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600 BCE
Ancient Greek Democracy
Ancient Greece is considered one of the first democracies to ever exist. Although, democracy today is very different than democracy then. In Ancient Greece, those who voted had to be "an adult, male citizen who owned land and was not a slave." Now, every citizen can vote in a representative that will represent people and govern. Ancient Greek Democracy is not as accurate of an example of Classical Liberalism because not everyone was considered equal and not everyone could vote. -
1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was considered a treaty between King John and the barons that was intended to end a feud over unfair taxes and laws. It promised the protection of church rights, protection of barons from illegal punishments, swift justice, and limits on feudal payments. Despite the treaty, little peace was restored and the Magna Carta was ineffective. It is important, however, because it expressed classical liberalism principles we have today such as protection of individuals and rule of law. -
Period: 1301 to 1500
The Renaissance
The Renaissance was a time of social, intellectual, political, and artistic change in European history. At the time, it was believed that a human's nature was divined by a higher power, so Humanists who believed in individual human worth and dignity, reason over faith, and that people chose their own nature were very different from the norm. This period of time reflects the Classical Liberalism belief in the importance of the individual and their rights and freedoms. -
1450
Haudenosaunee Confederation
The Haudenosaunee are considered one of the longest continuously existing participatory democracies in the world. Their system included a Great Law of Peace which stated that there was division of powers among various branches of government, equal participation by all citizens (women included), and the establishment of different rights and freedoms. The Law laid out a path to peace and harmony among the nations and expresses a belief in individual rights and freedoms as well as equality. -
Period: 1517 to
Reformation
Reformation is the reconstruction of the Church in Europe, which was initiated by Martin Luther, a German pastor and others who believed that the Church had become corrupt and gained too much power. Many people broke away from the Roman Catholic Church to make new denominations according to the idea that people were capable of making their own decisions based on reason. Power of the Church waned. This expresses the belief that people are essentially reasonable and can make their own decisions. -
Period: to
Enlightenment
After the ideas from the Renaissance and Reformation grew, European philosophers helped promote ideas about human nature which led to classical liberalism. Thinkers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Adam Smith, etc. all wrote about political, social, and economic ideas of individual rights and freedoms that contributed to the ideology of classical liberalism. This transformed European society. -
Period: to
Industrial Revolution
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American Revolution
Ideas from John Locke and many other liberal thinkers inspired American colonists to seek independence from the British crown. They established a republican form of government (governing authority was in the hands of citizens, not a monarch). The American Revolution expresses the belief of Classical Liberalism that there should be constitutional limits to the power of government. -
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Period: to
Changes to the Class System
Society changed as the ideas of classical liberalism became more popular. The rigid class system that once had people stay in one class their entire lives began to die away, resulting in the emergence of a new social structure based on wealth. People could improve social and economic status through hard work and success. Greater political equality was encouraged and voting rights were expanded to men and eventually to women. Classic liberal societies promoted individual rights and equality. -
