Liberalism is a distinct political movement that came about during the age of enlightenment. It was a prominent ideological perspective among philosophers, economists, and scientists. The main thrust of this ideology was to support the issue of equality of all before the eyes of the law.
Furthermore, a liberal government was supposed to defend the freedom of the press, speech, worship, private property, and the use of national resources. In addition, this movement was supposed to create a government that liberalized operations in terms of pricing, managing rent, and wages. Essentially, the government was not supposed to take part in determining or controlling these factors. The government’s role was to create an enabling environment that would allow competition and various market forces to determine a favorable equilibrium. The liberal government was also supposed to create a society that promoted individual liberty and maximization of choice. The major drivers of this view were Adam Smith, Thomas Malthus, and Adam Smith.
Democracy is a political concept that gives power to the citizens. As a political concept, democracy holds the idea that people need to hold power directly or indirectly through elected agents. The primary guiding tenets of democracy include establishing popular sovereignty, the majority rule, upholding individual rights, free participation of the citizens in open elections, and involvement of the citizens in the affairs of governance. In essence, society cannot progress without a consensus.
Socialism is a political concept that gained prominence during the industrial revolution. The emergence of technologies that included mass production led to the view that a society could only benefit when the government controlled the means of production. The major proponents of this theory were Karl Marx and Fredric Engels. The main ideas enshrined in socialism included collectivism, public ownership, central economic planning, and economic equality. Socialists believed that liberalism had failed to offer the promise of freedom and equality. As a result, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat were locked in class warfare.
The scientific analysis and utopian explanation behind these political views propose an ideal society. In essence, these political views and ideologies provide grounds for realizing societal ideals. Each political orientation has its flaws and limitations upon analysis. As such, it is impossible to realize utopian idealizations.