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Summary Ultimate A-level liberalism notes
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Notes on the state, economy, society and human nature for liberalism. Includes quotes and beliefs of all key thinkers as well as detailed summaries on the strands.
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Politics liberalism allSTATE
Overall:
Believe in limited government with checks and balances to prevent of abuses of power
Keen that the state does not deprive people of their civil liberties
Locke's social contract, the idea that the state is based on the agreement of people, who choose to
give up some freedom in return for security
Liberals often support the decentralisation of power so that authority is dispersed between different
levels of government and not concentrated at the centre
When it comes to self-regarding actions (actions that do not impact the freedom of others) state
interference is not justifiable
Other regarding actions (actions that clearly limit the freedom of others) the state can justifiably
intervene
Classical and modern liberals agree largely over the need for the state but differ over its purpose
All = state created by individuals for individuals
The state is mechanistic leading to belief in social contract as outlined by Locke
Should be checks and balances and dispersal of power
Rationalism results in minimal state intervention, people should be trusted to act accordingly
Humans capable and acknowledge that some people may act incorrectly and break contracts and so
the state should be a necessary evil
All liberals support capitalism and therefore a limit on state intervention
Both strands believe in human capability and humans being trusted to run their own affairs without
state intervention
Different viewpoints of individualism then impact the scale of state intervention
Mechanist theory is the idea that the state is a man-made creation that individuals create to serve
their interests, supports the social contract as individuals can vote out the government if they don't
like their actions
Liberals accept that the state is needed to avert disorder and to protect vulnerable people from
exploitation
They also mistrust power because they believe that human beings are self-seeking so may use their
position of power to pursue their own self-interests
Therefore liberals argue for limited government with checks and balances on power
Locke believed that since we're all born equal and with the same rights, a legitimate authority could
only be established with the people's consent
Classicals:
, Negative freedom = freedom for state = classical = small state
Classicals favour a minimal/nightwatchman state with a military for common defence and police
force and court system to enforce negative rights like freedom
Wanted as few state regulations, taxes and subsidies as possible as were all seen as impacting the
free market and detrimental to negative freedom
Locke would see enabling state as a contradiction of hi nightwatchman state, forcing people into
paying taxes and taking their property etc
Mill- his own good, either physical or moral, is not sufficient warrant', state interference
unacceptable even when self-regarding actions were harmful
Classicals believe in egotistical individualism, self-interest logically leads to a state that asks less of
humans
The state shouldn't take your money to spend on others
Moderns:
Positive freedom = state enables your freedom = modern = larger state
Only modern liberals believe in an enabling state
Rawls said that because humans are rational they would purposefully minimise the risk of any threat
to themselves
Modern believe in welfare state and that all barriers to freedom should be removed
Moderns believe in developmental individualism, if humans can become better then the state should
help with this. Woolstencroft reinforced this by advocating for girls' education and rights
Developmental individualism naturally leads to an enabling state
ECONOMY
Overall:
Liberals support capitalism as 'economic liberalisation'
Economic liberalism is the belief that private property is a natural right, cooperation and competition
between traders and the free market
Positive view of human nature backs the case for free market economics
Private property is necessary for people to be able to establish their own identity as individuals
Taxation should be low so as to not discourage hard work or limit the rewards individuals have
earned
Classical:
Classical liberals emphasise free market capitalism and the idea that the economy is best served by
limited state intervention
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