modern and classical liberals differ greatly on their views on the state, yet they are both tied to the idea that the state serves the people it governs and the idea of government by consent, differing mainly when it comes to how the state can best serve them. They are unified by the ‘representative state’ but in different eras this meant different things.

Most socialists aspire to an equal society but do not agree on equality of outcomes. Revolutionary socialists are committed to equality of outcome that can only be realised through revolution. On the other hand, social democrats although believe in the ideal of equality of outcome, favour equality of opportunity through the expansion of the state to introduce socialist policies to ensure social justice, they see this as practical and creating harmony between the owners of capital and the workers. The Third Way reject equality of outcome and neither see it as an ideal or a positive measure of success.