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507 BCE
Ancient Greek Democracy
Athens is thought to be the first democracy. It was a flawed system that only allowed approximately 12% of their citizens the right to vote. The system involved a series of 40 meetings per year in which only1/6th of the voters attended at any given meeting. Although able to vote, the enforcement of the vote was upheld by a 'luck of the draw' type government. It contributed to classical liberalism with the idea of personal rights and freedoms, particularly the right to vote. -
1215
Magna Carta
Magna Carta was a document signed in 1215 in Great Britain. It was supposed to limit the powers of the monarch and establish fundamental rights for the citizens. Often times the king in power would disregard this agreement and would rule on his own authority. This was one of the first attempts at liberalism in Britain. It reflects classical liberalism through the attempt at personal rights and freedoms. -
1450
Renaissance 1450-1600
The Renaissance period was derived from ideas of ancient greek culture. These ideas implied that humans could be like gods. That they could set their own fates and make their own worlds.European scholars revived these ideas and it was quickly accepted in Italy and changed the thinking of many influential people across all of Europe. -
1500
Haudenosaunee Confederacy 15th C -1776
The Haudenosaunee are believed by some historians to be the first liberal thought in North America. They created the "Constitution of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy". This law outlines the path to harmony and unity, divided the powers of government, and allowed for equal rights among the people, including women. Rights of individuals, freedom of speech, and certain rights & freedoms were recognized under this Great Law of Peace and also in classical liberalism. -
1517
Reformation 1517- 1648
Referring to the "protestant Reformation" ( circa 1500-1650 according to 'Perspectives on Ideology' text) was a movement followed by the ideas of the renaissance. It focused on the importance of the individual and challenged the authority of the Catholic church. Classical liberalism may have been influenced in part by the emergence of individualism during this period. -
The Enlightenment 18th C
Known as an era during the 18th century where several great thinkers discussed openly the ideas of classical liberalism. Sometimes these revolutionary ideas were outlawed or banned from publish. These ideas were: rule of law, individual rights and freedoms, private property, economic freedom, self interest, and competition. some of theses great thinkers were Thomas Hobbes, John Stuart Mill, and Baron de Montesquieu. -
Industrial Revolution 18th-19th C
The Industrial Revolution occurred when the economy in Britain shifted from agriculture to Industry. Farmers were forced into the cities in search of work. With the invention of machinery, land owners no longer had a use for farmers. This led to urbanization & a big # of cheap labourers. Wealth was created for some & poverty for others. Contributing factors were: technology, private property, individual & economic freedom, self-interest and competition; shared ideals of classical liberalism. -
The American Revolution
The United States of America was once owned by the British. Each British colony had their own name and government within the land. The settlers on the land were taxed and governed by these colonies. The settlers refused rule by a foreign monarch. This resulted in the creation of "The Declaration of Independence", which claimed solidarity from the British colonies and authority through it's citizens. Classical liberalism supports such ideas as private property, self interest. -
The French Revolution
The French revolution took place to abolish the existing class structures. They fought for the equality of rights regardless of class. Current monarchy was bankrupt regardless of the heavy taxes on the common man. The revolt began in 1789 and depended on the support of the ordinary people. On Aug 26 of 1789, "The Declaration of the Rights of Man" was approved by the National Assembly of France. individual rights and freedoms are displayed in both classical liberalism and the French Revolution. -
Changes to Class System
Changes to class system occurred once people obtained the ideals of classical liberalism. The traditional class structure dissolved as people had the right to own property, act in self-interest, vote on government, freely buy and sell goods, and be allowed the rights and freedoms the same as any other man. Equality permitted ordinary men (not necessarily women) the same advantages to those who were once considered a higher class. Class still exists today but by wealth and not nobility.
