The Principles of Government
Liberalism
Liberalism is the ideology that advocates for individual liberty, equality, democracy, and the protection of human rights. Some of the core beliefs of liberalism include everyone being able to pursue their own goals while not infringing on others, the idea that everyone is equal before the law, and the idea of a free market economy. The roots/ foundation of liberalism can be traced back to the "Enlightenment" era, where philosophers such as John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and further evolved by John Stuart Mill. John Locke is often considered the "father of liberalism" based on his ideas of natural rights (individuals have rights to life, liberty, and property), and separation of Powers (the separation of legislative and executive powers). Another philosopher who supported these ideas was John Stuart Mill—his ideas of liberty, utilitarianism, freedom of expression, and the limited role of government created an emphasis on the people's liberty so long as their freedom doesn't harm others. Liberalism connects with conservatism through the commitment to individual rights and the rule of law. However, the difference comes in how conservatives prioritize social order, whereas liberals put a priority on individual autonomy.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Liberalism
Individual Freedom: By protecting rights and freedoms, liberal lifestyles encourage creativity and expression because of the diverse environment. Democratic Government: Liberal government ensures that leaders are selected through the will of the people. Since decision-makers are chosen by society, their decisions are a reflection of the people.
Overstatement of individualism: When individual interests take priority over societal well-being, social cohesion can be damaged. Environmental Impact: Liberalism puts a heavy focus on economic growth where very quickly the exploitation of resources can lead to environmental damage.
Socialism
Socialism is a political ideology that advocates for a society in which everyone has an equal share of resources and wealth. Socialism has faced much criticism, mainly for its "lazy agenda" that's pushed onto society. For example, socialism creates a need to rely on government, where individual rights are suppressed in favor of maintaining control. Secondly, by equally disturbing wealth, the incentive for people to work hard and earn money drops. This greatly reduces creativity and makes for a dangerous potential. However, there are some advantages. Economic equality can't be denied, as opportunities for people of less wealth can be opened. Along with this, poverty can be reduced as well, as less fortunate parts of society can be supported as well. Karl Marx was known for his arguments that society should be "classless" and be collective, allowing equal opportunity for everyone. Secondly, Freidrich Engels supported Marx's theory by writing on the need for society to revolutionize into equality and equity. Sweden's social welfare system is a real-world example of socialism. This program aims to remove barriers by creating policies for education, health care, and taxes. This model aims to achieve economic prosperity and social equity. The political style most connected to socialism is often communism. The properties of resources being collective and distributed based on need most closely related to socialism.
Conservatism
Conservatism is the political ideology that emphasizes traditional values, rather than change. Its characteristics include stability, and order while advocating for the preservation of established laws. Conservatism is often praised for its stability, self-preservation, and limited government intervention. Often contrasted by liberalism, the independence of conservatism is often praised by the aging generation. On the other side, it's often critiqued for resistance to change, social inequalities (power structures), and resistance to social progress. In specific, conservatism has seen high rates of homophobia, sexism, and other acts of bigotry. Russel Kirk helped articulate the principles of conservatism by stating the importance of balancing stability and progress. He was a firm believer that progress can't be made without maintaining past values. Roger Scruton is another theorist who argued the importance of fostering a community of belonging and identity. Conservatism is derived from many facets of the right-wing style. Limited government intervention and self-preservation make the style separate from other ideologies such as socialism or liberalism. The Republican party in the United States carries key aspects of conservatism, including limited government intervention, and the preservation of values.
Marxism
Marxism is a political theory developed by the ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engle. Prevalent themes include materialism, exploitation, and class struggle. The lens argues against capitalism while also advocating for fair wages and safe working conditions. Marxism is often praised for its depth of understanding of capitalism and its focus on social equality (ensuring needs are met for everyone). Along with the pros, there are some cons. Marxism's focus on the collective interests of society can inhibit the individual freedom of expression. Along with this, Marxism may overlook the complexity of social change. As mentioned earlier, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels created the framework for this perspective. Marx contributed through his analysis of class struggle, exploitation, and capitalist societies. His ideas led to the creation of Marxism aiming to counteract inequality in government. Similar to Marx, Engels emphasized the importance of looking at exploitation. He also worked closely with Marx and helped popularize his ideas. A real-life example comes from the Soviet Union under Stalin. Soviet applies Marxism values by attempting to shape classes while addressing all the needs of the working class. The union has also recently implemented plans to revolutionize areas crucial for social development, furthering the use of Marxist principles. Marxism is closely related to socialism based on the advocacy for collective ownership. The display of communism is also very prevalent in both concepts.
Utopianism
Utopianism is the belief that in a perfect, ideal, or "utopian" society. Brought together by harmony, equity, justice, and well-being for everyone. The theory is often praised for its inspiration, social justice, innovative solutions, and motivation for change. By fostering hope, Utopianism can provide a positive environment for anyone under its rule. While there are many positives, cons are prevalent as well. Unrealistic goals, utopian fallacy (the belief that a perfect society can be obtained without conflict of interest), and totalitarian tendencies (restrictions of individual autonomy). Robert Owen was a British philosopher/social reformer who based his development on the principles of the utopian movement. Thomas More was an early philosopher who created the book "Utopia" laying the foundations for social, political, and economic thinking. When looking for a real-life example of utopian thinking, it's important to look back throughout history. Auroville (India) was established in 1968 in Tamil Nadu and was a community based on the teachings of Sri Aurobindo. Utopianism can be related to certain strands of anarchism. Some concepts of anarchism align with that of utopian thinking, such as self-governing communities.
Communitarianism
Communitarianism meaning is found in its name. The perspective puts a strong focus on shared values, and collective responsibilities in a given community. Along with this, the lens puts a critique on extreme independence, instead of advocating for social cohesion. Communitarianism is praised for its potential to bring people together, for cultural preservation, and overall common good. However, critiques of this lens come from restricted individual rights and group conformity (encouragement of social pressure, and adherence to norms). Alasdair Macintyre is one philosopher who argued for this concept. His use of virtue ethics to emphasize the importance of community and tradition has provided the framework for communitarianism. Along with MacIntyre, Charles Taylor also contributed to these ideas. He was a firm believer in individualism and suggested a more socially cohesive society can lead to the common good for everyone.
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is defined as power under one single ruler. In these societies, government aims to have total control over all aspects of life. While the negatives of this concept stick out right away, there are a few potential positives. Social stability, development (economic), and efficient decision-making (one party making concrete decisions). Some potential negatives include a lack of freedom, government manipulation, and ethical dilemmas surrounding controls. Typically phishers are strongly against totalitarianism ideas, arguing for freedom of expression. One individual who had concepts aligning with these ideas was Carl Schmitt. He argued that a controlling government is required to maintain stability in a community. A prevalent real-life example comes from Nazi Germany under the rule of Adolf Hitler. Single-party rule, repression, propaganda, and manipulation, were all used by Hitler to establish a totalitarian rule. Totalitarianism doesn't fully align with any particular political theory, but there is some correlation with authoritarianism. Both political systems believe in centralized control, which lays the framework for decision-making for the society.