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A Brief History

Political. Thought. A Brief History . THE GREEKS PLATO 424 – 348 B.C. Believed in rule by “Philosopher Kings”. THE GREEKS Key to good government is the harmonious ordering of classes: - Philosophers, because of superior intellect, rule - Soldiers fight & defend

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A Brief History

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  1. Political Thought A Brief History AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  2. THE GREEKS PLATO 424 – 348 B.C. Believed in rule by “Philosopher Kings” AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  3. THE GREEKS Key to good government is the harmonious ordering of classes: - Philosophers, because of superior intellect, rule - Soldiers fight & defend - Farmers & artisans provide necessities of life AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  4. THE GREEKS Plato’s Types of Government: Aristocracy Government by the best Oligarchy Government by the rich & lovers of money Democracy Government by the many AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  5. THE GREEKS Plato believed that Democracy . . . Was unstable and would degenerate into Tyranny AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  6. THE GREEKS ARISTOTLE 384 – 322 B.C. Created a classification of types of Government AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  7. ARISTOTLE’S CLASSIFICATIONS AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  8. THE GREEKS Aristotle believed that the most practical governmental system was the POLITY . . . a mixture of . . . Democracy & Oligarchy under a Constitution AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  9. THE BIG FOUR Major political thinkers arose in Europe during the 1600’s & 1700’s, a time now known as . . . The Age of Enlightenment Some of these philosophers had a major impact on the formation of our government. AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  10. THE BIG FOUR: #1 THOMAS HOBBES 1651 Leviathan AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  11. THE BIG FOUR: #1 In a state of nature, humans were in a constant “war of each against all . . . in continual fear and danger” and life of man was “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short”. AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  12. THE BIG FOUR: #1 According to Hobbes: People came up with a way of creating order out of chaos . . . The Social Contract In exchange for order, individuals would surrender all their natural rights to an absolute monarch . . . Which would be the best form of government AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  13. THE BIG FOUR: #2 JOHN LOCKE 1689 The Second Treatise of Civil Government AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  14. THE BIG FOUR: #2 Believed humans were moral, competent & intelligent. Asserted that “Natural Law” applied to all equally . . . Each person owed respect and consideration to all. AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  15. THE BIG FOUR: #2 Locke also believed: People could not be truly free unless allowed to accumulate private property. People are basically good, and in a natural state “peace, good will, mutual assistance, and preservation” would prevail. AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  16. THE BIG FOUR: #2 However, Locke did recognize 2 problems: People are not perfect and . . . some might take advantage of others, and even without malice, some conflicts would occur. Therefore . . . need for a Social Contract to create a Government to protect the rights of All. AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  17. THE BIG FOUR: #2 According to Locke: This led to conclusion that no person had the moral right to govern another without . . . Consent of the governed. A Social Contract exists between the people and the government . . . and Rulers can only govern with popular consent. AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  18. THE BIG FOUR: #3 Baron de Montesquieu 1748 The Spirit of the Laws AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  19. THE BIG FOUR: #3 Argued that a system of Laws must ensure personal security. Accordingly, government should be prevented from exercising too much power. AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  20. THE BIG FOUR: #2 According to de Montesquieu: Critical to limiting government power are . . . Separation of Powers of parts of Government Checks and Balances between these parts Laws to ensure individual rights & freedoms AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  21. THE BIG FOUR: #4 Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1762 The Social Contract AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  22. THE BIG FOUR: #4 Man was born free. And everywhere he is in chains. Believed in a “Collective Sovereignty” . . . that the power to make laws and rule over a land and people belonged to the “General Will”. AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  23. THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT Isaac Newton 1687 “Principia” Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  24. THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT By proving that the universe is governed by mathematically proven “laws of nature”, he laid the foundation for other philosophers to break from past ways of thinking. AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  25. THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT A government is not free to do as it pleases. The law of nature, as revealed by Newton, stands as an eternal rule to all men. ~ John Locke AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

  26. And all of this laid the foundation for AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Historical Background

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