Constructing the modern state Flashcards
What means The modern state ?
It is an umbrella term sheltering many kinds of politics
When does “modern” politics begin ?
It begins with the french revolution
It begins in the 16th century because of the impact of the Reform and counter-Reform religious movements
What immense spiritual enthusiasm consist in ?
the civil society of the time was conceived of as an association of believers. So, many people across europe had to decide who comes first : church or lanslord or king
what is the condition of politics ?
it must have more than one party
How the politics of the modern state emerged out ?
The politics of the modern state emerged out of two conflicting movements: kingdoms tended to fragment in some ways, and to become unified in others
What made a regime more egalitarian between kings and others (especially the rich)?
Kings and princes obtained more power but, at the same time, certain groups obtained priviledges and usages known as rights
what made the transition from medieval localism to the centralized modern state ?
War after war after war, involving the power-hungry aristocracy – little to fight, except each other
Religion also kicked in and complicated things
What is generally the response to civil war ?
It is an enthusiam for absolute governement
Why people were scared about absolute government ?
many feared (still fear) the possibility of despotism
The more power is given to the government or, the more absolute the government is, the closer we are to despotism
who was The courtier ?
the grandpa of today`s politicians
His aim was advancement and his skill was to please
From amongst the educated nobility – price on literature
What is the consequences of The high-risk politics of the early modern period ?
the insecurity of rulers
ex: Unlike today, staking one`s life in the game of politics remained a deadly option until the 18th c
A combination of politician, lobbyist, benefactor, socialite
what is the impact of authority ?
Authority distances the rulers from the ruled
Total intimacy and frankness is a dangerous indulgence for rulers
In despotism, the ruler is many times construed as a god
What the aim of politics ?
Politics seeks to diminish the distance between the ruler and those being ruled – e.g., the king of selfies
What was important to the king to manage his own turbulent subjects ?
With emerging modernity, it became necessary for the kings to practice policy in managing their own turbulent subjects
What are the elements that made the “new politics”
generated by the heterogeneity of an individualistic society and the problem of keeping order in a large state by abstract laws
def talian cities
civic republics gave way to rule by tyrants – the signore
Always suspicious and wary
Conspiracies or alliances of the powerful families, sometimes with neighboring states
The art of state def
the way in which the new politics became known shifts the focus to the cynical advice on how to keep power, transforming the traditional concern with justice into a mere façade
Def of reason of state
Where the interests of the state are concerned, God absolves actions which, if privately committed, would be a crime.
what is the counterpoint to the monarchial loyalty of the early modern period ?
Nostalgia for the lost world of the republic.
This nostalgia served the aristocracy
To them, the king was nothing but a tyrant
Monarchy seemed wasteful, warlike, and exploitative.
What caracterize Hobbes about idealism or nostalgia ?
No more idealism or nostalgia for the republic - a strong central government is necessary in order to avoid the bellum omnia contra omnes
What are the elements that triggers civil wars ?
Religious dissension or aristocratic ambition could plunge a modern state into civil war
More and more individualism – more fighting
The lack of consensus and the sheer size of the modern state made the republic only a seductive memory
What the solution to fight against sudden death ?
in each state, there must be a sovereign power with the authority to enforce the agreement necessary for a peaceful existence
It is universally agreed that freedom consists in living under the law. But laws must be made. What then is the position of the lawmaker?
Under the law: he cannot make it – Locke
Above the law: his subjects lack the security against oppression necessary for them to be free – Hobbes
The theory of sovereignty
The theoretical level: there is always some element of risk in giving the necessary power to a sovereign authority
The practical level: the alternative is definitely worse – the homo homini lupus
def of the social contract theory
men will agree about the natural law
What is the importance of the democracy and the separation of power ?
In practice, democracy and the separation of power are among the ways in which the sovereign power has been transformed so that it may not exploit the power of the state
Is the technology good or bad fro the balance of power btwn the ruler and the ruled ?
Modern technology constantly enhanced the power available to a ruler
elements
bureaucracy, explosives (castles become easily conquerable), identities, passports, borders, censorship and propaganda, images, movies, videos, NSA, big data, AI, the internet,
The idealistic view
the art of state as something repressive, standing over against the aspirations of its exploited subjects, the state as a problem because it is a repressive thing that needs to be humanized
def of politics
is a dialogue between these two attitudes
