Liberalism as a Dominant Ideology - Essay Example

Running Head: LIBERALISM: A DOMINANT IDEOLOGY Liberalism: A Dominant Ideology [The Writer’s Name] [The Name of the Institution] Liberalism: A Dominant Ideology This paper would discuss and evaluate Liberalism as the most dominant political ideology. It would also cover the argumentation as how did it evolve historically and left behind all other ideologies simply because of their certain limitations. If we compare Liberalism with other ideologies, it transpires that all other ideologies have certain specific boundaries and thus have limitations to be universalised or gaining globalised fame, while it is only Liberalism that is popular and prevailing throughout the world. Liberalism could be defined as the opposite of the unlimited power that a king would enjoy for example in the17th century. The kings used to have absolute power by which they decided the fate of all their peasants, no matter they agree or not. In this unlimited power, the opinion of an individual person an his independence was nor consider at, neither it was the will of the community, the only will that was satisfied was the king's will, even if the community was totally hurt by the king's will. Liberalism is also divided in two branches, liberal liberalism and modern liberalism. The modern liberalism stresses the importance of the liberty of each individual limiting the power of the government as much as possible while the modern liberalism gives more power to the government. Society could be held successfully limiting the power that governs, and by that, every individual person would enjoy independence and freedom. One of the main points of the classical liberalism is evidently emphasized in the book of Jeremy Benetham "An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and legislation". Jeremy makes clear that in a liberal society the good of the individual in the community is more important that the satisfaction of an individual or some few people. As compared to other doctrines, liberalism teaches that no individual should be hurt by any of the components of the society that is pursuing his personal interest. So, there must be laws to create in order to protect the good of every single component of the community as well to protect the entire community. The meaning of community under the liberalism point of view is also well explained by Jeremy in his book: "The community is a fictitious body, composed of the individual persons who are consider as constituting as it were its members" (Jeremy et al.1996, 107). After this statement, Jeremy says that the interest of the entire community is then the sum of all the individuals that compose it. It proves that liberalism is the best political ideology. All these reflections about community let us see the important role that individual plays under the liberalism doctrine which supports that people that live in a community have to think about all the individuals that live in the community before doing an action that may hurt any person that is included in this community. The expanding of the suffrage in France and in England indicates a clear growth of liberalism in the society since the privilege of voting is an extension of the individual power to decide his will, and a reduction of the power that the government has by itself. If there had been other doctrines prevailing, it would have been impossible for France and England to make progress so rapidly. In order to support liberalism as the most dominant and widely acceptable sociological and political ideology, John Stuart Mill is also very concerned about the liberty and equality of the women, because, he says that the superiority of the man over the women is a clear abuse of power, as well as a violation of the principle of the individual rights. He was also in favour of the suffrage for both male and female, and he also thought that women should be able to do every kind of work in order to enjoy of a total equality "Whit regard to the fitness of women, not only to participate in elections, but themselves to hold offices or practise professions involving important public responsibilities" (Mill, 1997, 99). John Stuart Mill anticipates to the modern liberalism if we analyze his book "On Liberty" in which he explains that government have to have power over the community to guaranty the liberty of the community. "Power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community against his will to prevent harm to others"(Mill et al. 2006, 139). So, we can see in this point how John Stuart Mill begins thinking as a modern liberalism, seeing as necessary the power of the government over the community composed by individuals in order to guaranty liberty. During the middle of the XIX century, and especially in England, industry began growing so fast, and with this, many things were changing fast as well. People began moving from the countryside to the cities to work in factories instead of in the fiends. With this, new social groups emerged. Many people mow work in factories in very bad conditions, working 12 hours and with low wages. They were the new worker class. Another new social group also emerged from this industrialization era. Although industrialisation changed human society from many perspectives and in multidimensional form, yet, liberalism remained the most dominant ideology in the world. The middle class, belonging neither to the peasants nor to the nobility, this social group emerged mainly by the needed in the cities of engineers, lawyers, accountants, bankers, and doctors. This new middle class enjoyed of new standards of comfort; running water, upholstered furniture; separate sleeping rooms, living quarters, and many more things that used to be only available for the aristocracy. As a result of this industrialization and the migration of the people to the cities, the aristocracy began participating in the new economy opportunities by becoming industrials and bankers. So, the aristocrats had to adapt to the industrialization in order to keep up with their wealth since nobles were no longer given with privileges only because of their birth, or at list not as much as before. Things like the department store emerged from this era as a result of these new social classes. The department store, is a clear answer to the new economical power of the middle class, the department store is a big store in witch you can find all kind of things in stead of going to different stores. Many worker unifications appear as well as a result of the industrialization because of the low wages and the bad work conditions that the workers had. There also appeared an intellectual response to this oppression to the working class: the modern liberalism. (Christman, 1991, 73) The modern liberalism supported that the state has to intervene in order to share out the wealth and by doing this, to finish with the injustices that the working class was suffering. We can see at this point the change that the liberalism made being in favour of giving power to the government when it usually wanted to limit the government's power to the minimum. And, it can also be seen the new direction that the liberalism is taking even toward the socialism since it begin advocating to share the wealth. This can be seen in John Stuart Mill, how toward the end of his life seemed to be learning toward the socialism. The greatest proof of the dominance of liberalism may be observed in Germany. The first chancellor of the German Empire Otto von Bismark saw the necessity of getting rid of his class struggle in order to establish the new united Germany. The speech he gave into the Richstag March 10, 1884 shows clearly his political philosophy. In this speech, he explains the necessity of giving better work conditions to the factory workers providing them with an insurance against the accidents, a reduction of labour time, and a rise of the wages. The British politician David Lloyd George had also a speech in May 4, 1911, in which he stressed the necessity to improve the workers conditions. The main points of David Lloyd George in this speech were as in the Otto von Bismarck's, the insurance laws and the increase of wages " There can be no doubt that the Insurance Laws, together with the increase of wages, have exercise an enormously beneficial influence upon the health, standard of living, and the efficiency of workers" (Edwards et al. 2004, 207). With the speeches of Otto von Bismark and David Lloyd George it can be seen the will of the government to protect the good of the community, one of the main points of the modern liberalism. In the XX century, there were three maim events that changed the way the liberal doctrine was understood. The issue of the welfare (worker's rights) began to for part of the new modern liberalism. In the great depression of 1929, modern liberalism began to be especially concern about the freedom that investors should have in order to speculate. Political philosophers compare the liberal view of freedom and discipline against the plutocratic concept of freedom and discipline. The plutocratic concept upholds the investors’ right to invest and speculate freely and the owner's right to use his property without restrains. The plutocratic concept of freedom failed in 1929. The other main event in the XIX century was the war world II; it had also a clear repercussion in the liberalism. Unlike liberalism, the fascism and collectivism are criticised because, in this kind doctrines the interest of the individual is not considered at all being the general welfare or the general interest the only point to consider. So, in search of this general welfare, the interest of many individuals, their freedom, and their rights to develop their personality will be in danger when these individuals interferes with the general welfare, and this is of course something totally contradictable to the liberalism. There are two fundamental principles which liberalism has to affirm if it wishes to be worthy of Europe: The principle of free research and the principle of the sacred character of human personality. So, we can see how the fascism and the war world II affected in the way of thinking. It made people return to the classical liberalism from the modern liberalism because the classical liberalism seemed to be more against the social goal or the welfare defended by Hitler than the classical liberalism, which seemed to defend more the good of the individual that the good of the hole community. Robert Nozick, in his book “Anarchy State, and Utopia" written in 1974, shows us how the liberalism changed from the modern liberalism to the classical liberalism around the 70's. He is in favour of reducing the role of the government as much as possible. Point clearly defended in the classical liberalism. "The minimal state is the most extensive state that can be justified. Any state more extensive violates people's rights" (Nozick, 2001, 135) The business of world affairs as we know it today is based on political endeavours of peace, war, economics, and government. When most people think of politics, they envision electoral campaigns, military operations, and democrats arguing with republicans, Liberalists and the citizens protesting all of them. Politics and the philosophy of politics is a great deal above politicians squabbling over potential laws and the governing of countries. The study of political philosophy involves the state, its justification, the proper organization of its ethics, and the best form for the politics to contemporarily to exist (Moore, et al. 2002, 119). Political philosophy incorporates the study of liberalism, communism, fascism, and conservatism. Liberalism is the ideology for freedom of choice for the individual, the right to choose your own interests, desires and expectations. 'Man forms in his own mind-the inner citadel where, if anywhere, the individual must rule' (Hobhouse 1964, 19). 'A liberal man is a man who believes in liberty' (Cranston 1967: 459). This paper will briefly explain how liberalism has changed our society and ousted all ideologies today. In the contemporary era, no need of any other ideology is felts in the presence of liberalism. Leaving behind all other political and social ideologies, liberal thought expanded into other characteristics determined by political and social philosophy, which brought two new concepts positive and negative liberalism. John Stuart Mill was one such theorist who formalized the distinction between "positive" and "negative" freedom. According to Mill, negative freedom is elimination of restrains, and positive freedom is the freedom to empower the individuals to realize their own goals or needs. The way, in which liberalism has progressed, from that of classical thought, can be clearly seen. Government enforced policies/ regulations such as smoking regulations, enforced immunization programs, drinking ages, driving ages (licensing), buying of properties (taxes), and education laws are just some which could be seen as a clear contravention of classical liberalism (interference from Government, state). Some changes in society are very apparent, firstly in community help by counselling, guiding the disadvantaged. Secondly, in open competition, there is removal of racial bias and enforcement of anti-discrimination laws. Thirdly, Racism is vigorously opposed by Government action, by public policy and finally Government funded subsidies such as unemployment benefits, retraining schemes and employment services. The life of the individual is today somewhat different, being in control of ones own life; today is for most part out of our own hands. Our lives are shaped and changed by Government policy (politics), Community programs and other authority groups. Others would explain a turn away from classical liberalism as: "There are some things we choose to do together through government in solemn marking of our human solidarity, served by the fact that we do them together in this official fashion and often also by the content of the action itself" (Nozick 1989, 287). In the layperson point of view, liberalism is the belief that individuals should have the same freedoms as others. Next is Fascism, we know that the term fascism originated from Italy in 1932 with the ascension of Benito Mussolini and continued with Adolf Hitler and remained as late as Saddam Hussein. The application of fascism is the total belief that dominance of a state, government, and its leadership by an individual who embodies the trust, intelligence and the will of the people are fundamental and necessary. The spirit of fascism, consequently, is that government should be the all-authoritative master, not the humble subservient servant, of the masses. Men who believed in a liberal philosophy of individual rights wrote the U.S. Constitution. These same men sought to protect those rights from governmental infringement and fascism. The Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are good examples. Fascism is still practiced today by totalitarian extremist groups and political regimes. Similar to the fascist, is the communist. Although the political goal is dissimilar, the intent is the same; total control of state and citizens. Communism began with Ivan the Terrible and revised by Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. Communism is based on the common ownership of production. A communist society is one without money, without a state, does not own property and is without social classes. Every person and every asset are common. The United Socialist Soviets Republic was the spearhead of the communist movement. The radical ideas of the communist state proliferated its wealth and power from the country through murder, deceit and deprivation of its people. Some people still believe in communism and that it should exist in the United States; they are known as Marxists. In 1989, the dismantling of the Berlin Wall marked the end of Communism in the former Soviet Republic. Conservatism, as it pertains to politics, supports traditional political views and moral values. Consequently, what might be conservative in one nation may be quite radical in another society. Political conservatives are motivated to sustain religion, economics, family values, and the continuance of the "American Dream." We are all conservative in our own ways of political thinking. The justification for many conservatives, however, is the survival of states natural and economic resources for the betterment of its people. Contemporary conservatisms try to model former Presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Franklin Delano Roosevelt into their own conservative pantheon. It is more useful however to see what part presidents have played in furthering the conservative enterprise in government. Instead of trying to find the right man for the job, try to create a framework in which economics can work to pass laws that preserve liberty and encourage virtuous behaviour, but maintain allegiance to defend the nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. No matter what an individuals' political stance or philosophy may be, we are all faced with political issues daily. The tax that is paid during a purchase or the scandals that occur in the White House affect all Americans equally. The fascist and communist ideology was developed and designed to deter political fallacies of wealth and power to common people, the liberal terminology is to live and let live without consequence. The conservative party does not want the responsibility of sorting through a political sea of inefficiency with their government. It is highly probable that political philosophy was induced for a reason for people to argue as well as to develop a society that all people are equal. All this discussion proves that only Liberalism is far from time and space. It is prevalent and popular from one corner of the world to the other. The reason behind this is simple that it is above all religions and regionalism. It has proved itself progressive dimension for the betterment of humanity. It is most widely sociologically accepted and acknowledged political ideology. References Christman, J. (1991) 'Liberalism and Individual Positive Freedom', Ethics, Oxford: Oxford University Press. 73 Cranston, M. (1967) 'Liberalism' in The Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, Paul Edwards, ed. New York: Macmillan and the Free Press, pp 459. Edwards, J. Hugh James John Davis: (2004) David Lloyd George: The Man and the Statesman; Kessinger Publishing, LLC: 207 Hobhouse, L.T. (1964), Liberalism, London: Oxford University Press, pp 11-19. Jeremy Bentham, H. L. A. Hart, J. H. Burns, (1996) An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (Bentham, Jeremy, Works.) Oxford University Press, 107 Mill, John Stuart: (1997) The Subjection of Women (Dover Thrift Editions) Dover Publications: 99 Mill, John Stuart (Author), Michael B. Mathias (Author), Daniel Kolak (Author): (2006) On Liberty (Longman Library of Primary Sources in Philosophy) Longman: 139 Moore, Brooke, and Kenneth Bruder; Philosophy: The Power of Ideas. 5th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2002: 119 Nozick, R. (1989) The Examined Life: Philosophical Meditations, New York: Simon and Schuster. 287 Nozick, Robert: (2001) Anarchy State and Utopia: Wiley-Blackwell; New edition: 135 Read More