Western Civilization II / Unit 10 WC2 0912 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Liberalism: Equality Before the Law, and Rights as Universal
Captions available
The idea
Liberalism, the word regular by eighteen thirty, was the creed of the educated middle class: freedom from despotism, privilege, economic interference, intolerance and censorship. Its core beliefs came from the two revolutions: equality before the law against the estates, and rights as universal privileges of citizenship, not of groups.
In practice
Speech, press, religion, markets: rights for every citizen.
Where people slip
Universal rights, restricted votes: 0913.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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