LIBERALISM

Summary ofAndrew Heywood’s Discussion on

“Ideologies” 5th Edition
CONTENTS I-Definition
II.Brief discussion of its
Origin andDevelopment
III.Central Values
underlying theIdeology
IV. Variants of theIdeology
WHAT IS • An ideology which central
LIBERALISM?
theme is about:commitment
to the individual, desire to
construct a society where
people can satisfy their
interests and achieve
fulfillment.
• Liberalism forwards the idea
that individuals are naturally
endowed with reason and as
such, be allowed to enjoy the
maximum possiblefreedom.
• It gives emphasis on merit.
This means that though
individuals have equal legal
andpolitical rights, they must
be rewarded according to
their talents and willingness
to work.
• It revolves around the twin
principles of constitutionalism
and consent.
HOW DID • It’s origins can be traced back
LIBERALISM
COME ABOUT?
to early agricultural societies
when people started living in
settled communities andwere
forced to find ways of trading
and living with strangers
(Seabright, 2004)
• Nonetheless, as a developed
ideology; it can be traced
back to the breakdown of
feudalism in Europe and they
rise of an aspiring middle
class.
• The middle class gave rise to a
capitalist society and a
market economy.
• This change exposed people
to an array of choices and for
the first time it created a
sense onindividualism among
the people
• This gradually evolved into
radical demands for change
from the people to abolish
traditional structures of
power that conflict with their
interests.
WHAT ARE ITS
• Individualism:
CENTRAL
VALUES? Is the belief in the supreme importance
of the individual over any social group or
collective body.
Society should be constructed so as to
benefit the individual giving moral
priority in individual rights, needs and
interests.
Individuals should be seen as end in
themselves.
• Freedom:
Is a consequence of the supreme belief in
the individual. For Liberals, this is the
supreme political value and in many ways
the unifying principle.
For Liberals, freedom is the only state
where individuals can fully develop their
skills and potentials.
• However, Liberals do not
believe in absolute freedom.
John Stuart Mill argued in
“On Liberty” that “The only
purpose for which power can
rightfully be exercised over
any member of a civilized
community, against his will, is
to prevent harm to others.”
• Reason
Came about from the desire of the
enlightenment to “Release humankind
from its bondage to superstition and
ignorance”
Liberals believe that reason is innate
but not to the extent that it is
infallible. However, it opposes
restrictive paternalism thatprevents
individuals from developing.
It gives emphasis on the importance of
discussion, debate andargument.
• Justice
Denotes a particular kind of moral
judgement about the distribution of
rewards andpunishments.
Human beings are seen as born equal
and is of equal moral worth.
Liberalism vigorously disapprovesof
a system of privileges that are
enjoyed by a few and denied to
everyone else.
For Liberals, arbitrary assignmentof
privileges through “irrational”
standards like gender, race, color, creed,
religion or social background is an
injustice.
They believe in equality of opportunity,
that every individual must be given the
chance to rise and fall within the ranks
of society paving the way for the system
of meritocracy. For them, merit is the
only just basis for granting more
privileges.
• Toleration
The Liberal social ethic is
characterized by a willingness to
accept and in some cases celebrate
moral, cultural and political
diversity.
Is rooted on the assumption that
humans and separate and unique
creatures, since toleration is a
guarantee of personalautonomy.
Toleration is necessary to strike a
balance among conflictinginterests
and tocreate harmony.
•Constitutionalism
Although liberalsagree
about the need of a
Government, they are also
aware of the dangers it poses
against freedom.
For Liberals, powernaturally
corrupts and if it isn’t
regulated or checked, it can
be abused.
“Power tends to corrupt and
absolute power corrupts
indefinitely” – LordActon
• Liberals believe in a ‘limited’
government and this can only
be achieved through
constitutional constraints
that ensure:
The Rights ofthe
Governed
The Rule of Law
Checks and Balances
 • Classical Liberalism
VARIANTS OF Earliest Liberal tradition which
LIBERALISM
developed in the transition from
feudalism to capitalism and reached
its height in the industrial era.
It is characterizedby:
First, a belief in egoistical
individualism; that humanbeings
are rationally self interested and
capable of selfreliance.
Second, a belief in negative freedom
or absence of external restraints.
Third, that the state is a
“necessary evil” (Thomas
Paine). They believe thatthere
must be minimal state
intervention.
Fourth, it is characterized by a
broadly positive view of civil
society.
• Economic Liberalism
Came about from the economic
theories of political economistsAdam
Smith and DavidRicardo.
It applied the classical liberal belief of
limited state to the handling of the
economy. For economic liberals, the
economy will flourish if left free from
state intervention.
Economic liberalism is an anti-thesis
to Mercantilism.
• Neoliberalism
A revival of classical liberalism that
occurred in the1970’s.
A notch higher than Economic
Liberalism for it espousesMarket
Fundamentalism which sees the
market as morally and practically
superior to the Government in
terms of politicalcontrol.
It is a response to the increasing
popularity of economicideologies
that expand the role of the
government in themarket.
•Modern Liberalism
Dubbed as the20th century
liberalism. It is a response to the
growing problems brought about
by unrestrained economic
individualism which led to the
disadvantage of the working class,
spread of poverty, disease and
ignorance.
For modern liberals, the minimal
state approach is incapable of
rectifying the injustices of civil
society, as a consequence, they
vouch for a more interventionist or
enabling state.
• Modern Liberals place value
on affirmative action and
positive freedom contrastto
the Classical Liberals who
value strict meritocracy and
negative freedom.
• Modern Liberals believethat
there must be a balance
between the state and the
market. However, they stay
true to the liberal belief in
the primacy of the individual
over thesociety.