WHAT IS A LIBERAL? Classical liberalism Classical liberalism is a political philosophy and ideology belonging to liberalism in which primary emphasis is placed on securing the freedom of the individual by limiting the power of the government. The philosophy emerged as a response to the Industrial Revolution and urbanization in the 19th century in Europe and the United States. It advocates civil liberties with a limited government under the rule of law, private property rights, and belief in laissez-faire economic liberalism. Classical liberalism is built on ideas that had already arisen by the end of the 18th century, including ideas of Adam Smith, John Locke, Jean-Baptiste Say, Thomas Malthus, and David Ricardo. It drew on a psychological understanding of individual liberty, natural law, utilitarianism, and a belief in progress. In the early 20th century, liberals split on several issues, and particularly in America a distinction grew up between classical liberals and social liberals. Classical liberals supported the rights of captains of industry, who they saw as the natural leaders of society and the wellsprings of progress,[citation needed] while social liberals supported the rights of labor to organize into unions, and also supported the rights of minorities.[citation needed] Classical liberals often favor what they call limited government or small government, while social liberals believe government intervention is necessary to provide equal protection and opportunity for all citizens.[7][citation needed] In the mid-20th century, the classical liberals often formed an alliance with social conservatives (an ideology known as liberal conservatism). Neither liberals nor conservatives entirely adopted the ideology of pure classical liberalism, the belief that government exists to protect both social and economic civil liberties
Posted on: Sun, 27 Apr 2014 02:53:25 +0000
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