Permissive society
Encyclopedia
The permissive society is a society where social norms are becoming increasingly liberal
. This usually accompanies a change in what is considered deviant. While typically preserving the rule "do not harm others", a permissive society would have few other moral codes (harm principle
, no victimless crimes). Aspects that often change as a society becomes more permissive:
The most cited example is that of the social revolution
and sexual revolution
of the 1960s in Europe and America both in the new attitudes to the arts, abortion, homosexuality and capital punishment. Also commonly mentioned is the general loosening of Britain's former adherence to Victorian values.
Though some view permissiveness as a positive, social conservatives claim that it destroys the structure for a civilized and valid society. For example, lower divorce
rates, decreasing the incidence of sexually transmitted disease
s, and controlling crime
are all desirable. Totalitarianism can invoke either social stance at its convenience, regardless of magnitude.
Others answer that these problems are themselves outcomes of the very repressiveness that seeks to eliminate them, where citizens thinking, speaking, and acting freely have contributed to a society where freethinkers thrive, without having to fear repression through intolerance.
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
. This usually accompanies a change in what is considered deviant. While typically preserving the rule "do not harm others", a permissive society would have few other moral codes (harm principle
Harm principle
The harm principle holds that the actions of individuals should only be limited to prevent harm to other individuals. John Stuart Mill first articulated this principle in On Liberty, where he argued that "the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized...
, no victimless crimes). Aspects that often change as a society becomes more permissive:
- Sexual freedom increases. This includes the freedom to take part in sexual activities which were previously considered unacceptable or even criminalized, such as BDSMBDSMBDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
, fetishesSexual fetishismSexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...
, and homosexualityHomosexualityHomosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. Freedom to view violent and sexual material including moviesFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, musicMusicMusic is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, artArtArt is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
and literatureLiteratureLiterature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
increases, and censorshipCensorshipthumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
of these and other arts decreases. - The power of religious groupsReligionReligion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
subsides, often accompanied by a rising secularismSecularismSecularism is the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries...
.
The most cited example is that of the social revolution
Social revolution
The term social revolution may have different connotations depending on the speaker.In the Trotskyist movement, the term "social revolution" refers to an upheaval in which existing property relations are smashed...
and sexual revolution
Sexual revolution
The sexual revolution was a social movement that challenged traditional codes of behavior related to sexuality and interpersonal relationships throughout the Western world from the 1960s into the 1980s...
of the 1960s in Europe and America both in the new attitudes to the arts, abortion, homosexuality and capital punishment. Also commonly mentioned is the general loosening of Britain's former adherence to Victorian values.
Though some view permissiveness as a positive, social conservatives claim that it destroys the structure for a civilized and valid society. For example, lower divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
rates, decreasing the incidence of sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
s, and controlling crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
are all desirable. Totalitarianism can invoke either social stance at its convenience, regardless of magnitude.
Others answer that these problems are themselves outcomes of the very repressiveness that seeks to eliminate them, where citizens thinking, speaking, and acting freely have contributed to a society where freethinkers thrive, without having to fear repression through intolerance.