POLS 1500 Lecture Notes - Liberal Democracy, Classical Liberalism, Neoliberalism
10 Apr 2014
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No more major changes to society, just a little fine tuning. All ideas, once they become dominant, appear to be only rational and valid ones. Society as an artificial construct based on individual consent. Change is natural and inevitable rationality allows continual progress. Limited government/minimalist state to promote maximum amount of individual freedom. Leviathan: the general inclination of all mankind that is perpetual and restless desire of power after power, that ceases only in death. Competition leads to contention, enmity and war; because the way of one competitor to the attaining of his desire is to kill subdue, supplant, or repel the other. Wanting to leave state of war self-interested individuals would all agree to give up their natural liberty- the freedoms they have in the state of nature. They contract together to give to establish an absolute sovereign , an absolute and unchallengeable ruler.
