John LockeJohn Locke Contract theory of

government.• Regarded the state as a

human construction, established by an originalcontract.

Limited, constitutional government.

• Civil society of free men, equal under the rule of law, bound together by no common purpose but sharing respect for each other’s rights.

• Doctrine of natural rights.

• Links private property with individual liberty.

CharacteristicsCharacteristics Demanded rep gov’t Equality before the law Freedom of the press Speech Assembly Arbitrary assembly rights guaranteed by written constitution favored republican form of gov’t property requirements identified with Middle class Liberals hoped to achieve a free society

governed by a constitution that valued individual rights.

more radical group called democrats wants universal manhood suffrage

Adam SmithAdam Smith

His Wealth of Nations adds an economic dimension.

He merged Locke’s ideas of civil society with economic theory.

• Free trade economics.

• Saw the “invisible hand” where a benevolent God administered a universe in which human happiness was maximized.

John Stuart Mill John Stuart Mill (1806-(1806-1873)1873)

A utilitarian:• The greatest happiness for the greatest number.

Wrote On Liberty in 1859.

• most important liberal spokesman of the nineteenth century – • he supported freedom of thought,• universal suffrage and •collective action by workers.

On Liberty On Liberty (1859)(1859)

Government might be antagonistic to the causes of individual freedom.

The sole purpose of government is “self-protection.”

Government may only coerce others in self-defense.

We should maximize human development for a more equal society:

• Mill favored a more open administration.• Organized interest groups.• Workers cooperatives

Workers would own the factories and elect the managers.

• Tax wealth.• Redistribution system of wealth:

Confiscation of excess profits Abolish the wage system.

• Emancipation of women.

Classical Liberalism in Classical Liberalism in EnglandEngland

Important legislation:•Catholic Emancipation Act of

1829.

•Reform Act of 1832.

•Factory Act of 1833.

•Repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846.

Reform in EngReform in Eng

Between 1688 and 1832 no reformFew had vote Reform Bill of 1832

•Extended franchise

•Proportional representation

•Pocket burrows

Rotten BoroughsRotten Boroughs

Borough Patron MPs Houses in borough

voters

Bramber Dk of Rutland

2 35 20

Callington Ld Clinton 2 225 42

Gatton Sir Mark Wood

2 23 32

Newtown Sir Barrington

2 14 23

Plympton Earle had been a prosperous market town in the Middle Ages but by the 19th century it had declined to the level of a country village. Newtown on the Isle of Wight had been a market town but by the time of the 1832 Reform Act it had been reduced to a village of 14 houses.

IrelandIreland

Great FaminePotato failure

Results

““ModerateModerate”” Liberalism Liberalismo Economic policies:

• Laissez-faire economy.• Free trade.• Lower tariffs.• Against the right of the working class to organize

into unions.

o The general progress of humanity would emerge from the growth of wealth and from science and inventions.

o Established churches & the landed aristocracy were obstacles to the advancement of civilization.

o Orderly change by legislative process.o A dislike of wars, conquests, a standing army,

and military expenditures.o Hated the idea of revolution!