Lesson 2.

Liberalism

Philippine Politics and Governance

General Academic Strand | Humanities and Social Sciences
What does it
mean to be
“free” in a
society?

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Why do modern
states put
emphasis on
human rights and
individual
liberties?

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 Defining Liberalism

The 1899 Malolos Constitution established a liberal democratic

republic of the Philippines after its independence from Spain.
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 Defining Liberalism

● An ideology refers to a set of ideas that “structure political

understanding and so set goal and inspire activism, shape the
nature of political systems, and act as a form of social cement”
(Heywood 2017, 2)

● The study of political ideologies often begins with liberalism.

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 Defining Liberalism

● Liberal values are the

building blocks of
democracies.
● Majority of political
systems in the world today
are democracies.

The United States and the United Kingdom are powerful

Western democracies.

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Defining Liberalism

● Liberalism came from the Latin word

liber, which refers to “a class of free
men” (Heywood 2017, 24).
● The liberal ideology was a response to
the breakdown of feudalism in
Europe.
○ divine right of kings
○ absolute monarchy

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 Defining Liberalism
Principles of Liberalism

liberalism

individualism toleration

justice
freedom reason

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 Defining Liberalism
Principles of Liberalism

liberalism

● It refers to the human being as an

individual.
individualism ● Individuals are capable of making
their own choices outside of their
membership in social groups or
communities.
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 Defining Liberalism
Principles of Liberalism

liberalism

● Freedom is an important
component of an individual’s
freedom pursuit of his or her own interests,
wants, and needs outside of any
external influence.

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 Defining Liberalism
Principles of Liberalism

liberalism

● The use of reason means that the

individual is a thinking creature
reason who is capable of discerning his or
her aspirations and best interests.

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 Defining Liberalism
Principles of Liberalism

liberalism

● It refers to fairness and equality.

● It is just to give what is due.
justice ● It is just to treat every human being
as individuals who are born of
equal status and worth.

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 Defining Liberalism
Principles of Liberalism

liberalism

● It allows for differences without conflict.

● It provides the space for individuals to
toleration exercise their freedoms that will allow
them to develop as moral beings.
● Diversity is accepted.

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 Defining Liberalism
Principles of Liberalism

liberalism

individualism ● a liberal state,

freedom wherein a system of
laws prevails over a
reason
government
justice ● related to a
toleration democratic state

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 Historical Context of Liberalism

English American French Industrial

Civil War Revolution Revolution Revolution
(17th century) (1765-1783) (1789-1799) (18th-19th
century)

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 Historical Context of Liberalism
English Civil War

The primary conflict was the war

between the Crown and the
Parliament.
○ absolute power of monarchs
○ right of Parliament to rule
over the people

17th century in England

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 Historical Context of Liberalism
American Revolution

● It dealt with the independence

of the United States from Great
Britain.
● It led to two key documents:
○ American Declaration of
Independence
○ The U.S. Constitution
The American Declaration of Independence
as a result of the American Revolution from
1765–1783
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 Historical Context of Liberalism
French Revolution

● It sought to overturn the old

order of French society.
○ religious conformity
○ aristocratic privilege
○ political absolutism
● Slogan: liberty, equality,
fraternity
The French Revolution occurred from
1789 to 1799.

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 Historical Context of Liberalism
Industrial Revolution

● more of an economic than

political revolution
● led to the breakdown of a
mercantilist economic system
and the shift towards an
industrial and capitalist
The Industrial Revolution signaled the
system
transition from a mercantilist to capitalist
society (18th to 19th century).
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 Historical Context of Liberalism
Industrial Revolution
Mercantilism
● economic strength as
measured at the expense of
others
● ownership of gold and silver
as key to economic and
political power
● economic theory behind
colonialism
Capitalism
● invention of steam machinery
● free market principle
(laissez faire, laissez passer)
● supply and demand
determined the price of goods
● no government intervention
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 Main Liberal Thinkers
Thomas Hobbes

● English philosopher
● He lived during the English Civil
War and supported the Crown.
● He wrote Leviathan (1651).
● He supported absolute power of
the ruler for the protection of
individual rights and freedoms.

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 Main Liberal Thinkers
John Locke

● English philosopher
● author of Two Treatises of
Government (1690)
● He emphasized the individual’s
rights to life, liberty, and property
and the importance of a
representative government.

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 Main Liberal Thinkers
Jean-Jacques Rousseau

● French philosopher
● author of The Social Contract (1762)
● He believed that organized societies
and states are formed through
voluntary agreements called the
social contract.

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 Main Liberal Thinkers
Adam Smith

● Scottish economist and philosopher

● He wrote The Wealth of Nations
(1776).
● He was one of the most influential
thinkers behind the idea of the free
market and capitalism.

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 Main Liberal Thinkers
Immanuel Kant

● German philosopher
● He theorized about human reason
and morality.
● His political philosophy emphasizes
the concept of the categorical
imperative.

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 Main Liberal Thinkers
Thomas Jefferson

● American political philosopher and

statesman
● principal author of the American
Declaration of Independence
● He opposed a strong central
government and emphasized
individual freedoms and
responsibilities.
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 Main Liberal Thinkers
Jeremy Bentham

● British philosopher
● Key figure behind utilitarianism
○ humans are rational beings
○ principle of general utility: pursuit
of the greatest happiness for the
greatest number

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 Main Liberal Thinkers
James Madison

● American statesman and political

theorist
● A key figure behind the U.S.
Constitution.
● Madisonian principles emphasize the
separation of powers and the
principle of checks and balances.

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 Main Liberal Thinkers
John Stuart Mill

● British philosopher and economist

● utilitarian philosopher
● He emphasized the individual and
individual liberties in his writings
○ limitations of human freedom
○ responsibility of the government
in protecting freedom

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Variations of Liberalism
classical liberalism
● developed during the
transition from feudalism to
capitalism
● peak was during the
industrialization of Europe
● natural rights, utilitarianism,
economic liberalism, social
Darwinism
modern liberalism
● contextualized within the
consequences of
industrialization in the late
nineteenth century
● individuality, positive
freedom, social liberalism,
and economic
management
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 Variations of Liberalism

Classical liberalism

● natural rights: inalienable human rights (life, liberty,

property)
● utilitarianism: an action is morally good based on the
quantity of pleasure (“utility”) that it will produce
● economic liberalism: laissez-faire capitalism, no
government intervention
● social Darwinism: individualistic tendencies; those who
work the hardest will survive
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 Variations of Liberalism

Modern liberalism

● individuality: individuals can grow, develop, and learn

through their liberties
● positive freedom: the individual has the “freedom to…”
instead of “freedom from…” (negative freedom)
● social liberalism: more state intervention in economic
affairs; associated with the rise of welfare states
● economic management: abandonment of the laissez-faire
doctrine in favor of economic intervention
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 ● An ideology refers to a set of ideas that “structure
Wrap-Up political understanding and so set goal and inspire
activism, shape the nature of political systems, and
act as a form of social cement” (Heywood 2017, 2).

● Liberalism is one of the most dominant political

ideologies. It puts prime emphasis on the value of the
individual and is best defined in terms of its key
principles of individualism, freedom, reason,
justice, and toleration.

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 ● Liberalism is often associated with a democratic
Wrap-Up political system and a capitalist economic system.

● Key events in history that shaped liberal thought are

the English Civil War, the American Revolution,
the French Revolution, and the Industrial
Revolution.

● Variations of liberalism can be generally classified into

two: classical liberalism and modern liberalism.

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