Market Liberalism

In more detail

What we know already

• Economic markets in conjunction with democracy providing personal freedom (of sorts)

• Essentially capitalism

• Free markets

• Supply and demand

• Minimal intervention

Today we will…

• Look at the role of the state

• Try to understand different perspectives of freedom

• Think about what liberalism means in general

• Understand how pluralism works within free markets

Pluralism

• Pluralism = diversity of views which often stand in opposition to dominant view

• Economic Pluralism = diversity of competition makes better economic system

• The more players you have the greater the results (competition is good)

What examples can you think of where there is lots of competition and where there is little? What do you think is better?

Liberalism

• A belief in the importance of individual freedom• Freedom from despotic rule• Governments rule by consent• Civil rights

• But critics argue that only the elite receive true freedom

- Limited voting rights/ ‘stuck’ in jobs…

Economic liberalism

• Stress importance of free market/trade

• Favours privatisation in public sector

But what about the welfare system?

To be free, do you not need basics? What defines freedom to you?

How far should the state go?

• Essentially this is all Democracy

• Democracy as a Dominant Ideology

What is meant by this? • set of common values and beliefs shared

by most people in a given society, framing how the majority think

• What constitutes our view of democracy? How does it allow personal freedom? Can freedom be bought?

1. Watch the clip on You Tube and dominant ideology

2. Your task is to write a 200-300 word report on market liberalism in action using a media form as your example

3. Try to include discussion on the following…• How do markets work -very basic eg supply and

demand, markets value, cost etc• What is capitalism and how does it operate in outline?• What are the benefits of capitalism?• Where does the individual and their freedom fit into

this?• Culture as a marketable and bankable commodity?• Is a dominant ideology (viewpoint) being spread? How

does this fit into debates about personal freedom?