Summary Liberalism revision notes (for Edexcel Politics A level)
14 views 0 purchase
Course
Core Political Ideas
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
Book
UK Government and Politics for A-level Sixth Edition
Detailed revision notes on Liberalism (part of the UK Politics and Core Political Ideas paper). Includes access to key thinker profiles, summarised theory notes, sample essay, quote bank and examples. Refers to all branches and concepts specified by the exam board. Work produced by a student with f...
Conservatism revision notes (for Edexcel Politics A level)
Socialism revision notes (for Edexcel Politics A level)
All for this textbook (3)
Written for
A/AS Level
PEARSON (PEARSON)
Government and Politics
Core Political Ideas
All documents for this subject (12)
Seller
Follow
at7777
Reviews received
Content preview
Liberalism
Key thinkers:
John Locke
Mary Wollstonecraft
John Stuart Mill
John Rawls
Betty Friedan
originated in the Reformation and expanded significantly during the Enlightenment
mechanistic theory – linked to the writings of John Locke, this argues that mankind is
rational and therefore capable of devising a state that reflects mankind’s need (it was
formulated to rebuff notions like the ‘divine right of kings’)
Classical Liberalism
1) revolutionary potential
a. Locke’s ideology came to be associated with England’s Glorious
Revolution of 1688 which secured constitutional government and the
end of concentrated political power
b. Wollstonecraft contested the treatment of women within society (‘keep
women in a state of listless inactivity and stupid acquiescence’)
2) negative liberty (also espoused by liberals like Voltaire and Montesquieu)
3) minimal state
4) laissez-faire capitalism
- a ‘night watchman state’ – there to law down the conditions for existence but
should interfere as little as possible
- egotistical individualism – people are essentially self-seeking and self-reliant,
but this view minimizes the importance of society, seeing it as little more than
a collection of independent individuals
Human nature – generally an optimistic view of human nature
- individuals are motivated to bring about societal progress
- they are guided by reason/rationalism
- individuals are naturally self-seeking and self-serving (egotistical
individualism)
- innate rationality prevents destructive selfishness
Society
- ‘natural laws’ and ‘natural’ society
- the main aim of society is to facilitate individualism
- Samuel Miles’ Self Help (1859) arguing that self-reliance was possible even in
increasingly industrialized societies – he argued that without this ‘human
beings would remain stunted, their talents unknown and their liberty
squandered’
- Herbert Spencer argued for greater individualism in Man Versus the State
(1884) and echoes the fear that a ‘feeble’ minority could dominate society,
articulated the concept of ‘Social Darwinism’
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 at7777. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $8.70. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
