Lesson 2 Flashcards
Classical republicanism
Pleases needs of people as a community above individual liberty and self- determination
Common good
Doing what is best for society as a whole
Consent of the governed
Governmental authority dependent on the agreement of the governed
Divine right
Idea that monarchs derive their authority from God
Inalienable rights
Rights that cannot be taken away
Life livery and property
Natural rights
Rights that people are entitled to in a state of nature
Political legitimacy
Popular acceptance of a government
Popular sovereignty
Principe that government is created and derived its authority from the agreement of the people
Pursuit of happiness
Right to pursue a lifestyle that makes one. Happy
Right of revolution
Right of cutIens to overthrow a government that is not acting for the people’s interest
Social contract theory
Theory that government and governed must have a contract in which people exchange rights for benefits from government
State of nature
Any situation in which there is no recognized authority to make and enforce rules and manage conflicts
Civic virtue
Sacrificing individual interest for the benefit of the community; includes supervising and nurturing next generation of citizens
Roman republic was the ancient society that had
The greatest influence on the founders
Roman republic established a complex system of
Offices in which common people had a voice
Roman republic was a mixed constitution because it had
Elements of a monarchy, aristocracy, and rule of the common people
Roman republic has done the best job of promoting
The common good
Public life required dedicated
Citizens and leaders willing to make personal sacrifices for the sake of the common good
Three aspects of classical republicanism influenced founders
Small uniform communities
Citizenship and civic virtue
Moral education
Small uniform communities
Good government is possible only in small communities because people are able to know and care for one another
Citizenship and civic virtue
Promoted common good. Citizens should be well informed and engaged in community affairs. Courage to do right in any case. Duties
Moral education
Includes instruction in civic religion
Required that children develop proper habits
Communities and churches assumed responsibility form
Installing proper habits and practices in colonial America
If individualism and self interest were allowed to flourish then
Community life would suffer
Be life came that self government is required to lay foundations for
Social peace and a just society
Natural rights philosophy held to
Answer questions regarding government
English philosophers thought that political philosophy needed a fresh start that focused on the
Rights of individuals
They originated the way of thinking about
Human nature and politics that is know as natural rights philosophy
Natural rights philosophy argued that humans are not
Naturally social and traced government to an imaginary state of nature
Hobbes state of nature
Constant state of war
Locke state of nature makes all people
Free equal and rational
Inalienable rights
Locke also argued that in a state of nature all people have the right to punish those who do not
Respect others rights and don’t follow reason
People would not survive because they would seek personal advantage
Locke argued tha if government fails to protect individual rights then the people are
Entitled to replace it, if necessary by revolution
Natural rights philosophy that influenced founders
Individual rights
Popular sovereignty
Limited government human equality
