POLS 110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Economic Liberalism, Harm Principle, Red Tory

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Political Studies
• Course: POLS 110
• Professor: David A Mc Donald

Document Summary

Defining feature of what it is to be human. Progress is likely if people make the right choices. Contract: government by consent of the people. Political liberalism: contracting together to create a state. Reason: will lead the individual to contract with other individuals to form a state to protect common interests. Hypothetical state of nature : reason for political contract. Recognition of equality of others to join in contract. Tolerant of human differences (in private sphere- religious differences, for example) Based in labour - we own our labour, and therefore own what we mix our labour with (apple tree example) Spoilage limitation : have as much as you want as long as none of it spoils. Also: as much and as good must be left for others. State is needed to protect ownership rights. Property ownership as moral: hard work, rationality, productivity. Property ownership therefore increases amount of goods available- reduces scarcity (adam smith)