Political Ideologies- Classical

Liberalism
Group 4:
Kazi Abidur Rahman 1921808030
Raisa Musharrat Hossain 1931471030
Md. Imtiaz Uddin 1931215611
 Origin of Classical Liberalism
• Liberalism advocates liberty and equality.
• John Locke was an English philosopher who is credited with being the originator of
liberalism. Early liberals such as him are known as classical liberals.
• In his Two Treatises of Government (1690), Locke argues in favor of limited
government and protection for individual rights.
• Locke believed that people created governments by freely consenting to those
governments and that governments should serve citizens, not hold them in
subjection.
• Why? Locke grew up in a time of great turmoil during which the ruling monarch
was killed, monarchy was abolished and then again reinstated. Lock first handedly
saw how divine rights of kings took away natural human freedom. And thus, his
support for limited government and human rights freedom came from his own
personal experience.
 State of Nature
• When writing Two Treaties of Government, Locke idolized a time
period in history (prior to the formation of government) in which
there was absolute human freedom which is called the state of nature.
• Individuals living in this state of nature had not been influenced by
laws because governments did not yet exist. Since there was no
government, Locke concludes that the state of nature is that human
nature which is characterized by freedom, equality, and reason.
Humans are naturally free, born with the duty to submit to no one.
• Locke believed that our natural rights include the right to life, liberty,
and property.
Laws of Nature
• Locke further deduced that if there was a state of nature then
humans also had natural reasoning, or certain ethics to live by.
• And so the laws of nature are as follows: Preserve yourself, do not
harm others, and help others if possible. Each of these ethical laws
are innately present in every person.
• And so, governments are not needed to make people rational
because they already rational are according to laws of nature.
• Government can do the job of legislating, adjudicating, and
enforcing rules in conformity with the laws of nature. Locke
explains, citizens give it power, but only limited power. The
government’s responsibility is to make and enforce laws to protect
life, liberty, and property.
 Classical Liberalism: Central Ideas
• Main central ideas of classical liberalism:
• 1. The individual is more important than the state (individualism).
• 2. The individual is capable of independence and self-determination.
• 3. Progress is possible in human affairs.
• 4. State power should be limited.
• Under classical liberalism, natural equality does not lead to
economic equality. Locke asserts that economic classes of rich and
poor will emerge as an economy develops. This comes with the
usage of money.
 Classical Liberalism: Central
Ideas
• 1) Laws are only justified to prevent direct harm to others
• 2) Secular government 
• 3) Democratic government, with strong limits to protect against
tyranny of the majority
• 4) Provision of "public goods" in the strictest economic definition of
the word
• 5) Taxation proportionate to all citizens - "Equality of sacrifice" as
JS Mill put it
• 6) Freedom of contract
• 7) Some may support a safety net, others don't. 
Common ground: John Locke and Adam Smith
• Liberalism can also be found in the eighteenth-century works of Adam
Smith
• The similarities between Adam Smith and John Locke are that theyre both
economic liberalists. They both believed that the value of things come
from the people.
• Both believe that individuals are very rational, expansive regulatory
governments are unnecessary.
• Both proclaim that individuals are naturally equal.
• Both support the classical liberalism’s approach to economic policy:
• 1. Economic inequality is not necessarily unjust or unfair. Economic
inequality is not a violation of natural equality.
• 2. Individual freedom is not to be sacrificed for the creation of economic
equality. States are not to intrude into the economic interactions of
individuals
Conclusion
• The individual is more important than the state and becomes a
citizen of the state only through consent.
• An individual is rational and capable of making his or her own
decisions this makes the individual capable of self-government.
• Progress is possible in political affairs, so change is not to be
feared.
• State power should be limited.
• Economic inequality is not necessarily bad.
• Economic freedom (individual freedom to make economic
choices) is more important than economic equality.
• Adam Smith and John Locke both have perception of classical
liberalism.
THANK YOU!