This is a complete summary of all 3 ideology topics that could come up on paper 1, including conservatism, socialism and liberalism.
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1.1 Liberalism core ideas and principles
Core Ideas:
Human Nature The State Society The Economy
Optimistic view of HN. State is needed to Should be a Private property and
Humans are capable regulate individuals and meritocracy. ownership is a natural
of self-improvement. stop conflict. By being limited the right
Humans are naturally State should promote State should promote Free markets will
individualistic, but are tolerance. a ‘natural society’ promote freedom.
sensitive to others. State should promote a where humans can be Capitalism will create
Humans are inherently meritocracy individuals. wealth and therefore
rational. State should be limited Society should improve lives of
through a constitution promote freedom in individuals.
and separation of terms of culture,
powers. economics and
State should be expression
democratic and should
be governed by consent.
1.2 Differing views and tensions
Classical Liberalism- Key Principles:
Negative Liberty:
Classical Liberals believed that freedom was the freedom from restraint. Everyone was naturally
free, until something restricted them.
Minimal State:
In order for the State to be limited, it also needs to be minimal. States should not be large and
intrusive, instead they should serve to protect the interests of individuals.
Anti-Welfarism
If the state was to give out welfare it would go against individualism.
Humans must be allowed to fail- Herbert Spencer ‘survival of the fittest’.
Laissez-Faire Capitalism:
A strong belief that the free market will improve everyone’s lives. Therefore regulation was not
needed.
Believed in trickle down economics, even the poor would benefit from the free market.
Suspicious of Democracy
Concerned that democracy will become ‘mob rule’ with the majority overruling everyone else.
Egotistical Individualism:
Believe humans are naturally egotistical and have no interest in the progress of others.
Modern Liberalism- Key Principles
Developmental individualism:
Individuals could be developed and educated to reach their potential.
Humans would want to promote this in others, and the state can help.
Positive Liberty:
In the modern world it is hard for people to be individuals, if left alone they would fail to realise
potential and be individuals.
Freedom therefore needs to be ‘enabled’ by support. Freedom to health, education, a job etc.
Enlarged and Enabling State:
In order to protect freedoms, the state needs to be larger and needs to enable humans to realise
potential.
This state does not ensure that all humans are successful, rather it gives them the opportunity to
succeed.
, Liberal Representative Democracy
As the state is larger, a liberal democracy is needed to ensure consent is achieved and tyranny
cannot develop.
State is still limited by a constitution and separation of powers.
Democracy will encourage self-development and individualism.
Still suspicious of mob rule, and against direct democracy.
Social Liberalism- enforced tolerance
Rather than simply promoting tolerance and extending rights to all, Modern Liberals want to
legislate in order to protect minorities like Women.
The enlarged state therefore enables minorities to self-develop by removing discrimination.
Keynesianism
Named after JM Keynes, while Modern Liberals still believe in the free market and capitalism, they
want an element of intervention to ensure a level playing field and enabling individualism.
Jobs programmes, public buildings, progressive taxation etc.
Is Modern Liberalism completely different to Classical Liberalism
Yes No
Different conceptions of liberty/freedom. CLs Both have an optimistic view of human nature.
want to be left alone (Negative). MLs want Both believe in promoting tolerance and that humans
intervention (Positive) are rational.
MLs want a large enabling state, CLs want a Both believe individualism is the goal of society, just
minimal state. different methods.
CLs were suspicious of democracy, MLs champion Both believe in capitalism and private property.
it. Both want a constitutional state with separation of
CLs believed in Laissez-Faire Capitalism, MLs powers.
believe in Keynesianism.
CLs wanted to let people fail, and believed in
survival of the fittest. MLs believe individualism
can be developed by the state.
Tensions within each area:
Human Nature The State Society The Economy
ALL believe that ALL believe that the state ALL believe society is ALL believe in private
humans are should exist, and should be made of a collection of property and support
rational, governed by clear rules that diverse individuals private free market
intelligent and require the consent of the seeking self- enterprise.
individuals. governed. realization. CLs believe in laissez-
CLs believe that CLs believe that the state CLs believe that we faire capitalism and
individuals are should be minimal in order to should aim for a that wealth will trickle
naturally blessed protect the liberty of ‘natural society’ that down.
with these individuals. predates the states. MLs believe that the
qualities. Some CLs believe democracy can MLs believe that free market needs to
will not. threaten individualism via modern society has be managed and the
MLs believe in ‘Mob Rule’ developed in such a state should intervene
developmental MLs believe the state should way that goes against to ensure jobs etc.
individualism, with be enlarged in order to individualism, so the Keynesianism
all having the enable individualism and state needs to support
potential to realize promote positive liberty. them.
their development MLs believe that democracy
can work when it is
representative.
1.3 Liberal thinkers and key ideas
John Locke (1632-1704)- CLASSICAL LIBERAL
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