It's a 7 minute video that is worth watching... I have to admit I was unfamiliar with the term "classical liberalsim" but after watching the 10 points, there is not much that I disagree with......
It seems to me that Classical Liberalism is about letting the people have as small of a government as possible, and not making individuals sacrafice for the good of the people i.e. they are the opposite of the utilitarian theory.
Which leads me to wonder how they can use that theory to pool things together like taxes and social programs that negatively affect certain individuals...? Good video, good for thought!
"Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things."
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
While he doesn't get into taxes and such, one can only assume that with its emphasis on limited government and self-reliance, etc that the classical liberal would favor very low taxes.. classical liberalism seems to have the best I can find it any of the parties but probably most closely aligns with Libertarians of today.....
Quote: While he doesn't get into taxes and such, one can only assume that with its emphasis on limited government and self-reliance, etc that the classical liberal would favor very low taxes.. classical liberalism seems to have the best I can find it any of the parties but probably most closely aligns with Libertarians of today.....
The closest equivilant to modern Libertarians would actually be the school of neo-classical liberalism (neoliberalism) which evolved from classical liberalism. The distinction between the two is that neo-classical liberalism is for as limited government as possible in order for individual liberty to be exercised. Neoliberalism stresses the expansion of the private sector and the limitation of the public sector.
Classical liberalism is more of the "tame" version. It basically drew on Adam Smith's economic principles combined with Thomas Malthus's belief in long-term stability of the economy over the short-term expediency so for reasons such as that he advocated natural selection.
Quote: What you need to understand is that classical liberalism and american liberalism are two totally different things.
Trust me, I figured that out after about the second bullet point. You think I could watch something on contemporary American liberalism and say I agree with all of it? Or most of it? Or any of it?
Quote: I believe Classical Liberalism is derived from people like John Locke.
Having read a little since watching the video, Locke is credited with pulling tenets he liked from various political theories and creating "Classical liberalism" but it was also followed by Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, etc...
Classical Liberals are for limited government, almost approaching a "laissez faire" type government.
Today, it seems that "classical liberals" have branched off into two groups ... "liberals", who favor social liberalism but an authoritarian economic government ... and "conservatives", who favor the opposite.
I think the biggest problem with "classical liberalism" is it's reliance on self-correction. With the allowance of free flowing ideas, liberty, etc ... it becomes really easy for one person or group to take advantage of others. If people don't self-correct to address the situation, it quickly becomes unbalanced and hard to correct.
Quote: What you need to understand is that classical liberalism and american liberalism are two totally different things.
I believe Classical Liberalism is derived from people like John Locke. American Liberalism is a special breed.
You are correct that they are vastly different, however, Locke is associated with natural law and British Empiricism. He believed that the mind was a blank slate ( tabula rosa), something that was not stressed by Classical Liberalism.
Additionally, he believed in the limits of accumulation, something that is directly against both Classical Liberalism and Neoliberalism which essentially believed that if you can take it, take it.
Locke did inspire classical liberalism (even though I believe he would disagree with a lot of their interpretations of his writings), but then again he inspired essentially everyone.
You are right in a sense, but Locke did set forth a feeling of the individual, which Classical Liberalism is based upon.
Then others either followed his line of thinking, or blatantly copied Locke and refined/change some ideas to create Classical Liberalism.
Locke just wanted to be left alone. That spirit is very much alive in America today. Individualism is always going to be what sets Americans apart from the rest of the world.
If you are interested in political theory, DC, I suggest you look up classical Republicanism and Communitarianism. Both also influence American political theory and really, all political theory.
I think the biggest problem with "classical liberalism" is it's reliance on self-correction. With the allowance of free flowing ideas, liberty, etc ... it becomes really easy for one person or group to take advantage of others. If people don't self-correct to address the situation, it quickly becomes unbalanced and hard to correct.
I want to debate you (or at least offer counterpoints on your views based upon my thoughts ..) But I can't because I'm afraid I would be making too many assumptions ...
Would you care to expand on this idea?
"Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things."
Don't get me wrong ... I really like the ideas stated here, and I would be in-favor of a government that promotes these ideals, but that doesn't mean there might be some flaws in there as well.
Here's the list broken down:
Quote:
1) Liberty 2) Individualism 3) Skepticism about Power 4) Rule of Law 5) Civil Society 6) Spontanious Order 7) Free Markets 8) Toleration 9) Peace (Free Movement) 10) Limited Government (only protect Life, Liberty and Property)
A lot of it depends on everyone else having the same "ideals" of liberalism, and if they don't ... you sort of have to "tolerate" it. At some point ... if an opposing ideal starts creeping into "Rule of Law", you can no longer tolerate it.
Peace is also dependant on everyone else wanting peace and movement of ideas/goods as well. What I was getting at earlier is ... If one group starts taking advantage of others, it's up to "spontanius order" to correct things quickly.
Not to go all Godwin theory here ... but what happens if you have a situation like Nazi Germany? Classical Liberalism would call for Toleration and Free Movement of Ideas and Goods. Wait too long, and suddenly they're trying to set the Rule of Law for you.
Gotcha ... I was thinking more along the lines of a lack of self-regulation in the services and programs arena ... as in what happens to charities, the red cross, welfare, and etc...
Good points.
"Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things."
Quote: A lot of it depends on everyone else having the same "ideals" of liberalism, and if they don't ... you sort of have to "tolerate" it. At some point ... if an opposing ideal starts creeping into "Rule of Law", you can no longer tolerate it.
Peace is also dependant on everyone else wanting peace and movement of ideas/goods as well. What I was getting at earlier is ... If one group starts taking advantage of others, it's up to "spontanius order" to correct things quickly.
Not to go all Godwin theory here ... but what happens if you have a situation like Nazi Germany? Classical Liberalism would call for Toleration and Free Movement of Ideas and Goods. Wait too long, and suddenly they're trying to set the Rule of Law for you.
You don't have to look at Nazi Germany, look at the USA for a more likely scenario... just look at how we got from Thomas Jefferson and James Madison to where we are now...
The misnomer in the whole thing is "Spontaneous Order".. it's not exactly spontaneous as in "instant" its spontaneous as in "happens all by itself" though it may take some time.. and this is where our government sucks, they always think they can fix problems faster through legislation than just allowing them to work themselves out...
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