LIBERALISM

LOUISE LABE(1526-1566)

KISS ME AGAIN, KISS ME AGAIN AND KISS:

GIVE ME THE MOST SWEET KISS, GIVE ME THE MOST PASSIONATE ;

I WILL GIVE YOU BACK KISSES FOUR TIME WARMER THAN THE FIRE...

THUS PUTTING TOGETHER OUR SO HAPPY KISSES CAN WE ENJOY FULLY EACH OTHER...

1. «The individual knows better than any government what he needs» Stuart Mill

2. «The individual is the owner of his person» Locke

3. « I am free as long as the others do not interfere in my life» Berlin

QUOTATIONS

Montesquieu

• «The Greek politicians who lived in the popular government did not recognize other forces for support than the virtue. Those of today speak only about manufactures, trade, financing, richness and even luxury»

Rousseau

• «The british people thinks that he is free, but he is wrong. He is free only during the elections, for the members of the parliament; as soon as the members are elected, the people no more exist.»

ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE

EQUALITY

• « I want to define the traits under which the despotism can appear in the world. The first thing that strikes the observation is a multitude of men equal and the same, everyone of them living apart and stranger each to the others. »

CONTEMPORARY LIBERALISM

1) COMPETITION OTHER IDEOLOGIES

2) SOCIETY HAS BECOME RICH

3) CAPITALISM NEED INCREASING ROLE OF THE STATE

4) NEW TRENDS IN LIBERALISM

E) CAUSES

A) 2 SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES

1) FOR UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE

INDEPENDENT OF THE PROPERTY

2) CONCEPT OF FREEDOM IS ENLARGED

NOT ONLY TO AVOID STATE INTERFERENCE

• FREEDOM POSITIVE DIMENSION

• BRING SOME HELP TO THOSE IN NEED

• NEW ROLE OF THE STATE: REDUCTION OF INEQUALITY

• TO INTERVENTE IF CONCURRENCE IS THREATENED

1) PRIVATE DIMENSION OF INDIVIDUAL

2) CONSTITUTIONNALITY

3) POLITICAL EQUALITY

4) ALTERNANCE

5) MARKET AND LIMITS OF THE STATE

B) PRINCIPLES OF PLURALIST DEMOCRACY

C) CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PLURALIST DEMOCRACY

• IMPORTANCE OF INTEREST GROUPS

• GENERAL WILL, CONFLICTS AND COMPROMISES

• COMPETITION AND BALANCE

• RAISONNABLE EGOISM

C) CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PLURALIST DÉMOCRACY 1

• STATE IS NO MORE A NECESSARY EVIL • SOCIAL DISTRIBUTION OF POWER • CONSENSUS ACCEPTABLE BY THE

POLITICAL AND SOCIAL FORCES• DÉMOCRATIC ORGANIZATION OF THE

INTEREST- GROUPS, ONE NECESSARY CONDITION FOR THE REPRÉSENTATION OF CITIZEN’ S INTERESTS

D) CRITICISM OF PLURALIST DEMOCRACY

1)government one third of the population is represented in the interest-groups.

2)ignore inequalities of interest-groups, inequality of their political influence

3)a conservative theory, all decision require large support

D) CRITICISM OF PLURALIST DEMOCRACY

4)difficult to introduce in this political system new, global, long-term changes

5)rise of negative phenomenas, criminality, divorce, alcoholism, etc

D) «STATE NIGHT WATCHMAN TO THE STATE ZOO WATCHMAN» EVOLUTION OF THE CONCEPT OF

PLURALIST DEMOCRACY

• REACTION AGAINST COLLECTIVISM

• SOCIETY AS A ZOO, THE STATE ENCOURAGES THE DIFFERENCES AND THE CONTRASTS

• CONSEQUENCE: WEAKENING AND VULNÉRABILITY OF THE STATE

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/default.cfm

1) LIBERALISM AND GLOBALIZATION

2) LIBERALISM = WESTERN CULTURE

3) FORMAL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL RIGHTS

4) LIBERALISM AND THE RIGHTS OF THE NATIONS

5) INTERFERENCE OF THE JUDICIARY ORGANS IN THE POLITICAL SYSTEM

E) CONCLUSION: WEAKNESSES OF LIBERALISM

LIBERALISM AND GLOBALIZATION

• 2003 year: • The three richest persons have more assets

than the GNP of the 48 poorest countries

• 15 richest citizens have a capital that exceeds the GNP of all the black african countries

• 225 of the richest citizens have assets equivalent to the assets of 2.5 billiards de gens.

E) CONCLUSION:STRENGTH OF LIBERALISM

1. CAPACITY OF EVOLUTION AND ADAPTATION, TO RENEW ITSELF