Liberalism.docVIP

Liberalism LSJ 362 Prof. Angelina Godoy Autumn 2007 What is the difference between liberalism as a political tradition in the contemporary USA and liberalism in political theory? Liberal theorists are a diverse bunch but some general characteristics of liberal thought can be identified. 1. State of nature（自然状态） Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and others talked about natural law as stemming from（来自，源自）God-given “human nature”. Jefferson (US Declaration of Independence): “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness…” 2. Social Contract（社会契约） Locke: social contract theory “Man, being, as has been said, by nature all free, equal, and independent, no one can be put out of this estate and subjected to the political power of another without his own consent. The only way whereby anyone divests himself of his natural liberty and puts on the bonds of civil society is by agreeing with other men to join and unite into a community for their comfortable, safe, and peaceable living one among another….” (p. 64) Hobbes: the state, and its law, provide order, prevent “the war of all against all”. Jefferson: “…That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” Underlying these ideas is the assumption that the individual is autonomous, self-directed, rational, and will only support policies that benefit him in the long run: J.S. Mill “Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign…” (p. 51) 3. Ind