This document provides an overview of liberalism, covering topics such as:
- The liberal view of individualism and freedom as proprietorship over oneself.
- Key elements of liberal philosophy including equality, liberty, individuality, and rationality.
- John Rawls' theory of justice and the original position behind a veil of ignorance.
- Debate between laissez-faire capitalism and welfare liberalism approaches.
- John Maynard Keynes' economic philosophy and use of fiscal policy to stimulate economies during recessions.
33. The Liberal concept of agency is
based on the theory of
possessive individualism
34. Possessive Individualism
1. What makes one human is freedom from dependence on the wills of
others.
2. Freedom from dependence on others means freedom from any
relations with others except those relations which the individual
enters voluntarily with a view to his own interest.
3. The individual is essentially the proprietor of his or her own person
and capacities, for which he or she owes nothing to society.
4. Although an individual cannot alienate the whole of his property in
his own person, he may alienate his capacity to labor.
5. Human society consists of a series of market relations – Since the
individual is human only in so far as free, and free only in so far as
proprietor of him- or herself, human society can only be a series of
relations between sole proprietors, i.e., a series of market relations.
6. Since freedom from the wills of others is what makes one human,
each individual’s freedom can rightfully be limited only by such
obligations and rules as are necessary to secure the same freedom
for others.
7. Political society is a human contrivance for the protection of the
individual’s property in his person and goods, and (therefore) for the
maintenance of orderly relations of exchange between individuals
regarded as proprietors of themselves.
(C. B. Macpherson, The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism)
65. Harm Principle
Every sane adult should be
free to do whatever he or she
wants as long as his or her
actions do not harm, or
threaten to harm, others.
71. The Liberal View of Freedom
(Ball and Dagger, “Liberalism”)
OBSTACLE:
Laws, customs,
or conditions that
block individual
choice (or pursuit
of “the good”)
AGENT: GOAL:
The To live as one
chooses,
“Atomistic”
pursue one’s
Individual
own idea of
“the good.”
85. The Original Position
Non-presocial liberal ideas that, if
consensually held, would lead
everyone to accept the equal liberty
and difference principles as the
basis for mutually beneficial social
cooperation.
94. Equal Liberty Principle
The state must provide the most
extensive system of equal
liberties that is feasible and
desirable. All individuals must
enjoy the greatest degree of
liberty consistent with the
enjoyment of like liberty by
everyone else.
95. Difference Principle
Primary social goods are to be
distributed equally unless an
unequal distribution would
improve the welfare of the least
well-off in society.
105. The many benefits of capitalism
are offset by certain problems:
• Complete market freedom results in
various types of market failures.
• Monopolies which undermine
competition & lead to concentrated
power.
• Business cycles which create
economic inefficiency and insecurity.
106. The many benefits of capitalism
are offset by certain problems:
• Capitalism creates externalities
which harm the broader public.
• Pure Market Systems unable to
provide many public goods.
• Wealth isn’t distributed to everyone.
112. Three ways to deal with deficits:
• Grow your way out of it – as
incomes rise, taxes rise as people
move up through the tax brackets.
• Increase income taxes on the
wealthy, create luxury taxes, etc.
• Reduce government spending in
specific areas where it is no longer
needed.
114. “The triumph of the West, of the
Western idea, is evident first of all
in the total exhaustion of viable
systematic alternatives to
Western liberalism.”
Francis Fukuyama, The End of History