Core ideologies Revision Notes

Liberalism

Key Concepts

• Individualism – the primacy of the individual’s rights and freedoms.
• Natural Rights – rights that exist independently of government, as argued by John Locke.
• Freedom of Choice – the ability to pursue one’s own life path without coercion.
• Limited Government – a state that protects rights but otherwise remains restrained.

Core Thinkers

• John Locke – natural rights, social contract, fiduciary power of government.
• John Stuart Mill – harm principle, distinction between self‑regarding and other‑regarding actions, critique of hedonism.
• John Rawls – principles of justice, veil of ignorance, difference principle.
• Thomas Hill Green – negative and positive freedom, role of the state in self‑development.
• Mary Wollstonecraft – equality of women, critique of aristocratic privilege.
• Betty Friedan – feminist critique of the “feminine mystique”, role in civil rights.

Debates & Evaluation

• Nature of Freedom – is freedom merely the absence of restraint or also the presence of opportunity?
• Role of the State – should the state intervene to correct inequalities or should it remain minimal?
• Individual vs. Collective – how do liberal ideas balance personal liberty with social responsibility?

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Conservatism

Key Concepts

• Tradition – the accumulated wisdom of past generations.
• Social Order – the importance of stable institutions.
• Skepticism of Rationalism – caution against over‑reliance on abstract reasoning.
• Limited State – a government that protects order but limits interference.

Core Thinkers

• Thomas Hobbes – state of nature, sovereign power, self‑protection.
• Edmund Burke – anti‑Jacobinism, Whig principles, critique of revolution.
• Michael Oakeshott – politics of faith vs. politics of scepticism, defence of tradition.
• Ayn Rand – ethical egoism, opposition to collectivism.
• Robert Nozick – minimal state, entitlement theory of justice.

Debates & Evaluation

• Tradition vs. Progress – can change be justified without undermining social cohesion?
• State Power – what limits should be placed on sovereign authority?
• Individual vs. Community – how does conservatism reconcile personal liberty with communal responsibility?

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Socialism

Key Concepts

• Class Analysis – the centrality of class relations in society.
• Collective Ownership – means of production controlled by the community.
• Social Welfare – redistribution to achieve equality.
• Revolution vs. Reform – debate over how to achieve socialist goals.

Core Thinkers

• Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels – dialectical materialism, class struggle, historical materialism.
• Rosa Luxemburg – mass participation, spontaneity, party‑oriented struggle.
• Beatrice Webb – cooperative movement, federalism, individualism within socialism.
• Anthony Crosland – critique of Marxism, emphasis on personal liberty and social welfare.
• Anthony Giddens – Third Way, blending right‑wing economics with left‑wing social policies.

Debates & Evaluation

• Revolutionary vs. Democratic Socialism – which path is more effective and legitimate?
• Equality vs. Freedom – how to balance the two without compromising either.
• State vs. Market – what role should the state play in the economy?

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Comparative Insights

| Issue | Liberalism | Conservatism | Socialism | |---|---|---|---| | Role of the State | Limited, protective | Limited, order‑preserving | Active, redistributive | | View of Human Nature | Generally optimistic | Cautiously realistic | Determined by class relations | | Path to Equality | Through individual rights | Through gradual reform | Through collective action | | Attitude to Tradition | Critical but open | Defending | Reinterpreting |

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Application & Evaluation

• Case Studies – apply each ideology to contemporary issues such as data privacy, welfare reform, or climate policy.
• Critical Thinking – assess the strengths and weaknesses of each ideology in addressing real‑world problems.
• Synthesis – consider hybrid models (e.g., Third Way) and evaluate their coherence and effectiveness.