1. Liberalism
Dr. Christopher S. Rice

2. The American Political
Spectrum is small…

4. (cc) 2005 Flickr user jurvetson
The Western Transformation
1500-1700

5. (cc) 2008 Flickr user Peter from Wellington
Organic vs. Mechanistic

6. (cc) 2008 Flickr user h.koppdelaney
Organic Worldview

7. First Nature
(cc) 2006 Flickr user Bruno Monginoux

8. (cc) 2007 Flickr user autan
Second Nature

9. The world is a living
world…

10. Ruach

12. Gaia

13. (cc) 2006 Flickr user Euthman
Unrestrained growth is
an aberration, undesired

14. (cc) 2008 Flickr user Ralph Bijker
Mechanistic
Worldview

15. The world is a
“dead” world…
(cc) 2006 Flickr user Caro Wallis

16. (cc) 2006 Flickr user Wolfgang Kopp
Lack of continuous
growth = death

17. (cc) 2005 Flickr user Tracy O

18. (cc) 2007 Flickr user Diodoro
The rise of capitalism

19. Logical Positivism
Leads to the
Mechanistic Worldview

23. Cogito Ergo Sum

25. Mechanistic
Philosophy

27. Logical Positivism

28. Is science objective?
Economics?

30. Human Nature

33. The Liberal concept of agency is
based on the theory of
possessive individualism

34. Possessive Individualism
(C. B. Macpherson, The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism)

35. Possessive Individualism
1. What makes one human is freedom from dependence on the wills of
others.
(C. B. Macpherson, The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism)

36. Possessive Individualism
1. What makes one human is freedom from dependence on the wills of
others.
2. Freedom from dependence on others means freedom from any
relations with others except those relations which the individual
enters voluntarily with a view to his own interest.
(C. B. Macpherson, The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism)

37. Possessive Individualism
1. What makes one human is freedom from dependence on the wills of
others.
2. Freedom from dependence on others means freedom from any
relations with others except those relations which the individual
enters voluntarily with a view to his own interest.
3. The individual is essentially the proprietor of his or her own person
and capacities, for which he or she owes nothing to society.
(C. B. Macpherson, The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism)

38. Possessive Individualism
1. What makes one human is freedom from dependence on the wills of
others.
2. Freedom from dependence on others means freedom from any
relations with others except those relations which the individual
enters voluntarily with a view to his own interest.
3. The individual is essentially the proprietor of his or her own person
and capacities, for which he or she owes nothing to society.
4. Although an individual cannot alienate the whole of his property in
his own person, he may alienate his capacity to labor.
(C. B. Macpherson, The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism)

39. Possessive Individualism
1. What makes one human is freedom from dependence on the wills of
others.
2. Freedom from dependence on others means freedom from any
relations with others except those relations which the individual
enters voluntarily with a view to his own interest.
3. The individual is essentially the proprietor of his or her own person
and capacities, for which he or she owes nothing to society.
4. Although an individual cannot alienate the whole of his property in
his own person, he may alienate his capacity to labor.
5. Human society consists of a series of market relations – Since the
individual is human only in so far as free, and free only in so far as
proprietor of him- or herself, human society can only be a series of
relations between sole proprietors, i.e., a series of market relations.
(C. B. Macpherson, The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism)

40. Possessive Individualism
1. What makes one human is freedom from dependence on the wills of
others.
2. Freedom from dependence on others means freedom from any
relations with others except those relations which the individual
enters voluntarily with a view to his own interest.
3. The individual is essentially the proprietor of his or her own person
and capacities, for which he or she owes nothing to society.
4. Although an individual cannot alienate the whole of his property in
his own person, he may alienate his capacity to labor.
5. Human society consists of a series of market relations – Since the
individual is human only in so far as free, and free only in so far as
proprietor of him- or herself, human society can only be a series of
relations between sole proprietors, i.e., a series of market relations.
6. Since freedom from the wills of others is what makes one human,
each individualʼs freedom can rightfully be limited only by such
obligations and rules as are necessary to secure the same freedom
for others.
(C. B. Macpherson, The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism)

41. Possessive Individualism
1. What makes one human is freedom from dependence on the wills of
others.
2. Freedom from dependence on others means freedom from any
relations with others except those relations which the individual
enters voluntarily with a view to his own interest.
3. The individual is essentially the proprietor of his or her own person
and capacities, for which he or she owes nothing to society.
4. Although an individual cannot alienate the whole of his property in
his own person, he may alienate his capacity to labor.
5. Human society consists of a series of market relations – Since the
individual is human only in so far as free, and free only in so far as
proprietor of him- or herself, human society can only be a series of
relations between sole proprietors, i.e., a series of market relations.
6. Since freedom from the wills of others is what makes one human,
each individualʼs freedom can rightfully be limited only by such
obligations and rules as are necessary to secure the same freedom
for others.
7. Political society is a human contrivance for the protection of the
individualʼs property in his person and goods, and (therefore) for the
maintenance of orderly relations of exchange between individuals
regarded as proprietors of themselves.
(C. B. Macpherson, The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism)

42. Liberal Philosophy

43. 4

44. Four Elements of Liberal Philosophy
Equality Liberty
Individuality Rationality

45. Four Elements of Liberal Philosophy
Equality Liberty
Individuality Rationality

46. Equality of Opportunity
vs.
Equality of Outcome

47. Four Elements of Liberal Philosophy
Equality Liberty
Individuality Rationality

48. Four Elements of Liberal Philosophy
Equality Liberty
Individuality Rationality

49. Four Elements of Liberal Philosophy
Equality Liberty
Individuality Rationality

50. Four Elements of Liberal Philosophy
Equality Liberty
Individuality Rationality

51. Liberal Society

52. Feudalism Capitalism

53. Why a free-market
economy is important…

54. The Pursuit of The Good

55. Liberal Politics

56. strict distinction between the
state and civil society

57. The Social Contract

62. ambivalence about the
benefits of democracy

63. Government is GREAT!
Government is BAD!

64. Utilitarianism

66. The Principle of
Utility Maximization

67. (cc) 2008 Flickr user gruntzooki
Government should
ameliorate the effects
of utility maximization

68. 2
general conclusions
about government

69. (cc) 2007 Flickr user afroboof
Government should
leave people alone.

70. Increase democratic
participation
(cc) 2008 Flickr user Edward DC

71. John Stuart Mill

72. Defend and Extend
individual liberty

73. (cc) 2008 Flickr user jukebox 909

74. Harm Principle
Every sane adult should be
free to do whatever he or she
wants as long as his or her
actions do not harm, or
threaten to harm, others.

76. Natural Rights

77. Utility
Society, as a whole, will
benefit if people are
allowed to think and act
freely.

78. Representative democracy
only for the educated,
wealthy?

79. Neoclassical liberalism
VS.
Welfare Liberalism

80. Negative VS. Positive
Freedom

81. Neoclassical liberalism

82. Social Darwinism

86. Welfare Liberalism

87. Government as a
POSITIVE
force

89. Socialism
VS.
Welfare Liberalism

91. (cc) 2008 Flickr user left-hand
The Veil of
Ignorance

92. (cc) 2008 Flickr user Tostie14
The Original Position

93. The Original Position
Non-presocial liberal ideas that, if
consensually held, would lead
everyone to accept the equal liberty
and difference principles as the
basis for mutually beneficial social
cooperation.

94. 4 Ideas of
The Original Position

95. Non-Risky
Equal Respect
Rationality
4 Ideas of
The Original Position
Mutual
The Veil of
Disinterested-
Ignorance
ness

96. Non-Risky
Equal Respect
Rationality
4 Ideas of
The Original Position
Mutual
The Veil of
Disinterested-
Ignorance
ness

97. Non-Risky
Equal Respect
Rationality
4 Ideas of
The Original Position
Mutual
The Veil of
Disinterested-
Ignorance
ness

98. Non-Risky
Equal Respect
Rationality
4 Ideas of
The Original Position
Mutual
The Veil of
Disinterested-
Ignorance
ness

99. Non-Risky
Equal Respect
Rationality
4 Ideas of
The Original Position
Mutual
The Veil of
Disinterested-
Ignorance
ness

100. Non-Risky
Equal Respect
Rationality
4 Ideas of
The Original Position
Mutual
The Veil of
Disinterested-
Ignorance
ness

101. 2
Principles of Justice

102. Equal Liberty Principle
The state must provide the most
extensive system of equal
liberties that is feasible and
desirable. All individuals must
enjoy the greatest degree of
liberty consistent with the
enjoyment of like liberty by
everyone else.

103. Difference Principle
Primary social goods are to be
distributed equally unless an
unequal distribution would
improve the welfare of the least
well-off in society.

104. PROBLEMS