5 - What Justifies the State?

Question 1

What is anarchism?

Answer 1

• Means “without rulers”
• Idea that we would be better off without the government
• Cooperation is beneficial so it tends to evolve

Question 2

Hobbes’ reply to anarchism

Answer 2

• Fear, suspicion, and competition will overwhelm cooperation
• A few bad apples can ruin everything

Question 3

Negative argument to the state and political obligation

Answer 3

• The state is the only alternative to the state of nature

- It is either the state or violent chaos

Question 4

Why is political authority morally problematic?

Answer 4

• People are naturally free, equal, and independent
• Legitimate power is created by the people (Locke)
• Authority requires consent and handing over EPLN
• Once you give consent, you are obligated to follow the state

Question 5

Key features of the state

Answer 5

• Claims a monopoly of legitimate violence

- In turn for giving up EPLN, the state is responsible for protecting us

Question 6

Three ways to justify political obligations

Answer 6

1) Associative duties - special requirements attached to the unchosen role or status of citizen
2) Transactions - receiving benefits from the state or making a promise to obey
3) Natural duties - general moral requirements to promote happiness or justice

Question 7

What is the social contract?

Answer 7

Political obligation is based on a contract or agreement

Question 8

What is volunteerism?

Answer 8

The state’s political authority depends on the people’s consent

Question 9

Main social contract problems

Answer 9

• There is no evidence for an original social contract
• Even if there was, a contract in history cannot obligate us now in the present
• Contracts need EXPRESS consent
• Only a minority of people explicitly consent to the state

Question 10

Does voting constitute consent?

Answer 10

NO

First objection - I didn’t vote for them

Second objection - abstainers cannot be counted as consenters

Question 11

What is tacit consent?

Answer 11

Implicit or understood

Question 12

Does residence count as consent?

Answer 12

NO

• Some say that staying is morally equivalent to consenting because dissatisfied people can leave
• But there are obstacles to leaving
• Therefore, staying is not morally equivalent to consenting

Question 13

What is hypothetical consent?

Answer 13

• Rational individuals would consent to stay in the state if they were in the state of nature
• Gets us to realize what we already consent to
• Objections: not really consent, some might still refuse to consent

Question 14

Locke’s point - there are two options available

Answer 14

1) A publicly agreed shared set of laws

2) Defer to private judgements about the content of laws

Question 15

What is Rousseau’s reply when Hobbes says, on anarchism, “a few bad apples can ruin everything”?

Answer 15

There are bad apples, but they are created by society

Question 16

Locke’s conclusion

Answer 16

• It is better to have shared laws than continued disagreement
• Therefore, the inconveniences of the state of nature defeat anarchism