POLS 200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Justice As Fairness, Political Philosophy
Document Summary
Liberalism strong endorsement of civil and personal liberties and indifference to private ownership. 1-economic system based on private property consistent with individual liberty. Rights are forms of property, property is a form of freedom etc. Market order based on private property is embodiment of freedom (sell labour, save and invest as see fit, etc. ) 2-private property only effective means for protection of liberty. Dispersion of power from free market economy based on private property protects people"s liberty against encroachments of state e. g. no freedom of press if printing controlled by govt. Extreme libertarian: views of state as monopolies that may charge for rights protection services, taxes legitimate if necessary to protect liberty and property rights. Classic: taxation for other public goods and social infrastructure. Focus to better lot of working class, make poor richer not rich poorer, reject redistribution of wealth as legitimate aim of government.