Читать книгу Liberalism and Capitalism Today - Paul-Jacques Lehmann - Страница 9

Liberalism brought the superiority of the individual to the fore. Prior to that period, the individual did not constitute an element of society to which philosophers gave prominence. Capitalism would develop from this new way of thinking, even though liberalism and capitalism should not be confused, especially with regard to the role of the state and their respective positions vis-à-vis monopolies.

Liberalism is also at the origin of the advent of democracy – a guarantee of formal equality – whereas an aristocratic society can only generate inequality. In such a situation, the more equality extends, the more the demand for equality widens and the more inequalities appear unacceptable. This change in political structure has completely different economic consequences.