Liberalism Timeline

In Ancient Greece, although someone would be elected to represent the people, not everyone was allowed to take part in the voting process. In order to be able to vote, "one had to be an adult, male citizen who owned land and was not a slave." This did not give everybody the right to take part in the election processes. This democracy connects to one of the principles of liberalism - the rule of law. Citizens (that were eligible to vote) had control of government decisions and were found equal before the law. This also gave power to the citizens instead of the government which was common during the development of Classical Liberalism. This also illustrates a lack of equality, which is something that doesn't represent classical liberalism.

The Magna Carta was a charter written with the intention of fixing conflicts between King John and his subjects. It established a new relationship between them and tried to re-balance power. It was one of the earliest written documents outlining the rule of law, and the establishment of fundamental rights and freedoms. It illustrated the classic liberalistic views in regards to equality before the law, even for rulers, and it also ensured individual rights and freedoms to each person. It contributed to the development of classical liberalism through the introduction of many of its main ideas, such as the rule of law, and individual rights and freedoms. It still remains a significant symbolic power in regards to individual rights and equal treatment before the law, which are central to classic liberalism.

The Renaissance really emphasized humanism. This put focus on the importance of an individual rather than a divine being. Humanism believed in an individual's goodness and strived towards the needs of humans. This decreased the authority held by the churches. This played a role in classical liberalism through providing power to the people instead of the church and monarch. In doing so societies started work towards equality.

This is a confederacy made up of First Nations tribes that were once at war, but decided to unite and abide by the Great Law of Peace (their oral constitution). The key guiding principles were: divisions of power, equal participation by citizens, and rights and freedoms. The nations came together to form a cohesive group referred to as the Six Nations. The Haudenosaunee Confederation is recognized as one of the most ancient democracies in the world. The strong emphases of equality and the clear respect for individual rights and freedoms demonstrate a direct contribution to the development of classic liberalism. Also, historians have made links between the Great Law of Peace and the American Constitution and have found obvious liberalistic influences from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy in today's modern nation, further demonstrating the development of classic liberalism.

The Reformation is seen as the restructuring of the European Church. Martin Luther thought the Church had maintained too much power. He demanded the Church to be changed. This weakened the power of the Church and faith of the rational nature of human beings and humanism grew. Self-interest and individual rights were seen as higher priorities than following the ruling of the Church. The emphasis on individual rights and freedoms relates to the same ideology which is found in classical liberalism.

The Enlightenment was a movement which surrounded having personal freedoms, and not having to follow the Catholic Church. It helped promote ideas that are related to classical liberalism. They questioned traditional authority and embraced the notion that humanity could be improved through rational change. Kind of like the Renaissance, it put a focus on the importance of an individual rather than a divine being. It's emphasis on individual rights and freedoms and protection of liberties also relate to classical liberalism.

The Industrial Revolution shifted the social, economic, and political aspects of the lives of all citizens. Factors that contributed to the revolution were technology, private property, individual rights and freedoms, and self-interest. The revolution made marginalized groups fight for rights and freedoms, That directly relates to values of classical liberalism. People also worked to take part in government, be treated equally, and to own private property, which aligns with classic liberalism.

The American Revolution was when the American colonies rebelled against the British government who controlled them. The British government was telling the colonies who they can trade with - and they wanted free trade and independence. They won it after the American Revolutionary war in 1776. Once they were independent, they formed a democracy with adapted ideas from the Enlightenment. They found their own individual rights and freedoms, and had their own property. This aligns with the views classical liberalism has on rights and property.

Due to the class division, the Bourgeoisie wanted equality, rights and freedoms, and a Rule of Law. It was unfair that the aristocracy often came before the law while the lower classes still had to suffer. After many rebellions by the lower class, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was created. This protected individual rights and had a large influence on the spread of freedom and democracy in Europe. These are things that fall under the beliefs of classical liberalism

Class was now being based upon how much money someone had and their working status. The parts of classical liberalism that were considered most important were private property and economic freedom. Class was now based on the freedom to buy and sell. Some also wanted to purchase and sell land and obtained their private property. The class system also introduced competition as a result of self-interest. The classical liberalism present during this time gave citizens a better opportunity for success, and therefore a better chance of entering a higher class.