1 / 9

The Political Philosophers

Who rules?. The Political Philosophers. Political Philosophers . . . Asked “why government”? Why does man engage in government? Wrote about the role of government What is the purpose of government? Wrote about the “state of nature” A philosophical place where there is no government

daire
Download Presentation

The Political Philosophers

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Who rules? The Political Philosophers

  2. Political Philosophers . . . • Asked “why government”? • Why does man engage in government? • Wrote about the role of government • What is the purpose of government? • Wrote about the “state of nature” • A philosophical place where there is no government • Wrote about natural rights • All mankind are born with these • Developed theories of government So who are they, and what did they say? And, how did they influence the founding fathers?

  3. Thomas Hobbes 1588 - 1679

  4. Thomas Hobbes • Leviathan: people are selfish and ambitious • Preferred an absolute monarchy to control ambition • SON: “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” • Freedom and equality (can be forfeited) • Implied Contract: people give up freedom for protection even if the ruler is cruel

  5. John Locke 1632 - 1704

  6. John Locke • Two Treatises of Government • Preferred constitutional monarchy; property owners can vote • SON: Brute force, preservation of self/property • Individuals have inalienable (natural) rights • Life, liberty, property • Social Contract: People consent to be governed in order to protect their natural rights– mainly they want to protect their security; when security goes unprotected; people are supreme an should revolt

  7. John-Jacques Rousseau: 1712-1778

  8. John-Jacques Rousseau • The Social Contract: “Men are born free, but everywhere he is in chains” • Preferred government: direct democracy • SON: men are born free, equal, innocent and happy, but claims to property ownership lead to violence • Life and liberty (property is a fraud on the poor by the rich) • People should act in the interest of the public good. Rousseau called this “the general will.”

  9. How much did Locke influence Jefferson? Jefferson: Locke: • “life, liberty, pursuit of happiness” • “to secure these rights” • “all men created equal” • “consent of the governed” • “The history of the King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries” • “life liberty and property” • “preserve himself, his liberty and property” • “men by nature being free equal and independent” • “by consent of every individual . . . which is only by the will and determination of the majority” • Tyranny is the exercise of power without right”

More Related