Classic Liberalism Tradition Classical Liberalism Tradition Comes Term Paper

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Classic Liberalism Tradition

Classical liberalism tradition comes from a tradition of thinkers who developed an ideology, rather than a political system. Although many say that classical liberalism stopped after the nineteenth century, libertarians argue that is no interruption in the classical liberal tradition. Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Karl Marx offer a critique of various aspects of the Classical Liberal Tradition argument.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was somewhat supportive of the liberalism tradition, which argues that society exists in order to protect the basic inalienable rights of its citizens. However, he also disagreed with the tradition.

According to Rousseau" "Man is born free and yet we see him everywhere in chains. Those who believe themselves the masters of other ceases not to be even greater slaves than the people they govern. How this happens, I am ignorant but I believe it may be in my power to resolve the question." (p. 205)

In this statement, Rousseau condemns the liberalist society for limiting the natural spontaneity of its citizens. He thinks that a good government can be justified in terms of the compromise to which each individual contributes so as to gain "civil liberty and the proprietorship of all he possesses." (p. 205)

Rousseau believed that liberalism should be replaced with a social contract. According to Rousseau's social contract, individuals may exit an anarchic system by voluntarily giving some of their personal rights to the community in exchange for security of life and property. All rights and property would be vested in the State, which would be under the direct control of the people. The social contract would be a voluntary state.

According to Rousseau, "the earliest and only natural societies are families yet children remain attached to their fathers no longer than they need his protection.

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When the need ceases, the bond of nature is dissolved. Both children and fathers return to independence. If they remain together, it is not a natural but voluntary union." (p. 205)

Rousseau maintained that the state would have complete control over the lives and property of its citizens because these individuals have voluntarily granted it this right through social contract.

Rousseau believed that the liberalism tradition encourages people to be driven by their own appetites and desires, which prevented them from becoming self-governing, self-disciplined beings. (p. 206)

Rousseau sought for an alternative solution that would solve the problems presented by liberalism. "Where shall we find a form of association which will defend and protect, with the whole common forces, the person and property of each associate, and by which every person, while uniting himself with all, shall obey only himself to remain free as before. Such is the fundamental problem of which the social contract gives the solution." (p. 213)

Rousseau's solution to the classic liberalism tradition was to have the state limit property in an effort to avoid the existence of classes, ultimately forcing the existence of an egalitarian liberal society. "Each member of the community, at the moment of its formation, gives himself up to it just as he is: himself and all his forces, of which his wealth forms a part." (p. 218)

Under this theory, state would be made master of all wealth and all men would have equal rights to necessities. "Each of us place in common his person and all of his power under the supreme direction of the general will." (p. 214)

Rousseau believed that the transformation from the state of nature to the civil state produces a….....

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