The source expresses the idea that liberalism has created a discrepancy between the rich and the poor, inequality among individuals, and a lack of services for the people due to little government involvement. The source believes that if the principles of liberalism were to be questioned whenever possible, it would lead to a more equal society. The author appears to be to be rejecting all liberal principles, and is a supporter of collectivism. A government that values socialism protects the economy from instability. By intervening in the economy, a government can prevent drastic boom …show more content…
It has a “group responsibility” mentality. This means that the government will provide assistance for citizens that are unable to provide for themselves or their family by having social programs available. This could include welfare, pensions, employment insurance, and healthcare. Socialist countries redistribute wealth amongst the nation through taxes. When citizens pay their taxes, the government invests their money to provide social programs and services to its people. However, if socialism is taken so far that it turns into communism, it will result in a breakdown of political order. For example, after the death of Vladimir Lenin and the exile of Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin became the new leader of the Soviet Union. He was a brutal dictator who ruled the Soviet Union under totalitarianism. In his early years of power, he created the Five Year Plans to increase industrialization and employment within the Soviet Union. He believed in collectivization, so he abolished private property and forced the farmers to work together to improve the efficiency of agriculture, but this caused a major decrease in the standard of living for peasants. When the farmers refused to give up their grain and livestock, they were either executed or exiled to the Gulag labour camps. Famine eventually struck, but Stalin continued to export grain, …show more content…
This emphasis on the individual is important because a person is responsible for one’s own well being, and can act in one’s own self interest. If he/she abuses this principle, the individual is accountable to the law, and no one is above the law. These principles ensure equal treatment for individuals. During the period of Enlightenment, the importance of individualism, rationality, and the belief in science and reason greatened. After the fall of the Roman Catholic Church, individuals were no longer controlled by the corruption of the church. They had the freedom to explore the sciences and art without fear of punishment. It was a cultural revolution based on reason and rationality. It allowed people to choose their own beliefs and motivated people to get an education and learn about what the world had to offer. The Age of Reason was a huge contributor to the development of the French Revolution. The third estate revolted against the French Monarch, Louis XVI, autocracy and his corruption. The leaders of the revolution demanded that the principles of liberalism be supported and practiced in France. The frustrations of the mob eventually lead to the Reign of Terror, under Maximilien Robespierre. Although it was a brutal time in history that cost thousands of people their lives, it influenced the establishment of “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen”, created by