Political Theory: Comparing Locke, Rousseau and Plato

Locke What is the function of political science we could live in the sound out of temperament, we dont sine qua non wedge or s everywhereign life, conversance and keeping State of disposition custody live according to creator and g all overned by modestness mankindkind exists in the raise of nature in improve impoverisheddom to do as they deprivation, a state of perfect freedom non necessarily erect or bad, go is calm and peaceful custody fix up some of their freedom to secure the advantages of cultivatedized socity men stimulate the right to protect their freedom (killing if necessary) bound by the constabularys of nature contrast with hobbes everyone has the right over everything, in that location exist no private property Liberty to do as he entrust, moreover non harm others affair of government to secure the rude(a) rights of property rights and liberty we need law en displumers (soverign), we give magnate to one person and in doing so this makes a government Private home one established once you mixture your labor with nifty most important because we essential become a state because of the scarcity of resource (prisoners dilemma) and the innovation of money mandatory to own property trance living in commonwealth, heap mix labour with other plentys resource (compensated) Representation trains the government fits the heap safeguard against oppression disapproval of absolute monarchies they argon arbitary and represent interest of one governement moldinessiness incessantly be for the populate 1. government essential be desgined to protect the people from the gov . natural rights must be secured Rousseau mans main drive is self preservation, hardly thinks that hobbes and locke overestimated the likelihood of the state of war men be inherintely unafraid State of personality gives life to oecumenical will, so all can live well men atomic number 18 free and equal, seen as nobel savages, besides concerned with immediate needs (hunger, sex, fear, death) savages ar motivated by self preservation and pity, men are naturally inviolable and dont want to agony individually other, doesnt want the state of war believes civilization is what corrupted him, save man is not concerned with materialistic values Morality differs from locke in the state of nature thither is no reason for law, right or object lessonity because we tend to avoid harming each other because of our natural aversion to disquiet and suffereing Social Contract must have a group that mediates the people and government we must force people to be free and force people to follow the sovereign Property rights must mix labor, cannot have more than others because this is a source of ine better materialistic thinks are ma force us virtuously worse everything that comes from nature is skilful, everything from family is bad a source of inequality creates dependence and jealousy Purpose of government to bring the people in harmony to fuse them under the general will facsimile citizens cannot give a track their civil duties, they must ruinicipate in regime, because the direct democracy must represent the general will Rousseau-Social Contract The lines of inequality, amor proper, problem of general discontent Answer to the problem of natural freedom. Nature provides no standards for desex who should find oneself Man is not a political animal, the general will is the root of all legitimatize authority All standards of justice and right have the origin in the uncommon human property of the will or free agency Liberation of the will from the usual sources that is the countenance center of gloom of Roussaus philosophy. Primacy of the will Given rousseaus libertarian conception of human nature. The fundamental problem is how to find a form of association that defends and protects with all the common force the person and goods of each assort and by core which e ach individual uniting with all obeys precisely himself and remains free. First part says that the aim of the contract is to protect and defend the common goods of each member. Consistent with Lockes cites that the purpose of society is protect the credentials of each members. Rousseau attention deficit hyperactivity dis identifys a second and more disctinctly original claim. The contract must retard the conditions for mutual protection, but also in uniting with one another each person obeys only himself and remains as free as he was before. Isnt the essence of the hearty contract great(p) up part of our natural freedom? How can we remain as free. Total frenzy of each associate unitedly with all of his rights to the entire community Total alienation, entire community. To mark off the terms of the agreements, persons must totally give themselves up for the social contract. When we alienate ourselves, this must be given to the entire community.This is to ensure that t he general will works. General will is only legitimate sovereign. The famous doctrine of the sovereignty of the people When we give ourselves over to it, we do nothing more than obey ourselves. Sovereign is not third party, it is plainly the people as a whole acting in their collective dexterity. How do we remain as free as we were before? Formula for freedom or tyranny of the majority? lonesome(prenominal) done total alienation do we remain free, because nobody is dependent on the will of another.The new broad of sovereign is the general will, which is the general interest or rational will of the community. Since we all contribute to the formative of this general will, we do nothing but obey ourselves when we subscribe to this general will. Not the freedom of the state of nature, but it is a new kind of freedom that he calls moral freedom. The passage from the state of nature to the civil state produces a remarkable change in man. Gives our actions a moral quality that they previously lacked. What man loses is his natural liberty, but he gains civil liberty. But, to the proceedings acquisitions or civil liberty, we add moral liberty which makes man truly the master of himself. Obedience that one has prescribed for oneself is freedom, moral liberty. The moral and political implications are massive. For Hobbes and Locke liberty is the theatre of human conduct that is unregulated by the law. Where the law is silent, the citizen is free to do whatsoever it is he chooses to do. For Rousseau, law is the very beginning of our freedom, but we are free to the bound that we are participants in the laws that we in turn obey. emancipation style acting in conformity to self-imposed law. A difference amid two very different conceptions of liberty Liberal vs. Republican Rousseau makes heroic and senseless assumptions virtually human nature. Why would we like to get together and engage in debate about political matters. clement nature and our capac ity to engage in debate. Unless everyone is engaged in the process of legislation, there is no way to know that the laws are really an expression of my will. You will find yourselves dependent on the will of others.Freedom from dependence. The problems of inequality, amor proper, problem of general discontent Answer to the problem of natural freedom. Nature provides no standards for determining who should rule Man is not a political animal, the general will is the foundation of all legitimate authority All standards of justice and right have the origin in the unique human property of the will or free agency Liberation of the will from the usual sources that is the true center of gravity of Roussaus philosophy. Primacy of the will Given rousseaus libertarian conception of human nature. The fundamental problem is how to find a form of association that defends and protects with all the common force the person and goods of each associate and by means which each individual unitin g with all obeys only himself and remains free. First part says that the aim of the contract is to protect and defend the common goods of each member. Consistent with Lockes claims that the purpose of society is protect the security of each members. Rousseau adds a second and more disctinctly original claim. The contract must ensure the conditions for mutual protection, but also in uniting with one another each person obeys only himself and remains as free as he was before. Isnt the essence of the social contract giving up part of our natural freedom? How can we remain as free. Total alienation of each associate together with all of his rights to the entire community Total alienation, entire community. To ensure the terms of the agreements, persons must totally give themselves up for the social contract. When we alienate ourselves, this must be given to the entire community.This is to ensure that the general will works. General will is only legitimate sovereign. The famous d octrine of the sovereignty of the people When we give ourselves over to it, we do nothing more than obey ourselves. Sovereign is not third party, it is simply the people as a whole acting in their collective capacity. How do we remain as free as we were before? Formula for freedom or tyranny of the majority? Only through total alienation do we remain free, because nobody is dependent on the will of another.The new kind of sovereign is the general will, which is the general interest or rational will of the community. Since we all contribute to the shaping of this general will, we do nothing but obey ourselves when we subscribe to this general will. Not the freedom of the state of nature, but it is a new kind of freedom that he calls moral freedom. The passage from the state of nature to the civil state produces a remarkable change in man. Gives our actions a moral quality that they previously lacked. What man loses is his natural liberty, but he gains civil liberty. But, to the proceedings acquisitions or civil liberty, we add moral liberty which makes man truly the master of himself. Obedience that one has prescribed for oneself is freedom, moral liberty. The moral and political implications are massive. For Hobbes and Locke liberty is the sphere of human conduct that is unregulated by the law. Where the law is silent, the citizen is free to do some(prenominal) it is he chooses to do. For Rousseau, law is the very beginning of our freedom, but we are free to the extent that we are participants in the laws that we in turn obey.Freedom means acting in conformity to self-imposed law. A difference between two very different conceptions of liberty Liberal vs. Republican Rousseau makes heroic and unreasonable assumptions about human nature. Why would we like to get together and engage in debate about political matters. Human nature and our capacity to engage in debate. Unless everyone is engaged in the process of legislation, there is no way to know tha t the laws are really an expression of my will. You will find yourselves dependent on the will of others. Freedom from dependence.Aristotle reasoned approach basic goal of politics was to help society achieve the good life, create a society that allows its citizens to prosper humans are seen as political animals and thus politicas as a force of nature citizens take place in politics, they are seen as the backbone of the state and have a responsibility to the state, not all citizens are equal, but all want sovireign good citizens not posses what it takes to be good man polity= lift out form of government the rich rule over the rest by familiarity and democracy king should not have all the power, he should be the guardian of the law (has less power than plato and machs ruler) because of the seperation of powers legislative, executive and juidical less power and more mobility CITIZENS anyone can go into in politics (must participate) By nature everyone has the capacity of reason and is able to participate in politics Slaves are legit they are the means of production so that everyone else can participate in politics command by virtue, moral and reason Education can change conslitation for progess because children are taught from young age to reason, (public learning) Bartering=natural Aristotle- Politics Human beings are political animals. Problematic relation between economics and politics routine of labour and role of commerce The political community is designed to promote human flourishing bliss is a life of activity expressing virtue Essence of Political rule ruling and being rule The highest community is the political community Without law man is the worst of animals and law depends for its existence on the state.In order to meet our needs we must interact with nature to get the results we want. pass water is a process, not an activity. Work is enslaving, provided by necessity Some people are fit for being slaves, others are fit for ruli ng. It is only natural that things are that way. Man is a political animal, that needs to live in a community. get by is necessary, and therefore there is a need for a division of labour. Property is those goods need to develop their great power to develop a virtuous life Surplus has to be exchanged. Profit making is the pursuit of simulated wealth (capital)The Unconditionally outdo regime is the rule of the virtuous. Fundamental value of political community is knowledge Aristotle criticizes Platos utopia, arguing that it gives too much unity to the state, and would make the state into an individual. A government is good when it aims at the good of the whole community, bad when it cares only for itself. Good Governments Bad Governments Monarchy dictatorship (Worse) Aristocracy Oligarchy complete government (polity) body politic (Least worse) Citizenship is defined by participation in office and in ruling. Political rule is mastery of free people ublic life is far more virtuo us than the private Good citizen vs. good man Aristotle does not have a conception of an absolute good and has a more matrial composition of pietism. rights Machiavelli use deception and illusion for the better purpose of economic ends of the state prince must be mean opportunitst, people should never know the real him, but this creates a high risk of being seen as bad leader overall the lead is not a good one because you cannot rule you people with immoral action ends justify means goal of politics to maintain power and stability citizen must obey ruler and do as one told, no room for citizen participation in politics equality does not exist prince must be loved and feared progress for the state = improving means of production (capitalism) Virtue fortune/luck is half our actions always appear virtuous one capacity to understand political life and control it for the great good of the state not for the sake of theology priority of security over morality price must be immoral when need be, to ensure the state security generosity vs compassion Machiavelli-Power A good ruler is not always good he is good when he has to be but is cruel when the situation requires it. Leader or prince must have virtu a set of qualities necessary to be a politician worthy of cheering Learn to be able to not be good He attacks secular moralists and the Christian ideals of morality The prince must have courage to do whatever it takes to get what he needs. Small evils to prevent greater evils Political stability is a condition for a private moral life Domestic sphere is the domain of morality. Role of the state is to ensure security Prince must be a realist Acquisition of power is important How is power won, lost and retained is the main focus of The Prince No traditional idea of legitimate power To achieve political ends, power is necessary. Fortuna, it is good to do whatever is required to obtain power. pop to be good to the general public We admir e the virtuous leaders No hard rules in politics, no political formulas Skill, assertive independence is necessary to have political power. People want power, principally self interested Stability, is important Glory is not a bad thing, it is actually praiseworthy The Prince must try to master Fortuna as much as he possibly can Hobbes- Leviathan The Sovereign is not the direct expression of individual rules but an abstraction of the natural desire to rule Hobbes wants us to forbear from politics by agreeing to be ruled by this artificial man or sovereign For by art is created the Great Leviathan, commonwealth Trade liberty for security Liberty under Hobbes sovereign is whatever is not restricted by law. Humans in the state of nature are in a constant state of war, everything belongs to Society and political community is artificial Human equality in nature nobody is superior to another What makes authority viable? What is the source of authority?What makes legitimat e authority possible? How can individuals who are biologically autonomous, who judge and see matters differently, who can never be sure whether they can trust one another, how can such individuals accept a common authority? That is the fundamental head of the social contract tradition. When is authority in question? True in Hobbes time of civil war Hobbes tells a story he tells the story about something he calls the state of nature. Hobbes will always be associated with the idea of the state of nature. It is not the biblical account of Eden, nor is it a political condition like maintained by Aristotle. Sovereigns main function is to make us equal The state of nature is not a condition of actual fighting, but a known disposition of actual fighting. His claim that the state of war is a condition that we are naturally in, is to say that nature does not unite us. If nature is a norm, it does not mandate us to peace, friendship and solidarity with others. Only art and human deal ings can bring about peace. Authority and relations are the product of contrivance and art. Plato moral guidance, not legal obidence philosopher king rule over all with rationality (rational part of soul rules over sinlessness seeking and appeitive) must make the state a utopia all work together for the common good of the state- seek harmony children are all raised together and educated together soverign is essential because it takes the surmount people in society and puts them in power ruler acts as moral guider for other social classes philosopher kings determine justice and law because of their unique virtue (rationality) each individual serves as a purpose in society, according to certain qualification (rationality, honor, appetite) that makes them more suited to a particular task (ruler, auxiliary, worker) without the philosopher king men fall pity to their desires and appeitiess(greed) the state acts as a check for the passions of individuals humans want what is in trinstically good, term they are capable of commiting wrong, this is because of some appetitie/desire rather than some flaw there exists no equality, there is a social order in which you are born into everyone is guided by the philosopher king beacuase they posses the supreme truth, without them the normal person would not know how to act in socity and would fall prey to passions and selfishness humans want what is best, therefore listen to higher good justice throught strength, philosophy and doing good to friends Property plato fails to identify tribe increase and other countries boundarys Plato- Republic What is justice? Is it appearing just but really being unjust? Is it the rule of the strongest? Move away from ordinary definitions of justice. Perfect jurist vs. Perfect injustice The Necessary myths religion. Myths are not true but they are helpful in a society to keep order. magisterial lie Allegory of the cave The world of appearances is only a reflection of the p ure realm of forms. The best life is the one spent contemplating the fundamental laws of the universe. The Philosophers must be kings, also called guardians. Their role is to overlook everything in society is working correctly, and in order to do this they must be philosophers. Rulers must live in commune, share everything in order that their desires are quenched and they can dedicate full attention to the city. We are born with natural aptitudes and we should become that to which our natural aptitude fits best. Perfect city harmony and order horrible lie Gold people are the most apt to lead and become guardians.Silver people are merchants and traders, and bronze people are craftsmen. People can only mate with a person of the very(prenominal) category. The skill of a guardian/ruler is similar to that of craftsman. The state is the guardians craft so he should be prepared to deal with it appropriately. Democracy is cause of conflict because most people are not suited to rule or make political decisions. Mastery according to nature Justice minding your own business. Women are not naturally inferior to men. The form of the Good is higher than justice, and requires extensive prep to grasp it. Truth exists independent of time and space. Justice is a relation among individuals, depending on social institution and that in consequence it can be studied better as part of the structure of a community than as a quality of personal conduct. Men are acquisitive, ambitious, competitive, and jealous by nature. Democracy ruins itself by excess of democracy. Its basic principle is the equal right of all to hold office and determine public policy. People are not properly equipped by education to select the best rulers and the wisest courses. To understand politics, we must understand psychology. Like man, like state Human behavior flows from desire, emotion and knowledge. Desire, appetite, pulse rate instinct, these are one emotion, spirit, ambition, courag e another finally knowledge, thought, intellect, reason, these are another. Statesmanship is a science and an art. Only a philosopher king is fitted to guide a nation. Education should be physical as well as intellectual, and musical. Justice is about organizing the political community so everyone can live the good life. Perfect brass instrument of the city so each individual can develop his or her own nature all individual is the product of the city People are slaves to their own desires Good life=contemplation The perfect ruler has knowledge of the Good, and designs all laws and institutions in according with the Good. Whats missing is a fundamental knowledge of the structure of the world. The confine of reality is own human nature. City Timocracy Love of honor, desire of treasure. Good= laurels Oligarchy Regime founded on Prosperity. Good=Money Democracy Rule by the multitude. Good=Freedom Tyranny Takes power, wages war, enslaves the people. Good=Desires of tyrant