Intro to Individualism Should the values of individualism shape an ideology?

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Eventually a new political ideology developed called liberalism Individualism first emerged during the Renaissance in Europe (approx. 1300-1600) – before this people were defined by their class and only the nobility and clergy had rights. During the Enlightenment (1600s – late 1700s) the importance of the individual continued to increase as society began to change. Eventually a new political ideology developed called liberalism Definition: an ideology based on the importance of individual liberty and the values of individualism (rights and freedoms, self-interest, competition, economic freedom, private property, rule of law)

The values of liberalism were fought for and promoted through events such as the American Revolution and the French Revolution. Liberal democracy developed as a form of government in the late 1800s and 1900s. In a democracy, individuals vote for their leaders and the rights and freedoms of the individual are guaranteed. (in theory) Individual rights and freedoms are protected by documents such as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the U.S. Constitution.

Politics & Individualism Many of the legal rights we have in Western democracies today come from those found in the American Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man. Rule of law – the law itself has the greatest power in society, ALL individuals are subject to the law Social contract – individuals agree to follow the rules of society/government in exchange for the benefits of living in society and having their rights protected

Example: Jim Keegstra case in textbook (p. 52-53) Individual rights and freedoms are a key value of individualism and an important feature of liberal democracies. Freedom of speech (which can include media) is one of the most important rights in a democracy. The rights and freedoms protected by documents like the Charter also have limits, these are decided by Canadian courts and the government. Rights are usually limited when your freedom interferes with another person’s rights (e.g., freedom of speech vs. promoting racial hatred) Example: Jim Keegstra case in textbook (p. 52-53)