POLS1301 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: John Stuart Mill, Social Liberalism, Classical Liberalism
Lecture 3 - Contemporary Liberalisms
Social Liberalism:
also known as modern liberalism
arising out of classical liberalism
Differs with respect to concepts of freedom, equality, and the legitimate role of the
state
related to social democracy (but different history)
Roosevelt: Second Bill of Rights
Historical Context:
19th century critique of the excesses of industrialisation + economic freedom
Reaction to rise of non-liberal political ideologies
aim is to minimise the harms generated from unrestrained capitalism
through economic protection for citizens
anarchism, conservatism, socialism also appeared in response to the same thing
liberalism felt threat of other ideologies
Liberalism and capitalism began to incorporate elements of these other paradigms
Adam Smith:
classical liberal
if each pursues their own wealth, society will be better off
the invisible hand
accumulated wealth will trickle down to benefit all
governments should not intervene, are more likely to cause harm
Intellectual Sources
John Stuart Mill
earliest social liberal ideas
liberty was of central importance
individuals need freedom so they can fully develop their potential
developmental freedom
this would in turn create a better society
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the harm principle - limit freedom when it will harm others
not a supporter of unbridled economic freedom
The flowering of social liberalism:
T. H. Green
Extending right to vote to men that didn't own property
moral development of individual is central to well functioning society
state should foster the environment for this development
L. T. Hobhouse
John Hobson
critical of problems of unregulated capitalism
wrote about need for redistribution of wealth in a capitalist society
war journalist in South Africa in WW2
link between capitalism and imperialism
developed idea that imperialism was driven by search for new markets and
inputs for industrial development
Contemporary versions:
John Rawls
justice is the first virtue of social institutions
Society should be arranged to ensure institutions are just
Justice should be conceived as fairness
social + economic equalities are only just if they benefit everyone in society,
especially the least advantaged
Benefits for least advantaged could be achieved through redistribution
Martha Nussbaum
relationships between citizens and states, and also states with each other
Capabilities approach - with Sen
measure of development should not be economic, but how well citizens are
able to flourish
video:
Aristotle: idea that govts should support ppl
capabilities approach begins with the idea that all human beings have an
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