Liberal Notion of Small Government Study Paper.

According to Martin (2013), liberalism is a political school of thought committed to the
ideal of a “small (limited) government and the liberty of persons, including the freedom of
speech, assembly, free markets, religion and press” (p. 431). The philosophy – developed in the
nineteenth century in the Americas and Western Europe – advocates for a certain type of society,
public policy and government necessary due to urbanization and industrial revolution (Ju, 2013). Liberal Notion of Small Government Study Paper.

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Argy (2009) notes that, Jean – Baptiste Say, David Ricardo, and Thomas Malthus are among the
notable individuals who played a critical role towards the development of liberalism and the
concept of limited government. The philosophy draws its basic tenets from Adam Smith
economics – a psychological discernment of natural law, utilitarianism and individual liberty-
and a belief in progress (Martin, 2013). Classical liberalism, which developed towards the
collapse of the 19 th century, asserted that government should have limited powers in order to
provide room for individuals to exercise freedom. In its extreme characteristics, liberalism
advocates for social Darwinism (Martin, 2013).
Do You Agree With The Liberal Notion Of Small Government?
Yes, I agree with the liberal notion of a small government. The concept of limited
government is a very controversial issue and ambiguous in some sense. The term limited is used
to refer to constrained; arguably, all governments contain degrees of constraints (Consonances
between Liberalism and Pragmatism, 2012). Undisputable, some governments are more limited
in different ways than others. The libertarian notion of small government probably refers to a
more constrained government than the present – day states characterized with welfare
democracy. Again, what does limited government refer to exactly? What aspects of government
should be constrained, and by what guideline and / or procedure will a society resolve where to
extend or limit state powers? Liberals argue that the limits on a government are emergent
phenomena often determined by reasonable public debate. This thinking upsets specific
libertarian designs. As introduced in the Symposium on James M. Buchanan and Classical
Liberalism by Coyne (2014) lets analyze the issue from a public choice dimension. The idea in
Coyne (2014) revolves around the ability of a society to constitute dictates that govern and
control political decision – making designs. Basing on this view, the problem of collecting action
is divided into two categories: the operational level and the constitutional level (Forte &
Marchionatti, 2012). The operational level deals with the daily decision – making process in a
government. Providing room for disagreements at the operational level, and by ascribing to a set
of guidelines – a constitution – the group of individuals then employ a process to deal with
disputes arising from political engagements. Political orientations are heterogeneous, as such;
“disagreements arising at the operational level can be remedied through trade” (Forte &
Marchionatti, 2012 p. 587). Essentially, this is an abstract theory that depends on three explicit
assumptions: (a) if there are aspects that be resolved by collective bargain with relative ease, a
society have an intrinsic role to establish a government; (b) cognizant of disputes over certain
policies, the society can collectively adopt a constitution that determines a set of guidelines that
control decision making processes at the operational stage; and, (c) in exchange for policies an
individual supports, he or she will have to shield the external policy costs they do not agree with
(Ciobotaru, 2013). Liberal Notion of Small Government Study Paper.
In a political environment, disagreements over policies are unavoidable and such disputes
have costs assigned to individuals. According to liberals, however, government can be formed in
way that only a limited number of individuals engage in the decision making process –

4

LIBERAL NOTION OF SMALL GOVERNMENT
representative democracy (government). For instance, Abbey & Spinner-Halev (2013) assert that
a bicameral legislature – where representatives for one house differ from the other – contains
limited control than a unitary government. As governments, evolve into complex institutions, the
common citizen loses track personal exchanges to extend that one does not realize that the
burden they experience arises from the benefits subject to them. Essentially, some scholars
ascribe the concept of limited government to the scope of currency control, justice system and /
or national defense (Laborde, 2013). This arises disagreements over definition specifically when
it comes to which services should be classified as a public good and there exists a reasonable
dispute over how to resolve the public good, including collective bargain, in an amicable
manner. These disagreements have to be dealt through a pluralist decision – making technique
and the outcome will differ considerably from the ideal level. The perfectly pluralistic – limited
government – differs from the society’s preferences and may be it constitutes a large set of
principles that determine public good.

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Why did Libertarianism Develop?
Classical liberalism emerged in the course of the 19 th century in Britain and the United
States and drew upon the 1700s and 1800s enlightenment sources (Rooksby, 2012). The school
was an intellectual reaction to the challenges linked with urbanization and industrial revolution.
Classical liberalism assigns specific emphasis on property rights. The school of thought was
anchored on the human nature theory – social Darwinism – that viewed humans as motivated
through self – interest and egoistic (Rooksby, 2012). Liberalism philosophy asserts that society is
constituted best when individuals are free to pursue their self- motivators. The school emerged
out of the belief that free global trade would be followed by a harmonious and peaceful
international order. Abbey & Spinner-Halev (2013) agree that liberalism is a political philosophy
that recommends constitutionalism, limited government, due process, rule of law, individual
freedoms including freedom of speech, free markets, assembly, press and religion. According to
proponents of the school, a free market is one, which allows untamed trade – an economic
system devoid of government control measures. The ideology advocates for a laissez faire
economic system – an environment where business transactions between private entities are free
from “government subsidies, enforced monopolies, and tariffs and the role of the government
being only to provide guidelines that protect private property against aggression and theft”
(Russell, 2013 p. 7). Liberalism is associated with ideas from the enlightenment era scholars in
particular Thomas Hobbes, Adam Smith and John Locke. Liberalism core tenets place specific
emphasis on individual sovereignty and deem property rights an integral element of individual
freedom. During the 19 th century political theory, this philosophy stimulated a laissez faire public
policy. Classical liberalists believe that humans are egoistic and calculating creatures solely
motivated pleasure and pain and their decisions seek to minimize pain and maximize pleasure
(Ju, 2013). Consequently, liberalists believe that individuals should be accorded the freedom to
pursue their self – interest in the absence of restraint and societal control – limited government interventions. Liberal Notion of Small Government Study Paper.
Should It Be A Guiding Principle In The Modern World? Why/Why not?
The concept of liberalism has occupied a significant role in the moderate types of
political ideologues for over two hundred years. Modern political ideologies and moderate
ideologies may be correctly viewed as occupants of two extreme positions in the political
spectrum. Moderates advocate for a balance between the degree of state power and individual
freedoms, obligations and rights as well as the coercive role of government to prohibit or
mandate specific behaviors of its citizens (Fortier, 2010). This “balanced” ideology arise the implications revolving around “electoral procedures, economic concerns, government structures
and the rule of law” (Fortier, 2010 p. 1003). Change is unavoidable in society, in government
relations and arrangements, throughout the political divide and in public policy. Unlike, liberal
philosophy which advocates for freedom of individuals in pursuing self – interests, moderate
ideologues seek alteration that enable the society to progress in a manner that does not
destabilize the existing order but also does not promote status quo and stagnation permanence
(Coyne, 2014). Undeniable, liberalism is a critical 19 th century component that has had far
reaching consequences on the political spectrum over two centuries. The philosophy has been
integral in defining individual freedoms, including speech, free markets, assembly, press and
religion. However, in rapidly dynamic global spectrum, moderate ideology, which involves a
combination of liberal school of thought ideology of limited and enhanced government
participation in day- to- day activities, has increasingly taken the center stage in the modern
political fronts.
In conclusion, developed in the 19 th century, liberalism has been an integral component
that has influenced several spectra of modern day political environment. The concept of limited
government, in particular, helped advance a laissez faire economic system that limits government
role in business transactions. The school of thought has defined individual freedoms, including
speech, free markets, assembly, press and religion and continuous to be an important basis of
modern day government in conjunction with moderate ideologues. Liberal Notion of Small Government Study Paper.
References

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Journal Of Politics, 75(1), 124-136. doi:10.1017/S0022381612000916
Argy, F. (2009). Choosing Between Classical Liberalism and Social Liberalism. Policy, 25(2),
14-20. Liberal Notion of Small Government Study Paper.
Ciobotaru, A. (2013). Economic Neo-Liberalism and the Meaning of Structural Changes in
Global Economy. Economic Insights – Trends & Challenges, 65(2), 112-123.
Consonances Between Liberalism and Pragmatism. (2012). Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce
Society, 48(2), 141-168. doi:10.2979/trancharpeirsoc.48.2.141
Coyne, C. J. (2014). Symposium on James M. Buchanan and Classical Liberalism. Independent
Review, 18(3), 325-330.
Forte, F., & Marchionatti, R. (2012). Luigi Einaudi's economics of liberalism. European Journal
Of The History Of Economic Thought, 19(4), 587-624.
doi:10.1080/09672567.2010.540346
Fortier, J. (2010). Can Liberalism Lose the Enlightenment?. Journal Of Politics, 72(4), 1003-
1013. doi:10.1017/S0022381610000496
Ju, B. (2013). On the characterization of liberalism by Samet and Schmeidler. Social Choice &
Welfare, 40(2), 359-366. doi:10.1007/s00355-011-0606-6
Laborde, C. (2013). Political Liberalism and Religion: On Separation and Establishment*
Political Liberalism and Religion: On Separation and Establishment. Journal Of Political
Philosophy, 21(1), 67-86. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9760.2011.00404.x
Martin, C. (2013). Party Politics and the Default Move from Coordination to Liberalism. Liberal Notion of Small Government Study Paper.
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Rooksby, E. (2012). The Relationship Between Liberalism and Socialism. Science & Society,
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Russell, D. (2013). Aesthetic Liberalism: John Stuart Mill as Essayist. Victorian Studies, 56(1),
7-30. doi:10.2979/victorianstudies.56.1.7. Liberal Notion of Small Government Study Paper.