Issue #2: To what extent is
resistance to liberalism
justified?
The Origin and Growth of
Liberalism
The word liberal comes from the Latin liber, meaning ‘free’.
It was first used as a political term in Spain during the
Napoleonic Wars. The ideas of liberalism are older than
the name and they emerged in the 1700’s during the
Enlightenment. Individuals such as Locke, Smith,
Jefferson, Montesquieu wrote about personal freedom,
limited government (economically and socially) consent
of the governed, yet these writers never called
themselves liberals. Their beliefs laid the foundation for
what is now called classical liberalism. Modern
liberalism includes the political beliefs and social rights
of classical liberalism, yet it rejects some of the
economic beliefs of classical liberalism.
Remember: principles of
individualism
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The rule of law
Individual rights and freedoms
Private property
Economic freedom
Self-interest
competition
Where did classical liberalism
come from?
Medieval Period: agrarian; feudalism
Renaissance: (14th – 18th centuries)
The term Renaissance, literally means "rebirth"
and is the period in European civilization
immediately following the Middle Ages,
conventionally held to have been characterized
by a surge of interest in classical learning
and values.
• revival of Greek and Roman thinking
• use of logical argument and reason
Centers of the Enlightenment
The Philosophers
of Enlightenment
• A group of social critics in
France
• Opposed to the divine right and
absolute monarchies
• Objected to the privileges of the
nobility and clergy
• Believed people were capable of
governing themselves
• Turned away from traditional
religious values; most were
atheists or deists (believed in
God, not the Church)
Where did classical liberalism
come from?
Reformation: (16th – 17th century)
The Reformation began on October 31, 1517, when
German monk Saint Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses
to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany.
• questioned the power of the Catholic Church
• faith in the rationality of the individual
• Contact with the indigenous people of North America
• Europe in turmoil
• Growth of cities
• Wealthy middle class
Where did classical liberalism
come from?
Enlightenment (Age of Reason)
• Late 17th and 18th
century
• The rise of Classical
Liberalism focused on
allowing citizens
the right to freedom
in their economic,
political, and social
lives.
Principles of Liberalism
• Individual rights and freedoms exercised in
the individual’s self-interest
• Humans are reasonable and can make rational
decisions that will benefit both themselves and
society as whole
• Economic freedom (private property and
markets without government intervention)
• Protection of civil liberties
• Constitutional limitations on the government
(rule of law)
Key Thinkers
Thomas Hobbes: humans are selfish, need
to hand over power to one ruler to protect
individual rights.
John Locke: people use reason and logic to
make decisions, social contract between
the people and government.
Montesquieu: worth of the individual,
equality, accountability of governments,
and separation of powers.
Key Thinkers
John Stuart Mill: protection of individual
freedom, protection of individual decision
making (as long as others are not harmed)
Adam Smith: people work for their own selfinterests everyone would be better off,
laissez-faire capitalism.
John Locke (1632-1704)
• Letter on Toleration,
1689
• Two Treatises of
Government, 1690
• Some Thoughts
Concerning
Education, 1693
• The Reasonableness
of Christianity, 1695
John Locke’s Philosophy (I)
• The individual must become a “rational
creature.”
• Virtue can be learned and practiced.
• Human beings possess free will.
– they should be prepared for freedom.
– obedience should be out of conviction,
not out of fear.
• Legislators owe their power to a contract
with the people.
• Neither kings nor wealth are divinely ordained.
John Locke’s Philosophy (II)
• There are certain natural rights that are
endowed by God to all human beings.
– life, liberty, property!
• The doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings
was nonsense.
• He favored a republic as the best form of
government.
The Baron de Montesquieu
(1689-1755)
• Persian Letters,
1721
• On the Spirit of
Laws, 1758
Montesquieu’s Philosophy
• Three types of government:
– Monarchy.
– Republic.
– Despotism.
• A separation of political powers
ensured freedom and liberty.
Montesquieu’s Philosophy
Believed in the
separation of powers in
government
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
Enforce laws, make laws, interpret the
law
Believed that
liberty of the
people must
be guarded
from
corrupt
leaders
Adam Smith Laissez-Faire
Economics
• Scotsman who was influenced by economic
doctrine of the physiocrats* – published Inquiry
into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of
Nations (revolutionized economic systems in the
western world)
*physiocrat, any of a school of economists founded in 18thcentury France and characterized chiefly by a belief that
government policy should not interfere with the operation of
natural economic laws and that land is the source of all wealth. It
is generally regarded as the first scientific school of economics.
Adam Smith (II)
• Argued labor of any kind produced wealth but
business must be free from government
interference in order to achieve increased
production and contribute to the wealth of the
nation as a whole
• Laissez-faire incorporated a sense of individual
freedom – operating out of self interest an
individual would contribute to increasing the
wealth of the entire community
Adam Smith (III)
• Supply and demand → market would be
ruled by the consumer
• The absence of government regulation
enhanced by competition and self interest
would establish a system that operated in the
best interests of both producer and consumer
• The “invisible hand” would guide the
community to greater wealth
• Role of the government – to provide for the
defense of the nation, the protection of citizens
and their property and to provide essential
public services (education)
The French Revolution
• Was an attempt to transform society using
liberal principles.
• The Declaration of the Rights of Man and
of the Citizen
• Complete concept review page 118.
Liberalism in Action
• The Industrial Revolution:
– Government should allow capitalism and its
free market economy so people can pursue
their own interests and individual happiness.
– Support industrialism and technological
change.
– All lead to liberty and freedom.
Industrial Revolution
• Begins in Britain
• Cottage industries were moving to
factories
• Happens due to changed thinking
– Belief in human potential
– Gov’t was friendly to business
– Lots of investment capital and cheap labour
• Laissez-Faire Economics
Causes of the Industrial Revolution:
• The end of feudalism changes economic relationships.
• Higher population because of less disease and lower infant
mortality allowed for a larger industrial workforce.
• The agricultural revolution frees people from the soil,
allowing – or driving – them into cities and manufacturing.
• Proportionally large amounts of spare capital for
investment.
• Inventions and the scientific revolution allowing for new
technology.
• Colonial trade networks.
• The presence of all the required resources close together.
• Culture of hard work, taking risks and developing ideas.