1POLITICAL LIBERALISM AND ENLIGHTENMENT Liberalism refers to the political doctrine that helps in freedom of an individual in the society. Liberals believe in the fact that government can help in protecting the individuals and the laws and the police in the society can help in securing the life of an individual. Enlightenment was the philosophical movement that started in Europe and in the North America in late 17thand in the early half of the 18thcentury. There were thinkers like Thomas Hobbes, James Madison, John Locke along with the Edmund Burke who contributed to idea of the political liberalism. This essay discusses about how Enlightenment helped in changing understanding of the human nature along with the political order. Hobbes laid emphasis on absolute power of Leviathan sovereign that puts the political thoughts against the concept of the liberal theory. Hobbes was instrumental in laying foundation pertaining to liberal view. Hobbes has stated the fact that politics should help in [reserving the life and the goods of an individual. He believed that role of the government was to serve the needs of the human beings. Hobbes has laid emphasis on the fact that individuals in the society retains the natural right of preserving his identity even after entering into commonwealth. Hobbes believed in the concept of the political liberalism and he had the idea that the individuals have the inviolable right pertaining to nature and that politics helps in furthering the pursuit of an individual for the happiness. John Locke used various elements of the thought of Hobbes in developing his account pertaining to the political liberalism. The influence of Hobbes can be seen in the account of Locke of state of the nature. Locke had the idea that the civil society was grounded within a social contract that had free and the equal men. Locke laid stress on the aspect of the human rationality and the capacity of an individual of being grounded by the reason. He thought that reason can help in producing perpetual peace and the tranquillity within the society. They laid stress on the element of self-interest of an individual.
2POLITICAL LIBERALISM AND ENLIGHTENMENT James Madison was a defender of the aspect of liberty in the society. Madison stressed on the tenet of the freedom and ne believed in the fact that the property of a person extended from the land to the opinions. Property acts as the foundation of liberty in the society and the liberty of a person is based on the element of property that an individual has. The liberty that is held by an individual is on the basis of property. James Madison believed in the fact that individuals within the society should be provided with supply of the necessities. Edmund Burke held the view that the social institutions were the product of the historical process that was characterized by the system of the trial and the error. He thought that the conditions pertaining to the human flourishing can be cultivated with the help of the forces that can help in sustaining the social order. The Enlightenment changed the understanding of the human nature along with the political order. The Enlightenment thinkers thought that human nature acted as a basis constant within the society. The Enlightenment laid stress on the idea that human condition can be improved with the help of the formulation of the clear moral absolutes. The Enlightenment helped in pointing out to the distinction in between the inert and the active body. A body that was passive was washed away by the turn of the events. It did not take any kind of initiative on its own and on the other hand active thing helped in the launching of a movement in the spontaneous manner. The active things had power within them that can help in initiating changes in the society. Thomas Hobbes believed in the fact that whatever was happening in universe can be provided with an explanation in relation to the masses of the small particles. The Enlightenment was responsible for rearranging the state of the politics and the state of the government. The Enlightenment was responsible for bringing in a period of the optimism and the faith. The Enlightenment brought out the idea that government was not at the whim of the absolute monarch who was all-powerful but the responsibility of the
3POLITICAL LIBERALISM AND ENLIGHTENMENT government was in carrying out will of the people. The primary responsibility of the government was in relation to protecting the lives and the liberty of the people. It brought about the idea of the separation of powers within the government that was instrumental in protecting the rights of the people. The Enlightenment was witness to the growth of the natural philosophy by applying the rational thought and the reason. Enlightenment paved the way for the pursuing of the rationalscientificknowledgethatcanhelpthesocietyinmakingprogress.The Enlightenment created the way for the cultural revolution that helped in the promotion of the new ideas along with the values in the society. The church helped in sowing seeds for the revolution which focussed on the elements of individualism along with the freedom. The Enlightenment brought out the belief that the people within the society have the natural rights like the right to the life and the liberty. A government that had a great amount of power can abuse the power. The Enlightenment gave the birth of the idea that the government can be divided into the various branches and each branch should be relegated with the power that can help them in fulfilling the function. The French philosopher called Jean Jacques Rousseau asserted that the government should carry out action that can help in serving the welfare of the people. He elaborated on the idea that the people in the society should have the security and the freedom that can help them in the development of the new skills. It can help in strengthening society and paving the growth of the society. The Enlightenment had a great amount of influence on the political thought and it paved the path for the growth of rationalism in the society. The political ideas of the time laid stress on the idea and the logic that can help in guiding the actions of an individual in the society. The reason can be on the basis of the knowledge that can be said to be independent of the sense-experience of an individual.
Paraphrase This Document
Need a fresh take? Get an instant paraphrase of this document with our AI Paraphraser
4POLITICAL LIBERALISM AND ENLIGHTENMENT Liberalism is indicative of political doctrine that gives importance to the freedom of a person. The liberals believed in the fact that the government can help in offering protection to individuals and the agents in the society can protect life of a person. Hobbes was responsible for laying down the foundation in relation to the liberal views. Politics can play an important role in the preservation of the sanctity of life of a person. Locke put emphasis on human rationality and on the aspect of capacity of a person. The reason that an individual has can help in bringing about tranquillity in the moral order of the society. James Madison played an important part in defending liberty within the society. He believed in the aspect of freedom andhefeltthatpropertythatapersonhasshouldextendfromlandtoopinions. Enlightenment brought about growth pertaining to natural philosophy by taking recourse to application of rational thought. Enlightenment can help a person in following scientific knowledge which can be of help for the progression in society. Reason that an individual has can be said to be independent in relation to sense-experience of a person.