Politics Paper 3 Potential 9 Markers
Explain and analyse three ways in which the concept of human nature is significant to liberal thinkers
P1- John Locke believed humans are naturally free, equal and independent- rationality leads to us
creating a social contract in the state of nature- an umpire to solve clashes is rational- gov should
protect natural rights here
P2- Mary Wollstonecraft- optimistic about human nature- says humans at their core are rational-
however state and society promoted the view that women aren’t rational as they had no formal
equality- women need formal equality and to be placed on the same level as men- helps society
increase wisdom
P3- John Stuart Mill- human nature is always progressing- developmental individualism- society
should be built to allow humans to develop- state should allow this by improving education and
allow humans to increase higher pleasures
Explain and analyse three ways in which liberal thinkers have viewed the role of the state in the
economy
P1- Locke argues for a limited government- classical liberal view- social contract gives them power
but needs to be limited by the constitution (separation of power and checks and balances)-
government should have limited intervention in the economy- government should just be left as the
protector of property and enforcer of contracts
P2- Wollstonecraft- saw humans as all rational- society didn’t see women as rational and they need
formal equality- state should grant formal equality- women can then have the right to property and
the right to work
P3- Rawls used original position and veil of ignorance to say humans want an equal society- achieve
by the state progressively taxing and redistributing wealth- take on a modern liberal state-
inequalities allowable and should not be eradicated but should be minimised
Explain and analyse three ways in which liberal thinkers have viewed society
P1- Mary Wollstonecraft- said all humans were rational- society didn’t see women as rational- failed
to recognise the rights of women- women needed formal equality- things like economic
independence and the right to property and to vote- right to divorce and protection against
domestic violence
P2- John Locke- in the state of nature there would be a natural society- natural rights would exist
such as life, liberty and possession- natural law states that no one should harm another’s natural
rights as people don’t want their natural rights to be disrespected- therefore minimal government
intervention needed (classical liberal)- religious tolerance too as religion is a private matter and
should be left to the individual
P3- Betty Friedan- society says women should find satisfaction exclusively in their roles as a wife and
mother- leaves women feeling miserable and empty- ‘problem that has no name’- fact that a woman
has no time for a career limits her development and usefulness to society- activist women’s
movement may be needed to overturn this- set free via good education and full time career-
government needs to actively intervene to provide this (modern liberal)- ensure equality of
opportunity
, Explain and analyse three ways in which liberal thinkers have viewed the state
P1- John Locke- state created by social contract that rational beings have created to maximise utility-
citizens have a right to replace the government if they fail to protect natural rights as it has been
created by the humans consent (happened in the American Revolution)- state should be there to
stop a tyrannical government that could remove natural rights- state should be limited by the
Constitution
P2- John Stuart Mill- state should only intervene to prevent actions that harm the freedom of others
(harm principle)- state should tolerate all ideas and actions if they don’t break this principle- allow
for liberty as this allows an individual to achieve their individuality- state should also via education
enable people to improve to increase their ‘higher pleasures’
P3- John Rawls- enabling state (modern liberal view)- through the original position and veil of
ignorance he argued people wanted a more equal society both socially and economically- state
should do more to minimise inequalities not eradicate like progressive taxes and redistributing
wealth- enabling state should also have more laws, more spending and taxation
Explain and analyse three ways in which conservatism can be considered as the politics of
imperfection
P1- Hobbes said humans are highly imperfect- cynical view of human nature- every man versus every
man- why an autocratic state is needed to maintain law and order- life before the state is ‘solitary,
poor, nasty, brutish and short’- humans are endlessly restless in their pursuit of power and fearful of
others due to ‘weakest has strength enough to kill the strongest’
P2- Edmund Burke- more sceptical than cynical- human nature is flawed but saw the species as
overall wise- humans can be successful if they follow tradition and custom which is not always
occurring with examples like the French Revolution- humans should be drawn together to create
‘little platoons’ where traditions and customs are formed
P3- Michael Oakeshott- saw humans as fragile and fallible and unable to understand the world- can’t
achieve a utopia (perfect world)- humans try to achieve utopia through radical change and abstract
ideas which is harmful for society- need an organic society and follow tradition- too much trust in an
imperfect government who are just humans after all and should favour the politics of scepticism
instead
Explain and analyse three ways in which conservative thinkers have viewed the state
P1- Hobbes- wanted an autocratic strong state created by a social contract- preferred form is
monarchy- sovereign has absolute power to provide order and security- negative view of humans
and they needed to be limited by a powerful state to avoid destruction- people need to be fearful of
the state- sovereign should not be limited by other bodies and only gives rights to people that they
want to give
P2- Edmund Burke- argued there was no social contract but a contract between the dead, living and
those yet to be born- state needs to be natural and organic and emerge gradually in response to
human needs- state needs to be paternalistic and care for the least well off- opposed to vast,
centralised state structures and favoured local communities (little platoons) where traditions and
customs can be formed
P3- Robert Nozick- favoured a very minimal state- still strong on law and order- limited to protecting
people, property and contract- people should be able to keep the fruits of their labour- any attempt
Explain and analyse three ways in which the concept of human nature is significant to liberal thinkers
P1- John Locke believed humans are naturally free, equal and independent- rationality leads to us
creating a social contract in the state of nature- an umpire to solve clashes is rational- gov should
protect natural rights here
P2- Mary Wollstonecraft- optimistic about human nature- says humans at their core are rational-
however state and society promoted the view that women aren’t rational as they had no formal
equality- women need formal equality and to be placed on the same level as men- helps society
increase wisdom
P3- John Stuart Mill- human nature is always progressing- developmental individualism- society
should be built to allow humans to develop- state should allow this by improving education and
allow humans to increase higher pleasures
Explain and analyse three ways in which liberal thinkers have viewed the role of the state in the
economy
P1- Locke argues for a limited government- classical liberal view- social contract gives them power
but needs to be limited by the constitution (separation of power and checks and balances)-
government should have limited intervention in the economy- government should just be left as the
protector of property and enforcer of contracts
P2- Wollstonecraft- saw humans as all rational- society didn’t see women as rational and they need
formal equality- state should grant formal equality- women can then have the right to property and
the right to work
P3- Rawls used original position and veil of ignorance to say humans want an equal society- achieve
by the state progressively taxing and redistributing wealth- take on a modern liberal state-
inequalities allowable and should not be eradicated but should be minimised
Explain and analyse three ways in which liberal thinkers have viewed society
P1- Mary Wollstonecraft- said all humans were rational- society didn’t see women as rational- failed
to recognise the rights of women- women needed formal equality- things like economic
independence and the right to property and to vote- right to divorce and protection against
domestic violence
P2- John Locke- in the state of nature there would be a natural society- natural rights would exist
such as life, liberty and possession- natural law states that no one should harm another’s natural
rights as people don’t want their natural rights to be disrespected- therefore minimal government
intervention needed (classical liberal)- religious tolerance too as religion is a private matter and
should be left to the individual
P3- Betty Friedan- society says women should find satisfaction exclusively in their roles as a wife and
mother- leaves women feeling miserable and empty- ‘problem that has no name’- fact that a woman
has no time for a career limits her development and usefulness to society- activist women’s
movement may be needed to overturn this- set free via good education and full time career-
government needs to actively intervene to provide this (modern liberal)- ensure equality of
opportunity
, Explain and analyse three ways in which liberal thinkers have viewed the state
P1- John Locke- state created by social contract that rational beings have created to maximise utility-
citizens have a right to replace the government if they fail to protect natural rights as it has been
created by the humans consent (happened in the American Revolution)- state should be there to
stop a tyrannical government that could remove natural rights- state should be limited by the
Constitution
P2- John Stuart Mill- state should only intervene to prevent actions that harm the freedom of others
(harm principle)- state should tolerate all ideas and actions if they don’t break this principle- allow
for liberty as this allows an individual to achieve their individuality- state should also via education
enable people to improve to increase their ‘higher pleasures’
P3- John Rawls- enabling state (modern liberal view)- through the original position and veil of
ignorance he argued people wanted a more equal society both socially and economically- state
should do more to minimise inequalities not eradicate like progressive taxes and redistributing
wealth- enabling state should also have more laws, more spending and taxation
Explain and analyse three ways in which conservatism can be considered as the politics of
imperfection
P1- Hobbes said humans are highly imperfect- cynical view of human nature- every man versus every
man- why an autocratic state is needed to maintain law and order- life before the state is ‘solitary,
poor, nasty, brutish and short’- humans are endlessly restless in their pursuit of power and fearful of
others due to ‘weakest has strength enough to kill the strongest’
P2- Edmund Burke- more sceptical than cynical- human nature is flawed but saw the species as
overall wise- humans can be successful if they follow tradition and custom which is not always
occurring with examples like the French Revolution- humans should be drawn together to create
‘little platoons’ where traditions and customs are formed
P3- Michael Oakeshott- saw humans as fragile and fallible and unable to understand the world- can’t
achieve a utopia (perfect world)- humans try to achieve utopia through radical change and abstract
ideas which is harmful for society- need an organic society and follow tradition- too much trust in an
imperfect government who are just humans after all and should favour the politics of scepticism
instead
Explain and analyse three ways in which conservative thinkers have viewed the state
P1- Hobbes- wanted an autocratic strong state created by a social contract- preferred form is
monarchy- sovereign has absolute power to provide order and security- negative view of humans
and they needed to be limited by a powerful state to avoid destruction- people need to be fearful of
the state- sovereign should not be limited by other bodies and only gives rights to people that they
want to give
P2- Edmund Burke- argued there was no social contract but a contract between the dead, living and
those yet to be born- state needs to be natural and organic and emerge gradually in response to
human needs- state needs to be paternalistic and care for the least well off- opposed to vast,
centralised state structures and favoured local communities (little platoons) where traditions and
customs can be formed
P3- Robert Nozick- favoured a very minimal state- still strong on law and order- limited to protecting
people, property and contract- people should be able to keep the fruits of their labour- any attempt
