Full Idea
To get a liberal society one would have to claim that either everyone possesses autonomy to an equal degree or that everyone possesses a threshold level of the capacity that entitles them to enjoy the full liberal rights.
Gist of Idea
Liberalism needs people to either have equal autonomy, or everyone to have enough autonomy
Source
John Charvet (Liberalism: the basics [2019], 07)
Book Reference
Charvet,John: 'Liberalism: the basics' [Routledge 2019], p.77
A Reaction
This leaves out the more right-wing attitude that people can increase their capacity for autonomy if they are forced to stand on their own feet. A liberal society must decide how to treat persons incapable of proper autonomy.