Liberalism: Key Themes
Key theme All Liberals Classical Liberals Modern Liberals
Individualism: 1. Importance of Classical Liberals Developmental
tolerance to believe in Individualism:
a principle enable Egoistical the belief that
which stresses individualism individualism – with help, people
the primacy of defined as freedom from can develop and
the individual ‘willingness to dependency on improve.
over any group respect values others to
– individuals and customs to maximise self- John Rawls
are naturally which one reliance. believes in
self-seeking disagrees’ John Stuart Mill: progressive
and they John Stuart Mill’s “The mental and taxation to fund
should be ‘harm principle’ moral, like the a welfare to state
allowed to (state should not muscular so that people
achieve interfere with self- powers, are can have the
personal self- regarding actions) improved only same
fulfilment and 44 out of 48 LibDems by being used” opportunity for
the pursuit of voted for equal Egoistical fulfilment.
their own marriage in 2013 individualism is
happiness 2. Importance of best achieved
human rights through a
to enable minimal state.
individualism.
- John Locke’s
idea of natural
rights of life,
liberty and
property
Natural Rights
developed into the
idea of human rights
given by virtue of
being human.
Universally held
belief within
liberalism
Freedom/ 1. Limited Negative Positive
Liberty: government is Freedom: Freedom:
The state of necessary to freedom from freedom to reach
being free protect the tyranny. one’s highest
, Liberalism: Key Themes
within a freedom of Stuart Mill potential.
society from individuals believed this John Rawls:
oppressive Locke argued that a was achieved believed in an
restrictions gov’t should be through a enabling state to
imposed by limited by a minimal ‘night ensure this
authority on constitution and watchman’ state would happen.
one’s way of formal procedures and laissez-faire Progressive
life, behaviour such as a Bill of capitalism taxation would
or political Rights and separation fund welfare
views. of powers state
2. It is sometimes Betty Friedan –
necessary to state funded
restrict the childcare to
freedom of allow women to
some citizens if leave the homes
they violate and work if they
others life or chose to
property
Stuart Mill’s harm
principle, ‘the only
purpose for which
power can be rightly
exercised over any
member or a civilised
community against
his will is to prevent
harm to others’
Locke: ‘where there
is no law, there is no
liberty’
Rationalism: 1. All liberals Belief that a Belief in an
A principle that believe minimal state is enabling state:
asserts that humans are rational:
humans are capable of Allow for John Rawls:
rational reason and egoistic argues that
creatures logic: individualism everyone would
capable of Stuart Mill want equality of
reason and Stuart Mill’s harm believed that opportunity for
logic principle, works laissez-faire all if they looked
towards freedom for capitalism is the from behind the
Key theme All Liberals Classical Liberals Modern Liberals
Individualism: 1. Importance of Classical Liberals Developmental
tolerance to believe in Individualism:
a principle enable Egoistical the belief that
which stresses individualism individualism – with help, people
the primacy of defined as freedom from can develop and
the individual ‘willingness to dependency on improve.
over any group respect values others to
– individuals and customs to maximise self- John Rawls
are naturally which one reliance. believes in
self-seeking disagrees’ John Stuart Mill: progressive
and they John Stuart Mill’s “The mental and taxation to fund
should be ‘harm principle’ moral, like the a welfare to state
allowed to (state should not muscular so that people
achieve interfere with self- powers, are can have the
personal self- regarding actions) improved only same
fulfilment and 44 out of 48 LibDems by being used” opportunity for
the pursuit of voted for equal Egoistical fulfilment.
their own marriage in 2013 individualism is
happiness 2. Importance of best achieved
human rights through a
to enable minimal state.
individualism.
- John Locke’s
idea of natural
rights of life,
liberty and
property
Natural Rights
developed into the
idea of human rights
given by virtue of
being human.
Universally held
belief within
liberalism
Freedom/ 1. Limited Negative Positive
Liberty: government is Freedom: Freedom:
The state of necessary to freedom from freedom to reach
being free protect the tyranny. one’s highest
, Liberalism: Key Themes
within a freedom of Stuart Mill potential.
society from individuals believed this John Rawls:
oppressive Locke argued that a was achieved believed in an
restrictions gov’t should be through a enabling state to
imposed by limited by a minimal ‘night ensure this
authority on constitution and watchman’ state would happen.
one’s way of formal procedures and laissez-faire Progressive
life, behaviour such as a Bill of capitalism taxation would
or political Rights and separation fund welfare
views. of powers state
2. It is sometimes Betty Friedan –
necessary to state funded
restrict the childcare to
freedom of allow women to
some citizens if leave the homes
they violate and work if they
others life or chose to
property
Stuart Mill’s harm
principle, ‘the only
purpose for which
power can be rightly
exercised over any
member or a civilised
community against
his will is to prevent
harm to others’
Locke: ‘where there
is no law, there is no
liberty’
Rationalism: 1. All liberals Belief that a Belief in an
A principle that believe minimal state is enabling state:
asserts that humans are rational:
humans are capable of Allow for John Rawls:
rational reason and egoistic argues that
creatures logic: individualism everyone would
capable of Stuart Mill want equality of
reason and Stuart Mill’s harm believed that opportunity for
logic principle, works laissez-faire all if they looked
towards freedom for capitalism is the from behind the
