To What Extent Are Liberals United In

Their Views On Society? (24) Politics

Explained Essay Plan
Topic ➡ Core Political Ideas, Liberalism
Structure ➡ Two long paragraphs: one for how liberals are united in their views of society and
one for how they are disunited
This Essay Plan Is Part Of A Package Of 12 Essay Plans Covering The Core Ideologies Part Of The
Politics A Level Course For The Edexcel Exam Board, Whilst Being Useful For The AQA Exam
Board. It Can Be Purchased Here ➡
https://www.politicsexplained.co.uk/

Paragraph One
Society
➡ The Ways In Which Liberals Are United On
All Liberals Agree That Society Should Promote Individual Freedom
Liberals believe that the default setting of society should be to promote individual freedom and
progress. They are therefore opposed to any view of society that denies individualism, as well as any
attempt by the state to transform society too much.

Classical liberals, especially John Locke, argue that prior to the existence of the state, there was
a natural society that served mankind’s interest tolerably well. This society we underpinned by
natural laws, liberties and rights, with people respecting the rights of others and cooperating at
times.

Locke’s ‘Social Contract Theory’ argued that in a state of law, there needs to be a social
contract whereby the government needs the permission of the people and acts on behalf of
them, leading to the government promoting the freedom and wishes of individuals in society.

Though modern liberals advocate for more state intervention to achieve it, they also support a
society based on the promotion of individual freedom and progress.

John Rawls believed that under a ‘veil of ignorance’, individuals would choose a society in
which there was greater support for poorest, but nonetheless one in which there was the
opportunity for individual liberty and self fulfilment.

To What Extent Are Liberals United In Their Views On Society? (24) Politics Explained Essay Plan 1
 Various liberals have promoted education as a method to facilitate individual liberty and progress, as it
has the potential to unlock the innate reason in all people.

Mary Wollstonecraft argued that formal education should be available to women as well as men,
as it would allow women to develop their rational faculties and fulfil their potential, which they
were currently prevented from doing so.

All Liberals Agree That Society Should Tolerate Minorities and Protect Their
Rights
Both classical and modern liberalism advocate tolerance for minorities and see tolerance as a key
foundational characteristic of society. Liberals believe that individuals should be left alone to do what
they want within reason and that everyone holds equal moral worth and should therefore be granted
the same rights.

John Stuart Mill set out the ‘Harm Principle’, which argued that the actions of individuals should
be tolerated as long as they don’t harm others. This led to his support of toleration by the state of
religious minority groups, which was a cause also strongly supported by John Locke.

In the 20th century, a similar support for tolerating minority and oppressed groups can be seen in
the work and beliefs of Betty Friedan. She argued that society’s cultural channels condemned
women to underachievement through cultural conditioning and that significant improvement could
be brought about by state policies such as affirmative action.

Paragraph Two
Society
➡ The Ways In Which Liberals Are Disunited On
The Views Of Modern Liberalism and Social Liberalism On Society Are Much
More Radical Than Those Of Classical Liberals
Modern liberalism and social liberalism have much more radical views on society and societal change
than those of earlier liberals who sought to maintain and protect a society that only served the
interests of a few.

John Locke’s strong belief in a limited state that protected property rights, as well as John Stuart
Mill’s ‘Harm Principle’ can be seen as seeking to protect a British society that primarily served the
interests of a relatively small class of white men.

Locke opposed mandatory taxation, whilst Mill opposed progressive taxation, only supporting
a flat rate tax.

Mary Wollstonecraft, as well as modern liberals can be seen as supporting a far more transformative
approach to society, seeking to change it and improve equality.

Wollstonecraft criticised 18th century society that denied women formal equality and freedom. For
example, she saw the fact that women couldn’t vote as a violation of government by consent. She
argued for women being granted the same rights and treatment as men. Locke, by contrast, only
supported limited women’s rights.

John Rawls made the liberal case for a society in which the poorest members were significantly
more well off than currently, with an enabling state that used progressive taxation and a large
welfare state to improve equality.

To What Extent Are Liberals United In Their Views On Society? (24) Politics Explained Essay Plan 2
 Classical Liberals and Modern Liberals Have Different Ideas Of What
Freedom/Liberty Is
Though all liberal ideology is driven by supporting individual liberty, they have different conceptions of
how to understand freedom, which influences their different beliefs of how much the state should
intervene in society.

Classical liberals believe in negative liberty, which sees freedom as the absence of restraint and
therefore believes that the state should intervene in society to a very limited extent, allowing
individuals to be self-seeking and help themselves.

This led to John Locke arguing for a ‘nightwatchman state’ that interfered little in society and
only adjudicated disputes when necessary.

Modern liberals, by contrast, believe in positive freedom/liberty. This sees freedom not just as
being left alone, as negative freedom argues, but in terms of having the resources and power to
pursue one’s goals. Individuals are therefore not truly free if they are constrained economically or
discriminated against, even if they are left alone.

Driven by this conception of liberty, John Rawls supported significant state intervention in
society in order to pursue true, foundational equality.

Between these two conceptions of liberty was John Stuart Mill’s developmental individualism
which understood freedom not just as a right, but as the driver of human progress. He didn’t just
want to liberate individuals in society at present, but to allow them to progress and improve,
especially through education.

Overall Argument
Overall, there are important disagreements and agreements within liberalism in terms of their view on
society.

Though both are driven by freedom, these understandings of freedom differ significantly and modern
liberalism arguably departs from classical liberalism too much to be considered an evolution of it.

In terms of society, therefore, liberal only agree to a limited extent.

Follow Politics Explained For More Help With Your Politics A Level
🌐 Website → https://www.politicsexplained.co.uk/
📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/polexplained/
📺 YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ1FvoFVL4fGJkx6dup3O-w
🐦 Twitter → https://twitter.com/Pol_Explain

To What Extent Are Liberals United In Their Views On Society? (24) Politics Explained Essay Plan 3