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Chapter THREE

Chapter THREE. Modern Political Theory. LEARNING OBJECTIVES. Define social contract . List and describe the three main components of social contract theory. Describe Machiavelli ’ s contribution to political theory. Identify the main components of Machiavelli ’ s “ advice to princes. ”

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Chapter THREE

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  1. Chapter THREE Modern Political Theory

  2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Define social contract. List and describe the three main components of social contract theory. • Describe Machiavelli’s contribution to political theory. • Identify the main components of Machiavelli’s “advice to princes.” • Identify and describe Hobbes departure from Ancient Greek political thought.

  3. LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Describe Hobbes concepts of “the State of nature,”“human nature,” and the terms of his ideal of the social contract. • Compare and contrast Locke’s views of “the State of nature,”“human nature,” and the terms of his ideal of the social contract. Define Locke’s idea of civil society.

  4. LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Compare and contrast Rousseau’s views of “the State of nature,”“human nature,” and the terms of his ideal of the social contract, with that of both Hobbes and Locke.

  5. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER 1. Is it more important to understand the way politics “ought” to be or to understand the way it “is” actually practiced? 2. Is it more important for a leader to be feared or loved? 3. Are you by nature more cooperative or competitive? 4. What is a social contract theory?

  6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER 5. What influence did John Locke have on American independence? 6. What role did the Declaration of Independence have on the expansion of political rights for women?

  7. INTRODUCTION • This chapter examines how the empirical approach strays from the normative tradition • Asserts that an understanding of power is more important that an understanding of justice in helping to explain politics. • This chapter places special emphasis on: • Machiavelli’s The Prince • Thomas Hobbes’Leviathan • John Locke’s The Two Treatises of Government, and • Other classic works associated with modern political thought.

  8. INTRODUCTION • Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are three of the leading social contract theorists whose collective work serves as the philosophical underpinning for both authoritarian and democratic forms of government in the 21st century.

  9. INTRODUCTION • It was their (Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau) writings that ultimately inspired subsequent ideologies such as classical liberalism, traditional conservatism, modern liberalism, Marxism, feminism, and environmentalism. • Traditional conservatism:The belief that government should not attempt to change society, but that government should instead merely reflect changes that have already taken place in society. Conservatism believes government should play a role in upholding traditional and religious values, and that social changes should occur incrementally. Edmund Burke is generally regarded as the father of conservatism.

  10. INTRODUCTION • Modern Liberalism: Modern liberalism points out potential problems associated with systems of “majority rule” and “equality” by emphasizing the tendency of democracies to degenerate into a tyranny of the majority. Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859) and John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) are two leading modern liberal thinkers. • Environmentalism: A social and political movement that seeks to prevent the further deterioration of our natural resources. Environmentalists primarily believe that all living things, including nonhuman living things, warrant serious consideration when enacting public policy. The movement played a large role in the passage of the Clear Air Act (1970), Clean Water Act (1972), the Endangered Species Act (1973), and a host of other major policies in the United States.

  11. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • The Prince (1513) • Guide for executive leadership on how to gain and maintain political power • The Discourses on the First Ten Books of Titus Livius (1521) • Provided wider and deeper analysis on the nuances of republican government

  12. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI LORENZO DE’MEDICI (1449–1492): Florentine statesman and ruler of Florence during the Italian Renaissance. Also known as Lorenzo the Magnificent, he is credited with maintaining a fragile yet peaceful balance of power with the other Italian city-states, a balance that collapsed into conflict shortly after his death.

  13. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • Machiavelli lived during the European Renaissance, a period that stretched from 14th century into the 17th century. • Renaissance brought with it new intellectual vision that transformed culture, economy, and political life of Europe.

  14. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • Europe transformed from feudal system to nation-state system. • Feudal System: System of economic, political, and social organization that flourished in Europe during the Middle Ages. It was based on the relationship of lord to vassal and the holding of land in feud. • Nation-state System:A sovereign state inhabited by people who share political and cultural traditions.

  15. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • Machiavelli was a political realist. • Realist: A school of thought in international relations that emphasizes the furtherance of national interests and military security. Realists primarily believe nations exist within an anarchic international political system, and because of a tendency to distrust international organizations, believe nations must be prepared to militarily defend themselves at all times. • First theorist to divorce the study of politics from religious and ethical viewpoints.

  16. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI

  17. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI

  18. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • Machiavelli is regarded as a modern political thinker. • He is one of the first to assert that power, and not justice, is the key unit of analysis in politics. • Power: The ability to persuade others to do what they would not do on their own. Machiavelli asserts that power can be exercised through the use of force, by making threats, and/or by enticing desired behavior by providing gifts.

  19. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • The Prince as Lion and Fox • Two methods of fighting: • One by law • The other by force

  20. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • The Prince as the Lion • He must be constantly prepared to engage in war. • He must not mind incurring the charge of cruelty for the purpose of keeping his subjects united and faithful. • The Prince must ensure loyalty by manipulating and persuading his subjects. • If need be, he must kill his political opponents.

  21. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • Theory and Practice Modern Leaders and the Use of Violence: Kim Jong Il and Saddam Hussein • Are leaders ever justified in using violence against domestic populations?

  22. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • Is It Better for the Prince to be Loved or Feared? • In Machiavelli’s ideal world, it is best to be both loved and feared. • If, however, this is not possible; it is better to be feared than loved. • The prince should avoid be hated because it is harder to manipulate those in this irrational state.

  23. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI

  24. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • The Prince as a Fox: How to Avoid Being Hated • It is important for the Prince to balance the line between fear and hatred. • Take life only when it is justified • Advised against the taking of property • Impose pain early in tenure • Distill benefits in drops

  25. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • Leaders Must Be Decisive • One of the most important traits is self-assuredness. • Princes should also show signs of “seriousness, strength, and decisiveness” • Machiavelli also advised against delegating important powers.

  26. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • Leaders Must Appear to be Religious, but NOT Actually be Religious • The prince will be better able to manipulate civilians if noncompliance of state laws becomes comparable to disobeying the rules set forth by God.

  27. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • Theory and Practice Karl Rove: The Mayberry Machiavelli • Do you agree with President Clinton that voters prefer candidates who are “strong and wrong” over candidates who are “right but indecisive” on the issues?

  28. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • Theory and Practice The Fusion of Politics and Religion in Iran • Did the Iranian leader correctly balance the traits of the lion and the fox during this crisis in Iran? • Can you think of another example of political leaders using religion to further political goals?

  29. NICCOLLO MACHIAVELLI • The Prince Must Keep Up Appearances • It is essential to uphold certain customs and traditions

  30. THOMAS HOBBES • Hobbes adopted the scientific method in: • Denial of objective truth • Negative view of human nature, and • Social contract theory • Social Contract Theory: A wide range of theories linked most closely with Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau on the most appropriate relationship between the state and the individual. Social contract theorists typically provide an (1) observation on human nature; (2) observation on problems that arise in the absence of government (i.e., precontract state); and (3) a recommendation on a form of government best able to solve these problems.

  31. THOMAS HOBBES • CourseReader ASSIGNMENT Leviathanby Thomas Hobbes • Do you agree with Hobbes that all human behavior is driven by either the pursuit of pleasure or avoidance of pain? • Have you ever behaved in a manner that was not in your self-interest?

  32. THOMAS HOBBES • Hobbes versus the Greeks: Is Their an Objective Truth? • Ancient Greeks believed that the primary purpose of Government is to promote social harmony. • Hobbes viewed political power as a means of preventing chaos and warfare.

  33. THOMAS HOBBES • Hobbes’ View of Human Nature • Humans have “appetites” and “aversions” • Three principal causes of quarrels • Competition • Diffidence • Glory

  34. THOMAS HOBBES • Human Nature and our Lust for Power • Hobbes argued that we all must possess a natural inclination toward power because it is through the possession of power that we are able to pursue whatever it is we perceive to be pleasurable.

  35. THOMAS HOBBES • Theory and Practice Realism and Liberalism in International Relations • Do you believe the United Nations is effective in solving global problems?

  36. THOMAS HOBBES • Hobbes’ Social Contract Theory • Hobbes is regarded as the first social contract theorist because he recommended a specific form of government that is best suited to address the problems associated with his vision of the precontract state.

  37. THOMAS HOBBES • Hobbes’ Social Contract Theory (Cont’d) • Social contract theorists accordingly analyze three distinct components of political theory including (1) an observation of human nature; (2) an observation of the problems that arise in the absence of government; and (3) a recommendation on a form of government best able to solve the problem.

  38. THOMAS HOBBES

  39. JOHN LOCKE • Influential in England’s Glorious Revolution of 1688. • Two Treatise of Government (1690) • Heavily influenced the American revolutionaries, particularly Thomas Jefferson and his writings

  40. JOHN LOCKE • Founded new trend of thinking under the banner of classical liberalism. • Classical Liberalism: Classical liberalism advocates for a limited government and for greater individual liberties at the political, social, and economic levels of society. John Locke (1632–1704) and Adam Smith (1732–1790) are generally regarded as two leading classical liberals. This movement inspired the American and French Revolutions, and the economic system of capitalism.

  41. JOHN LOCKE • CourseReader ASSIGNMENT The Second Treatise of Civil Government, Chapter II: Of the State of Nature by John Locke • Why did Locke believe it is better to elect Representatives to make decisions on behalf of the people (i.e., Representative Democracy) than it is to have people make decisions for themselves (i.e., Direct Democracy)? Do you agree with Locke? Why or why not?

  42. JOHN LOCKE • Locke and Human Nature • For Locke our sense of right and wrong is developed through the knowledge we gain from our five senses and our powers of reflection.

  43. JOHN LOCKE • Theory and Practice John Locke and the U.S. Declaration of Independence • Do you believe people have unalienable (or natural) rights? Why or why not? How would Hobbes argue against Locke’s view of natural rights?

  44. JOHN LOCKE • Why Politics Matters to You! John Locke, Mary Wollstonecraft, and the Expansion of Women’s Rights • Feminism: An organized movement beginning in earnest in the mid-19th century that called for social, political, economic, and familial equality between men and women. Feminism can be broken down into several components, including radical feminism, liberal feminism, and democratic feminism. This movement was successful in securing the passage of the 19th amendment (1920) to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibited states from denying voting rights to women, and continues to push for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. • Why do you believe women were more likely to vote for Barack Obama than men?

  45. JOHN LOCKE • Property Rights and the State of Nature • Locke believed that because we are by nature social creatures with advanced reasoning powers, we will naturally develop rules to punish those who violate them. • Freedom must be coupled with responsible behavior to ensure one’s freedom of action does not bring harm to another.

  46. JOHN LOCKE • Property Rights and the State of Nature (Cont’d) • The state of nature benefits from a thriving and fully functioning civil society. • While we have a right to private property, we do not necessarily have a right to horde so much of it that we could not “make use to any advantage of life before it spoils.”

  47. JOHN LOCKE • CourseReader ASSIGNMENT “The Second Wave: The New Woman’s Movement” from Women in America • The Equal Rights Amendment was first proposed in 1923 and called for women and men to have equal rights under the law. While the ERA received a two-third vote from the House and Senate, it was never officially ratified by the states. Do you believe the Equal Rights Amendment should be ratified as a constitutional amendment? Why or why not? Do you consider yourself a feminist? Why or why not?

  48. JOHN LOCKE • Theory and Practice Karl Marx and Communism • Marxism:Based on the theories associated with Karl Marx (1818–1883), the ideology of Marxism believes almost all conflict in society occurs because of class conflict. Karl Marx pointed to the level of exploitation and social deterioration that occurred during the industrial revolution in the mid-19th century as proof that capitalism primarily fuels human suffering and social alienation. Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote the Communist Manifesto in 1848. • Do you believe developing nations are more likely to follow the Chinese model of economic development or the American model of economic development?

  49. JOHN LOCKE • Theory and Practice Jean-Jacques Rousseau: The Last Great Social Contract Theorist • Do you agree with Rousseau that direct democracy political systems are preferable to representative democracies? Why did the American Framers warn against direct democracies?

  50. JOHN LOCKE • Locke’s Social Contract • Argued that individuals were born free and exist naturally in a “state of liberty” • Individuals willingly give up some of their freedoms so that the state can protect their natural liberty from “the invasion of others”

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