What is liberalism? Each person will answer this question differently. Even the dictionaries give different definitions of this concept. This article explains what liberalism is in simple terms.

Definitions

There are several of the most accurate definitions of the concept of "liberalism".

1. Ideology, political trend. It unites admirers of parliamentarism, democratic rights and free enterprise.

2. Theory, system of political and philosophical ideas. It was formed among Western European thinkers in the 18th-19th centuries.

3. The ideologues of the industrial bourgeoisie who defended free enterprise and their political rights.

4. In the primary sense - freethinking.

5. Excessive tolerance, condescension, conciliatory attitude towards bad deeds.

Speaking about what liberalism is, in simple words, it should be noted that this is a political and ideological trend, whose representatives deny revolutionary methods of struggle in achieving certain rights and benefits, advocate free enterprise, the implementation of democratic principles.

Basic principles of liberalism

The ideology of liberalism differs from other theories of political and philosophical thought in special principles. They were formulated by scientists in the 18th-19th centuries, and representatives of this trend are striving to implement them until now.

1. Human life is an absolute value.
2. All people are equal.
3. The will of the individual does not depend on external factors.
4. The needs of one person are more important than the collective. The category "personality" is primary, "society" is secondary.
5. Every person has natural, inalienable rights.
6. The state should arise on the basis of a general consensus.
7. Man himself creates laws and values.
8. The citizen and the state are responsible to each other.
9. Separation of powers. The dominance of the principles of constitutionalism.
10. The government must be elected through fair and democratic elections.
11. Tolerance and humanism.

Ideologues of Classical Liberalism

Each ideologue of this trend understood what liberalism was in his own way. This theory is represented by many concepts and opinions, which can sometimes contradict each other. The origins of classical liberalism can be seen in the works of C. Montesquieu, A. Smith, J. Locke, J. Mill, T. Hobbes. It was they who laid the foundations for the new trend. The basic principles of liberalism were developed back in the Enlightenment in France by Charles Montesquieu. He spoke for the first time about the need for separation of powers and recognition of individual freedom in all spheres of life.

Adam Smith substantiated what economic liberalism is, and also identified its main principles and characteristics. J. Locke is the founder of the theory of the rule of law. In addition, he is one of the most prominent ideologues of liberalism. J. Locke argued that stability in a society can exist only if it consists of free people.

Features of liberalism in the classical sense

The ideologists of classical liberalism focused on the concept of "individual freedom". Unlike absolutist ideas, their concepts denied the complete subordination of the individual to society and social orders. The ideology of liberalism defended the independence and equality of all people. Freedom was perceived as the absence of any restrictions or prohibitions on the implementation of conscious actions of the individual within the framework of generally accepted rules and laws. The state, according to the fathers of classical liberalism, is obliged to ensure the equality of all citizens. However, a person must independently worry about his financial situation.

Liberalism proclaimed the need to limit the scope of the state. Its functions should be reduced to a minimum and consist in maintaining order and ensuring security. Power and society can only exist if they obey the laws.

Models of classical liberalism

The fathers of classical liberalism are J. Locke, J.-J. Rousseau, J.St. Mill, T. Payne. They defended the ideas of individualism and human freedom. In order to understand what liberalism is in the classical sense, one should consider its interpretations.

1. Continental European model. Representatives of this concept (F. Guizot, B. Constant, J.-J. Rousseau, B. Spinoza) defended the ideas of constructivism, rationalism in interaction with nationalism, attached greater importance to freedom within society than for individual individuals.
2. Anglo-Saxon model. Representatives of this concept (J. Locke, A. Smith, D. Hume) put forward the ideas of the rule of law, unrestricted trade, were convinced that freedom is of greater importance for an individual than for society as a whole.
3. North American model. Representatives of this concept (J. Adams, T. Jefferson) developed the ideas of inalienable human rights.

Economic liberalism

This trend of liberalism was based on the idea that economic laws act in the same way as natural ones. Government interference in this area was considered unacceptable.

A. Smith is considered the father of the concept of economic liberalism. His teaching was based on the following ideas.

1. The best incentive for economic development is self-interest.
2. State measures of regulation and monopoly, which were practiced within the framework of mercantilism, are harmful.
3. The development of the economy is guided by an “invisible hand”. The necessary institutions must arise naturally without government intervention. Firms and resource suppliers that are interested in increasing their own wealth and operate within a competitive market system are allegedly directed by an "invisible hand" that contributes to the satisfaction of social needs.

The rise of neoliberalism

Considering what liberalism is, the definition must be given to two concepts - classic and modern (new).

By the beginning of the XX century. in this direction of political and economic thought, crisis phenomena begin to manifest themselves. In many Western European states, workers' strikes take place, and industrial society is entering a period of conflicts. In such conditions, the classical theory of liberalism ceases to coincide with reality. New ideas and principles are being formed. The central problem of modern liberalism is the issue of social guarantees of the rights and freedoms of the individual. This was largely facilitated by the popularity of Marxism. In addition, the need for social measures was considered in the works of I. Kant, J. St. Mill, G. Spencer.

Principles of modern (new) liberalism

The new liberalism is characterized by an orientation towards rationalism and purposeful reforms aimed at improving the existing state and political systems. A special place is occupied by the problem of comparing freedom, justice and equality. There is the concept of "elite". She is formed from the most worthy members of the group. It is believed that society can achieve triumph only thanks to the elite and dies with it.

The economic principles of liberalism are defined by the concepts of "free market" and "minimal state". The problem of freedom acquires an intellectual coloring and is transferred to the field of morality and culture.

Features of neoliberalism

As a social philosophy and political concept, modern liberalism has its own characteristics.

1. State intervention in the economy is necessary. The government must protect free competition and the market from the possibility of monopoly emergence.
2. Support for the principles of democracy and justice. The broad masses must actively participate in the political process.
3. The state is obliged to develop and implement programs aimed at supporting low-income groups of the population.

Differences between classical and modern liberalism

Idea, principle	Classical liberalism	Neoliberalism
Freedom is ...	Liberation from restrictions	Self-development opportunity
Natural human rights	Equality of all people, the impossibility of depriving a person of his natural rights	Highlighting the economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights of the individual
	The rise of private life and its opposition to the state, power should be limited	It is necessary to carry out reforms that will improve the relationship between the citizen and the government
State interference in the social sphere	Limited	Useful and necessary

The history of the development of Russian liberalism

In Russia already in the XVI century. an understanding of what liberalism is is emerging. Several stages can be distinguished in the history of its development.

1. Government liberalism. Arose in the highest circles of Russian society. The period of government liberalism coincides with the reign of Catherine II and Alexander I. In fact, its existence and development embraces the era of enlightened absolutism.
2. Post-reform (conservative) liberalism. Prominent representatives of this era were P. Struve, K. Kavelin, B. Chicherin and others. At the same time, zemstvo liberalism was being formed in Russia.
3. New (social) liberalism. Representatives of this trend (N. Kareev, S. Gessen, M. Kovalevsky, S. Muromtsev, P. Milyukov) defended the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating decent living conditions for every person. At this stage, the preconditions for the formation of the Cadet Party were formed.

These liberal trends differed not only among themselves, but also had many differences with Western European concepts.

Government liberalism

Earlier, we examined what liberalism is (definition by history and political science, signs, features). However, authentic directions of this trend have formed in Russia. Government liberalism is a prime example. It reached its peak during the reign of Alexander I. At this time, liberal ideas spread among the nobility. The reign of the new emperor began with a series of progressive transformations. It was allowed to freely cross the border, import foreign books, etc. On the initiative of Alexander I, an unspoken committee was created, which was engaged in the development of projects for new reforms. It included those close to the emperor. The plans of the leaders of the Secret Committee were to reform the state system, create a constitution and even abolish serfdom. However, under the influence of reactionary forces, Alexander I decided only on partial transformations.

The emergence of conservative liberalism in Russia

Conservative liberalism was widespread in England and France. In Russia, this direction has taken on special features. Conservative liberalism has its origins in the assassination of Alexander II. The reforms that the emperor developed were only partially implemented, and the country still needed transformations. The emergence of a new trend is due to the fact that in the highest circles of Russian society they began to understand what liberalism and conservatism are, and tried to avoid their extremes.

Ideologues of Conservative Liberalism

In order to understand what post-reform liberalism is in Russia, it is necessary to consider the concepts of its ideologists.

K. Kavelin is the founder of the conceptual approach to this direction of political thought. His student, B. Chicherin, developed the foundations of the theory of conservative liberalism. He defined this direction as "positive", the purpose of which is to implement the reforms necessary for society. At the same time, all segments of the population must defend not only their ideas, but also take into account the interests of others. According to B. Chicherin, society can be strong and stable only if it is based on power. In this case, a person should be free, since he is the beginning and source of all social relations.

P. Struve was involved in the development of the philosophical, cultural and methodological foundations of this direction. He believed that only a rational combination of conservatism and liberalism could save Russia in the post-reform period.

Features of post-reform liberalism

1. Recognition of the need for government regulation. In this case, the directions of its activities should be clearly identified.
2. The state is recognized as the guarantor of the stability of relations between various groups within the country.
3. Awareness of the fact that in the period of growing failures of reformers, it becomes possible for authoritarian leaders to come to power.
4. Transformations in the economy can only be gradual. The ideologists of post-reform liberalism argued that it was necessary to monitor the reaction of society to each reform and carry them out with caution.
5. Selective attitude towards Western society. It is necessary to use and perceive only what meets the needs of the state.

The ideologists of this direction of political thought sought to embody their ideas through an appeal to mass values \u200b\u200bthat were formed in the process of the historical development of society. This is precisely the purpose and distinguishing feature of conservative liberalism.

Zemsky liberalism

Speaking of post-reform Russia, one cannot but mention what Zemstvo liberalism is. This trend appears in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. At this time, modernization was taking place in Russia, which led to an increase in the number of intelligentsia, in whose circles an opposition movement was formed. A secret circle "Beseda" was created in Moscow. It was his work that laid the foundation for the formation of the ideas of the liberal opposition. Members of this circle were zemstvo leaders F. Golovin, D. Shipov, D. Shakhovsky. The mouthpiece of the liberal opposition was the Osvobozhdeniye magazine, which was published abroad. On its pages it was said about the need to overthrow the autocratic power. In addition, the liberal opposition advocated the empowerment of zemstvos, as well as their active participation in government.

New liberalism in Russia

The liberal trend in the political thought of Russia acquires new features by the beginning of the 20th century. The direction is being formed in an atmosphere of sharp criticism of the concept of "rule of law". That is why liberals set themselves the task of substantiating the progressive role of government institutions in the life of society.
It is important to note that in the XX century. Russia is entering a period of social crisis. The new liberals saw the reason for it as an everyday economic disorder and a spiritual and moral catastrophe. They believed that a person should have not only the means of subsistence, but also leisure, which he will use for his improvement.

Radical liberalism

Speaking about what liberalism is, it should be noted the existence of its radical direction. In Russia, it took shape at the beginning of the 20th century. The main goal of this movement was the overthrow of the autocracy. A striking example of the activities of radical liberals was the Constitutional Democratic Party (Cadets). Considering this direction, one should highlight its principles.

1. Downplaying the role of the state. Hopes are pinned on spontaneous processes.
2. Achievement of the set goals in various ways. The possibility of using coercive methods is not denied.
3. In the field of economics, only fast and deep macro reforms are possible.that cover as many aspects as possible.
4. One of the main values \u200b\u200bof radical liberalism is to combine the experience of world culture and developed European states with the problems of Russia.

Contemporary Russian liberalism

What is modern liberalism in Russia? This issue is still controversial. Researchers put forward different versions about the origin of this trend, about its principles and features in Russia.
Scientists highlight some of the features of modern liberalism in Russia. Let's consider them in more detail.

1. Discussions about the political structure often go beyond liberalism.
2. Justification of the need for the existence of a market economy.
3. Promotion and protection of private property rights.
4. The emergence of the question of "Russian identity".
5. In the field of religion, the majority of liberals advocate a tolerant attitude towards other confessions.

conclusions

Today, there are many trends in the liberal direction of political thought. Each of them has developed its own principles and special features. Recently, the world community has been debating what is innate liberalism, whether it exists at all. It should be noted that even French enlighteners argued that freedom is a right, but not everyone can understand its necessity.

In general, we can say that liberal ideas and transformations are an integral feature of modern life.

Liberal values: personal freedom, private property and inalienable rights.

The liberals foaming at the mouth argue that the entire legacy of the communist regime should be forgotten forever and immediately - and then everything will work out for us. This is about the same as with Ukrainian nationalists: if we get rid of everything Muscovite, we will immediately become a civilized Europe. The logic is absolutely identical.

If you listen to the words of serious analysts, then it follows from their conclusions that the Soviet system was a continuation of the traditional society.

Our country lived in a traditional social order from the day of its foundation until 1991. She lived according to quite clear moral and ideological concepts, passed down from generation to generation - and in general, with the exception of short periods, she lived stable. There was a coordinate system, there was a vector of goals, a clear system of values, there was a moral and philosophical foundation.

The bulk of the population did not experience cardinal failures in the essential concepts: what is good and evil; what is true and what is false; what is allowed and what is unacceptable. But since 1991, they began to intensively substitute concepts for us, as a result of which the society was divided into three large groups: those who accepted the “new” with pleasure; those who do not want to accept him in any way; and a huge mass of confused people who simply do not know how to build their lives.

What is most important in a person, individual, personality. Let's compare liberal and traditional points of view. Let's start with the liberals.

What, what values, are the most important in a person according to the "wisest of the wise"? Every schoolchild knows them now: personal freedom, private property and inalienable rights. At first glance, the concepts are attractive and cannot conceal anything dangerous. In fact, these are three bombs planted under the foundation of society.

The danger of the concept of "private property" is that it focuses the attention and life goals of a person on the material and individual. It kills the spiritual and the creative in him. His own, personal exalts over the general. A person turns into a kind of rodent, whose main task is to carry and carry more grain in his burrow. Compete with other rodents, defend their reserves. And nothing more is required from a person.

Human rights - what could be wrong here? How without a license? And what, before the liberals, people were completely deprived of rights? But now about something else.

The danger is that here, as in the case of private property, the fundamental law of philosophy about the unity of opposites is violated. If laws on private property are enacted, laws on public property should be enacted immediately. And also about spiritual interests as opposed to material ones.

If the rights of the individual are proclaimed the main value, then the duties of the individual should be proclaimed no less important. One balances the other and one is impossible without the other. However, the Declaration of Rights at the UN was adopted, but the Declaration of Duties was forgotten! And this "forgetfulness" led to juvenile justice, gay pride parades, same-sex marriages, family disintegration, replacement of the indigenous peoples of the same Europe (with Russia, by the way!) By emigrants from Asia and Africa. And what will happen next?

It's the same with freedom. It is impossible unnecessarily. But they "forgot" about the necessity. And what happened? Remember the beginning of the 90s in our country, when bandits, oligarchs and other scumbags, along with everyone else, were granted freedom? Many are no longer able to remember this, as "free citizens" sent them to the next world.

Throughout the 90s, demagogues were running around with freedom as with a written sack, poking it where necessary and not necessary, but in the end they themselves got confused and the heads of the people were foolish. And here everything is very simple! To feel with your own skin the role of freedom and necessity in our life, it is enough to get behind the wheel of a car and drive around the city. Just got under way - a sign, followed by another, and so on all the way. Moreover, traffic cops are everywhere! That's the whole philosophy of freedom! I assure you - in life everything is exactly the same as on the roads.

There has always been a correct and clear concept of "degree of freedom". It even exists in mathematics. But this was not enough for the liberals, give them freedom in all its immense breadth. The bottom line from this freedom is pretty sad. Sociological polls show that a large percentage of the population of our country wants less freedom and more order.

Liberals have set themselves a very ignoble goal - to turn all the traditional truths, according to which humanity has existed for millennia, inside out. Each person, according to their obsessive propaganda, should have their own opinion, their own truth, their own truth, their good and evil. By themselves, these concepts are nothing.

The man was left on his own, simply abandoned. He is surrounded by only competitors, friends and comrades are not in use. And what is he left to do with competitors? Only fight for a place in the sun. But at the same time, observing tolerance, political correctness and respecting other people's opinions.

The discussed basic liberal values, divorced from the opposites that hold them back, turn into the most dangerous social phenomena, like leprosy, destroying society from the inside. By proclaiming private interests as priority over public ones, the liberals derailed the locomotive of society. As a matter of fact, society no longer exists, if something of it remains, it is solely due to the remnants of traditional common sense and morality.

Society is divided into individual individual atoms, less and less interconnected. This is the realization of the ancient principle of the conquerors: divide and conquer! And on a global scale. For whom did the liberals try so hard to divide everyone? This is something worth considering.

Now about the main thing in a person from the standpoint of traditional society.

Traditional society proclaims itself (society as such) as the most important value. Since it has long been known that man is a social being and cannot live otherwise in a society of his own kind.

It follows from this that it is necessary to take care of the integrity and health of society. And this concern falls on the shoulders of not only the authorities, but also all members of society. An individual is a part of society, obliged to observe the public interest, just as in a family its members care for each other.

Liberals will say that the above statement is nothing more than the doctrine of a totalitarian state: fascist, Bolshevik, etc. And that would be a lie. The foregoing understanding has always existed among humanity, starting with the primitive communal (pay attention to the second word!) System. And what's more, it’s the same in animal communities.

Scientists have proven that the most effective communities are bee colonies and anthills. The human community is far from them with all their techniques and technologies. And all thanks to the perfect organization of insect communities, where everyone is in their place and doing a common cause.

The theory of systems also proves the truth of the above. According to her findings, the community is a higher level of organization in comparison with its individual individuals. And therefore, and a more important value. Therefore, the interests of society are priority over the interests of the individual. And the value of an individual directly depends on its importance for society.

But isn't this an infringement of the rights and freedoms of the individual? Maybe the liberals are right? After all, a person put into such dependence loses a lot. Here again we should turn to the laws of philosophy: when we lose something, we gain something else.

On the one hand, the burden of duties and responsibility falls on us, but on the other, a feeling of belonging to the common is added, that I am with everyone and everything is with me. Our life takes on a clear meaning and perspective. We always have support under our feet. We know how to educate our children. We have a real reason to respect ourselves and others respect us.

And what is happening in the most prosperous countries of liberal Europe? There, the number of suicides among young people, adolescents and even children is growing sharply. Why, they have everything ?! (By "everything" we mean rights, property and freedom!). All but not all! They do not have the main thing - what is said in the previous paragraph.

The most valuable thing in a person is his contribution to society. Or even into the noosphere (this is the case with large-scale personalities). And in traditional society, thinkers, scientists, inventors, writers, artists, composers, and travelers were always valued above all. As well as social activists, patrons, enthusiasts. They were given special honors, including by monarchs and even dictators and tyrants.

Why is this the main thing in a person? Because these are the people who move civilization. In addition, if someone still did not know, the godliness of a person often mentioned in speeches and texts is precisely this. And in relation to entire peoples and countries, the same principle has always been applied. That people and country are the greatest, whose contribution to civilization is the most significant.

And what is happening in modern Russia, which continues to move in the liberal-democratic direction, despite the talk?

According to opinion polls, a lot of high school students dream of becoming officials and oligarchs. Have huge incomes and opportunities, be successful. What is successful? In the same: finances, career, on the personal front. Even more interesting, many of the respondents believe that all means are good to achieve such goals.

But not all people are marked with the seal of heaven. Not everyone can leave a mark on history. What is the main thing in the average person?

The presence in him of a moral core, responsibility, a sense of duty, education and a high cultural level. There is nothing to worry about a person with such a set of qualities, you can always rely on him and you do not need to hide from him behind a metal door. If all people were like that, we would now live in a completely different world.

However, much of the above does not say anything to the generation that will soon rule our country. Conduct a survey among young people: what is debt? They will answer: this is a debt to a bank or other creditor. Ask at the same time: what is conscience? The question will cause difficulty, some will simply dismiss it as an annoying fly.

Since ancient times, it has been typical for a normal person to feel like a part of the whole and behave accordingly. And not only in relation to their family, tribe, clan. But also in relation to the nation, country, nature and the planet as a whole. For a normal person, there are no strangers' children, no strangers adults, no strangers animals, no stranger trees, no stranger problems.

What do we have now? "These are not my problems!" - the attitude of the young man. That there are strangers, do not give a damn about the closest ones! It is not surprising that for the sake of money, real estate and other material values, relatives deceive each other.

Liberals argue that society is cemented by the so-called "middle class" - fairly wealthy people who are firmly on their feet. They, the liberals, are based on the level of income!

Perhaps the middle class actually holds the liberal democratic society together. As for the people endowed with the qualities I listed above, civilization has always rested on them, regardless of the political system. And until now, it has not disintegrated only because such people, fortunately, still survive. This statement is so obvious that it does not even need proof.

When I was in school (Soviet, that is, traditional), one teacher often used the word "drones" in relation to careless students. I don’t know if she’s alive now, if she’s alive, then she is obviously amazed at how many drones have grown in modern Russia. Who live only for themselves and do not bring any benefit to the world around them.

However, in fairness, it must be said that bee drones are nevertheless built into their community and perform their function. And our human, Russian drones, fed by liberal freedoms, do not even think to integrate into the system, they wanted to spit on it.

Animals turned out to be much smarter than liberals - drones, in a figurative sense of the word - those that do not obey the laws of the pack, they expel. They did the same in traditional human society. But the great overthrowers of eternal truths awarded the "drones" with rights, freedom and private property.

And also the right to vote, equal to the voice of an honorary academician and famous writer. If you express their indignation about this, they will call you a xenophobe and will certainly ask their favorite question: who has the right to judge? (It is understood that no one).

Is it possible in a country destroyed by the liberals to speak of the existence of any kind of society? If there is anything constructive in it, then these are the remnants of a traditional society, from which, according to the heralds of the “new”, it is necessary to get rid of as soon as possible. And that's when we'll get rid of it. But it's better not to live to see that.

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"And" liberal "come from the Latin liberalis and literally mean" having freedom. " When it comes to a liberal as a supporter of a social and political movement, it is assumed that this person stands on a platform that welcomes the deepening and development of political freedoms in the broadest sense of the word. As a rule, liberal ideology unites supporters of democratic parliamentarism, as well as those who stand for the freedom of private business.

In everyday life, the label “liberal” is most often received by those who show unnecessary and inappropriate tolerance for other people's behavior that violates generally accepted norms and rules. It is believed, for example, that being excessive in the upbringing of the younger generation has a negative effect on the formation of a teenager's personality. Frequently, the public is called upon to end liberalism against criminals and social abusers.

in politics

Who can be classified as liberals in the field of activity? We are talking about public figures who support and fully approve of the idea of \u200b\u200blimiting any interference of state structures in social relations. The main principles of the liberal value system were formed at a time when bourgeois relations based on free enterprise were emerging and strengthening in society.

The Liberal considers personal, economic and political freedom the highest priority in public and political life. For a liberal, the rights of a citizen and his freedoms become a kind of basis and starting point for the formation of a political position. According to liberal politicians, it is the free development of any social relations that makes it possible to build a truly democratic state.

Liberal democracy is becoming the ideal of many Western politicians. However, today little remains of the former free-thinking and free-thinking in it. The main emphasis of Western liberal democrats is not so much on expanding the real freedoms of citizens, as on the removal of restrictions that hinder the development of private entrepreneurship. Political scientists and sociologists note that the traditions of Western liberalism are penetrating ever deeper into the economy, politics and culture of developing countries.

Several years ago, the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center conducted a survey of the population, the main question of which was: "What is liberalism, and who is a liberal?" Most of the participants were misled by this question, 56% were unable to provide a comprehensive answer... The survey was conducted in 2012, most likely, today the situation has hardly changed for the better. Therefore, now in this article we will briefly consider the concept of liberalism and all its main aspects for educating the Russian audience.

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About the concept

There are several definitions that describe the concept of this ideology. Liberalism is:

• political trend or ideology that unites fans of democracy and parliamentarism;
• worldview, which is characteristic of industrial, defending their rights of a political nature, as well as entrepreneurial freedom;
• a theory that absorbed philosophical and political ideas, which appeared in Western Europe in the 18th century;
• the first meaning of the concept was freethinking;
• tolerance and tolerance for unacceptable behavior.

All these definitions can be safely attributed to liberalism, but the main one is that this term denotes an ideology that affects the structure and the state. FROMlatin translates liberalism as freedom. Are all the functions and aspects of this movement really built in freedom?

Freedom or restriction

The liberal movement includes key concepts such as public good, personal freedom and human equality within the policy and. What liberal values \u200b\u200bdoes this ideology promote?

1. Common good. If the state protects the rights and freedom of the individual, as well as protects the people from various threats and monitors the observance of laws, then such a structure of society can be called reasonable.
2. Equality. Many people shout that all people are equal, although it is obvious that this is not at all the case. We differ from each other in different ways: intelligence, social status, physical characteristics, nationality, and so on. But liberals mean equality in human opportunity... If a person wants to achieve something in life, no one has the right to interfere with this on the basis of race, social and other points. . The principle is that if you make an effort, you will achieve more.
3. Natural rights. British thinkers Locke and Hobbes came up with the idea that a person has three rights from birth: to life, to property and to happiness. It will not be difficult for many to interpret this: no one has the right to take a person's life (only the state for certain misdeeds), property is considered as a personal right to own something, and the right to happiness is that very freedom of choice.

Important! What is liberalization? There is also such a concept that means the expansion of civil liberties and rights within the framework of economic, political, cultural and social life; it is also a process when the economy gets rid of the influence of the state.

Liberal ideology principles:

• there is nothing more valuable than human life;
• all people in this world are equal;
• everyone has inalienable rights;
• personality and its needs are more valuable than society as a whole;
• the state arises by common consent;
• a person forms laws and state values \u200b\u200bindependently;
• the state is responsible to the person, the person in turn is responsible to the state;
• power should be divided, the principle of organizing life in the state on the basis of the constitution;
• only in fair elections can the government be elected;
• humanistic ideals.

These principles of liberalism formulated in the 18th century English philosophers and thinkers. Many of them never came true. Most of them look like a utopia, to which humanity so fervently strives, but cannot achieve in any way.

Important! Liberal ideology could become a lifeline for many countries, but there will always be some “pitfalls” that hinder development.

Founders of ideology

What is liberalism? At that time, every thinker understood him in his own way. This ideology incorporated completely different ideas and opinions of the thinkers of that time.

It is clear that some of the concepts may contradict each other, but the essence remains the same.

The founders of liberalism can be considered the English scientists J. Locke and T. Hobbes (18th century) along with the French writer of the Enlightenment Charles Montesquieu, who was the first to ponder and express his opinion about human freedom in all spheres of his activity.

Locke initiated the existence of legal liberalism and declared that only in a society in which all citizens are free can there be stability.

The original theory of liberalism

The followers of classical liberalism gave more preference and paid more attention to the "individual freedom" of a person. The concept of this concept is expressed in the fact that a person should not obey either society or social orders. Independence and equality- these are the main steps on which the entire liberal ideology stood. The word "freedom" then meant the absence of various prohibitions, limits or vetoes on the implementation of actions by an individual, taking into account the generally accepted rules and laws of the state. That is, the freedom that would not run counter to the established dogmas.

As the founders of the liberal movement believed, the government should guarantee equality between all its citizens, but a person already had to take care of his financial situation and status on his own. Limiting the scope of government power was what liberalism in turn tried to achieve. According to theory, the only thing that the state had to provide for its citizens was safety and order protection. That is, the liberals tried to influence the minimization of all its functions. The existence of society and power could only exist under the condition of their general subordination to laws within the framework of the state.

It became clear that classical liberalism did exist when in 1929 a terrible economic crisis broke out in the United States. Its consequences were tens of thousands of bankrupt banks, the death of many people from hunger and other horrors of the state's economic decline.

Economic liberalism

The main concept of this movement was the idea of \u200b\u200bequality between economic and natural laws. State interference in these laws was prohibited. Adam Smith is the founder of this movementand its basic principles:

• personal interest is needed to boost economic development;
• government regulation and the existence of monopolies harm the economy;
• economic growth must be promoted imperceptibly. That is, the government should not interfere with the emergence of new institutions. Enterprises and suppliers acting in the interest of income and within the market system are discreetly directed by an invisible hand. All this is the key to competently meeting the needs of society.

Neoliberalism

This direction was formed in the XIX century and implies a new trend in, which consists in the complete non-interference of the government in trade relations between its subjects.

The main principles of neoliberalism are constitutionalism and equalitybetween all members of society in the country.

Signs of this trend: the government should promote self-regulation of the economy in the market, and the process of redistribution of finances, first of all, should take into account segments of the population with a low level of income.

Neoliberalism does not oppose government regulation of the economy, while classical liberalism denies this. But the regulation process should include only a free market and the competitiveness of entities to guarantee economic growth along with social justice. The main idea of \u200b\u200bneoliberalism - support for foreign trade policyand domestic trade to increase the gross income of the state, that is, protectionism.

All political concepts and philosophical movements have their own characteristics, and neoliberalism was no exception:

• the need for government intervention in the economy. The market must be protected from the possible emergence of monopolies, and a competitive environment and freedom must be ensured;
• protection of principles and justice. All citizens must be involved in political processes to maintain the desired democratic “weather”;
• government should keep different economic programs,associated with financial support of social strata with low income.

Briefly about liberalism

Why is the concept of liberalism distorted in Russia

Output

Now the question is: "What is liberalism?" will no longer cause dissonance among respondents. After all, the understanding of freedom and equality is simply presented under other terms that have their own principles and concepts affecting different spheres of state structure, but remain unchanged in one thing - only then the state will prosper when it ceases to largely restrict its citizens.

Liberalism - this, which implements the principle of limited intervention in public relations.

The liberal content of public relations is manifested in the presence of a system of checks on the pressure of political authorities, designed to guarantee personal freedom and ensure the protection of citizens' rights. The basis of the system is a private business, organized on market principles.

The combination of liberal and democratic principles of public relations makes it possible to single out a political system called “ liberal democracy". Modern Western political scientists believe that this concept denotes an ideal that has not yet been realized, therefore, they propose to designate the regimes of democratically developed countries by the term "Western polyarchy" (the rule of many). In other political systems, liberal-authoritarian mode. In principle, we are only talking about a greater or lesser degree of manifestation in all political systems.

Liberalism and neoliberalism

As an independent ideological trend (worldview), liberalism emerged at the end of the 17th century. thanks to the works of scientists such as J. Locke, III. Montesquieu, J. Mill, A. Smith and others. The fundamental ideas and attitudes of classical liberalism were formulated in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen in 1789 and the Constitution of France in 1791. The very concept of "liberalism" entered the socio-political lexicon at the beginning of the 19th in. In the Spanish Parliament (Cortes), a group of nationalist legate deputies was called "liberals". Finally, liberalism as an ideology took shape by the middle of the 19th century.

The prerequisite for a liberal worldview is philosophy individualism, based on the isolation of human individuality, the assertion of the idea of \u200b\u200bequality of all people in their innate, natural right to self-realization. The basis of liberal ideology is the concept of the priority of personal rights and freedoms over all others (society, state). At the same time, of all freedoms, preference is given to economic freedoms (freedom of entrepreneurship, the priority of private property).

Based on this postulate, the principles of the economic, legal and state-political system were formulated. These ideas came true:

• in the social sphere: in asserting the absolute value of the human person and the equality of all people, recognizing the inalienable human rights to life;
• in economics: in the idea of \u200b\u200ba free market, free, unrestricted competition;
• in the political sphere: in the recognition of human rights, in the separation of legislative, executive and judicial powers, in the idea of \u200b\u200bthe state as a "night watchman", the rule of law, democracy and parliamentarism.

The fundamental features of liberalism are:

• individual freedom;
• respect and observance of human rights;
• freedom of private ownership and entrepreneurship;
• priority of equality of opportunity over social equality;
• legal equality of citizens;
• contractual education system of the state (separation of the state from civil society);
• separation of powers, the idea of \u200b\u200bfree elections for all institutions of power;
• non-interference of the state in private life.

Figure: Political liberalism

However, following the classical model of liberal ideology led to a polarization of society. Unlimited liberalism in economics and politics did not ensure social harmony and justice. Free, unrestricted competition contributed to the absorption of the weak by stronger competitors. All sectors of the economy were dominated by monopolies. A similar situation developed in politics. The ideas of liberalism began to experience a crisis. Some researchers even started talking about the “decline” of liberal ideas.

As a result of lengthy discussions and theoretical searches in the first half of the XX century. certain basic principles of classical liberalism were revised and an updated concept of "social liberalism" was developed - neoliberalism.

Neoliberalism is more tolerant of government intervention in the economy. The neoliberals' program was based on ideas such as:

• consensus of governors and governors;
• the need for the participation of the masses in the political process;
• democratization of the procedure for making political decisions (the principle of "political justice");
• limited state regulation of the economic and social spheres;
• state restrictions on the activities of monopolies;
• guarantees of certain (limited) social rights (rights to work, education, benefits in old age, etc.).

Figure: Political neoliberalism

In addition, neoliberalism presupposes the protection of the individual against abuse and the negative consequences of the market system.

The core values \u200b\u200bof neoliberalism were borrowed by other ideological currents. It attracts by the fact that it serves as the ideological basis for the legal equality of individuals and the rule of law.