To What Extent Are Liberals United In
Their Views On The Economy? (24)
Politics Explained Essay Plan
Topic ➡️ Core Political Ideas, Liberalism
Structure ➡️ One Agreement Paragraph, Two Disagreement Paragraphs
This Essay Plan Is Part Of A Package Of 12 Essay Plans Covering The Core Ideologies Part Of The
Politics A Level Course For The Edexcel Exam Board, Whilst Being Useful For The AQA Exam
Board. It Can Be Purchased Here ➡️
https://www.politicsexplained.co.uk/
Keep In Mind ➡️
These are long plans. In the exam, you would need to adapt them for the
specific question you are asked and you certainly wouldn’t need to include everything. The
judgements are also subjective and you don’t have to agree with them!
Paragraph One ➡️
Liberals Are United In Their Support For
Capitalism and Private Property
Capitalism is strongly supported by liberals, reflecting the belief that economic freedom is
integral to overall individual liberty.
Capitalism is not just an economic system but a manifestation of individual rights and
freedoms. It is based on the principles of private property, free markets, and voluntary
exchanges, which liberals argue are essential for personal autonomy and societal
prosperity.
Liberals argue that when people are free to trade, compete and pursue their economic
interests within the capitalist system, it leads to the efficient allocation of resources,
innovation, and overall progress, benefiting society as a whole.
Even John Rawls and other modern liberals who supported significant state intervention
did so within a capitalist economy and allowed for significant scope for individual
liberty, self-fulfilment and therefore significant inequalities of outcome.
Liberals also support capitalism as it promotes private property. Property ownership is seen as
a natural right in society and a crucial component of individual freedom, allowing people to reap
To What Extent Are Liberals United In Their Views On The Economy? (24) Politics Explained Essay Plan 1
, the benefits of their work.
It also gives individuals a stake in society and makes society inherently opposed to arbitrary
and excessive government that may threaten private property and freedom.
Locke saw private property as a natural right and an extension of one’s labour that was
essential to the preservation of individual liberty and economic independence.
This belief influenced the founding fathers of the US Constitution, with the ‘Takings Clause’
in the Fifth Amendment of the Bill of Rights stating that private property shall not be taken
for public use without just compensation.
Agreement In Relation To The Need For Women To Be Given The Same
Economic Opportunities As Men (Not Necessary, But Could Be Good To Add As
An Extra Agreement Paragraph If You Can Write A Lot!)
Classical and Modern Liberals also agree that women needed to be offered the same
opportunities and treatment as men in order for there to be real economic progress and for
society to harness its true economic potential.
Wollstonecraft, a classical liberal, argued that the treatment of women was against reason and
that they should be treated as rational individuals and given the freedom and rights and
education to develop their individual potential just as men were.
Not only would this enable women to be free and therefore fulfil the principles of liberalism,
it would also benefit society and the economy as a whole, as their individual pursuit of
progress would benefit the whole of society.
Classical liberals including Wollstonecraft and Mill supported formal equality in order to
pursue this, including equal access to education in particular.
In the 20th century, modern liberals argued that laws and social attitudes undermined women’s
rationality, autonomy and ability to succeed in the economy.
Betty Friedan argued that the societal attitude that the primary role of women was that of
the wife and mother confined them to the domestic sphere, rather than being able to pursue
their goals and careers. Social attitudes also resulted in women being paid significantly less
than men and not being able to access the same top jobs.
She advocated for the enactment of laws to prohibit discrimination based on gender, and
supported measures such as affirmative action to ensure that women had not only equal
rights on paper but also genuine equality of opportunity to succeed.
Friedan was successful in campaigning for the passage of the Equal Pay Act (1963)
which outlawed discrimination in terms of sex when paying wages.
She wrote in ‘The Feminine Mystique’ "Who knows what women can be when they are
finally free to become themselves?"
Paragraph Two ➡️
Classical Liberals Believe In Laissez Faire
Capitalism, Whilst Modern Liberals Believe In Keynesianism
To What Extent Are Liberals United In Their Views On The Economy? (24) Politics Explained Essay Plan 2
Their Views On The Economy? (24)
Politics Explained Essay Plan
Topic ➡️ Core Political Ideas, Liberalism
Structure ➡️ One Agreement Paragraph, Two Disagreement Paragraphs
This Essay Plan Is Part Of A Package Of 12 Essay Plans Covering The Core Ideologies Part Of The
Politics A Level Course For The Edexcel Exam Board, Whilst Being Useful For The AQA Exam
Board. It Can Be Purchased Here ➡️
https://www.politicsexplained.co.uk/
Keep In Mind ➡️
These are long plans. In the exam, you would need to adapt them for the
specific question you are asked and you certainly wouldn’t need to include everything. The
judgements are also subjective and you don’t have to agree with them!
Paragraph One ➡️
Liberals Are United In Their Support For
Capitalism and Private Property
Capitalism is strongly supported by liberals, reflecting the belief that economic freedom is
integral to overall individual liberty.
Capitalism is not just an economic system but a manifestation of individual rights and
freedoms. It is based on the principles of private property, free markets, and voluntary
exchanges, which liberals argue are essential for personal autonomy and societal
prosperity.
Liberals argue that when people are free to trade, compete and pursue their economic
interests within the capitalist system, it leads to the efficient allocation of resources,
innovation, and overall progress, benefiting society as a whole.
Even John Rawls and other modern liberals who supported significant state intervention
did so within a capitalist economy and allowed for significant scope for individual
liberty, self-fulfilment and therefore significant inequalities of outcome.
Liberals also support capitalism as it promotes private property. Property ownership is seen as
a natural right in society and a crucial component of individual freedom, allowing people to reap
To What Extent Are Liberals United In Their Views On The Economy? (24) Politics Explained Essay Plan 1
, the benefits of their work.
It also gives individuals a stake in society and makes society inherently opposed to arbitrary
and excessive government that may threaten private property and freedom.
Locke saw private property as a natural right and an extension of one’s labour that was
essential to the preservation of individual liberty and economic independence.
This belief influenced the founding fathers of the US Constitution, with the ‘Takings Clause’
in the Fifth Amendment of the Bill of Rights stating that private property shall not be taken
for public use without just compensation.
Agreement In Relation To The Need For Women To Be Given The Same
Economic Opportunities As Men (Not Necessary, But Could Be Good To Add As
An Extra Agreement Paragraph If You Can Write A Lot!)
Classical and Modern Liberals also agree that women needed to be offered the same
opportunities and treatment as men in order for there to be real economic progress and for
society to harness its true economic potential.
Wollstonecraft, a classical liberal, argued that the treatment of women was against reason and
that they should be treated as rational individuals and given the freedom and rights and
education to develop their individual potential just as men were.
Not only would this enable women to be free and therefore fulfil the principles of liberalism,
it would also benefit society and the economy as a whole, as their individual pursuit of
progress would benefit the whole of society.
Classical liberals including Wollstonecraft and Mill supported formal equality in order to
pursue this, including equal access to education in particular.
In the 20th century, modern liberals argued that laws and social attitudes undermined women’s
rationality, autonomy and ability to succeed in the economy.
Betty Friedan argued that the societal attitude that the primary role of women was that of
the wife and mother confined them to the domestic sphere, rather than being able to pursue
their goals and careers. Social attitudes also resulted in women being paid significantly less
than men and not being able to access the same top jobs.
She advocated for the enactment of laws to prohibit discrimination based on gender, and
supported measures such as affirmative action to ensure that women had not only equal
rights on paper but also genuine equality of opportunity to succeed.
Friedan was successful in campaigning for the passage of the Equal Pay Act (1963)
which outlawed discrimination in terms of sex when paying wages.
She wrote in ‘The Feminine Mystique’ "Who knows what women can be when they are
finally free to become themselves?"
Paragraph Two ➡️
Classical Liberals Believe In Laissez Faire
Capitalism, Whilst Modern Liberals Believe In Keynesianism
To What Extent Are Liberals United In Their Views On The Economy? (24) Politics Explained Essay Plan 2
