Core ideologies Key Terms

Parliamentary Sovereignty

The doctrine that Parliament is the supreme legal authority in the UK, capable of making or repealing any law.

Rule of Law

The principle that all actions of the state must be grounded in law, ensuring fairness, predictability, and protection of individual rights.

Individual Liberty

The right of individuals to act freely without undue interference from the state, a central tenet of liberal ideology.

State Intervention

The involvement of government in economic or social affairs, debated within liberalism as either necessary for justice or a threat to freedom.

Constitutional limits

Legal boundaries that restrict the powers of the state to protect individual rights and prevent arbitrary governance.

Rule of law

The principle that all individuals and institutions are subject to and accountable under the law, ensuring fairness and preventing abuse of power.

Classical Liberalism

An ideology that emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries, emphasizing individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and the protection of natural rights.

Modern Liberalism

A contemporary ideological stance that supports individual freedoms while advocating for state intervention to promote social welfare, equality, and market regulation.

Natural Rights

Inherent rights to life, liberty and property that exist independently of government, as argued by Locke.

Fiduciary Power of Government

The limited duty of the state to protect natural rights, not to control or direct individual or economic activities.

Hedonism

A philosophical view that pleasure is the highest good and proper aim of human life.

Integrity (Mill)

The consistency between an individual’s private values and public actions, ensuring that personal convictions guide behaviour.

Original Position

A hypothetical scenario in which rational individuals choose principles of justice without knowing their future place in society.

Basic Liberties

Fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the right to a fair trial, which Rawls argues must be equally protected for all.

Self‑development

The cultivation of moral and intellectual capacities through education and social support, enabling individuals to realise their potential.

Positive freedom

Freedom that includes the capacity to act and achieve one’s goals, often requiring state‑provided conditions.

Aristocracy

A social class that holds power based on hereditary privilege, often leading to unequal access to resources and political influence.

Republicanism

A political ideology that emphasizes the role of the citizenry in governance, often advocating for representative institutions and the rejection of hereditary rule.

Equal Protection Clause

A constitutional provision in the Fourteenth Amendment that prohibits states from denying any person within its jurisdiction equal protection of the laws, forming a basis for liberal arguments about equality.

Cult of Domesticity

A 19th‑century ideology that idealised women’s roles as homemakers, which Friedan critiqued as a constraint on women’s individual rights and a challenge to liberal ideals of equality.

Conservative ideology

A set of political beliefs that prioritise tradition, order, and limited state intervention.

Conservative Party

A political party that identifies with conservative ideology but may adopt policies that differ from pure ideology due to electoral considerations.

Constitutional convention

An unwritten rule that governs political practice and is respected as part of a constitution, but is not legally enforceable.

Conservative ideology

A coherent set of ideas that advocates for limited government intervention, market economics, and the preservation of social order.

Conservative Party (UK)

The main centre‑right political party in the UK, historically supporting free markets, a constitutional monarchy, and a welfare state that maintains social cohesion.

Republican Party (US)

The main centre‑right political party in the US, advocating limited government, lower taxes, deregulation, and a strong emphasis on individual liberty.

Traditional Conservatism

A conservative ideology that prioritises gradual change, respect for established institutions, and a mixed economy to preserve social cohesion.

New Right

A modern conservative movement that promotes neoliberal economics, deregulation, privatisation, and a smaller welfare state, favouring rapid reforms.

State of Nature

A theoretical condition in which there is no political authority, leading to a state of constant insecurity and competition.

Sovereign

The ultimate political authority in a state, possessing the power to enforce laws and maintain order.