Transcript Political philosophy

A short guide to political
philosophies
“Politics for Dummies”
Key words and ideas
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State
Sovereign
Constitution
Divine right
Absolutism
Evolution
Social contract
Preamble
Natural Rights
Popular sovereignty
Government and the State
• Q: What is government?
• A: institutions through which a country or society
makes and enforces policy.
• Q: Why do people need governments?
• A: protection, maintain public order, conflict
resolution, ensure economic stability, provides
basic public services.
• Q: What are the different parts of government?
• A: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.
Theories of Government
Evolution TheoryParental rule transforms into tribal rule where the strongest
naturally become leaders.
Force TheoryBase on conquest and subjugation. Weaker
groups are forced to submit to stronger ones.
Divine Rights TheoryGod selects the rulers usually absolute monarchy.
Faith in an interpersonal God is required
Social ContractWe give up our right to ourselves exact retribution for
crimes in return for impartial justice backed by
overwhelming force. We retain the right to life and liberty,
and gain the right to just, impartial protection of our
property .
The State of Nature
Who are the important Enlightenment philosophers?
According to the philosophers what was the state of
nature like?
What are nature’s laws?
What is the social contract?
According to the Social Contract Theory
who is the source of political power?
What does Locke say is the real reason for
governments? (See primary source on page 11)
The Preamble to the United States
Constitution
• “We the People of the United
States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice,
insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common
defense, promote the general
Welfare, and secure the
Blessings of Liberty to ourselves
and our Posterity, do ordain and
establish this Constitution for the
United States of America. “
Rousseau
• The Social Contract
• The General Will
• Sovereignty should be in the hands
of the people
• The government is charged with
implementing and enforcing the
general will and is composed of a
smaller group of citizens, known as
magistrates.
• Rousseau believed in direct
representation rather than a
republic
Montesquieu
• He was a French political
thinker who lived during the
Enlightenment. He is famous
for his theory of separation of
powers
• He said that each branch of
government should have some
powers and that each should
also be a check to the other
branches power.
John Locke
• Locke is perhaps the most influential
of all the Enlightenment political
philosophers
• Two Treatises on Government
• In a natural state all people were equal
and independent, and none had a right
to harm another’s “life, liberty, or
property.”
• Locke like Montesquieu also
advocated governmental checks and
balances and believed that revolution
is not only a right but an obligation in
some circumstances
Locke cont.
Violation of the social contract:
If a ruler seeks absolute power, if he acts both as judge and
participant in disputes, he puts himself in a state of war with his
subjects and we have the right and the duty to kill such rulers
and their servants.
Role of the State:
The only important role of the state is to ensure that justice is seen to
be done
Voltaire
• Deist who criticized the major
institutions of the day like the French
monarchy and the Catholic Church
• Freedom of speech
• Freedom of religion
• Right to a fair trial
• Hated wars and prisons
• Thought Christianity had become too
filled with superstitions
• Was not an atheist rather he said
there was no need for faith since the
existence of God was proven by
reason.
Principals of Government
• Elites: People who hold power in society
• Marxist Ideology: The capitalist owners have the power
and government a tool to control the masses. (proletariat
and bourgeoisie)
• Power elite: Business owners and heads of corporations,
top military generals and government officials
• Bureaucrats: government officials who work behind the
scenes usually unanswerable to the public
• Pluralist society: many have the chance to influence
public policy
Types of Governments
• Democracy
• Republican
• Constitutional
Monarchy
• Dictatorship
• Oligarchy
• Aristocracy
• Absolute
Monarchy
• Theocracy
• One Party Rule
Geographic Distribution of Power
• Unitarian Government: Power all centrally
located. Eg. Great Britain
• Federal System: Power divided between a
central and several state and or local
governments Eg. United States
• Confederation: A loose alliance among
several nations or states brought together
for common interests such as defense and
economic prosperity. Eg. CSA and Delian
League
Legislative and Executive Branches of
Government
B. Presidential
A. Parliamentary
*Legislative and executive powers
combined
Chief Executive is the Prime Minister
* Member of Legislature
* Leader of Majority
Party
•Chosen by Party
•No Fixed Term
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Separates Legislative & Executive
President
Checks and Balances
Popular Vote
* Fixed term
What is a Republican form of
Government?
• The Roman Republic
• The need for civic
virtue and a robust
citizenry
• Balanced powers
• A Mixed Constitution
• The Common Welfare
• Madisonian
Republicanism
(Representative
Democracy)
The English Example
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Feudal Government
Magna Carta
Parliament
Writ of Habeus Corpus
Petition of Right
Toleration Act
Bill of Rights
Constitutional Monarchy
Section 3
Basic Concepts of Democracy
“Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm” James Madison
The American form of democracy is based on certain principals
1. A republic is superior to a democracy
2. Individual rights are inherited and must be protected
3. People are equal before the law
4. Majority rules while still protecting and respecting the rights of the minority.
Eg. Bill of Rights
5. Separation of Powers and a system of Checks and Balances
6. Constitutionalism (A nation of laws)
a. No man is above the law
b. Due process for all citizens
7. Government should be limited
8. A government gets its power from the consent of the governed and all are
subject to the laws of nature and nature’s God.
9. Free market capitalism with some government regulation and promotion
sometimes called a mixed economy
10. Basic two party system