Core Political Ideas (Liberalism): the core ideas (individualism, freedom, the state, rationalism, equality and social justice, liberal democracy), the tension between classical and modern liberalism, and the required thinkers.

What this dot point is asking

Edexcel wants you to explain the core ideas and principles of liberalism (individualism, freedom/liberty, the state, rationalism, equality and social justice, and liberal democracy) and how they apply to human nature, the state, society and the economy, the tension between classical and modern liberalism, and the ideas of the required thinkers. The Section B essay is worth 24 marks and you must apply the thinkers.

Core ideas and principles

The required core ideas:

• Individualism. The individual is prior to any group; liberals distinguish egoistical individualism (self-interested) from developmental individualism (the flourishing of each person's potential).
• Freedom/liberty. The supreme value, but exercised under the law so that one person's freedom does not harm others; liberals divide over negative and positive freedom.
• The state. Necessary to prevent the disorder of a state of nature but a potential threat to liberty, so it must be limited, constitutional and based on consent (a social contract).
• Rationalism. Humans can reason, define their own interests and improve society, supporting tolerance and progress.
• Equality and social justice. Foundational equality (all are born equal in worth and rights) and formal equality (equality before the law), leading to equality of opportunity (a meritocracy), but not necessarily equality of outcome.
• Liberal democracy. A democracy that balances majority rule with limited government and respect for civil liberties, which liberals support but also fear (the tyranny of the majority).

The tension: classical and modern liberalism

The two strands agree on the value of the individual, liberty, reason, tolerance and a limited, constitutional, consensual state, but disagree sharply on what freedom requires and therefore on the size of the state and the role of the economy.

The required thinkers

Apply these in the Section B essay; focus on key ideas.

• John Locke (1632 to 1704). Social contract and natural rights: legitimate government rests on the consent of the governed and exists to protect life, liberty and property; this justifies limited government. The foundation of classical liberalism.
• Mary Wollstonecraft (1759 to 1797). Women are rational beings entitled to the same freedom, education and formal equality as men; reason is not gendered. An early liberal feminist argument.
• John Stuart Mill (1806 to 1873). The harm principle (the only justification for restricting liberty is to prevent harm to others) and the value of individuality and free debate; a bridge between classical and modern liberalism (developmental individualism).
• John Rawls (1921 to 2002). Justice as fairness: behind a "veil of ignorance" rational people would choose a society with equal liberty and inequalities permitted only if they benefit the worst off, justifying the modern liberal enabling state.
• Betty Friedan (1921 to 2006). Women are held back by social conditioning and lack of opportunity; equality of opportunity and legal reform can free them, a modern liberal feminist position.

Examples in context

• Locke's defence of government by consent, the basis of the classical liberal limited state.
• Mill's harm principle, the enduring liberal test for when liberty may be restricted.
• Rawls's veil of ignorance, the modern liberal justification for redistribution and the enabling state.
• The post-war welfare state, a practical expression of modern liberal positive freedom (Beveridge was a Liberal).

Try this

Q1. Explain and analyse three core ideas of liberalism. [9 marks]

• Cue. Individualism, freedom under the law, and the limited state, each developed with a thinker.

Q2. To what extent do liberals agree on equality? [24 marks]

• What the marker wants. A two-sided AO1 to AO3 essay weighing shared foundational and formal equality against the split over equality of opportunity versus the enabling state, applying thinkers and reaching a judgement.