Exam 2 Flashcards
Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau
fortuna/fortune (machiavelli)
the fickleness of the goddess, never good. Enemy of political order and ultimate threat to safety, responsible for human misery and wreaks havoc at random
Virtu (machiavelli)
the range of personal qualities that the prince will find it necessary to acquire to ‘maintain his state’ and ‘achieve great things’
lo stato (machiavelli)
the acquisition and application of power in a coercive sense
vivere sicuro (machiavelli)
living in safety
vivere libero (machiavelli)
freedom of the community
state (machiavelli)
something that has dominion and absolute power over men and can be either a republic or a principate
the prince (machiavelli)
a political treatise written by machiavelli. describes how to acquire power, create a state, and keep it.
leviathan (hobbes)
the first general theory of politics in the english language, the ruling body
state of nature (hobbes)
a time of war where every man is enemy to every man and a time where men live without security
sovereignty (hobbes)
perpetual, inalienable, undivided, absolute
liberty (hobbes)
the absence of external impediments, ability to act according to one’s will without being physically hindered from performing that act
natural law (hobbes)
not a law! qualities that dispose men to peace and obedience.
solipsism (hobbes)
the philosophical idea that one’s own mind is sure to exist
justice (hobbes)
artificial virtue. only exists as a convention in the context of a civil society
natural power (hobbes)
internal qualities like intellectual eloquence, external strength, and prudence
instrumental power (hobbes)
the ability to secure wellbeing or personal advantage to obtain some future apparent good
social contract (hobbes)
between the people and the people, NOT the people and the leviathan. once the people agree to a leviathan they have no influence over it.
the only thing the leviathan doesn’t have the power to do is: (hobbes)
KILL.
Fiduciary (locke)
involving trust–basically, you’ve got money and you’re a trustee, you rely on a beneficiary to keep you from spending it.
the legislature (locke)
the supreme power, to which all other powers must be subordinate.
natural power (locke)
a prominent/superior ability of the mind, like strength, eloquence, or liberality
the right of nature (locke)
liberty each man has to use his own power for self-preservation
law (locke)
not a limitation, but it guides an intelligent and free man to what is in his best interest/good for mankind in general
commonwealth (locke)
has the power to devise punishment for law breakers, and preserve the property of society members (life and possessions)
liberty (locke)
“my own will in all things, where the rule prescribes not”
paternal power (locke)
the power that parents have over their children until they reach the age of reason
political power (locke)
power that everyone in a society gives up to the commonwealth in order to protect their property.
despotic power (locke)
absolute arbitrary power of one person to take the life and property of another against their will
usurpation (locke)
domestic conquest, a change of leadership. usurper has no power until the people freely confirm him as such.
tyranny (locke)
“the exercise of power beyond right”, ruler who breaks the law and acts on his own behalf
political equality (locke)
all power and jurisdiction and reciprocal, no one has more power than another
the social contract (locke)
agreement between the people and the gov’t, like a fiduciary trust. the people set up the gov’t for their own benefit, and the legislature passes laws for the benefit of the people. the people can dissolve the gov’t when it no longer works to their benefit.
social order (rousseau)
a sacred right, not from nature, foundation of all other rights.
state of nature (rousseau)
man seeks to take care of himself first, then others. man is compassionate.
social state (rousseau)
peace through force, everyone’s in line bc the authority is in control
the social pact (rousseau)
self-preservation by coming together and working as a whole. obstacle to taking care of yourself
body politic (rousseau)
the sovereign and everyone else is bound by the laws
the general will (rousseau)
no factionalism. the even, balanced ‘common good’
factionalism (rousseau)
when a bunch of people band together because of shared private interests and agree to promote those interests by voting as one. not on the behalf of the common good.
law (rousseau)
abstract expression of the general will that is universally applicable. made by all the people and apply to all the people. cannot deal with individuals or a group.
equality (rousseau)
differences in wealth ought not to unbalance the state.
political/fundamental laws (rousseau)
subject of social contract. determine the fundamental structure of the state
civil laws (rousseau)
deal with individuals in relation with each other or with the body politic as a whole
criminal laws (rousseau)
deal with cases where the law is broken
legislator/lawgiver (rousseau)
he is intelligent, willing to work selflessly. has great insight, they’re not a citizen of the state they give laws to. outside and above the sovereign’s authority.
three kinds of aristocracy!
n/e/h
rousseau loves this shit frfr. bootlicker
natural: elders govern a tribe
elective: BEST KIND, those with power, riches, or otherwise are best suited to govern are placed in charge
hereditary: WORST KIND, certain families govern the rest.
democracy (rousseau)
when all or most of the citizens are magistrates
aristocracy (rousseau)
when fewer than half the citizens are magistrates
monarchy (rousseau)
when there is only one magistrate (or a small handful)
social contract (roussaeu)
created to counter exploitative social relations backed by law/state power.
everyone enjoys the protection of common force, but are free as they were in state of nature–they are compassionate, not driven by selfishness.
GENERAL WILL: collective will of the citizen body as a whole, source of law. so when citizens follow the law they’re just following their own will and remain free.
