Transcript What are the key principles of Liberalism?

“Oh my friends, the down trodden operatives of Coketown!
Oh my friends and fellow countrymen, the slaves of an
ironhanded and a grinding despotism! Oh my friends and
fellow sufferers, and fellow workmen, and fellow men! I
tell you that the hour is come, when we must rally round
one another as One united power, and crumble into dust
the oppressors that too long have battened upon the
plunder of our families, upon the sweat of our brow,
upon the labour of our hands, upon the strength of our
sinews, upon the god created rights of Humanity, and
upon the holy and eternal privileges of humanity. And
upon the holy and eternal privileges of Brotherhood! “
Charles Dickens, Hard Times, Book 1, Chapter 5, 1854
Text book reference p103.
Learning Objective 2.5
Examine the relationship between
the principles of liberalism and the
origins of classic liberal thought
Identify key specific perspectives on
classic Liberalism from John Locke,
Montesquieu, Adam Smith, John
Stuart Mill)
Reviewing key understandings
What are the key principles of
Liberalism?
Avoid the confusion with a certain
political party?!
History?!
• Class time line
Historical Growth of Liberalism
Before 14th Century.
Historical movements.
Renaissance-14th-16th Century-Sparked a belief
in the importance of the individual
“Reason was a significant as faith for a
believer of Christianity” p106 textbook.
Leonardo Di Vinci
• http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=Pir_H7kf_JU
His quest for all there was to
know.
Historical Movements (continued)
Enlightenment/Age of reason 17th 18th Century
Society comes into contact with other
societies and Ideologies around the world.
More logical thinking and reason.
Questioning of authority. E.G. The Catholic
Church!
What do you think this led to?
Enlightenment continued
Religious warfare was rife
Imperial expansion dominated the social
political and economic affairs of Europe.
Examples
English civil war
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG37jN7w
cZE
Classical Liberalism established
From the turbulent political and economic times
a new order/ideology emerged that shaped
the way that society was run for a long period
of time.
Elements of Classic Liberalism still exist today.
Classical Liberalism 17-18th Century
Key Elements
The primacy of Individual rights
The belief that humans are reasonable and
can make rational decisions that will benefit
both themselves and society.
Economic Freedom-Private property, free
markets,
Protection of civil liberties
Constitutional limitations on government.
Why look at historical thinkers?
Thomas Hobbes 1588-1677
England
• Concerned with the problem of political and social
order.
• How could human beings live together in peace and
avoid the problems of civil conflict.
• See life as “nasty brutish and short.”
• He had a lot of experience with civil war and saw
humans as inherently selfish. He saw that if human
selfishness is left unchecked chaos could rule.
• Hobbes goal was for people to give up some of their
sovereignty in return for security.
• He notes that if there is not security for the individual,
the government should be held accountable for this.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCvTq5Dgd7o&feat
ure=fvw
John Locke (1632-1704)
Deeply opposed to the authoritarianism of the
Church and the state.
Believed that the individuals had the right to
use their reason and logic to make their own
decisions.
“reason must be our last judge and guide in
everything.”
England
Believed in a Social Contract=People give up
some natural rights to receive social order
and security for themselves and their
property.
John Locke
“the reason why men enter into society, is
the preservation of their property; and
the end why they chose and authorize a
legislature, is, that there may be laws
made, and rules set, as guards and
fences to the properties of all the
members of the society: to limit the
power, and moderate the dominion, of
every part and member of the society.
John Locke, Two Treatises of Government,
Book 2, Chapter 19, Section 221, 1690
Charles de Secondat, baron
Montesquieu (1689-1755)
France
• An enlightenment thinker.
• Montesquieu believed in the worth of the
individual, the equality of individuals, and the
accountability of government.
• He strongly believed in the separation of powers.
The government should be divided into three
branches: executive, legislature, and judicial.
• He believed in the power of the people in
government procedure, in Democracy, and that
everyone should be aware of the workings of
government.
Charles de Secondat, baron
Montesquieu (1689-1755)
“The Tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so
dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a
citizen in a democracy.”
“It is clear that in a monarchy, where he who commands
the execution of the laws generally thinks himself
above them, there is less need of virtue than in a
popular government, where the person entrusted
with the execution of the laws is sensible to his being
subject to their direction”
Montesquieu, The spirit of laws, Book 3, Part 3 1748
This is the way we do things now, but back then, this
Ideology meant that the status quo was being
challenged! People, especially the rich people.
Adam Smith (1723-1790)
Scottish.-Says it all really!
Mercantilism benefitted the
state, Smith disagreed, and
believed that if individuals
were allowed to pursue
their own goals, everyone
would benefit.
Published a book called The
Wealth of Nations.
Adam Smith
• Advocated a free market.
• Invisible hand. Government
should not interfere with
economy unless there is an
urgent need.
• Laissez faire capitalism. We
will be talking about this in
more detail
John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)
• Interested in the protection of
individual freedom and the
promotion of individual decision
making as the core of societal
institutions.
• Only restraints should be put in to
stop other people’s freedom being
inhibited.
England
• Was a strong advocate for freedom
of speech.
John Stewart Mill
“if all mankind minus one, were of
one opinion, and only one
person were the contrary
opinion, mankind would be no
more justified in silencing that
one person, than he, if he had
the power, would be justified in
silencing mankind.”
John Stuart Mill, On liberty,
Chapter 2, 1859
Thinkers
Hobbes
Locke
Montesquieu
Adam Smith
John Mill
Beliefs
How were they radical
at that time
How are their Ideals
related to Classical
Liberalism
Questions for reflection.
• What is the social contract? Is school an
example of a social contract?
• Which thinkers best represent your own
viewpoints and why?
Review
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaikFI2jiys
&feature=related
Idea’s for learning.
Class sized time line.
Identifying the perspectives of different key players.
Plays-Dramatization of a conversation between them? What would
they agree with or disagree on? What would be their driving point.
If I were to meet him ? A conversation between them.
Research mini clips on each of the eras.