Radicalism

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This page is about the historical movement known as 'radicalism', for the political radicalism in general see Radicalism (Disambiguation).

Radicalism (Rad) or Radical Liberalism (RadLib) was a historical set of movements within Classical Liberalism and represented the left-wing of the historical movement. Radical liberalism took principles behind liberalism and applied them to their conclusion (a.k.a. their 'root' or 'radix' and latin, therefore 'radicalism').

For example. a classical liberal might espouse that a democratic system of government and the right to vote should be given. In turn, a radical liberal would take such a statement to its conclusion, that being that women, those without property, immigrants, slaves etc., should all be given the right to vote. Radical liberals also supported positive rights whereas classical ones only advocated negative ones. Moreover, radical liberals were historically the early advocates of welfare states.

By modern standards 'radicalism' is not radical at all, as the reforms made by radical liberals got accepted as the norm; in the modern-day 'radical liberal' is mainly used as an insult.

History

Radical Liberalism first took roots in America following the war of independence and was championed by founding father Thomas Paine. He called for many modern Social Liberal policies like a minimum wage and state pension as universal suffrage (including voting rights for women, which wasn't included in the original Constitution). Radical Liberalism was also practised in pre-Napoleonic France at the time, with similar policies.

Following the Napoleonic wars, radical liberalism would be the dominant ideology of non-classical liberals in democracy. The British Whigs also had a left-wing comprised of radicals and it could be said that Abraham Lincoln was one as well as the former American Whig party (replaced by Lincoln's republicans) and the abolitionist movement at large.

Radical liberal movements declined during the latter half of the 19th century as socialism became the dominant ideology of the left; some radicals became much more moderate and became social liberals and liberal democrats, while others joined the socialists and became liberal socialists and reformist marxists.

Doctrine

Radical Liberals, in the framework of Classical Liberalism, believe in civil liberties such as voting elections, equality before the law, and religious tolerance, but they usually fall into such positions that extended suffrage, positivism and rationalism, welfare for all and any higher sense of just are necessary reforms. These policies are seen as Progressive then and now, Radical Liberals viewed Conservative or Monarchist ideologies as protecting the broken system, one unjustified in its nature and needed to be overthrown with social change. This paved the way for modern Social Liberalism.

Radicalists was just the general trend of more staunch Liberals that would define the left. They vary in every country, ranging from the radicial French Republicans to the British quasi- Christian Socialism to the Italian National positivism. Supportive of the redistribution of property and workers' rights, they influenced some Socialist ideologies along the way. Ironically, Radlibs were against common ownership.

Variants

Chartism

Chartism was a radical, socialist political movement in the early 1800s in Britain. It had the popular support of the British working class and was particularly in Northern England, the East Midlands, the Staffordshire Potteries, the Black Country and the South Wales Valleys. They even tried to launch attempted revolutions in South Wales and Yorkshire.

Eventually the Chartist movement stagnated and failed due to government repression.

Radical Republicanism

Radical Republicans were a faction within the early Republican party that existed from the party's founding in 1854 to the end of Reconstruction. They were called radicals due to their goal of ending slavery without compromise. During the Civil War they clashed with moderate Republicans led by Abraham Lincoln who wanted to compensate slave owners for their freed slaves where as radicals wanted no compensation for slave owners. After the Thirteenth Amendment, Radicals pushed to pass the Fourteenth Amendment granting citizenship rights to all former slaves and establish civil rights for former slaves. Radicals opposed allowing ex-Confederate soldiers to hold political office and brought impeachment charges against Andrew Johnson. Radicals supported the Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant and led Reconstruction efforts until they were effectively ended with the results of the 1876 Presidential Election.

John Brown Thought

John Brown was a radical abolitionist who fought in Bleeding Kansas and led an unsuccessful slave rebellion at Harpers Ferry. Brown was raised in a Puritan family which would profoundly influence his views. He believed that God was using him to act as a new Moses who would lead another race of people out of bondage. Brown believed that violence was necessary to end slavery since decades of peace had failed. Brown was a leader of abolitionist forces in Bleeding Kansas, a state level civil war to determine whether Kansas would be a slave or free state. Brown and his sons killed five slavery supporters in the Pottawatomie massacre and would lead abolitionist forces at the Battle of Black Jack and the Battle of Osawatomie.

In October 1859, Brown led a raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia hoping to start a slave rebellion that would engulf the entire South. The plan however was poorly executed leading to Brown's capture by Robert E. Lee. Brown was tried for treason and was executed by hanging. His actions were a huge contributing factor to the Civil War with Southerners viewing him as a madman and terrorist while Northerners viewed him as a martyr and hero.

As a pejorative

W.I.P

Personality

Radicalism behaves like a 90's "cool kid" rebel that speaks with similar lingo and slang. Particularly he prides himself on being a radical rebel, saying that his ideas and policies are groundbreaking and revolutionary, when in reality they are mild and moderate, as they have become the norm over the last century and a half.

How to Draw

Flag of Radicalism
  1. Draw a ball
  2. Fill it with dark blue
  3. Draw a rose in yellow
  4. Draw the eyes and you're done!
Color Name HEX RGB
Dark Blue #37356D 55, 53, 109
Gold #FFDC23 255, 220, 35


Relationships

Cool

  • Classical Liberalism - My AWESOME father taught to me the AWESOMENESS of liberalism and democracy!
  • Radical Democracy - Dude, Radical Democracy is the best! Like, everyone should have a voice.
  • Welfarism - Giving poor people free money? That sounds totally rad!
  • Progressivism - Hell yeah! Carrying on my radical reformist legacy like a boss!
  • Liberal Feminism - Yeah, I'm such a radical liberal that I believe women should have the right to vote. You go girl!
  • Social Liberalism - My COOL direct successor who carried on my COOL ideals!
  • Liberal Socialism - Yeah bro, combining liberalism with socialism is totally awesome!
  • Radical Centrism - People say that centrists are boring, but this guy right here is super duper cool!
  • Philosophical Anarchism - Extremely radical bro that also supported the French Revolution.
  • Civil Libertarianism - Well done bro! Abolish slavery in America and compensate suffrage to the enslaved!

Semi-Cool

  • Radical Apoliticism - You sure are radical bro, but, like, why don't you care about anything?
  • Radical Feminism - Wow girl! You really are radical, but that's too much, even for me.
  • Radical Environmentalism - Bro, liking animals is cool, but sending mail bombs isn't.
  • Revolutionary Progressivism - Progress is cool and all but DAMN, bro, you need to chillax. John Brown was cool AF tho.
  • Jacobinism - Okay dude, I love the equality, but do you think you could like, not be so murdery?
  • Marxism - Why, like, did you leave me for him? I'm WAY cooler, man!
  • National Liberalism - This whole "national liberation" stuff is RRRAAAAADDD, but why did you betray me like Conlib? At least you're, like, sorta into welfare.
  • Liberal Conservatism - You're kinda like him, but more moderate, so you're like, not too bad I guess.

Uncool

Further Information

Texts

Wikipedia

Gallery

Navigation

  1. ↑ This references to the break between Edmund Burke and Charles James Fox, who were once great friends but never reconciled due to their differing opinions on the French Revolution.
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