Define individualism and explain its implications for the state.

Individualism is the belief in the supreme importance of the individual over any collective body or social group. It stems from the liberal belief on human nature that humans are of a self-reliant and uphold a rational nature. Therefore, human beings within society should acquire freedom.
Methodological individualism is the idea that with any policy that the government creates, it should be created with the individual’s wellbeing at the heart of it. The government should only make policies that would benefit the individual. This goes against Bentham’s idea of ‘the greater good for the greatest number’ as it highlights the belief of the individual themselves rather than society on a whole.
Egoistical individualism which is favoured by Classical Liberals, upholds the belief that the government should have a ‘minimum role’ within society. It underpins the idea that the individual should be left alone to flourish their talents with only the ‘night watchmen’ overlooking small factors within society such as defence.
Opposing this would be a Modern Liberal’s view who favour developmental individualism. This idea promotes self-flourishing which could lead on the self-realisation upon the individual’s talents. This would happen through the welfare state which would provide a means for the poor or socials disadvantaged to be empowered and realise their full potential allowing them to become experts within their own ‘playing-fields’. Therefore allowing true equality of opportunity within society as wells as justice and freedom for the individual in question.
Therefore to conclude, all though Classical Liberals believe in Egoistical individualism and Modern Liberal believe in Developmental individualism, they both uphold the same value of the privacy and freedom of the