During the Nineteenth Century, Paternalist Ideas Waned, as the Philosophy of laissez-faire: Contract Law Essay, SIM, Singapore

Assignment Overview:

“During the nineteenth century, paternalist ideas waned, as the philosophy of laissez-faire took root. Most educated people including judges, took laissez-faire to mean that the law should interfere with people as little as possible.

Its main objective was to enable people to “realize their wills”, or, in more prosaic language, to leave them to get on with their own business, to conduct their commercial affairs as they thought best, to lead their own lives unhampered by governmental interference, and so forth.”

Discuss to what extent the philosophy of laissez-faire and freedom of choice underpins the law contract today.