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Liberalism 9 MarkersExplain and analyse three ways in which liberal thinkers have viewed human nature:
All liberal thinkers have an optimist view on human nature, believing they are generally rational, intelligent,
keen to prioritise their individual happiness and fulfilment, and respectful of other individuals' wish to do the
same. However, they disagree to what stage individuals have acquired this rational thought.
Classical liberal, John Locke has an extremely optimistic view on human nature. In his book two treaties and
government (1690) he articulates this particularly. Arguing that individuals are rational and born into a state of
nature. Where their rational though has proceeded society. Locke went as far to say that individuals are innately
blessed with such qualities and for that reason the state should exist in a very minimal form, being present for
when individuals really need it. John Locke’s ideas were proven in the glorious revolution of 1688, where his
social contract theory that articulated a contract that existed between the ruler and the ruled. Where individuals
acted rationally and chose to remove James II because he had broken the people’s social contract.
Later classical liberal thinker, John Stewart Mill updated John Locke’s view on human nature. His still
optimistic view developed into the harm principle, where individuals who affect other’s ability to pursue their
own interest and act rationally should be punished. Mill argued that there was a need for education to grow and
allow individuals to make better decisions. Mill’s seminal work on liberty (1859) articulated the idea of negative
freedom, which he argued was the absence of restraint, where individuals should be left to make their own
decisions without being subjected to what the state wants. Mill’s ideas developmental individualism, looking at
what individuals could become rather than what they are in their current form sums up Mill’s view on human
nature. Mill’s ideas of education can be seen to come in the form of the Education Act 1870, which guaranteed
universal education to those from 5 to 12 years old. Mill then argued that individuals will make better informed
decisions and therefore more unlikely to harm other individual’s freedom.
Finally, modern liberal thinker, John Rawles took a more proactive view on human nature. He developed Mill’s
idea of developmental individuals to find the enabling state, looking at what the individual could become.
Whilst Rawles was writing amid the industrial revolution, he argued that individuals were being subjected to
socio-economic forces out of their control, which thus affected their rationality and pursuit of self-interest.
Therefore, Rawles advocated a state to help those who can’t help themselves, developing and influencing
legislation such as the 1942 Beveridge Report and the 1908 people’s budget, which all helped to level up and
help those who can’t help themselves get out of struggle. The 1908 people’s budget particularly which ensured
pensioners had a pension, freeing them from financial difficulty, allowing them to make rational decisions in the
future.
Explain and analyse 3 ways in which liberal thinkers have viewed the state [9]
All liberal thinkers believe the state should be present but disagree on the size and role of the state.
Classical liberal thinker John Locke saw the state as a necessary body, but in a minimal form. John Locke
believed in a representative government, which was based on the consent of the people. His theory of a social
contract, articulated in his seminal work, Two Treaties of Government (1690) articulated this view. Locke
believed a social contract existed between the ruler and the ruled upon. Locke believed the government should
gain the consent of the people through representative, fair elections, for a better functioning liberal democracy.
Locke’s social contract theory came into reality with James II and the Glorious Revolution of 1688-89. At the
time, there was a Whig belief that said that James II broke the social contract between him and the people,
because of his authoritarian nature, and for that reason James should be replaced. This bottom-up example
proves Locke’s theory, where if a social contract is in place between the ruler and the ruled, the ruler has the
right to govern, whilst maintaining this social contract. Yet, Locke only felt it was necessary for the state to
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