The Ideology of Liberalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Ideology of Liberalism - Essay Example This essay discusses terminology of Industrialism, Liberalism, Socialism and Romanticism. Also it describes some societal and economic factors, that led to the birth of mentioned ideologies. Industrialism witnessed the dilution of the absolute power of the monarchy and the old aristocracy. The middle class, comprised of newly prosperous manufacturers, merchants and bankers, and professionals, used their economic strength to demand a greater role in the political structure. The tenets of early Liberalism included the belief in meritocracy, as opposed to inherited privilege, the guarantee of property and contract rights, the enshrinement of the Bill of Rights, and the rejection of state interference in the economy: a laissez-faire policy. The ideology of Socialism also had its roots in the rise of industrialism. The rise of the middle-class to economic and political prominence, and the unfettered pursuit of profit, widened the social and economic divide between the working classes and the new bourgeoisie. Romanticism, which emphasized the search for direct communication with nature, and the concept of humans as unique individuals, is another ideology which can trace its origins to the reaction of intellectuals to the materialism and mechanization of Industrialism, and to the tenets of Liberalism. In conclusion, the essay states that the ideologies, that were engendered by the Industrial Revolution continue to influence the principles which govern politics and society in the twenty-first century.