The Origins of The Origins of LiberalismLiberalism

The only part of the conduct of anyone for The only part of the conduct of anyone for which he is amenable to society is that which which he is amenable to society is that which concerns others. In the part which merely concerns others. In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own right, absolute. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign. body and mind, the individual is sovereign.

John Stuart MillJohn Stuart Mill

LiberalismLiberalism

• The word liberal comes from the The word liberal comes from the Latin Latin liberliber, meaning free, meaning free

• The word was first used during in The word was first used during in Spain during the Napoleonic WarsSpain during the Napoleonic Wars

• Liberalism has been applied to those Liberalism has been applied to those who favour the reform of governmentwho favour the reform of government

• Liberalism is associated with being Liberalism is associated with being open-minded and supporting freedom open-minded and supporting freedom of speech and freedom within actionsof speech and freedom within actions

The basic principles of The basic principles of liberalismliberalism• Personal freedomPersonal freedom: refers : refers

to the absence of coercion to the absence of coercion (force) and includes free (force) and includes free speech, religious liberty, speech, religious liberty, the right to private the right to private property, and the right to property, and the right to political oppositionpolitical opposition

• Limited governmentLimited government: means that : means that the state (government) is an the state (government) is an instrument serving a function in instrument serving a function in society and not in general society and not in general charge of ALL societycharge of ALL society

• The government is there to The government is there to prevent people from hurting each prevent people from hurting each other through force and fraudother through force and fraud

• Equality of RightEquality of Right: all : all must abide by the same must abide by the same laws, which the government laws, which the government enforces with impartiality enforces with impartiality

• Similar to belief in the Similar to belief in the Rule of Law – as created Rule of Law – as created in the Magna Cartain the Magna Carta

• Consent of the governedConsent of the governed: : Government is responsible Government is responsible to people and may be to people and may be changed by themchanged by them

Classical LiberalismClassical Liberalism

• John LockeJohn Locke, an English , an English philosopher was the philosopher was the first to argue that first to argue that individuals had innate individuals had innate rights of life, liberty rights of life, liberty and propertyand property

• Government comes about Government comes about through the agreement of through the agreement of free individuals that free individuals that their rights are best their rights are best protected by associating protected by associating with one anotherwith one another

• If the Contract was If the Contract was broken the people have broken the people have the right to rebelthe right to rebel

More LockeMore Locke

• LockeLocke’’s ideas justified the s ideas justified the Glorious Revolution in Glorious Revolution in Britain in 1688, the Britain in 1688, the American Revolution of 1776 American Revolution of 1776 and the French Revolution of and the French Revolution of 17891789

• The purpose of government is The purpose of government is basically to protect the basically to protect the people in their people in their ‘‘life, life, health, liberty, or health, liberty, or possessionspossessions’’..

• Locke believed that people Locke believed that people should have a should have a ‘‘private private spheresphere’’ that the government that the government could not interfere with – could not interfere with – religion in particular – the religion in particular – the state should be tolerant of state should be tolerant of all religionsall religions

American Declaration of American Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

• LetLet’’s take a look at s take a look at ‘‘Schoolhouse Schoolhouse RockRock’’ to learn about the U.S. to learn about the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration Constitution and the Declaration of Independence of 1776of Independence of 1776

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_TXJRZ4CFc

• ““We hold these truths to be self-We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain their creator with certain unalienable rights: that among unalienable rights: that among these are life, liberty and the these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that to pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments secure these rights governments are instituted by men, deriving are instituted by men, deriving their just powers from the their just powers from the consent of the governed……consent of the governed……

French Revolution and the French Revolution and the Declaration of the Rights of ManDeclaration of the Rights of Man

• The National Assembly also The National Assembly also took to Locketook to Locke’’s ideas and s ideas and put those very ideas into put those very ideas into their Declaration of the their Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Rights of Man and of the CitizenCitizen

• ““The end of all political The end of all political associations is the associations is the preservation of the natural preservation of the natural and imprescriptable rights and imprescriptable rights of man; and these rights of man; and these rights are liberty, property, are liberty, property, security, and the security, and the resistance of oppression.resistance of oppression.””

• Portrays the idea called Portrays the idea called ‘‘Rule of LawRule of Law’’..

John Stuart MillJohn Stuart Mill

• John Start Mill put together John Start Mill put together many themes on liberalism in his many themes on liberalism in his book entitled book entitled ‘‘On LibertyOn Liberty’’..

• His ideas impacted many people His ideas impacted many people throughout history. Letthroughout history. Let’’s hear s hear what Teddy Roosevelt said about what Teddy Roosevelt said about liberty.liberty.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYn5FJnvrZk

• Here is a quote from Mills about Here is a quote from Mills about liberty and the use of power. liberty and the use of power. ““The only purpose for which power The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized any member of a civilized community, against his will, is community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.to prevent harm to others.””

Classical Liberalism in Classical Liberalism in EconomicsEconomics• Classical liberalism is Classical liberalism is

identified in the economy as a identified in the economy as a free market economyfree market economy

• The ideas a free market economy The ideas a free market economy were brought to life by Adam were brought to life by Adam SmithSmith

• Adam Smith wrote Adam Smith wrote ‘‘The Wealth of The Wealth of NationsNations’’

• Adam Smith wrote about the Adam Smith wrote about the Invisible Hand – this implies Invisible Hand – this implies that human needs are best that human needs are best served by free competition in served by free competition in the marketplace – along the the marketplace – along the same ideas as liberalismsame ideas as liberalism

Aboriginal Contributions to Aboriginal Contributions to LiberalismLiberalism

It has been argued that It has been argued that many of the principles many of the principles of liberalism originated of liberalism originated in traditional in traditional Aboriginal societies.Aboriginal societies.

In Canada, our Aboriginal In Canada, our Aboriginal communities use liberal communities use liberal ideas such as elected ideas such as elected leaders, government by leaders, government by consensus, leadership on consensus, leadership on the basis of merit, just the basis of merit, just punishment, and concepts punishment, and concepts of equality and equality of equality and equality before the law.before the law.

Great Law of PeaceGreat Law of Peace

The Great Law of Peace The Great Law of Peace provided the Haudenosaunee provided the Haudenosaunee peoples with a peoples with a constitution that dates constitution that dates back to the 15back to the 15thth century. century.

The Great Binding Law, as it The Great Binding Law, as it sometimes is referred to, sometimes is referred to, has three main principles: has three main principles: righteousness, health and righteousness, health and power – all power – all characteristics of characteristics of liberalism.liberalism.

http://www.iroquoisdemocracy.pdx.edu/html/greatlaw.html

Take a look at the original document.Take a look at the original document.

Liberalism TodayLiberalism Today

Liberals today generally believe today that every Liberals today generally believe today that every individual is unique. The purpose of life is to realize individual is unique. The purpose of life is to realize that potential, and to become whatever it is one is that potential, and to become whatever it is one is capable of becoming.capable of becoming.

The role of the state (government) is to produce the The role of the state (government) is to produce the conditions under which individuals have the broadest conditions under which individuals have the broadest possible choice in deciding upon their definition of possible choice in deciding upon their definition of good.good.

Society, meanwhile, should celebrate this diversity while Society, meanwhile, should celebrate this diversity while giving equal treatment to all, regardless of a persongiving equal treatment to all, regardless of a person’’s s origins, colour, sex or status in life.origins, colour, sex or status in life.

In exchange for this respect, the individual must In exchange for this respect, the individual must acknowledge responsibility for his own fortunes and for acknowledge responsibility for his own fortunes and for the fortunes of the community.the fortunes of the community.

Liberalism in CanadaLiberalism in Canada

In 1982 the Canadian Charter of In 1982 the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms advanced the Rights and Freedoms advanced the liberal cause by entrenching into liberal cause by entrenching into the Canadian Constitution (Canada the Canadian Constitution (Canada Act) both basic liberties and new Act) both basic liberties and new linguistic (language) rights for linguistic (language) rights for minorities.minorities.

The purpose of the Charter was to The purpose of the Charter was to entrench (dig in) rights, entrench (dig in) rights, especially language rights, where especially language rights, where no government could ever take them no government could ever take them away.away.

With the Charter as a shield a single With the Charter as a shield a single citizen can achiever Lockecitizen can achiever Locke ’’s s vision of a society in which vision of a society in which rights take precedence over rights take precedence over authority.authority.