Liberalism & Democracy - how compatible?

Liberal's support for democracy

The influence of liberalism on other major philosophies

Liberalism & Socialsim

Post-war, reformist social democracy was influenced more by liberalism than by socialism & advocated a mixed, Keynesian economy - much like modern liberalism, but not individualist.

Liberal's support for democracy

Please see attachment

Liberalism's Influence on Socialism

• Democracy may be used to enhance c................... l...................
• Democracy may be e.....................
• Democracy may promote i.......................... self-development.
• Democracy may allow conflicting i................ in s.................. to be m..................... and r..........................
• Democracy may promote s....................... h.......................... and s..........................

Liberalism's Influence on Conservatism

However, modern liberals do favour democracy, because:

• P........... should be based upon legitimate authority.
• C............... is necessary for such legitimacy.
• The p............ can be a constraining influence upon the power of g..................... and s................
• Democracy may help to ensure political r.......................
• Democracy may enhance p........................ - diffusion of power between competing g...............

Liberalism & Conservatism

Questions

The Conservative party, through the rise of Thatcherism, have adopted the free-market economics and atomistic individualism of classical liberalism - i.e. New Right neo-liberalism.

Exam Tip

When essays ask about the extent of liberalism's compatibility with democracy, it is best to:

• explain their wariness of democracy first,
• then, explain why they favour democracy.

Because, on balance, liberals are now staunch advocates of democracy, in its liberal form.

1. Define 'liberal democracy'.

2. Why might the concept of 'liberal democracy' be a contradiction in terms?

3. Give 2 reasons why liberals are wary of democracy.

4. Give 2 reasons why liberals favour democracy.

In Summary........

In Summary .......

Modern liberals have, therefore, come to embrace democracy, but only in its specifically liberal form..........

......... Modern liberals reject other forms of democracy - which may be less pluralist or more participatory - as downright dangerous.

Exam Tip

When asked why liberals favour liberal democracy, an average answer will refer to liberals belief in freedom, whilst a strong answer refers firstly to the liberal belief in human rationality.

Now Test Yourself

1. Which sub-strand of conservative thought has been most inflenced by liberal ideas?

2. Which sub-strand of Labour Party thought has been most influenced by liberal ideas?

Conclusion

How Compatible?

Liberalism's influence on socialism

'New' Labour adopted a liberal form of communitarianism, in that its emphasis on widening individual rights & entitlements was balanced against a stress on social duty & moral responsibility. Its welfare reform policies were influenced by this rights-and-responsibilities agenda. 'New' Labour's constitutional reforms were - in diluted form - largely derived from constitutional liberalism with its belief in decentralising & fragmenting power.

Although the political socialisation of most Western students leads them to assume that 'liberal democracy' is the only valid form of democracy, many forms of democracy are not, in fact, liberal (1). Moreover, early liberals were downright hostile to the idea of democracy even in its fairly limited form of 'one person, one vote'.

Liberal's wariness of democracy

• Give e.g.'s of forms of democracy that are not liberal.

All liberals are wary of democracy because:

• You must aim high and produce 10 reasons.

Exam Tip

Glossary

Do not take a 'narrow' view and believe that liberalism is unequivocally in favour of democracy.

'Liberal democracy' - a form of representative government, based on free, fair & competitive elections, pluralism, constitutionalism, the rule of law, civil liberties & a (free or mixed) market economy.

Liberalism & Democracy - how compatible?