Human Nature:
Classical Liberals:
John Locke (Two Treaties Of Government) – optimistic view of human nature
- Humans are rational, socially minded and capable of ruling themselves
- Believed life without a state would be ‘pleasant, civilised and long’
- Egotistical individualism – while humans are self centred, they are still rational
beings who seek consensus to avoid conflict when possible
- Foundational equality – believed all humans are born of equal worth
- Freedom is a fundamental right that all individuals should enjoy + they have the
characteristics to do so
- Negative liberty – state intervention is not necessary to facilitate these rights
- Tabula Rosa – humans are born as a ‘blank state’ – they learn through their
experiences + the way in which their minds develop depends on their society
- However- such freedoms could come into conflict with other individual freedom
– which is why humans are inclined to form a contract with the state
Mary Wollstonecraft (A vindication for the rights of women) – humans are rational
and moral beings
- Guided by reason and seek freedom
- Advocated for the same principle to be applied to women
- Women are equally as rational and intellectual
- Criticised does view that men were superior to women
- ‘The mind has no gender’
- Agreed with Locke that all humans are born of equal worth + advocated for
formal equality for women
- Society has created a false construct that women are not rational + should be
denied individual freedom – differences in gender is only due to social
conditioning, its not innate
John Stuart Mill (on liberty) – believed humans were rational and individualistic
- Did not view human nature as a rigid machine, but rather as a tree that
requires growth and development
- Developmental individualism – idea that human nature had the capacity to
continuously progress
- Human nature can only thrive if there is a small state – humans should be free to
live their lives as they choose
- Harm principle – humans should be free to do as they wish as long as it does not
bring physical harm to someone else
- Education is a pathway into improving human nature
, Modern Liberals:
John Rawls (A Theory Of Justice) – humans are rational + genuinely good,
benevolent
- Humans also have a strong sense of justice – which is why humans can build a
better society
- The qualities outlined by Locke are potential + not guaranteed – state
involvement is needed to facilitate human nature’s true potential (positive
liberty) – done through offering access to comprehensive education
- Events like the Industrial Revolution have had a profound impact on humanity’s
ability to progress
- Humans are inherently free, equal, rational + moral
- Human nature has two core conscripts – to form a conception of the good life +
to possess a sense of justice, enabling cooperation in a fair society even while
being self interested
- The most distinctive feature of human nature is our ability to freely choose our
ends
Betty Friedan (The Feminine Mystique) – women are just as positive and rational
- Society, eg education + movies perpetuate a myth that women are inferior to
men or that their lot in life based on the patriarchal understanding of ‘human
nature’ is to be a mother and a housewife
- Human nature is inherently capable of growth
- Individuals should be free + have control over their own lives – but human nature
is not what has condemned women to under achievement – society has
- Called the struggle of women ‘the problem with no name’
Society:
Classical Liberals:
John Locke: believes society predates the state
- There were ‘natural societies with natural laws and natural rights’
- Natural rights – right to property, life and liberty – any society that denies these
rights is dysfunctional
- A state is a necessary evil to make society better – but should act as a ‘night
watchman state’ (negative liberty)
Classical Liberals:
John Locke (Two Treaties Of Government) – optimistic view of human nature
- Humans are rational, socially minded and capable of ruling themselves
- Believed life without a state would be ‘pleasant, civilised and long’
- Egotistical individualism – while humans are self centred, they are still rational
beings who seek consensus to avoid conflict when possible
- Foundational equality – believed all humans are born of equal worth
- Freedom is a fundamental right that all individuals should enjoy + they have the
characteristics to do so
- Negative liberty – state intervention is not necessary to facilitate these rights
- Tabula Rosa – humans are born as a ‘blank state’ – they learn through their
experiences + the way in which their minds develop depends on their society
- However- such freedoms could come into conflict with other individual freedom
– which is why humans are inclined to form a contract with the state
Mary Wollstonecraft (A vindication for the rights of women) – humans are rational
and moral beings
- Guided by reason and seek freedom
- Advocated for the same principle to be applied to women
- Women are equally as rational and intellectual
- Criticised does view that men were superior to women
- ‘The mind has no gender’
- Agreed with Locke that all humans are born of equal worth + advocated for
formal equality for women
- Society has created a false construct that women are not rational + should be
denied individual freedom – differences in gender is only due to social
conditioning, its not innate
John Stuart Mill (on liberty) – believed humans were rational and individualistic
- Did not view human nature as a rigid machine, but rather as a tree that
requires growth and development
- Developmental individualism – idea that human nature had the capacity to
continuously progress
- Human nature can only thrive if there is a small state – humans should be free to
live their lives as they choose
- Harm principle – humans should be free to do as they wish as long as it does not
bring physical harm to someone else
- Education is a pathway into improving human nature
, Modern Liberals:
John Rawls (A Theory Of Justice) – humans are rational + genuinely good,
benevolent
- Humans also have a strong sense of justice – which is why humans can build a
better society
- The qualities outlined by Locke are potential + not guaranteed – state
involvement is needed to facilitate human nature’s true potential (positive
liberty) – done through offering access to comprehensive education
- Events like the Industrial Revolution have had a profound impact on humanity’s
ability to progress
- Humans are inherently free, equal, rational + moral
- Human nature has two core conscripts – to form a conception of the good life +
to possess a sense of justice, enabling cooperation in a fair society even while
being self interested
- The most distinctive feature of human nature is our ability to freely choose our
ends
Betty Friedan (The Feminine Mystique) – women are just as positive and rational
- Society, eg education + movies perpetuate a myth that women are inferior to
men or that their lot in life based on the patriarchal understanding of ‘human
nature’ is to be a mother and a housewife
- Human nature is inherently capable of growth
- Individuals should be free + have control over their own lives – but human nature
is not what has condemned women to under achievement – society has
- Called the struggle of women ‘the problem with no name’
Society:
Classical Liberals:
John Locke: believes society predates the state
- There were ‘natural societies with natural laws and natural rights’
- Natural rights – right to property, life and liberty – any society that denies these
rights is dysfunctional
- A state is a necessary evil to make society better – but should act as a ‘night
watchman state’ (negative liberty)
