Source one is a quote that states that while all citizens should be responsible and play an
active role government, there are those in society that either through hard work or acquisition of
wealth are provided with a greater opportunity for their voice to be heard and therefore should
act with the collective good in mind. In today’s society the best way to have your voice heard in
government is to join a lobby group as your money is given to certain politicians and political
groups in exchange for their advocation to the cause. Unfortunately, these groups can often be
expensive to join and unless you possess the funds to join it’s almost guaranteed your voice
won’t be heard. The author is speaking to those that do possess the funds to consider who they
advocate for and invest in so that we may avoid tyranny of the majority. In which, members of
the minority make decisions without considering the consequences this may present to the
majority. An example of this is ongoing in the US right now as in the wake of school shootings
and the increase in gun violence, many citizens are calling on their politicians to advocate for
stricter gun laws and background checks as this could save the lives of many. However, many
politicians are quick to either redirect the question or shy away from taking a firm stance on the
issue as the largest lobby group in America: The National Riffle Group, pays a large portion of
their salaries to keep advocating for gun rights. This is where the speaker calls to those
privileged enough to consider joining a lobby group as a society, they are obligated to maintain
the common good and therefore speak on behalf of those who cannot. A philosopher that would
embrace this source is that of John Locke as he believed the government should be directly
responsible and accountable to the people therefore the elite should make decisions to positively
impact our society as a whole. The link to liberalism is considering to what extent those with
economic power should value the collective good when making political decisions. This source
is an embrace of liberalism as at the core of the ideology, collectivism and preservation of peace
is highlighted and by considering those that don’t have a voice, in doing so we are lifting up each
other so all have an opportunity to participate in government which allows for direct democracy.
Source two is a quote from Mark Milke discussing to what degree the government should
be involvement in the economy. Furthermore, Milke believes for society as a whole to flourish,
we need to adapt a classic liberal ideology in which there is minimal government involvement.
Milke suggests that by limiting the amount of government involvement in the economy,
individuals will become more self-reliant and will work harder to provide a better quality of life
to one’s self and their family moreover this will boost the economy. With less government
regulation there is greater opportunity for the individual to earn more as there is a shift towards
self-interest as opposed to equally distributing wealth and maintaining a stable economy for the
collective good. A philosopher that would embrace this source would be that of Adam Smith as
he believed that everyone should have equal opportunities to be successful and if people worked
for themselves it would result in the trickle-down theory, in which self-interest in a free market
would lead to a stronger economy. I believe this source is a rejection of liberalism as even
though it aims to benefit the individual, it harms the collective as there is no protection if the
economy faces a possible recession.
Source three is a political cartoon in which a father is showing his son around his what
we can only assume is a fancy office as seen by the large window with a view and exquisite
décor. The line the father is speaking to his son “Someday, son, all of this won’t be enough for
you either….” equates to the fact that although we are all born into the world with endless
possibilities, there are those that are born into upper class families that are given greater
opportunities without needing to work as hard due to the wealth they possess. Consequently,
there are no risks to actually acquire the opportunities that some of us dream about so it is easy
for them to get bored and often feel unsatisfied with their level of comfort as they never have to
work for anything. The author of the cartoon could be critiquing the inequality of a free market
and how there are those in the world who work their very hardest and struggle to have basic
necessities of life while others feel bored by their over luxurious quality of life. A philosopher
that would embrace this source would be that of Karl Marx as he believed the rich would never
be satisfied