28-04-2026 Liberalism Dictionary

Term	Definition
Enlightenment	An 18th-century movement that prioritised reason, logic, and individual rights over tradition and religion.
Rationalism	The belief that humans are reasoned beings who should use logic and evidence to solve problems rather than faith.
Egotistical individualism	A classical liberal view that people are self-interested and self-reliant, owing little to the wider community.
State of nature	A hypothetical scenario describing what human life would be like without any government, laws, or authority.
Foundational equality	The principle that all individuals are born with equal worth and deserve the same legal and political rights.
Negative liberty	freedom from A type of freedom defined by the absence of interference or constraints from other people or the state.
Natural right	Basic rights like life, liberty, and property that people are born with and that cannot be taken away by a government.
Meritocracy	A social system where success and status are earned through individual talent and hard work rather than social class.
Social contract	An implicit agreement where individuals give up some of their freedom to a state in exchange for safety and order.
Foundational Justice	The requirement that every person is treated equally by the law and has the same legal standing in society.
The rule of law	The principle that the law applies to everyone equally, including those in power, and is enforced fairly.
Self regarding	Actions that only affect the person performing them; liberals believe the state has no right to stop these.
Limited government	A system where the power of the government is restricted by a constitution or law to protect individual freedom.
Separation of powers	Dividing government into different branches (legislature, executive, and judiciary) to prevent any one group from having total control.
Veil of ignorance	A thought experiment where you design a fair society without knowing your own wealth, talent, or status within it.
Original position	The starting point in John Rawls’ theory where individuals decide on the rules of justice under a veil of ignorance.
Positive liberty	freedom to The freedom to reach your full potential, which requires the state to provide resources like education or healthcare.