The document provides an overview of the political ideology of liberalism. It defines liberalism and discusses its key principles of individualism, freedom, reason, justice, and toleration. It then outlines the historical context in events like the English Civil War, American Revolution, and French Revolution that helped shape liberal thought. The document also profiles some of the main liberal thinkers like Locke, Mill, and Jefferson. It describes the variations of classical and modern liberalism. Overall, the summary provides background on the development and principles of liberalism as a foundational ideology.

1. Philippine Politics and Governance
General Academic Strand | Humanities and Social Sciences
Lesson 2.1
Liberalism

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3. What does it
mean to be
“free” in a
society?
3

4. Why do modern
states put
emphasis on
human rights and
individual
liberties?
4

5. Learning
Competencies
5
● Identify the basic tenets of major political
ideologies (i.e., liberalism, socialism,
conservatism, etc.) (HUMSS_PG12-Ib-c-6).
● Differentiate the political ideologies
(HUMSS_PG12-Ib-c-7).

6. Learning
Objectives
6
● Define liberalism and its key principles.
● Explain the historical development of
liberalism.
● Identify key liberal thinkers.
● Compare the variations of liberalism.
● Assess political systems founded on liberal
principles.

7. Explore
7
Know Thy Rights
1. Read Article 3 (Bill of Rights) of the 1987 Constitution.
2. Choose three from the different rights listed in the
Constitution.
3. Provide concrete examples on how you are exercising
these rights either as a student or as a member of
society.
4. Answer the guide questions.

8. Explore
8
Constitutional Rights
Exercise of These
Rights
Know Thy Rights

9. Explore
What is your basis for choosing the three
constitutional rights out of the ones
provided in Article 3 of the 1987
Constitution?
9

10. Explore
Based on your answers, do you think
that you are able to meaningfully
exercise your constitutional rights?
Explain your answer.
10

11. Explore
What do you think is the importance of
having these constitutional rights in a
liberal society?
11

12. Essential
Question
12
Which principles of liberalism are evident in
contemporary Philippine society?

13. Defining Liberalism
The 1899 Malolos Constitution established a liberal democratic
republic of the Philippines after its independence from Spain.
13

14. 14
Defining Liberalism
● An ideology refers to a set of ideas that “structure political
understanding and so set goal and inspire activism, shape
the nature of political systems, and act as a form of social
cement” (Heywood 2017, 2)
● The study of political ideologies often begins with
liberalism.

15. Defining Liberalism
● Liberal values are the
building blocks of
democracies.
● Majority of political
systems in the world
today are democracies.
15
The United States and the United Kingdom are powerful
Western democracies.

16. 16
Defining Liberalism
● Liberalism came from the Latin word
liber, which refers to “a class of free
men” (Heywood 2017, 24).
● The liberal ideology was a response
to the breakdown of feudalism in
Europe.
○ divine right of kings
○ absolute monarchy

17. 17
Principles of Liberalism
liberalism
individualism
freedom reason
justice
toleration
Defining Liberalism

18. 18
Principles of Liberalism
liberalism
individualism
● It refers to the human being as an
individual.
● Individuals are capable of making
their own choices outside of their
membership in social groups or
communities.
Defining Liberalism

19. 19
Principles of Liberalism
liberalism
freedom
● Freedom is an important
component of an individual’s
pursuit of his or her own
interests, wants, and needs
outside of any external influence.
Defining Liberalism

20. 20
Principles of Liberalism
liberalism
reason
● The use of reason means that the
individual is a thinking creature
who is capable of discerning his
or her aspirations and best
interests.
Defining Liberalism

21. 21
Principles of Liberalism
liberalism
justice
● It refers to fairness and equality.
● It is just to give what is due.
● It is just to treat every human
being as individuals who are born
of equal status and worth.
Defining Liberalism

22. 22
Principles of Liberalism
liberalism
toleration
● It allows for differences without
conflict.
● It provides the space for individuals to
exercise their freedoms that will allow
them to develop as moral beings.
● Diversity is accepted.
Defining Liberalism

23. 23
Principles of Liberalism
liberalism
individualism
freedom
reason
justice
toleration
● a liberal state,
wherein a system of
laws prevails over a
government
● related to a
democratic state
Defining Liberalism

24. Check
Your
Progress
24
24
What are the key principles of liberalism
and how are they related to one another?

25. Historical Context of Liberalism
25
English
Civil War
(17th century)
American
Revolution
(1765-1783)
French
Revolution
(1789-1799)
Industrial
Revolution
(18th-19th
century)

26. 26
Historical Context of Liberalism
The primary conflict was the war
between the Crown and the
Parliament.
○ absolute power of monarchs
○ right of Parliament to rule
over the people
English Civil War
17th century in England

27. 27
Historical Context of Liberalism
● It dealt with the independence
of the United States from
Great Britain.
● It led to two key documents:
○ American Declaration of
Independence
○ The U.S. Constitution
American Revolution
The American Declaration of Independence
as a result of the American Revolution from
1765–1783

28. 28
Historical Context of Liberalism
● It sought to overturn the old
order of French society.
○ religious conformity
○ aristocratic privilege
○ political absolutism
● Slogan: liberty, equality,
fraternity
French Revolution
The French Revolution occurred from
1789 to 1799.

29. 29
Historical Context of Liberalism
● more of an economic than
political revolution
● led to the breakdown of a
mercantilist economic system
and the shift towards an
industrial and capitalist
system
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution signaled the
transition from a mercantilist to capitalist
society (18th to 19th century).

30. 30
Historical Context of Liberalism
Mercantilism
● economic strength as
measured at the expense of
others
● ownership of gold and silver
as key to economic and
political power
● economic theory behind
colonialism
Industrial Revolution
Capitalism
● invention of steam
machinery
● free market principle
(laissez faire, laissez passer)
● supply and demand
determined the price of
goods
● no government intervention

31. Check
Your
Progress
31
31
What are the core events in the
development of liberalism as an ideology?

32. Main Liberal Thinkers
32
● English philosopher
● He lived during the English Civil
War and supported the Crown.
● He wrote Leviathan (1651).
● He supported absolute power of
the ruler for the protection of
individual rights and freedoms.
Thomas Hobbes

33. Main Liberal Thinkers
33
● English philosopher
● author of Two Treatises of
Government (1690)
● He emphasized the individual’s
rights to life, liberty, and property
and the importance of a
representative government.
John Locke

34. Main Liberal Thinkers
34
● French philosopher
● author of The Social Contract (1762)
● He believed that organized societies
and states are formed through
voluntary agreements called the
social contract.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau

35. Main Liberal Thinkers
35
● Scottish economist and philosopher
● He wrote The Wealth of Nations
(1776).
● He was one of the most influential
thinkers behind the idea of the free
market and capitalism.
Adam Smith

36. Main Liberal Thinkers
36
● German philosopher
● He theorized about human reason
and morality.
● His political philosophy emphasizes
the concept of the categorical
imperative.
Immanuel Kant

37. Main Liberal Thinkers
37
● American political philosopher and
statesman
● principal author of the American
Declaration of Independence
● He opposed a strong central
government and emphasized
individual freedoms and
responsibilities.
Thomas Jefferson

38. Main Liberal Thinkers
38
● British philosopher
● Key figure behind utilitarianism
○ humans are rational beings
○ principle of general utility:
pursuit of the greatest
happiness for the greatest
number
Jeremy Bentham

39. Main Liberal Thinkers
39
● American statesman and political
theorist
● A key figure behind the U.S.
Constitution.
● Madisonian principles emphasize the
separation of powers and the
principle of checks and balances.
James Madison

40. Main Liberal Thinkers
40
● British philosopher and economist
● utilitarian philosopher
● He emphasized the individual and
individual liberties in his writings
○ limitations of human freedom
○ responsibility of the government
in protecting freedom
John Stuart Mill

41. Variations of Liberalism
41
classical liberalism
● developed during the
transition from feudalism
to capitalism
● peak was during the
industrialization of Europe
● natural rights,
utilitarianism, economic
liberalism, social
Darwinism
modern liberalism
● contextualized within the
consequences of
industrialization in the late
nineteenth century
● individuality, positive
freedom, social liberalism,
and economic
management

42. Variations of Liberalism
42
Classical liberalism
● natural rights: inalienable human rights (life, liberty,
property)
● utilitarianism: an action is morally good based on the
quantity of pleasure (“utility”) that it will produce
● economic liberalism: laissez-faire capitalism, no
government intervention
● social Darwinism: individualistic tendencies; those who
work the hardest will survive

43. Variations of Liberalism
43
Modern liberalism
● individuality: individuals can grow, develop, and learn
through their liberties
● positive freedom: the individual has the “freedom to…”
instead of “freedom from…” (negative freedom)
● social liberalism: more state intervention in economic
affairs; associated with the rise of welfare states
● economic management: abandonment of the laissez-faire
doctrine in favor of economic intervention

44. Check
Your
Progress
44
44
What are the key features of classical and
modern liberalism?

45. Try This!
Identify if the statement is true. Otherwise, replace
the underlined word or phrase to make the
statement true.
1. Liberalism came from the Latin word liber, which
refers to a class of free men.
45

46. Try This!
Identify if the statement is true. Otherwise, replace
the underlined word or phrase to make the
statement true.
2. The liberal principle of toleration means that
individual differences are respected and these
differences do not result in conflict.
46

47. Try This!
Identify if the statement is true. Otherwise, replace
the underlined word or phrase to make the
statement true.
3. The emergence of a liberal ideology was seen as a
response to feudalism in Western Europe.
47

48. Try This!
Identify if the statement is true. Otherwise, replace
the underlined word or phrase to make the
statement true.
4. Feudalism refers to an industrial-based political and
economic system.
48

49. Try This!
Identify if the statement is true. Otherwise, replace
the underlined word or phrase to make the
statement true.
5. The English Civil War was due to the conflict
between the Crown and the Parliament.
49

50. Wrap-Up
● An ideology refers to a set of ideas that “structure
political understanding and so set goal and inspire
activism, shape the nature of political systems, and
act as a form of social cement” (Heywood 2017, 2).
● Liberalism is one of the most dominant political
ideologies. It puts prime emphasis on the value of
the individual and is best defined in terms of its key
principles of individualism, freedom, reason,
justice, and toleration.
50

51. Wrap-Up
● Liberalism is often associated with a democratic
political system and a capitalist economic system.
● Key events in history that shaped liberal thought
are the English Civil War, the American
Revolution, the French Revolution, and the
Industrial Revolution.
● Variations of liberalism can be generally classified
into two: classical liberalism and modern
liberalism.
51

52. 52
Challenge
Yourself
How does liberalism emphasize the value of
the individual human being?

53. Bibliography
Ball, Terence and Richard Dagger. Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, 6th edition. New York: Pearson Education,
2006.
Heywood, Andrew. Political Ideologies: An Introduction, 6th edition. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2017.
Heywood, Andrew. Politics, 4th edition. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013.
The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. “Declaration of Independence: A Transcription.” Accessed April
21, 2021. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript.
53