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Political Philosophy
50 flashcards
The social contract theory posits that individuals consent to surrender some freedoms to be protected by the state, which derives its authority from this agreement.
John Locke believed that individuals have natural rights to life, liberty and property that exist prior to the formation of the state and cannot be relinquished fully.
Utilitarianism holds that the moral worth of an action is determined solely by its outcome - maximizing overall utility or happiness for the greatest number.
Positive rights require others to provide goods/services, while negative rights only require non-interference from others (e.g. free speech).
John Rawls' theory states that principles of justice are those that free and rational people would agree to follow when establishing civic terms of cooperation and distribution of rights/duties.
Civil disobedience is the active refusal to obey certain laws or demands of the state as a form of non-violent protest.
Nozick argued against redistributive taxation and for an minimal 'night-watchman' state that only protects individual rights.
Deliberative democracy emphasizes reason-giving justification for laws/policies through public consultation and discussion rather than just voting.
Political obligation refers to the moral duty of individuals to obey the laws and directives of the state or governing authority.
Mill's harm principle states the only justification for state coercion over individuals is to prevent harm to others.
Classical liberalism emphasizes civil liberties and a limited state, while social liberalism supports some positive rights and an activist state.
A social contract is an implicit agreement that citizens obey the state in exchange for the state securing social order and protecting their rights.
A minimalist theory holds that the state's only legitimate functions are protecting citizens from force, theft, fraud, and enforcing contracts.
Republicanism advocates for a government beholden to and derived from the public or civic virtue rather than the ruler's private interests.
Marxism posits that class struggle driven by economic factors shapes societies and that workers should control the means of production.
Distributive justice concerns the fair allocation among people of benefits and burdens in society.
The capability approach focuses on empowering people and removing obstacles so they can live lives they truly value.
Hayek argued that beneficial social orders emerge spontaneously from individuals following certain rules, without centralized control.
Machiavelli advocated that leaders should be feared rather than loved, and use cunning or force to wield power effectively if needed.
Civil society refers to the sphere of non-governmental associations and institutions that represent varied societal interests.
Classical conservatism upholds traditional institutions, limited government, civil society, private property rights, and skepticism of rapid social change.
Communitarians believe individual rights must be balanced against the interests of the social group, unlike the individualism of liberalism.
Anarchists fundamentally question the legitimacy of the state and its claimed authority, advocating stateless self-governing societies.
Civic republicanism emphasizes citizens actively participating in self-government for the common good over individual self-interest.
The night-watchman or minimal state conception limits legitimate state functions to providing security, law and order.
Nozick's entitlement theory of justice focuses on the rectitude of how holdings were acquired rather than distributive patterns.
The Lockean proviso states one can acquire property from the commons if there is 'enough and as good left for others'.
Public reason refers to the reasons citizens should publicly give for shaping the basic structure of society.
Hobbes believed an absolute sovereign authority was needed to avoid the 'state of nature' of chaos and conflict between self-interested individuals.
Complex equality proposes distributing different social goods based on different procedures/principles appropriate for each sphere.
Self-ownership is the libertarian principle that individuals have full moral jurisdiction over their own mind and body, prohibiting coercion.
Perfect obligations forbid/require specific conduct that can be impartially determined, while imperfect obligations allow discretionary latitude.
Mill's harm principle states coercion from society is only justified to prevent harm or violation of specific duties to others.
Rawls proposed fair equality of opportunity and that inequalities must be to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged.
Negative liberty is freedom from interference, while positive liberty is having resources/capabilities to be self-directed.
Anarcho-capitalism advocates eliminating the state in favor of full privatization and market distribution of all goods and services.
Civic virtue is the moral self-regulation and commitment to the common good that classical republicanism expects of citizens.
From a liberal view, conscientious objection means citizens are not obligated to comply with laws that violate core personal moral beliefs.
The anarchist view holds that authority itself lacks moral legitimacy and demands coercive obedience without individual rational consent.
Perfect duties are inviolable moral rules, while imperfect duties allow latitude in how to act virtuously and promote good ends.
Kant grounded justice in the supreme principle to act only according to rules one could will as universal laws of nature.
Dworkin argued judges should interpret law with integrity as an coherent, principled set of rights, not just following policies.
Rawls proposed principles of justice are those rational people would agree to under a 'veil of ignorance' about their life circumstances.
The non-aggression principle holds that initiating force/violence against others and their property rights is inherently illegitimate.
Political realism separates politics from universal moral principles, judging actions by their consequences in power struggles.
Aristotle believed the highest human good was using reason to develop moral and intellectual virtues by active citizenship.
Reflective equilibrium revises abstract principles and considered moral judgments until they cohere in a defensible moral theory.
Locke believed the purpose of government was to protect individuals' natural rights to life, liberty and property.
State neutrality is the liberal idea that the state should not favor or promote any particular conception of the good life.
The general will is the collective will of the sovereign people as a whole, as opposed to the will of any individual faction.