Liberalism and Costa Rican Development

📋 Course Outline

1. Liberalism and the Liberal State
2. Tomás Guardia and the 1871 Constitution
3. Liberal Reforms in Costa Rica
4. Anticlerical Laws and Church-State Separation
5. Education, Law and Public Administration
6. Railroad and Export Economy
7. Banana Industry and Foreign Investment

📖 1. Liberalism and the Liberal State

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Liberalism: Liberalism is a set of political, economic, and social ideas based on individual freedom, public liberties, and private property.
• Liberal State: A liberal state is a political and economic model that aims to protect civil rights and reduce church control over public life.
• Freedom of worship: Freedom of worship is the right to practice one’s religion without state favoritism toward a single church.

📝 Essential Points

• The liberal period in Costa Rica is given as 1870 to 1940 after the national campaign.
• Liberalism promotes individual initiatives such as freedom of expression and freedom of worship, meeting, and private property.
• Liberalism restricts church influence in political and social affairs to support religious freedom.
• Liberalism is described as supporting rights like life, freedom, and property as duties of governments.

💡 Memory Hook

Freedom of speech and worship, plus property, means rights; church influence is the thing liberalism limits.

📖 2. Tomás Guardia and the 1871 Constitution

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions