Final exam review Flashcards
Define Immanuel Kant’s “The Categorical Imperative”
When you take action, the rule or principle that guides that action should be the rule/principle that you would want everybody to act by
Two fundamental principles of classical liberalism
limited government involvement in commercial affairs; and limited government and church involvement in personal affairs
significance of the Treaty of Westphalia
it signified the adoption of the concept of non intervention in the internal affairs of states bu other states. Acknowledgement of this right of state sovereignty helped establish a long period of stability in war torn Europe.
Key 3 watchwords for enlightenment thinkers?
Reason
Progress
Nature
According to Jefferson, what is the consequence of the Law if it allows “… my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no gods”
“It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.”
Enlightenment conception of historical time
Time was progressive, in a sense that things were always getting better and knowledge and enlightenment were always increasing
What metaphysical position does a deist hold
That the Creator of the universe is rational, and created a thoroughly rational universe, and therefore never again had to intervene in the universe after its creation.
What was Thomas Hobbes view of nature?
rational but fundamentally concerned with self preservation
What was Jefferson’s distinction between natural rights and civil rights
Natural rights were rights given by virtue of being human beings. Civil rights were laws that we legislate to try and codify those natural laws so our government can identify them and protect them.
What is the actual instrument for realizing or defining the limits “limits” involved in Classical Liberalism?
A constitution
In his letter to Nehemiah Dodge of the Danbury Baptist Association Thomas Jefferson quotes part of the First Amendment, which says “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Jefferson said that this showed that the constitution…
built a wall of separation between church and state
What are the two fundamental principles of a democracy
The majority rules; minority rights must be protected
What was the origin of the use of the terms “left” and “right” to designate political posittions
during the first days of the french revolution, deputies of the French Assembly who wanted drastic change sat on the left side of the hall and those who wanted only moderate reform sat on the right side.
Charles Darwin is correctly credited with originating what theory
The theory of natural selection
What is the root of socialism? And why was the word used to designate the left wing and anti capitalist movement of the 1800’s
This signified the original idea that society as a whole needed to take over ownership and control of all wealth and all things that produce wealth
Example of a public good
A flood control system
According to Marx, the history of all society up to his time is the history of
struggles between social classes
What are the main principles behind Ultilitarianism
Maximize happiness for the greatest number of people; minimize pain for the greatest number of people
According to Goldman, what 3 elements of the contemporary world represent the stronghold of man’s enslavement
Religion
property
government
According to Marx the social class which controlled society was that class which also controlled what?
the means of production
In her essay minorities vs majorities what is the main point that Goldman tries to make
That although it is true that the masses are oppressed, the masses also oppress the free in spirit and this needs to be fought and challenged
What was the issue in the Scopes Trial?
Whether John Scopes violated the Tennessee law by teaching Darwinian theories of evolution
Which group was social Darwinism most popular?
Industrialist, entrepreneurs and their champions popularized social Darwinism in the late 19th century and early 20th century.
Who is accredited with originating the phrase Survival of the fittest?
Herbert Spencer (social Darwinist)
What does Emma Goldman’s initial essay “Anarchism” start off with
a poem
reductio ad absurdum argument?
appeal to extremes. An argument that attempts to establish by showing the opposite scenario would lead to absurdity or contradiction
What does Totalitarianism mean?
Its a particular category of dictatorship wherein every aspect of life is permeated by the ideological control of the regime in power
Describe the Lenin Theory of the Vanguard Party
Since many workers do not realize their revolutionary potential it is up to those workers who do understand the need for revolution along with intellectuals and others to form a party that will lead the workers to revolution.
How did the great depression change american attitudes toward government
suddenly one out of four workers were out of work, and another quarter were underemployed. this had to be the result of events beyond their control, that only a starter national government could help put right.
What did the symbol of the communist party symbolize?
it symbolized the industrial workers and peasants united in the revolution
what does Russell Kirk feel about ideology
he feels that all ideologies as such substitute passion for reason and foster intolerance, even though some might be less dangerous than others
In the discussion of “The Ten Conservative Principles” Kirk lists the principle of variety. what did variety encapsulate?
for preservation of a healthy diversity in any civilization there must be orders and classes , differences in material condition and many sorts of inequality.
Who was a major revolutionary who opposed Lenin’s additions to revolutionary Marxist theory?
Rosa Luxenbourg
Russell Kirk says one of the most urgent tasks for conservatives who are concerned with moral order, and the survival of high culture is to…?
repair the religious perception of what we humans of what we truly are by the restoration of true learning both scientific and religiously humane.
Why did the Italian fascist symbol choose their symbol?
The axe represents the nation; the rods are the people who, when bound together cannot be easily broken the way that individual rods can be.
What argument is Kirk making in his “Behemoth State: Centralization,” essay?
that the national government in the U.S. is now overreaching and making laws and policies even on little things that ought to be left to state and local government.
Mussolini organized his Fascist State on the assumption that the Nation mist not be divided by different factions, interests, and sectors which are often in conflict with each other. To solve this problem, he organized each sector of society into State controlled associations. Any differences and the state mediated the claims and disputes, and decided on the solution. what was the name for this aspect of the system?
Corporatism
10 conservative principles (kirk)
1) conservatives believe that there is an enduring moral order. Human nature is constant and moral truths are permanent
2) conservatism adheres to custom, convention and continuity
3) principle of prescription
4) conservatives are guided by the principles of prudence
5) conservatives pay attention to the principle of variety
6) chastened by their principle of imperfectability
7) freedom and property are closely linked
8) uphold voluntary community while opposing involuntary collectivism
9) perceives the need for prudent restraint upon power and human passions
10) permanent and change must be recognized and reconciled in a vigorous society
