Liberalism, Conservatism, Social Darwinism, Socialism 19th Century Ideologies Liberalism, Conservatism, Social Darwinism, Socialism

Liberalism: Protection of Individual Freedom Liberalism centered on the principle of political, social, and economic freedom. Liberals aimed: To establish and protect civil liberties. To extend the right to vote to the middle class (not those without property). To promote free trade.

Conservatism: Preservation of the Established Order Conservatism was a reaction to the excesses of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. Its leading theorist was Edmund Burke who: Viewed the social order as a partnership between past, present, and future. Rejected the notion of equality or natural rights. Argued that rights were inherited from the past. Believed monarchy was the form of government most capable of protecting peoples' rights. Accepted gradual change (unlike reactionaries).

Social Darwinism: Survival of the Fittest Social Darwinists believed that the strongest or fittest should survive and flourish in society, while the weak and unfit should be allowed to die. The theory was developed by Herbert Spencer who: Applied Darwinian ideas (e.g., mutation, adaptation, and natural selection) to society. Argued that survival of the fittest was natural and morally correct. Believed that it was morally incorrect to assist those weaker than oneself, since that would be promoting the survival and possible reproduction of someone who was fundamentally unfit.

Socialism: Reaction to the Rise of Industrial Capitalism and Liberalism Socialists advocated ownership of the means of production by the community. The earliest socialists were the Utopian socialists (e.g., Robert Owen). The second generation of socialists (e.g., Louis Blanc ) advocated using the power of the state to guarantee the workers' wages. The most radical form of socialism was communism (developed by Karl Max and Friedrich Engels) which advocated a violent workers’ revolution to achieve complete equality