Political Theory

1. Political Theory AP Government Unit One

2. Defining Politics and Political Science • At its most basic level, politics is the struggle of "who gets what, when, how." • Political scientists study such struggles, both small and large, in an effort to develop general principles or theories about the way the world of politics works.

3. Political Theory • Political Theory analyzes fundamental political concepts such as power and democracy and fundamental questions such as, "How should the individual and the state relate?” • Differing political theories have developed as a result of conflicting answers to this question

4. Most political scientists agree that these criteria should include the following rights and freedoms for citizens: • Freedom to form and join organizations • Freedom of expression • Right to vote • Eligibility for public office • Right of political leaders to compete for support • Right of political leaders to compete for votes • Alternative sources of information • Free and fair elections • Institutions for making government policies depend on votes and other expressions of preference

5. Political Efficacy • Political efficacy: The extent to which people feel they have an impact or exert some influence on public affairs. • Internal efficacy: beliefs about one’s own competence to understand and participate in politics • External efficacy: beliefs about the responsiveness of governmental authorities and institutions to citizen demands

6. Plato Aristotle Machiavelli Hobbes Hume Locke Montesquieu Rousseau DeTocqueville Mill Marx Weber Mills Important Political Philosophers

7. Plato • Ancient Greek philosopher • Plato’sThe Republicis one of the single most influential works in Western philosophy. • It is an analogy of harmony in the State AND harmony in the individual • Essentially, it deals with the central problem of how to live a good life; this inquiry is shaped into the these questions • what is justice in the State? • what would an ideal State be like? • what is a just individual?

8. Plato’s Ideal State was an Aristocracy “the rule of the best” • However, he believed that aristocracies would eventually fall to a timocracy (ruled by the military) • Military rule will eventually fall because society will drive them out. • The next step was the "oligarchy" • The rule of the few or of the wealthy • According to Plato, people will also tire of oligarchies and toss them out. • The resulting government will then be a democracy(rule of the people). • But this will eventually fall to a tyranny (tyrannis, "tyranny," from tyrannos, "tyrant").

9. Aristotle • Aristotle (b. 384 - d. 322 BC), was a Greek philosopher, logician, and scientist. • Along with his teacher Plato, Aristotle is generally regarded as one of the most influential ancient thinkers in a number of philosophical fields, including political theory. • Aristotle saw politics as a science, and just as a physician would study the body, Aristotle sought to study the state. • Once the nature of the state can be understood, the politician can begin to frame the constitution of the state in its laws, customs and institutions, and then to protect it through education and legislation.

10. Machiavelli1469- 1527 • Webster's New World Dictionary defines the adjective Machiavellian as • Of Machiavelli. • Of, like, or characterized by his political principles and proposed methods of craftiness and duplicity; crafty, deceitful, etc."; the adjective is generally applied pejoratively

11. The Prince • Machiavelli's The Prince was written to serve as a guide to creating and holding on to a principality • In ways that often benefited the people but sometimes only the prince himself • The Prince was dedicated to Lorenzo de' Medici • "il Maginifico" • It is considered a political primer for “princes”- anywhere…anytime…any place.

12. Important Ideas from The Prince • The end justifies the means • It is better to Be feared than loved. • Rivers and men can be controlled, but cannot be trusted. • Before all else, be armed. • Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil. • He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command. • Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions.

13. Montesquieu, 1689-1755(Baron de Montesquieu, Charles-Louis de Secondat) • Montesquieu was one of the great political philosophers of the Enlightenment (French) • Montesquieu's most radical work divided French society into three classes: the monarchy, the aristocracy, and the commons. • This was radical because it completely eliminated the Three Estates structure of the French Monarchy: the clergy, the aristocracy, and the people at large represented by the Estates-General, thereby erasing the last vestige of a feudalistic structure.

14. Montesquieu’s Theory of The Separation of Powers • Montesquieu was curious about how governments might be preserved from corruption. • He saw despotism as a danger and argued that it could best be prevented by a system in which different branches had legislative, executive, and judicial power, and in which all those bodies were bound by the rule of law. • This theory of the separation of powers had an enormous impact on liberal political theory, and on the framers of the constitution of the United States of America

15. Jean-Jacques Rousseau1712-1778 • Rousseau believed that in the state of nature, man is prone to be in frequent competition with his fellow men. • Rousseau claimed that the state of nature is violent and without law or morality, and that there are good men only a result of society's presence. • Only by joining together through the Social Contract and abandoning their claims of natural right, individuals can both preserve themselves and remain free. • Only then can we form the collective human presence known as "society." • Rule by all - a complete democracy “Never exceed your rights, and  they will soon become unlimited.”

16. Direct Democracies are Best • Rousseau was bitterly opposed to the idea that the people should exercise sovereignty via a representative assembly. • Rather, he believed that citizens should make the laws directly. • He also argued that the goal of government should be to secure freedom, equality, and justice for all within the state, regardless of the will of the majority

17. Thomas Hobbes(1588-1679) • British political philosopher • Hobbes believed that society was obligated to an authority figure (King) • Man is weak and self-centered…must be looked after by a powerful leader • Man is wicked at heart…government must be used to control him • Hobbes Social Contract • We should give our obedience to an unaccountable sovereign in exchange for being allowed to be part of society and the safety a sovereign brings to our lives.

18. Leviathan • The frontispiece to the first edition of Leviathan, which Hobbes helped design, portrays the commonwealth as a gigantic human form built out of the bodies of its citizens, the sovereign as its head. • Hobbes calls this figure the "Leviathan," a word derived from the Hebrew for "sea monster" and the name of a monstrous sea creature appearing in the Bible; the image constitutes the definitive metaphor for Hobbes's perfect government. • His text attempts to prove the necessity of the Leviathan for preserving peace and preventing civil war.

19. John Locke 1632, d. 1704 • British political philosopher • Locke wrote and developed the philosophy that there was no legitimate government under the divine right of kings theory. • His ideas were greatly admired by the Founding Fathers

20. Natural Rights • Locke thought that the purpose of government was to protect the natural rights of its citizens. • He said that natural rights were life, liberty and property, and that all people automatically earned these simply by being born. • Locke’s Contract • When a government did not protect those rights, the citizens had the right and maybe even the obligation of overthrowing the government.

21. Coincidence, I think not! (Do you know of an another island with a Locke, a Rousseau, and a Hume?) Terry O’Quinn as John Locke on “Lost”

22. David Hume 1711-1776 • One of the greatest philosophers in Western history, as well as an accomplished historian, economist, perennial skeptic and “delightful fellow”. • David Hume was one of the most prominent figures of the Scottish Enlightenment and a close friend of Adam Smith. • Hume was NOT a believer of the "natural law" or "social contract" theories popular with other philosophers.

23. David Hume 1711-1776 • Many regard David Hume as a political conservative, sometimes calling him the first conservative philosopher • He was a thorough empiricist (belief that knowledge comes from experience) in both his political and philosophical work.  • His central concern was the importance of the rule of law, and moderation in politics • Believed that human nature was evil without society making us peaceful and sociable • The result would be a happy citizenry • He promoted the idea of a unions and republics.

24. Hobbes Hume Locke Rousseau Where on the Classic Spectrum? Left---------------------Center-----------------------Right Number of Rulers? All……………….….Many……………….….Few……………………One Level of Power/Ruler? Hyperpluralism…...Pluralism……..…… Elite/class……………. Absolute

25. Where on the Classic Spectrum? Rousseau Hume Locke Hobbes Left---------------------Center----------------------Right Number of Rulers? Rousseau Hume Locke Hobbes All……………….….Many……………….….Few……………………One Level of Power/Ruler? Rousseau Hume Locke Hobbes Hyperpluralism……….Pluralism……..…… Elite/class……. Absolute ruler

26. Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) • French Historian and Political Philosopher • Born in Paris into aristocracy. • Tocqueville deepest commitment was to human freedom • Spent two years (1831-1832) roaming about the newly formed United States and wrote about our form of democracy. • He analyzed the American attempt to have both liberty and equality in terms of what lessons Europe could learn from American successes and failures • He believed that political democracy and social equality would, inevitably, replace the aristocratic institutions of Europe.

27. Alexis De Tocqueville’s American Visit

28. De Tocqueville’s Theory Democracy Worked Well in America Because: • Lots of land!! (Fertile land) • No feudal aristocracy here • Small, independent farmers make up a great deal of the population (No great number of landless peasants like in Europe.) • American culture and ideals- He called them, “Moral and intellectual characteristics”

29. John Stuart Mill • American political philosopher- On Liberty • We should have freedom of thought and discussion (listen to other viewpoints) • His ideas were uplifting and noble • The purpose of morality is to make the world a better place. • Morality is about producing good consequences, not having good intentions • We should do whatever will bring the most benefit (i.e., intrinsic value) to all of humanity. • He believed that one of our responsibilities as humans was to maximize utility, not to do the minimum • In other words, set aside our personal interests for humanity.

30. How is Political Power Distributed in a Democracy?? • Majoritarian theory • Leaders follow the wishes of the people closely • Does anyone believe this??? • Applies when issues are clear • When is THIS??? • Elitism theories • Marx • Mills • Weber • Pluralism

31. Karl Marx1818-1883 • German Author • Wrote The Communist Manifesto with partner, Frederick Engels • Believed government is controlled by one dominant social class • Theory that power is a reflection of underlying economic forces

32. Max Weber1864-1920 • German political theorist • The political process is controlled by political elites in the bureaucracy • Expert knowledge and competence will (and should) dominate • Weber theorized about why some people work hard and some don’t in his essay The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism • Work, save money, and you will be successful • Similar to Puritan work ethic

33. C. Wright Mills1916-1962 • The Power Elite Theory • The power elite control politics • They include: • Military leaders • Key corporate leaders • Political leaders in and out of office

34. The Pluralist Theory of Power • The pluralist theory of power is that no one elite person or group dominates politics • No monopoly of power • The different players must bargain and compromise and be responsive to followers • (i.e.… voters)

36. Are you a prisoner or a philosopher?? Step out of the cave and be a philosopher!Seek meaning and knowledge!

37. *Know these political theorists and these theories for the test