IMG_0911.jpeg

# Liberalism ## 7.1 Liberalism **Definition of Liberalism:** The Latin word "liber" means free. Liberalism therefore means pertaining to freedom. What did freedom mean in 1800? How far should individual freedom extend? Who is responsible for ensuring freedom? The state or the citizens? **Origi...

# Liberalism ## 7.1 Liberalism **Definition of Liberalism:** The Latin word "liber" means free. Liberalism therefore means pertaining to freedom. What did freedom mean in 1800? How far should individual freedom extend? Who is responsible for ensuring freedom? The state or the citizens? **Origins of Liberalism:** The development of liberalism began in the 17th century with the Bill of Rights in England. Another significant step was the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen during the French Revolution in 1789. Also, in the 18th century, economic liberalism emerged, fostered by industrialization and the capitalist system. These ideas, stemming from the French Revolution, ultimately shaped political liberalism in the 19th century. ## Political Liberalism **Roots of Political Liberalism:** Liberalism's origins lie in the Enlightenment (Chapter 5.6). Thinkers like Immanuel Kant, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and John Locke, alongside Baron de Montesquieu, laid the intellectual foundation. Locke and Montesquieu's ideas formed the basis for the system of separation of powers. **Separation of Powers:** The division of governmental functions into three distinct branches: * **Legislative:** Creating laws * **Executive:** Implementing laws * **Judicial:** Interpreting laws These divisions are designed to create a system of checks and balances, ensuring no single branch becomes too powerful. **Implementation in Modern Times:** The legislature makes laws, and the executive enforces them, and the judicial branch oversees their application and constitutionality. This separation is reflected in modern systems, including a focus on oversight. **Executive Branch:** Includes the government, president, state governments, and local officials. **Judicial Branch:** Comprises courts, judges, and prosecutors. **Legislative Branch:** The legislative branch, which includes parliament, makes laws. **Important Considerations Concerning Liberalism:** Initially, liberalism wasn't a party. Opponents included absolutists and powerful church institutions because liberalism champions individual rights and limitations on state power. These principles gained traction in Western Europe during the period from the 19th to 20th centuries. ## Economic Liberalism **Emergence:** In the 18th century, Adam Smith (1723-1790) established a crucial economic philosophy. In the context of political and historical changes, he developed a liberal view on economics. **Smith's Economic Philosophy:** Smith's core concept was the idea that a free market, based on self-interest and supply and demand's interaction, leads to efficient allocation. He theorized that the pursuit of individual profit benefits society as a whole. The market would regulate itself through an "invisible hand" and without significant intervention of the government. This contrasts sharply with mercantilism of the time, with its heavy taxes and regulations. **Key Principles:** The most crucial component of a functioning market is free competition. State intervention should only take place in limited areas such as justice and infrastructure. **Implications:** The unrestricted pursuit of self-interest drives efficient allocation of resources, benefiting the collective. As a result, trade barriers and taxes should be limited, giving rise to free trade and minimal state intervention. **Manchester Liberalism:** Manchester liberalism represents an extreme expression of economic liberalism, advocating minimal state interference within the marketplace, with negative impacts on the working class.