Political Science 102: Introduction to Political Science

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III. Political Theory
A. Hellenic Greeks
1. polis the political community, not segmented
conscious of past future
a. Greeks we are born unequal--it is govts
responsibility to balance inequality.
b. Opposite of Founding Fathers--people are born
equal it is govt that creates inequality
Who is right? Greeks or Founding Fathers?
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III. Political Theory
A. Hellenic Greeks
1. polis
c. Both
1. Circumstances of birth should not prejudice us
from participating in govt policies creating
equality are preferred 2. People are born equal
but we develop biases--process keeps biases from
influencing our policies. 3. Hence govt is a
helping hand protection
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III. Political Theory
A. Hellenic Greeks
2. Universality of knowledge
a. previously, knowledge is valid for a
particular place time
b. truth is now valid at all points and times
c. search for truth using logic reason
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III. Political Theory
A. Hellenic Greeks
3. Four Cardinal Virtues
a. Wisdom
b. Courage
c. Temperance
d. Justice
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III. Political Theory
B. Athenian Greeks
1. democracy
a. Athens had 1st systematic democracy
b. each citizen participates in policy
implementation
c. problem decisions have costs
d. Athenian democracy devolved into warring
factions
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III. Political Theory
B. Athenian Greeks
2. Platos Republic (from 15 Dialogues)
a. Socrates discussion of old age wealth
1. difference between those born w/ those
who earn it
2. we are captives of biology
b. who is a just man?
1. Justice is both deed consequence
2. Ruling is an art just rulers make laws to
benefit their subjects. Bad ruler bad law.
3. Just doesnt fair.
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III. Political Theory
B. Athenian Greeks
2. Platos Republic (from 15 Dialogues)
c. What is a just republic?
1. Citizens of the polis act in accord with
calculating expertise in their craft.
2. Govt no different experts craft law w/ 4
cardinal virtues
3. We need guardians leaders who are objective
rational. If all decisions are rational, we
need a single ruler, the philosopher-king --consid
er universality of knowledge
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III. Political Theory
B. Athenian Greeks
2. Platos Republic (from 15 Dialogues)
c. What is a just republic?
4. We need auxiliaries loyal people to carry
out implementation
5. The people are desirous citizens
d. we need the guardians auxiliaries to be free
of distractions 1. Eliminate property ownership
take what you need contribute accordingly. 2.
Men women are separated with children trained
as guardian, auxiliary, or citizens
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III. Political Theory
B. Athenian Greeks
2. Platos Republic (from 15 Dialogues)
e. System arises when kings seek philosophy
thinkers seek the throne
f. Problems
1. Rationality isnt universal 2. Can we limit
personal ambition? 3. Aristotle Only the wearer
knows if the shoe pinches. 4. Cicero Who guards
the guardians? 5. Is the republic a community?
Family ties?
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III. Political Theory
B. Athenian Greeks
3. Aristotles Politics
a. You cannot exist alone--family matters
b. Family evolves into community then into
village
c. Polis is big extended family based on ETHICS,
not blood.
1. Ethics proper good behavior that is
rationally determined 2. Only humans are ethical
because only humans reason
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III. Political Theory
B. Athenian Greeks
3. Aristotles Politics
d. we must fight to imbue ethics in politics
this is what makes humans political animals
e. We seek ethical consensus at community level
f. Problems 1. Over-emphasis of rationality 2.
Are ethics consciously created? 3. Is consensus
real? Only elites participate.
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III. Political Theory
B. Athenian Greeks
4. Greek typology of government
pure
impure
1. monarchy
6. tyranny
2. aristocracy
5. oligarchy
3. democracy
4. democracy (mob)
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III. Political Theory
C. Romans thru Middle Ages
1. Marked by the consolidation of power
2. Catholic Church as political institution
3. Legitimacy and authority
a. church/state conflict
b. separated state from society
4. Two swords conflict one spiritual one secular
a. Kings Pope wanted both
b. Most kings achieved part or all of this
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III. Political Theory
C. Romans thru Middle Ages
5. Evolved into the divine right of kings
6. Letat cest moi Louis XIVpeople could not
govern themselves
7. Niccolo Machiavelli - Father of Political
Science
a. Historian advisor to kings diplomat
political philosopher
b. The Prince
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III. Political Theory
C. Romans thru Middle Ages
7. Niccolo Machiavelli - Father of Political
Science
b. The Prince
1. What is vs. what ought to be 2. Mans natural
state is evil some are good, many are evil.
Deal with the masses. 3. Politics is the pursuit
of power. Power, ethics, morality--all means to
an end. 4. Offers a systematic way to gain and
keep power 5. Shift emphasis to the ruled
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III. Political Theory
D. The Social Contract Theorists
1. Thomas Hobbes The Leviathan
a. We are born equal--violent, aggressive,
mortal. No one is safe.
b. Our effort to remain safe is to join into
groups if not, life is solitary, poore, nasty,
brutish, and short.
c. Collective (group) is given the power of wrath
d. Live well, no wrath be a misfit and suffer
e. Power is wielded by the state the state is
power and security. The political society is
known as the Leviathan.
e. Scary, but it is govt by and for the people
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III. Political Theory
D. The Social Contract Theorists
2. John Locke
a. All knowledge is gained by experience tabula
rasa
b. Natures law is to preserve mankind (self
others) punish violators.
c. Natural law protects life liberty
d. Not enough property needs protecting
1. Labor theory of value labordefinable cost.
2. Natural law does not cover property
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III. Political Theory
D. The Social Contract Theorists
2. John Locke
e. So we form society group gathers to protect
individual property
f. When we join society we give up natural rights
in exchange for protection
g. We form a govt for rules practices not a
govt by the people--we just select our lawmakers
pass judgement on them
h. good lawmaking is an unobtrusive system
constrained in its powers
i. Todays views on property rights
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III. Political Theory
D. The Social Contract Theorists
2. John Locke
i. Todays views on property rights
1. Absolute right to property 2. Restricted right
to property
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III. Political Theory
D. The Social Contract Theorists
3. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
a. Premises
1. unlike HL, said movement from state of nature
to society was gradual
2. Man is noble savage
1. noble b/c compassion
2. savage b/c lack of reason
3. Cataclysms forced needs, which became wants
4. Language evolves we communicate collective
wants needs
5. convention is where inequality arises
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III. Political Theory
D. The Social Contract Theorists
3. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
b. The Social Contract
1. The joining of individuals into a society
destroys the individual state of nature
2. We join together and give up rights in
exchange for other rights
3. An act of rebellion against oppressors
4. Differs from HL in that society ensures
civil liberty--right to participate
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III. Political Theory
D. The Social Contract Theorists
3. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
b. The Social Contract
5. Creates series of wills
a. individual will
b. will of all
c. general will--one and only
6. Social contract is not a natural product
7. Main problem who decides general will?
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For next week
1. Grigsby Ch. 5, esp Socialism 2. Animal Farm
3. Next week Marxism--come to play