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The Philosophy of Government

The Philosophy of Government. The Role of Government. Government exists to provide structure to any society this is often done in the form of laws This brings up the debate on the ideal balance between order and freedom Unlimited freedom and absolute order have many drawbacks.

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The Philosophy of Government

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  1. The Philosophy of Government

  2. The Role of Government • Government exists to provide structure to any society this is often done in the form of laws • This brings up the debate on the ideal balance between order and freedom • Unlimited freedom and absolute order have many drawbacks

  3. The Disposition of Man • One difference in the political philosophies is how the authors of that philosophy see the human race

  4. Thomas Hobbes • Hobbes was one of the first political philosophers • In Leviathan (1651) Hobbes wrote that man was inherently evil • Because of this man needed to be ruled by an absolute monarch that would have the power to curb the evil impulses of the people

  5. Thomas Hobbes • Hobbes felt that the purpose of government was to keep society from falling into disorder and protect people from there own wicked ways

  6. John Locke • Locke disagreed with Hobbes • He believed that human beings were inherently good and were able to reason • Locke believed that people had natural rights and that it was the role of the government to safeguard these rights

  7. John Locke • In Treatises on Government (1690) Locke explored the idea of the Social Contract • This idea expressed the belief that unjust government was not to be endured by the people • In this case rebellion would be justified • Locke’s ideas were used to justify several rebellions in history

  8. Adam Smith • Adam Smith theorized that a free economy could generate more wealth than a regulated economy • In The Wealth of Nations (1776) Smith cited three laws that he felt proved his position • The Law of Self Interest • The Law of Competition • The Law of Supply and Demand

  9. Adam Smith • Smith was the economic equivalent of Locke • He preached economic liberty to accompany social freedoms • Smith saw the Free Market Economy as a natural, self-governing, self-sustaining system

  10. Baron de Montesquieu • Montesquieu continued on the same grounds as Locke • In On the Spirit of Laws (1748) Montesquieu introduced the idea of Separation of Power • He felt that executive, legislative, and judicial needed to be separate for liberty to exist • “Power should check power”

  11. Baron de Montesquieu • In this way no branch of government could become to powerful and become a threat to liberty • On the Spirit of Laws became the frame work for the constitution of the United States

  12. Jean Jacques Rousseau • Like Locke, Rousseau also believed in the rights of man • But unlike Locke Rousseau believed that the people themselves should be dominant • His famous quote from The Social Contract (1762) “Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains” summed up his belief that liberty was natural and oppression was unnatural

  13. Overview • These new philosophies led to a shift in thinking in Europe and in North America • The ideas were based on reason instead of tradition

  14. Assignment • Philosophers- • You will Research the Philosophers that we just talked about and complete the chart provided.

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