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Intro to Government and Politics

Intro to Government and Politics. Unit 1 Political Theory. Journal #3. Name: Date: Copy question: Can humans live without some form of government? Why or why not? Explain. Dilemma of Government. The original dilemma of government involved freedom versus order .

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Intro to Government and Politics

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  1. Intro to Government and Politics Unit 1 Political Theory

  2. Journal #3 Name: Date: Copy question: Can humans live without some form of government? Why or why not? Explain.

  3. Dilemma of Government • The original dilemma of government involved freedom versus order. • Control over human behavior • The modern dilemma of government involves freedom versus equality. • Control over human rights • The problem with Gov’t is that the leaders are human = CONFLICT. • What is the nature of humankind? Good or evil?

  4. Philosophical Theories about Mankind • State of Nature: • The “hypothetical” state in which humans lived before the state (i.e. gov’t) was created. • Natural Law: • Theorizes that laws come from nature and that humans have an internal sense of morality. • Humans act in self-preservation. • There is a defined right and wrong • We are all equal • Social Contract: • People give up their freedom (sovereignty) to gain order through the rule of law.

  5. Major Political Theorists

  6. Ancient Greek Philosophy • Plato and Aristotle both agreed that gov’t should be ran by “virtuous” and rational thinkers. • Elected Oligarchies are the best form of rule (republic). • People are not equal, so each should have their own level/place in society. • Class system

  7. Thomas Hobbes(1588 – 1679) State of Nature: People are basically evil by nature • Saw people living as: • Predators • Doing anything they wanted for their own benefit. - Life in such a condition would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

  8. Hobbes • View on Gov’t: • A strong, powerful government was necessary to escape chaos and guarantee survival for the weak and helpless. Social Contract theorist: You surrender your freedom to the government, but in return you live in a ordered and secure society. As long as the government maintains order, you do not have the right to break the contract.

  9. Hobbes Regulate everything

  10. John Locke(1632 – 1704) • State of Nature: People born with a blank slate (“tabula rasa”) but mostly good in nature. • What motivates humankind? “Good and evil, reward and punishment, are the only motives to a rational creature: these are the spur and reins whereby all mankind are set and guided.”

  11. Locke View on government: • Protect life, liberty, and property. • Create order in society where people can flourish, progress and prosper. Social Contract Theorist: You surrender your rights to the government, but if the government is unjust you have the right and responsibility to overthrow the government. • Government should leave people free to pursue their own interests while protecting their rights (classical liberalism).

  12. Locke LET PEOPLE LIVE

  13. JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU(1712 – 1778) State of nature: People are born innocent. Society influences whether they are evil or good. • View of government: Government exists to protect the common good.The will of the people as a whole gives power and direction to the state (feared republican form of government). • Social Contract theorist: a contract between people, not between the people and a ruler. People should give up some freedom in favor of the majority's decision (if you break the contract, you should be executed). Social Contract Theorist: People create gov’t to escape pain and suffering.

  14. Karl Marx(1818 – 1883) • Viewed capitalism and private property as the “great evils” as they have the ability to corrupt the ruling elite and the people. • Marxist thought formed the basis of socialism & communism, which allows government to own all land and industry on behalf of the people. • Public goods were to be equally shared. • Class conflict would not exist.

  15. Marx Equality

  16. Major Political TheoristsRecap • Thomas Hobbes: Order • Government should maintain control and regulate most aspects of human life to insure order. • John Locke: Freedom • Government should allow man to pursue their own interests with only protecting their individual rights. • Karl Marx: Equality • Government should promote equality and regulation of goods and industry. People work for the good of the state.

  17. Who is Right? Karl Marx John Locke Thomas Hobbes (Socialism/Communism) (Classical Liberalism) (Powerful Central Gov.) LET PEOPLE LIVE EQUALITY REGULATE EVERYTHING

  18. Other Political Theorists that influenced American Politics

  19. BARON DE MONTESQUIEU (1689 – 1755) • Claimed: Tyranny can be avoided by dividing and sharing political power among a the classes and groups. • To prevent the abuse of power it is necessary to separate the power of government • Checks and Balances: • legislative: make the laws • executive: enforce the laws • judicial: interpret the laws

  20. VOLTAIRE(1694 – 1778) Freedom of thought, speech and opinion (religion) is most important liberty a person can have. "I do not agree with a word you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

  21. Group discussion Assignment: State of nature

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