Origins and Development

Origins and Development

• Summary:
• A breakdown of the feudalistic system in Europe resulted in developments that lead to liberalism. Individuals now had an opportunity to progress for themselves in society, rather than under the direction of a feudal lord.
• People began to advocate for constitutional and soon after representative government. As industrialisation spread and capitalism became popular, liberal ideas became greatly valued.
• Industry and the market became free from government interference and liberalism soon became the major political ideology is shaping western thought.
• 

Early Liberlism

• Desired that the government interfere as little as possible in the lives of citizens
• Early liberalism wanted to minimise the constraints that would adhere individual action
• This was normally through developing a minimal state approach and relying on market economics
• Advocates of laissez-faire capitalism - the belief in complete separation of government and the market (transactions between private parties are free from government intervention e.g. regulation, tariffs, subsidies)
• 

Modern Liberalism

• 
• Modern liberals argued that the government has responsibility for delivering welfare services (e.g. health, housing, education, pensions)
• The government needs to somewhat regulate the economy too
• Modern liberalism promotes an ideology of enabling state; social and economic intervention endorsed by the state that promotes personal development
• Modern liberalism is also connected with the economic ideas of John Maynard Keynes
• Keynesianism: is an economic theory relating to total spending in the economy and the effects on output and inflation. Keynes advocated increased government expenditure and lower taxes during the Great Depression to revive the economy.

The End of History

• The ideals of Liberalism can be seen to have come to dominate political, economic and social development in the West. This is what political scientist Francis Fukuyama described in his book as the end of history: “We are witnessing the end of history... Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government”.
• Liberalism triumphed over the numerous communist regimes that existed only a number of decades ago. However, the end of history claim faces new challenges, Liberalism has been confronted with a new foe of illiberal thought. This is found in the ideology of religious fundamentalists, such as the Islamic State, who are trying to create a state founded on Sharia law.