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collectivism vs. individualism: "While philosophies emphasizing the collective over the individual have been articulated and challenged in every era by every human civilization in existence, cohesive theories and systems promoting individualism over collectivism have emerged only over the past 300 years. These individualist theories were a product of the Enlightenment, a period during which a new idea of human nature was slowly taking shape. In contrast to the traditional collectivist view of man as a mere cog in the machine of the state, the individualist liberals saw man as an independent rational being, capable of making his own decisions and being responsible for them. Condemning societies based around order, discipline, and servitude to supra-personal goals, the hallmarks of collectivism, the individualists went on to establish free societies emphasizing liberty, toleration, and self-rule. Individualist theories rapidly evolved and diversified, spreading from Europe to the rest of the world. "