mary Wollstonecraft have been applied to modern democracy, as
her novel A Vindication of the Rights paved the way for the suffrage movement as well as
the Representation of the Peoples Act 1918, in which allowed women to vote. Wollstonecraft
had argued Locke’s view that men with property were only allowed to vote, and stated in her
work that liberty could only be applied if women also received the right to vote.
Wollstonecraft’s liberal idea was applied to democracy in 1918, allowing women above thirty
to vote. However, it can be argued that following the events of the First World War, the
United Kingdom had began to evolve into a more equal state anyway as the class barrier
also became less effective, therefore showing the suffragette movement may not have been
due to the works of Wollstonecraft but due to the UK’s evolution; however, although
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller jodiekelly. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $5.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
82215 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now