Radical Thinkers Chart Lindsey

Thinkers Beliefs Radical Nature

of Ideas

Principles of

Classical

Liberalism

Personal Connections?

*Hobbes Leviathan

- Humans greedy

- Must sacrifice rights for security

Gov’t must serve

citizens

*Rule of Law

*Ind. Rights/

Freedoms

I agree no one should be

above the law and

everyone should be

entitled to certain rights

and freedoms (for the

most part)

*Locke - Gov’t accountable to the people

- Reason/logic for

personal gain

- Gov’t duty to protect

private property

No Authoritarian gov’t

*Rule of Law *Self-Interest

*Private Property

Locke supports very individualistic ideas

which I support, like

thinking for yourself and

not following some

authoritarian power

Montesquieu - Participate in gov’t

- Individual worth

Each branch of

government

would keep the others in line

*Ind.

Rights/Freedoms

*Self-Interest

This system of organizing

government makes for a

fair governing body and would prove to be more

efficient than letting one

power control everything

and not be bound by its

own laws

Smith - “Invisible Hand”

- Private business/wealth

- Self-interest = social interest

- No gov’t interference

The economy would run itself

through the

“Invisible Hand”

*Economic Freedom *Private Property

*Self-Interest

*Competition

I believe an economy runs well on economic freedom

and self-interest although

having full freedom does

not work, therefore the

“Invisible Hand” doesn’t

work

*J.S. Mill - “On Liberty”: rights limited by rights of

others

- Must ensure gov’t protects rights

Positive views on the earth and

humans’ roles in

it

*Ind. Rights/Freedoms

*Self-Interest

I agree with Mill’s ideas on individual freedom

David

Ricardo - Wages/population

- Market dictates labour

politics

- Iron Law of Wages

Law of

Comparative

Advantage

*Economic Freedom

*Competition

This would make a very

effective way of running

an economy

Charles

Dickens - Rule of Law applies to

workers too

- Workers without rights have no economic

freedom

Gradual change

instead of

revolutions

*Economic Freedom

*Rule of Law

In some instances

gradual change will be

better than quick

revolutions, but sometimes revolutions

are needed to make a

change

*Robert

Owen

Utopian Socialism & the

Cooperative Movement

- Everyone equal

Democratic

Socialism

*Rule of Law

*Ind.

Rights/Freedoms

A lot of Owen’s views of

men are similar to mine

in their pessimistic thinking except I disagree

with his belief that no one

is responsible for their

own actions

Radical Thinkers Chart Lindsey

I don’t identify particularly closely with any one of these radical thinkers, but on the

political/economic side I would agree moreso with Ricardo’s ideals. Having specializations

allows for better productivity and the opportunity for further advancement in a particular field

which will yield better products/services from the company or individual. Allowing free trade

between countries ensures that countries have products and services they are unable to obtain

for themselves in their own country and allows them to sell their services and products to other

countries, bringing in a higher profit to their country. This individualistic way of thinking

allows individuals (and companies) to have the freedom that fits closely with my ideological

perspective on how I believe countries should run.

*Marx Revolutionary Communism

- Each according to their

needs/abilities

- Classless society

- Proletarian uprising

- Violent Revolution

- Communist Dictatorship

- Dictatorship steps aside when Socialist Utopia

achieved

Revolutionary

Communism –

Socialist Utopia

with no governing system above “the

people”

*Rule of Law For the most part I

disagree with all of Marx’s

ideals

*Edmund

Burke

Founder of Modern

Conservatism

- Intelligent people should lead the non-intelligent

masses

- Humanitarian leaders

- Some deserved rights

- Fair monarchy

Intelligent people

should lead the

uneducated masses through

law and order,

maintaining

customs and

traditions

*Ind.

Rights/Freedoms

(kinda) *Rule of Law (kinda)

I agree with Burke in the

respect that intelligent

people should lead the uneducated masses and

that laws are needed to

keep society running

smoothly (for the most

part)