Liberalism
— everything you need to know —
Key thinkers + key books + quotes
(Human nature)
(State)
(Society)
(Economy)
Key thinker – John Locke (classical liberal)
Work: ‘Two treatises of government’ 1690
His thoughts on…
1. Human nature
- Human beings are rational, guided by the pursuit of self
interest, but mindful of others concerns
- “The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it of which
obliges everyone”
2. State
- Must be representative, based on consent of the people
governed
- “Government has no other end than the preservation of
private property”
3. Society
- Society predates the state, there were natural societies with
natural laws and rights
- “Being all equal and independent”
- “No one ought to harm another in this life”
4. Economy
- Should respect the natural right to private property
“all wealth is a product of labour”
, Key thinker – Mary Wollstonecraft (classical liberal)
Work: ‘A vindication of the rights of women’ 1792
Her thoughts on…
1. Human nature
- Rationalism defines both genders intellectually, men and
women are not very different
- “No man chooses evil because it is evil, he only mistakes it
for happiness”
2. State
- The monarchical state should be replaced by a
representative democracy, mindful of minority rights
- “Women ought to have representatives (in government)”
3. Society
- Society remains chauvinistic towards women, though
women were complicit in their oppression
- “Man and women must be educated, in a great degree, by
the opinions and manners of the society they live in”
4. Economy
- A free-market would be energised by the enterprise of
liberated women
- “How much more respectable is the women who earns her
own bread”
— everything you need to know —
Key thinkers + key books + quotes
(Human nature)
(State)
(Society)
(Economy)
Key thinker – John Locke (classical liberal)
Work: ‘Two treatises of government’ 1690
His thoughts on…
1. Human nature
- Human beings are rational, guided by the pursuit of self
interest, but mindful of others concerns
- “The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it of which
obliges everyone”
2. State
- Must be representative, based on consent of the people
governed
- “Government has no other end than the preservation of
private property”
3. Society
- Society predates the state, there were natural societies with
natural laws and rights
- “Being all equal and independent”
- “No one ought to harm another in this life”
4. Economy
- Should respect the natural right to private property
“all wealth is a product of labour”
, Key thinker – Mary Wollstonecraft (classical liberal)
Work: ‘A vindication of the rights of women’ 1792
Her thoughts on…
1. Human nature
- Rationalism defines both genders intellectually, men and
women are not very different
- “No man chooses evil because it is evil, he only mistakes it
for happiness”
2. State
- The monarchical state should be replaced by a
representative democracy, mindful of minority rights
- “Women ought to have representatives (in government)”
3. Society
- Society remains chauvinistic towards women, though
women were complicit in their oppression
- “Man and women must be educated, in a great degree, by
the opinions and manners of the society they live in”
4. Economy
- A free-market would be energised by the enterprise of
liberated women
- “How much more respectable is the women who earns her
own bread”
