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A* Liberalism Essays - UK Politics
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10 A* Liberalism Essays - Core Ideologies - UK Politics
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A* Liberalism Essays1. To what extent is there agreement between classical and modern liberals? 1
2. To what extent do liberals agree on the state? 2
3. To what extent do liberals agree on human nature? 3
4. To what extent do liberals agree on society? 4
5. To what extent do liberals agree on the concept of freedom? 6
6. To what extent do liberals agree on the economy? 7
7. To what extent do liberals agree on individualism? 8
8. To what extent do liberals agree on equality/social justice? 9
9. To what extent do liberals agree on liberal democracy? 10
10. To what extent do liberals agree on rationalism? 11
1.To what extent is there agreement between
classical and modern liberals?
Agree - HUMAN NATURE
● P: Profound agreement over positive view of human nature - believe that humans are
rational and have reason.
● Ev + Ex: Classical Locke believed the state of nature is a state of ‘perfect freedom’
and ‘perfect equality’. → This is similar to the views of modern Rawls’ original
position which reflected the belief that human nature is inherently rational.
● Eval: Therefore, broad agreement that human nature is self-interested but rational.
Disagreement emerges - ROLE AND ACTIVITY OF STATE IN SOCIETY
● P: Disagreements emerge over the role and activity of the state in society, although
there are some common underlying principles about the liberal state.
● Ev+Ex: Isaiah Berlin proposed the two concepts of liberty: positive and negative
freedom.
● Classical liberals, like Locke, believe in negative freedom. → View freedom as the
absence from constraint. → Hence, they believe the state should be minimal, or like
a ‘night watchman’, because humans are self-reliant and autonomous. → To classical
liberals, the minimal state respects individualism and property rights as it doesn’t
interfere with daily life.
● However, modern liberals believe in positive freedom. → View freedom as being able
to do something. → They believe in the enabling state because individuals being left
on their own is constricting. → This means that the state should intervene in society
in order to give freedom to individuals. → e.g. Beveridge’s Welfare State in the late
1940s.
, ● Eval: Therefore, they come to differing conclusions over the extent to which the state
should intervene in society to promote freedom, as each strand thinks the other’s
type of state will take away freedom.
Disagree - HOW THE ECONOMY SHOULD OPERATE
● P: Major disagreement over the form of capitalism used to operate the economy.
● Ev: Adam Smith believed in a laissez-faire approach as he believed the ‘invisible
hands of the market forces” would ensure that wealth would fairly “trickle down” to
those who need it. → He believed the state shouldn’t play a role in the economy.
● Classical liberals, like Mill, agree with this concept as they believe in negative
freedom - humans are naturally autonomous and so they'll make rational decisions.
→ Should the state intervene in this process, individual freedom will be reduced.
● However, modern liberals are influenced by Keynes, who argues that the economy
should be ‘steered’ and managed by the state. → This is linked to Rawls, who
believed in the greater invention for economic quality through redistribution of wealth
with extensive public spending and progressive taxation. → Rawls believed this
would deliver social justice.
● Eval: Therefore, they disagree to a large extent on the role and activity of the state in
the economy as even though they all promote capitalism, there's disagreement on
what form. → Each views the other as violations of property rights.
2.To what extent do liberals agree on the state?
Agree - LIMITED ROLE OF THE STATE
● P: Fundamentally united on the limited role of the state.
● Ev+Ex: Liberals believe the state must be formed through a social contract and must
have limited powers that are restrained by a constitution. → Govt power should
likewise be fragmented between the different branches of state and each branch
should hold the other accountable through a system of checks and balances.
● American Constitution embodies ideas of liberal thinkers, like Locke, who believed
that the state functions on the consent of the governed. → If the state refuses to act
in the interest of the people, the consent can be withdrawn. → Rejection of
totalitarian ideas, found in absolute monarchies of Europe.
● Locke argued that life in the ‘state of nature’ (humanity before state) would be
pleasant and tolerable due to man’s inherent rationalism. → State is created to
safeguard individual freedoms from egotistical individuals who might act to harm
others. → Thus, a limited state must be restrained by entrenched laws which cannot
be overruled, in order to maintain our freedoms.
● Even modern liberals who entrust the state with higher responsibilities are keen to
constrain its actions by consent.
● Eval: Therefore, this agreement is significant as it reinforces their ideas of
constitutionalism and the limited state.
, Disagreement emerges - ROLE AND ACTIVITY OF STATE IN SOCIETY
● P: Disagreements emerge over the role and activity of the state in society, although
there are some common underlying principles about the liberal state.
● Ev+Ex: Isaiah Berlin proposed the two concepts of liberty: positive and negative
freedom.
● Classical liberals, like Locke, believe in negative freedom. → View freedom as the
absence from constraint. → Hence, they believe the state should be minimal, or like
a ‘night watchman’, because humans are self-reliant and autonomous. → To classical
liberals, the minimal state respects individualism and property rights as it doesn’t
interfere with daily life.
● However, modern liberals believe in positive freedom. → View freedom as being able
to do something. → They believe in the enabling state because individuals being left
on their own is constricting. → This means that the state should intervene in society
in order to give freedom to individuals. → e.g. Beveridge’s Welfare State in the late
1940s.
● Eval: Therefore, they come to differing conclusions over the extent to which the state
should intervene in society to promote freedom, as each strand thinks the other’s
type of state will take away freedom.
Disagree - ROLE AND ACTIVITY OF THE STATE IN ECONOMY
● P: Major disagreement over role and activity of the state in the economy.
● Ev: Adam Smith believed in a laissez-faire approach as he believed the ‘invisible
hands of the market forces” would ensure that wealth would fairly “trickle down” to
those who need it. → He believed the state shouldn’t play a role in the economy.
● Classical liberals, like Mill, agree with this concept as they believe in negative
freedom - humans are naturally autonomous and so they'll make rational decisions.
→ Should the state intervene in this process, individual freedom will be reduced.
● However, modern liberals are influenced by Keynes, who argues that the economy
should be ‘steered’ and managed by the state. → This is linked to Rawls, who
believed in the greater invention for economic quality through redistribution of wealth
with extensive public spending and progressive taxation. → Rawls believed this
would deliver social justice.
● Eval: Therefore, they disagree to a large extent on the role and activity of the state in
the economy as even though they all promote capitalism, there's disagreement on
what form. → Each views the other as violations of property rights.
3.To what extent do liberals agree on human
nature?
Agree - POSITIVE VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE AS RATIONAL AND TOLERANT
● P: Profound agreement over positive view of human nature - humans are rational so
should be free to exercise their own judgement.
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