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2 Dec 2025
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Exploring Modern Liberalism: Core Ideologies for A Level Government and Politics (Paper 1)
Zoe
@zoeislar
1 / 6
When Modern Liberalism Developed
The industrial revolution changed everything for liberal thinking. Whilst some people got incredibly wealthy from new industries, industrialisation also created overcrowded slums, deeper poverty, and shocking inequality for the working class.
By the late 19th century, UK liberals couldn't ignore these problems anymore. The idea that everyone would naturally prosper under industrial capitalism was clearly wrong when so many people faced unemployment, terrible wages, and degrading conditions.
This crisis forced liberals to abandon a key belief: that people pursuing their own self-interest would automatically create a fair society. Instead, they realised that economic individualism needed serious limits, and the government would have to step in to fix society's problems.
Key Point: Modern liberalism developed because classical liberal ideas simply couldn't handle the social problems created by rapid industrialisation.
Two Views on Modern Liberalism's Development
There's a proper debate about whether modern liberals betrayed their original principles or simply updated them for changing times. Classical liberals argue that modern liberalism abandoned individualism and embraced collectivism instead.
However, modern liberals insist they built on classical foundations rather than destroying them. They see their ideology as bridging old and new ideas, though this does create some awkward tensions about how much power the state should have.
Modern liberalism includes four key concepts: individuality (developing your unique identity), positive freedom, social liberalism, and economic management. These ideas represent a significant shift from earlier liberal thinking.
Key Point: The debate between classical and modern liberals centres on whether updating liberalism for industrial society betrayed or enhanced its core principles.
Mill's Bridge Between Old and New Liberalism
John Stuart Mill's work "On Liberty" (1859) perfectly captures the transition from classical to modern liberal thinking. He believed in negative freedom (freedom from restrictions) but argued this wasn't enough on its own.
Mill rejected the idea that humans are just pleasure-seeking machines. Instead, he championed individuality - the belief that liberty's real value lies in helping people develop their talents, skills, and knowledge to become their authentic selves.
His famous quote captures this: "Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign." Mill believed freedom should be a positive force that gives people genuine autonomy and self-realisation.
This thinking both supported and challenged classical liberalism. Whilst Mill still valued individual responsibility, he recognised that people might need extra support to deal with life's complexities and bad luck.
Key Point: Mill's work shows how liberal thinking evolved from simple freedom from interference to freedom that actively helps people flourish.
Higher and Lower Pleasures
Mill completely disagreed with Bentham's utilitarianism, which only measured pleasure by quantity. Instead, Mill distinguished between "higher" and "lower" pleasures, fundamentally changing how liberals thought about human happiness.
Lower pleasures are things that feel good in the moment but don't develop you as a person - they're fine to enjoy but shouldn't be your main focus. Higher pleasures enhance your life long-term by developing your intellectual, moral, or aesthetic abilities.
Mill famously declared he'd rather be "Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied." This wasn't about being miserable - it was about self-development and reaching your full potential rather than just seeking immediate gratification.
This created a new developmental model of individualism focused on human flourishing. Mill believed the whole point of freedom was to engage with life, develop yourself, and achieve self-actualisation.
Key Point: Mill's distinction between higher and lower pleasures laid the foundation for modern liberalism's focus on personal development over simple pleasure-seeking.
Green's Challenge to Classical Freedom
T.H. Green delivered the clearest break from early liberal thought by questioning whether negative freedom alone could create real equality of opportunity. He worried it might just create "the freedom to starve."
Green rejected the classical view of humans as purely self-interested. Instead, he believed people naturally have sympathy for each other and possess social responsibilities, not just individual ones. This altruistic view was heavily influenced by socialist ideas.
He argued that economic liberty for the few was destroying life chances for the many. When businesses could hire the cheapest labour possible (including exploiting children and women), negative freedom became a tool for exploitation.
Green's ideas earned the label "socialist liberalism" because he recognised that individuals are connected by caring and empathy. This fundamentally challenged the classical liberal emphasis on pure egoistic individualism.
Key Point: Green's work showed that unlimited economic freedom could actually destroy real freedom for most people, requiring government intervention to protect the vulnerable.
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This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Exploring Modern Liberalism: Core Ideologies for A Level Government and Politics (Paper 1)
Zoe
@zoeislar
Modern liberalism emerged in response to the harsh realities of industrialisation, which created massive wealth for some whilst leaving others in poverty and terrible working conditions. This forced liberals to completely rethink their ideas about freedom, the role of government,... Show more
When Modern Liberalism Developed
The industrial revolution changed everything for liberal thinking. Whilst some people got incredibly wealthy from new industries, industrialisation also created overcrowded slums, deeper poverty, and shocking inequality for the working class.
By the late 19th century, UK liberals couldn't ignore these problems anymore. The idea that everyone would naturally prosper under industrial capitalism was clearly wrong when so many people faced unemployment, terrible wages, and degrading conditions.
This crisis forced liberals to abandon a key belief: that people pursuing their own self-interest would automatically create a fair society. Instead, they realised that economic individualism needed serious limits, and the government would have to step in to fix society's problems.
Key Point: Modern liberalism developed because classical liberal ideas simply couldn't handle the social problems created by rapid industrialisation.
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Two Views on Modern Liberalism's Development
There's a proper debate about whether modern liberals betrayed their original principles or simply updated them for changing times. Classical liberals argue that modern liberalism abandoned individualism and embraced collectivism instead.
However, modern liberals insist they built on classical foundations rather than destroying them. They see their ideology as bridging old and new ideas, though this does create some awkward tensions about how much power the state should have.
Modern liberalism includes four key concepts: individuality (developing your unique identity), positive freedom, social liberalism, and economic management. These ideas represent a significant shift from earlier liberal thinking.
Key Point: The debate between classical and modern liberals centres on whether updating liberalism for industrial society betrayed or enhanced its core principles.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
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By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Mill's Bridge Between Old and New Liberalism
John Stuart Mill's work "On Liberty" (1859) perfectly captures the transition from classical to modern liberal thinking. He believed in negative freedom (freedom from restrictions) but argued this wasn't enough on its own.
Mill rejected the idea that humans are just pleasure-seeking machines. Instead, he championed individuality - the belief that liberty's real value lies in helping people develop their talents, skills, and knowledge to become their authentic selves.
His famous quote captures this: "Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign." Mill believed freedom should be a positive force that gives people genuine autonomy and self-realisation.
This thinking both supported and challenged classical liberalism. Whilst Mill still valued individual responsibility, he recognised that people might need extra support to deal with life's complexities and bad luck.
Key Point: Mill's work shows how liberal thinking evolved from simple freedom from interference to freedom that actively helps people flourish.
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Higher and Lower Pleasures
Mill completely disagreed with Bentham's utilitarianism, which only measured pleasure by quantity. Instead, Mill distinguished between "higher" and "lower" pleasures, fundamentally changing how liberals thought about human happiness.
Lower pleasures are things that feel good in the moment but don't develop you as a person - they're fine to enjoy but shouldn't be your main focus. Higher pleasures enhance your life long-term by developing your intellectual, moral, or aesthetic abilities.
Mill famously declared he'd rather be "Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied." This wasn't about being miserable - it was about self-development and reaching your full potential rather than just seeking immediate gratification.
This created a new developmental model of individualism focused on human flourishing. Mill believed the whole point of freedom was to engage with life, develop yourself, and achieve self-actualisation.
Key Point: Mill's distinction between higher and lower pleasures laid the foundation for modern liberalism's focus on personal development over simple pleasure-seeking.
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Green's Challenge to Classical Freedom
T.H. Green delivered the clearest break from early liberal thought by questioning whether negative freedom alone could create real equality of opportunity. He worried it might just create "the freedom to starve."
Green rejected the classical view of humans as purely self-interested. Instead, he believed people naturally have sympathy for each other and possess social responsibilities, not just individual ones. This altruistic view was heavily influenced by socialist ideas.
He argued that economic liberty for the few was destroying life chances for the many. When businesses could hire the cheapest labour possible (including exploiting children and women), negative freedom became a tool for exploitation.
Green's ideas earned the label "socialist liberalism" because he recognised that individuals are connected by caring and empathy. This fundamentally challenged the classical liberal emphasis on pure egoistic individualism.
Key Point: Green's work showed that unlimited economic freedom could actually destroy real freedom for most people, requiring government intervention to protect the vulnerable.
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user