Liberalism as a Concept
Liberalism is a concept that envisions the freedom of living. It is a concept that is defined as a political philosophy pegged on freedom and equality. Liberalism is said to come in several forms and as old as it is implied that it does not hold any definite system (Wolfe 4). However, it is prudent to note that the very core of the definition of liberalism is in the primacy of individual liberty that contains the concepts of liberty and individualism.
Individualism and Universalism
Since the two concepts are shared by all humans, it is prudent to state that the principles of liberalism are universal. Individualism asserts that a person is the primary custodian of ethics and politics. In this regard, an individual is seen to bear innate control of their thoughts whereby the liberal may take this autonomy of thoughts to be the absolute truth. Individualism by universalism supports the idea that the person has some innate moral equality by virtue of being human. The basis is on the opinion that every individual possesses the blessing of liberty regardless of any contingent characteristics such as race, sex, gender, social status, wealth, etc. (Wolfe 6). They are thus entitled to participate in the society morally, equally, and freely. In this sense, pluralism is also considered. Pluralism is an implication of the commitment to tolerance to the diversity of culture and belief that is obtained from the principle of moral equality and their freedom to use reason. Pluralism assumes that dignity in some sense is inalienable and some choices are morally arbitrary. These aspects make diversity an inevitable concept.
Democracy and Liberalism
Democracy and liberalism are two concepts that are often juxtaposed based on their principles. Democracy, etymologically, is a term that insists on the aspect of power. Democracy insists on the power of, from, and by the people. Liberalism, on the other hand, is pegged on the freedom of the very people. However, it is quite apparent that political liberalism coupled with aspects of democracy tend to form the very foundation of many bases of contemporary political thinking. Democracy is seen as an inevitable product of the liberal minds and as such the tension between these two terms is a matter that may be deciphered by understanding liberalism as a foundational aspect of democracy. The impact was the development of liberal democracies. Liberal democracies are often formed on the bases of democracy and the principles of classical liberalism. Liberal democracy is political ideology focused on protecting civil liberties under the rule of law. However, it is prudent to state that in understanding the aspects of democracy and liberalism, liberalism should be understood from a pragmatic rather than a principled approach.
Liberalism and Western Political Principles
The aspect of liberalism is often compared to the western political principles and values. Also known as the great ideas of the West, these values include self-criticism, rationalism, the disinterested search for truth, the separation of the church and state, equality before the law, the rule of law, human rights, freedom of conscience and expression, and liberal democracy. Ibn Warraq of the Westminster Institute asserts that these are values that are quite essential in any civilization (3). He asserts that these values are essential for anyone to live freely and reach their optimal potential. However, it is rather apparent that the main focus of the western values is pegged on the very principles of liberalism. Nevertheless, it is quite evident that the values are more focused on individualism as a basis for happiness and freedom. The basic difference might be summed up regarding the epistemological principles. The implication is that the west has a distinct way of perceiving the world that rectifies problems by lifting them from the religious sphere and treating them empirically and rationally. Non-western political principles, on the other hand, tend to tie the national principles with the traditional or religious values. For instance, Islamic states often tie the national values to the principles of Islam. The values are in violation of the declarations of human rights and the general civil liberties.
Pros and Cons of Liberal Democracy
Perhaps the pros of the ideology of liberalism in democracy or the liberal democracy may be understood in respect of the universality of liberties and ethics. The liberties are taken to be universal, and thus the government is obliged to offer all services indiscriminately. For instance, universal health is made available to everyone; universal education is also given; economic freedom is guaranteed, and citizens are guaranteed support for equal rights before the law regardless of their diverse opinions and beliefs. However, while it is definite that liberal democracy is a concept that seeks to protect the rights of the citizens both equally and universally, there are definite demerits of the concept. The main demerit lies in the fact that it buys into the concept of classical liberalism that relies on certain representatives to meet the needs of the represented. Like in any democracy where the minority are only allowed to have their say, some members of the population may feel left out.
Works Cited
Brown, Wendy. "Neo-liberalism and the End of Liberal Democracy." Theory " Event 7.1 (2003).
Warraq, Ibn. Why the West is Best: A Muslim Apostate's Defense of Liberal Democracy. Encounter Books, 2011.
Wolfe, Christopher. Natural Law Liberalism. Cambridge University Press, 2006.
