Foundations of Liberalism and Conservatism

📋 Course Outline

1. Liberalism Origins
2. Liberal Principles
3. Liberal Variants
4. Liberal Practice
5. Conservatism Origins
6. Conservative Principles
7. Conservative Variants
8. Conservative Practice
9. Socialism Origins
10. Socialist Principles
11. Socialist Variants
12. Socialist Practice

📖 1. Liberalism Origins

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Liberalism: A political ideology emphasizing individual rights, liberty, and equality under the law, advocating limited government intervention.
• Enlightenment: An 18th-century intellectual movement promoting reason, scientific inquiry, and individualism, which laid the foundation for liberal ideas.
• Natural Rights: Rights inherent to all humans (life, liberty, property) that governments must protect; central to liberal thought, especially John Locke.
• Social Contract: The theory that individuals consent to surrender some freedoms to a government in exchange for protection of their rights.
• Freedom of Choice: The liberty for individuals to make personal decisions without undue interference, a core liberal principle.
• Market Economy: An economic system where supply and demand determine prices and production, supported by liberals for promoting individual enterprise.

📝 Essential Points