IntroductionMy assignment will examine what makes liberalism an ideology. Over the years, liberalism has evolved, adopting new ideas and becoming a fundamental part of human life. This assignment will focus on two aspects: What is an ideology? And liberalism. The liberalism aspect will focus on various forms of liberalism that have emerged over time. The Enlightenment was a key period in the 18th century when liberals wrote important works about freedom. This assignment will explore the key Enlightenment thinkers who formed their own vision of liberalism. My work will also focus on John Locke and Adam Smith, the importance of their writings, and how they inspired future liberals. Adam Smith continued to inspire classical liberalism, this assignment will examine classical liberalism and how it inspired a new form of liberalism called modern or social liberalism. Liberalism has evolved slowly over time and this work will explore the changes it has adopted over time. The research for this assignment will establish what makes liberalism an ideology. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay According to the Oxford Dictionary, an ideology is “a system of ideas and ideals, especially that which forms the basis of an economic or political theory and policy. .” (Oxford Dictionaries, 2015). In the political world, political parties often build their core around an ideology, but this is not always the case. Over time, an ideology can change depending on how one interprets it. Political parties that are based on one ideology may, over time, adopt a completely different ideology than the one with which they started. The Enlightenment is a term used to describe a period in Europe in the 18th century, when philosophers, social scientists, and scientists championed the doctrine of reason and individual progress. In his essay “What is Enlightenment?” (1784), the German philosopher Immanuel Kant summed up the motto of the time: “Dare to know!” Have the courage to use your own reason! (Histoire.com, 2009). Barbara Goodwin, author of Using Political Ideas, writes: “Liberalism, utilitarianism, and classical economics were all part of a cohesive intellectual worldview that developed during the Enlightenment. » (Goodwin, B. 2014, p. 54). The Enlightenment produced many political thinkers, including Francis Bacon, John Locke, René Descartes, Adam Smith and Sir Isaac Newton. John Locke (1632-1704) was an English philosopher and political theorist. Locke made an essential contribution to the development of liberalism and laid the foundation for the Age of Enlightenment. “His political theory of government by the consent of the governed to protect life, liberty, and property” (History.com, 2009). Locke believed in natural rights, which are the conditions we need to protect and preserve our lives according to the natural laws God has given us. These laws give us the right to liberty and acquisition of property without interference. (Gray, J. 1995, pp. 13-14). Locke argued for the rights of individuals, limiting the power of government to ensure greater freedom for citizens, constitutional rather than arbitrary government, and tolerance of most opinions and religions. Liberalism is a “political doctrine which consists of protecting and strengthening the freedom of the person”. the individual is the central problem of politics. Liberals generally believe that government is necessaryto protect individuals from harm caused by others; but they also recognize that government itself cannot pose a threat to freedom. (Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 2015). Liberalism emerged from the early Enlightenment thinkers of the 17th and 18th centuries, political philosophers such as John Locke considered the "father of classical liberalism" and Adam Smith also called the "father of modern economics". David Johnston, one of the authors of the Encyclopaedia of Political Theory, says: “The Enlightenment produced a new branch of liberal thought that quickly came to compete with and sometimes eclipse its original growth. » (Johnston, D. 2010, p. 796-802). Johnston makes an interesting point about Locke and other early Enlightenment thinkers: their liberal constitutionalist position was replaced in part by a rationalist faith that envisioned the achievement of ambitious social goals. (Johnston, D. 2010, pp. 796-802). The liberalism that early Enlightenment thinkers spoke of has clearly evolved over time, as each individual adds their own interpretation and point of view. “Liberalism refers to a diverse family of views and practices that began to take shape in England and Europe following the Protestant Reformation, emerging in several countries as a powerful force in the late 18th and 19th centuries. century and now dominate politics. speech in much of the world. (Johnston, D. 2010, pp. 796-802). Adam Smith was a Scottish philosopher and economist and is perhaps best known as the author of An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (Wealth of Nations 1776). In the 18th century, national wealth was judged on the basis of the national stock of gold and silver. Imports were considered damaging because they had to be paid for, which required giving up wealth. This is an old view of economics, which kept countries in control with protectionist rules to prevent the spending of wealth. (Adam Smith Institute, 2015). Smith's book, Wealth of Nations 1776, called on governments to encourage the economic activity of individuals through a legal framework that protects both individual rights and interests. “His ideas drew heavily on liberal and rationalist assumptions about human nature and made a powerful contribution to the debate over the desirable role of government within civil society. » (Heywood, A. 2012, p. 47). “Originally developed by radical philosophers like Jeremy Bentham and non-liberal thinkers like Henri de Saint-Simon, the idea of ​​a regulatory state was particularly attractive to liberals who feared that the legitimate rights of individuals would be threatened by social and economic inequalities. » (Johnston, D. 2010, p. 796-802). Classical liberalism emerged in the 19th century following the writings of Adam Smith. This form of liberalism values ​​limited government, freedom of individuals, including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and market. However, classical liberalism has a somewhat negative conception of freedom. Lack of Constraint: Classical liberals believed that the state should impose some constraint on individuals, which they considered a necessary evil. Andrew Heywood's Political Ideologies states: "Classical Liberalism – A tradition within liberalism that seeks to maximize the realm of unconstrained individual action, usually by establishing a minimal state and relying on the economy of walk. » (Heywood, A. 2012, p. 26). Classical liberalism is composed of a mixture of ideas and strategies on how to acquire ordefend freedom. There is a certain unity in classical liberalism, clearly committed to individualism. Individualism can be described as a political or moral doctrine that celebrates the value of individuality within the human race. (Vincent, A. 1992, p. 29). John Stuart Mill, a 19th century English philosopher, paints his own picture of freedom that justifies the values ​​of freedom and individuality. On the subject of liberty, Mill states "that the only purpose for which power can lawfully be exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others." ". (Heywood, A. 2012, p. 29). Mill was a champion of utilitarianism, a theory of maximizing the utility of individuals or society developed by Jeremy Bentham. In the modern world, liberalism has evolved into a new form which is called modern liberalism or social liberalism. John Hobson, Thomas Hill Green and Leonard Hobhouse are the new liberals who gave birth to this new wave of liberalism. These new liberals did not call for free enterprise after seeing the injustice and poverty caused by a free market economy. The new liberals argued that obvious disparities in wealth were unfair and should be redistributed without undermining the market system. This new liberalism recognized that wealth needed to be distributed more equitably in the interest of true freedom, equality, and justice. (Vincent, A. 1992, p. 42). “welfare state – a state that goes beyond the provision of minimum services such as internal and external security and provides other services, such as health, education and pensions – usually associated with socialism but also with social liberalism. (Goodwin, B. 2014, p. 467). The 20th century saw state intervention in most Western and developing countries. This intervention took the form of welfare, an attempt by the government to provide support to its citizens by combating poverty, disease and illiteracy. (Heywood, A. 2012, p. 56). Even the classical liberal John Stuart Mill wrote about the need to take some forms of action to increase welfare, despite his opposition to state intervention. According to author Barbara Goodwin, "Hobhouse's book, Liberalism (1911)" (Goodwin, B. 2014, p. 63), was the point of reference in the adaptation of liberal thought to the growth of Welfare state. The 1909 social policy led by the Liberal Lloyd George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, created a contributory pension scheme, sickness and unemployment benefits for the lowest paid workers. Modern liberals believe that if particular individuals or groups are disadvantaged by their social circumstances, then it is the responsibility of the state to reduce or remove these disadvantages in order to create equality of opportunity within society. (Heywood, A. 2012, p. 56). These measures can be seen as state intervention, but Leonard Hobhouse has argued that "modern liberals could justify the extension of public control on humanitarian grounds." The doctrine of freedom must not prevent the general will from acting, if necessary, for the common good. » (Goodwin, B. 2014, p. 63). Conclusion From the evidence obtained throughout this mission, it is clear that an ideology is a complex idea that implements a system. However, this system evolves over time to adapt to the environment and the individuals using this system. Early liberal thinkers of the Enlightenment period shared very similar but different views from classical liberals and the same could also be said of liberals.