Liberalism and Secularism

Replication of IAF seminar Kelantan, 30 May 2009

Liberalism

• What is Liberalism?

Liberalism is a political philosophy that considers individual liberty and equality to be the most important political goals.

The main fundamental of a liberal society is freedom.

Liberalism and Secularism, Kelantan, 30th May 2009

Equality before lawEquality before law

Respect for different traditions and lifestyles*

Respect for different traditions and lifestyles*

Best opportunity for all

Best opportunity for all

* No enforced preferences!* No enforced preferences!

Equality and Liberty

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Freedom

Liberalism

• Political freedom allows people to exercise their rights: reducing the possibility of power abuse by those in power.

• Economic freedom promotes free market. Competition directs resources and energies towards their most efficient use and spurs innovation.

• The rule of law safeguards individual freedom from infringements and ensures that political and economic freedoms are exercised within clear and enforced boundaries.

 

ConservatismLiberalism

Material equality

Social responsibility

The common goals

Classless society

Solidarity

Public ownership

Values

Socialism

Tradition

Duty

Hierarchy

Discipline

Freedom

Tolerance

Choice

Responsibility

Entrepreneurship

Competition

Rule of law

Redistribution

Property Endowment

Charity

Social justice

Authority

Order

Liberalism and Secularism, Kelantan, 30th May 2009

John Locke, 1632 - 1704

A Letter Concerning Toleration (1689)

Liberal conceptions of religion

John Locke’s Religious Toleration

• Locke responded to the problem of religion and government by proposing religious toleration as the answer.

• Argument: more religious groups actually prevent civil unrest. Civil unrest results from confrontations caused by any magistrate's attempt to prevent different religions from being practiced, rather than tolerating their proliferation.

John Locke’s Religious Toleration

• Religious toleration is the condition of accepting or permitting others' religious beliefs and practices which disagree with one's own.

• In a country with a state religion, toleration means that the government permits religious practices of other sects besides the state religion, and does not persecute believers of other faiths.

John Locke’s Religious Toleration

• The use of force by the state to get people to hold certain beliefs is illegitimate.

• Men are by nature free and equal against claims that God has made all people naturally subject to a monarch.

John Locke’s Religious Toleration

• People have rights such as the right to life, liberty and property that have a foundation independence of the laws of any particular society.

• Religious societies are voluntary organisations that have no right to use coercive power over their own members or those outside their group.

David Hume 1711 - 1776

Dialogues concerning Natural Religion (1779)

David Hume on Religion, Morality and Reason

• Uniform experience of natural law outweighs the testimony of any alleged miracle.

• We do not need religion as a fundamental of morality.

• Morality should be based on sympathy and interest. • Reason is more important than belief.

Hume did not believe that there is any true religion.

Adam Smith, 1723 - 1790

An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776)

Adam Smith on Religion and Competition

• Religion would prosper in a free and open religious market where men and women could choose among contending faiths.

• Competition is a remedy against dangerous political influence of religion and against fanatism.

Secularism: What is it?

Liberalism and Secularism, Kelantan, 30th May 2009

Its origin

• The Enlightenment, by recognising human freedom as one of its own concerns, sought to reduce the influence of religious law and the church over society and to enable peaceful coexistence of people with different beliefs.

• Natural law accepted that human beings were separate individual capable of independent thought, and were able to make rational decisions in their best interests.

Secularism: What is it?

• It advocates religious liberty and the separation of state and religion.

• It refers to a belief that human actions and decisions should be based on reasons and common sense rather than religious beliefs and influence.

• Secular states would allow religious differences

Liberalism and Secularism, Kelantan, 30th May 2009

Separation of State and Religion

• The state must guarantee religious liberty to its citizens i.e. the freedom of religious belief, freedom of worship – within the limits of the rule of law. The state must not give preference to one religion over another.

Separation of State and Religion

• Impartiality is a prerequisite for the rule of law which guarantees that the law is impartial, it is not based on any religion dogmas and that all citizens are equal before the law regardless of their beliefs.

• Neutrality requires that the state must not neither favour nor disfavour religion as such.

• Not only that state must not interfere in religion and religious affairs but also that the church must not influence the government.

Secularism and the liberal commitment to freedom, rights, tolerance and rule of law

• Secularism is one of the fundamental components of a liberal democracy and a precondition for the flourishing of human rights.

Liberalism and Secularism, Kelantan, 30th May 2009

Secularism and the liberal commitment to freedom, rights, tolerance and rule of law

• It requires tolerance and reject any kind of discrimination based on religious beliefs.

• It requires freedom to shape one’s life in accordance with one’s own beliefs and privacy – the private sphere in which the individual can flourish.

Liberalism and Secularism, Kelantan, 30th May 2009

Rule of Law without Secularism?

– Equality implies that the rights are not to be discriminated against one’s grounds of ethnic or religion.

– Where a formal constitution exists, all laws must be in accordance with the constitution and not violate the liberties and rights enshrined therein

– An independent judiciary , a prerequisite for the rule of law

Rule of Law without Secularism?

– Proceeding in a court of law must be fair and follow certain rules that serve to promote a fair hearing.• The presumption of innocence until proven

guilty• The establishment of guilt beyond any

reasonable doubt.• Investigation and trails in different hands, the

prosecutor and the judge should be different persons

• Trials are public and all evidence and instruments of proof subject to public scrutiny

• The right to legal counsel on the part of the accused

Political rights and civil liberties

without secularism?“Everyone has the right to

freedom of thoughts, conscience and religion;

this right includes freedom to change his religion or

belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with

others and in public or private, to manifest his

religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship

and observance”.

Article 18 of the UDHR

Liberalism and Secularism, Kelantan, 30th May 2009

Political Rights and civil liberties without secularism?

• Relationship between religion and rights matters

• Rights take precedence over religious laws because– Only the former apply to all

citizens– They protect those who

disagree

• Right to non-discrimination implies that no group may claim privilege or preferential treatment

Political Rights and civil liberties without secularism?

• The state is the realm of rights:– The state has the task of

protecting rights as specified in the Constitution.

– Rights protect the citizens vis-à-vis the state

• The state is there for all citizens and hence to protect the rights of all citizens – whereas religions are only there for those who subscribe to its beliefs

Political Rights and civil liberties without secularism?

• There is no priority for religion. Believers and non-believers must be treated equally.

Political rights and civil liberties without secularism

• Freedom and Responsibility: Cartoon controversy published in the Denish newspaper

• If a person want to maximise freedom or to defend their religion at the expense of others, many people will suffer

Liberalism and Secularism, Kelantan, 30th May 2009

Political rights and civil liberties without secularism

• The UDHR refers to the two main actors of the cartoon controversy i.e. the media, religious leaders and politicians.

Liberalism and Secularism, Kelantan, 30th May 2009

Political rights and civil liberties without secularism

• Article 14 states that “the

freedom of the media goes hand in hand with a particular responsibility for precise and true reporting. Sensational reports which violates persons or human dignity must always be avoided.

• Article 15 states describes the responsibility of religious leaders to “neither incite nor legitimate hatred, fanaticism or religious wars

Liberalism and Secularism, Kelantan, 30th May 2009

Secularism in Malaysia?

• What does it mean in the local context?

• How can the concept be applied locally?