Decline of Feudalism and Enlightenment Ideas

Decline of Feudalism and Modern Social Contract

• Feudalism in Britain declined with the establishment of courts and juries by Henry II (1154-1189).
• King John's Magna Carta in 1215 introduced the principle of habeas corpus.
• Habeas corpus ensures individuals know why they are arrested, have access to legal counsel, and receive a fair trial.

Renaissance and Protestant Reformation

• The Renaissance revived ancient Greek thought, emphasizing human rationality and individualism.
• Notable figures like Aristotle influenced this period of intellectual and artistic awakening.
• The Protestant Reformation, led by Martin Luther, advocated for individual interpretation of the Bible.

Key Figures and Their Contributions

• John Locke: Proposed empiricism, challenging the Church's concept of innate knowledge.
• Locke emphasized individual rights and the social contract.
• Voltaire: Challenged the divine right of kings and advocated for reason and tolerance.
• Voltaire criticized the clergy and nobility's excesses.

Major Liberal Revolutions

• English Revolution (1688-1689): Established a parliamentary monarchy, limiting the monarch's power.
• American Revolution (1765-1783): Created a democratic republic, enshrining the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
• French Revolution (1789-1799): Established principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity, culminating in a republic.
• Haitian Revolution (1791-1804): Led to the establishment of the first independent black nation globally and the abolition of slavery.

Classical Liberalism and its Critics

• Classical liberalism emphasizes individual rights, limited government, and free markets.
• Critics include Luddites (opposed to new machinery), Chartists (advocated for universal suffrage), and Socialists (criticized capitalist inequality and advocated for government intervention).
• Key concepts are capitalism, socialism, communism, humanitarianism, and classical conservatism.

Economic Policies of the Gilded Age

• The Gilded Age (in the US) saw economic growth and industrialization, alongside income inequality and worker exploitation.
• Economic policies were characterized by laissez-faire capitalism (minimal government intervention), monopolies, and trust cartels (groups of businesses working together to control prices and limit competition).

The Progressive Era

• The Progressive Era (in the US) was a period of reform and social change, led by progressive politicians like Theodore Roosevelt.
• Economic policies included antitrust laws (to prevent monopolies) and regulation of businesses, as well as support for small businesses.

The Great Depression

• The Great Depression (a global economic downturn) was triggered by the 1929 Wall Street Crash.
• Causes include international market glut, a surge in American supply leading to plummeting prices, and panic selling of stocks.
• Peak unemployment reached 30% in Canada and 25% in the US during this period.
• Demand side economics (promoted by Keynes) argued for government intervention to control economic fluctuations.

The Welfare State

• A welfare state provides social services and benefits to its citizens, including employment insurance, federal deposit insurance, and regulatory bodies like the SEC.

Post-War Boom

• The post-war period witnessed a significant economic boom boosted by population growth, government spending, and Keynesian economic policies.

Proxy Wars

• Proxy wars are conflicts fought between countries through intermediaries instead of directly.
• Examples include the Vietnam War and the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba.

Rise of Nationalism and Communism

• The rise of nationalism and communism in the early 20th century was fueled by economic instability and appealing ideologies.

Environmentalism

• Environmentalism seeks to protect the natural environment through sustainable development.
• Early figures include John Muir.

Neoconservatism

• Neoconservatism emphasizes low taxes, small government, and monetarist policies.

Post-Modernism

• Post-modernism is an ideology that views reality as socially constructed, and it emphasizes diversity and pluralism.

Extremism

• Extremism involves politically extreme behaviors and economically extreme systems.

Imposing Liberalism

• Imposing liberalism involves promoting liberal values and institutions in other countries.
• Approaches include diplomacy, economic aid, and military intervention.

Pandemics and Liberal Principles

• Pandemics can challenge aspects of liberal principles, including freedom of movement and assembly.
• The need for harm reduction is considered essential public health principle.

Public Infrastructure and Review of Unit 3

• Privatization of public infrastructure has potential negative consequences like reduced service and disputes over repairs.
• Neo-liberal policies have altered post-secondary aid in some countries.

Civic Participation

• Civic engagement can influence government policy and lawmaking, and it is associated with higher levels of education.

Occupy Movement

• The Occupy Movement highlighted issues of income inequality (the richest 3 billionaires with a combined $131 Billion).

The American Civil Rights Movement

• The American Civil Rights Movement challenged segregation laws impacting schools, transportation, and restaurants.
• Key figures and events include Plessy v. Ferguson, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and the March on Washington.

Important Thinkers

• John Stuart Mill is an important thinker known for supporting progressive taxation.