3.8 Classical Political Liberalism

Classical Liberal Ideas about Political Systems


Classical liberalism takes an individualistic approach to a political system



Before the late 1700's in feudal Europe of the past, most people lived in the same area in which they had been born. They did the same work as their parents. Most Europeans were poor and uneducated. The chance that their quality of life would improve was very small. They lived a very traditional way of life with very few individual rights. There was a definite class system in which a very small number of powerful people made and enforced the rules-often for their own benefit.


For example, before the French Revolution of 1789, France had a feudal class system, which had been in place for many centuries. Everyone belonged to one of the three classes of French society called estates. The majority of people occupied the lowest class or Third Estate. Most of of the Third Estate were classified as peasants. They did not have any legal rights. Rules were made by the monarch.


Please watch the following video explaining the French Revolution:





Feudal French Class System

The French monarch inherited most of the power and did not have to obey or respect the law. The King had any rights and freedoms he wanted. France was his kingdom.

The First Estate was made up of the clergy. The Roman Catholic clergy had many rights and freedoms. They did not pay taxes, and they owned much land. The clergy had some say in how they were governed.

The Second Estate was made up of the nobility. They had many rights and freedoms. They did not pay taxes, and they owned most of the land. The nobility had some say in how they were governed.

The Third Estate was made up of peasants, workers, and merchants. This group made up 97% of the population. They were the poorest people in France, and yet, they paid all the taxes. The Third Estate had very few individual rights and freedoms. They had absolutely no say in how they were governed. There was little hope that their lives would ever change.

The class systems of other European kingdoms at this time were very similar to that in France.
However, with the Enlightenment, society did begin to change. New ideas about individual rights and freedoms were explored by the great thinkers such as Locke, Rousseau, and Hobbes. These ideas began to spread and would be shared by thousands of people around the world. Gradually, ideas about people having a say in government made their way into government policies. Eventually, this led to the liberal democracies of today in Europe, North and South America, and many other parts of the world.


Read "Liberal Ideas on Political Systems" on pages 106-107 in your textbook, Understandings of Ideologies. These pages will further your understanding of the concept of the development of classical liberalism.

You should make notes, either on paper or on your computer, about what you have read. You may want to read the tutorial How to Make Notes. When you are finished the tutorial, return here to continue this unit.

John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) and Classical Political Liberalism



John Stuart Mill was a political thinker who believed that most people are logical and rational and will behave appropriately. He believed that there was no need for strict government control. Mill felt that society did not need restrictions. He questioned the need for laws that would restrict individual freedom to choose. Mill believed that the common good would benefit from placing the least amount of restrictions possible on individual rights and freedoms.

Mill argued that legal and political freedoms would create a society that would provide more liberty for all. He believed that government should

  • have a limited role in restricting the rights and freedoms of individuals

  • maintain and protect the rule of law

  • protect private property

  • protect the rights and security of the individual



Read "John Stuart Mill" on pages 107-109 of your textbook, Understandings of Ideologies. These pages will further your understanding of the concept of the development of classical liberalism.

You should make notes, either on paper or on your computer, about what you have read.  You may want to read the tutorial How to Make Notes.  When you are finished the tutorial, return here to continue this unit.


According to John Stuart Mill these are the basic political principles of Classical Liberalism.



To summarize, how does classical liberalism approach a political system? The direction classical liberalism takes politically is based on individualism

  • Political leaders and decision-makers should come from the people.

  • Political decision-making process should be open to all individuals in society.

  • Political leaders and decision-makers should be selected by society in general.

  • Government decision making role should be limited to providing security to individuals and protecting private property.

  • Political institutions should be limited in power and their goal should be to protect individual rights and freedoms.

  • Political culture should be based on individual rights and freedoms.

  • Citizen responsibilities should be not to cause harm to others.

  • Citizen individual rights and freedoms should be unlimited, provided they don't interfere with the rights and freedoms of others.

  • The common good will benefit from everyone having equal individual rights and freedoms.