Lessons Quizes

Question 1

What is it called when people make an agreement between themselves and the government?

Answer 1

A social contract

In general, a contract is an agreement between two parties. The terms of the agreement between a government and its people are an ongoing negotiation.

Question 2

According to the social contract theory, what is the origin of society?

Answer 2

Society is created by humans to resolve the problems they face.

Social contract theory argues that we create society to meet particular needs we individually possess and share with others.

Question 3

Which of the following did John Locke view as the most important protection(s) under the social contract?

Answer 3

Liberty and property

John Locke believed that liberty and property are both natural rights and it is the government’s job to protect them.

Question 4

Which of these accurately describes John Locke’s view of the state of nature?

Answer 4

The state of nature was peaceful and consisted of rational human beings.

Even though this was John Locke’s belief, he also argued that life in the state of nature was “inconvenient.”

Question 5

According to John Locke, how much authority should society have over its citizens under the social contract?

Answer 5

Limited authority

Locke believed that the social contract should provide a society in which the society has no more power than is necessary to regulate the natural rights and co-existence of its citizens.

Question 6

Which three statements describe characteristics of a social contract?

Answer 6

*Provides a definition of human nature
*Specifies the natural rights that are to be protected
*Describes the shared interests of the citizens

Social contacts reflect who we are, the rights we possess, and the interests we share. Social contracts define us as human.

Question 7

Why is the state of nature important for creating a social contract?

Answer 7

• The state of nature defines what it means to be human.
• The state of nature defines natural rights.

Society should be a reflection of what it means to be human, and natural rights must be acknowledged and protected in a social contract.

Question 8

Why is it important to know what the quality of life is like in the state of nature?

Answer 8

• It explains the incentive for working cooperatively with others. correct

*It helps to frame the type of social contract that is needed to make individual lives better.

The reality is that how bad or good life is in the state of nature will guide the need to cooperate with others, and the subsequent social contract will help overcome the drawbacks experienced in the state of nature.

Question 9

What is the purpose of a social contract?

Answer 9

To acknowledge and protect natural rights

Social contracts are created to acknowledge and protect natural rights.

Question 10

What is an important weakness of a social contract?

Answer 10

Social contracts require consensus.

Social contracts can be renegotiated, through democratic processes, so they don’t necessarily have to fail. A weakness is that social contracts require consensus.

Question 11

Which statements are true about natural rights?

Answer 11

They let you do what you need to survive and be secure.

They provide equality among all people.

Since all people share the same set of natural rights given by God, they cannot be interfered with by a government.

Question 12

Which statements are true concerning the state of nature?

Answer 12

Permits a philosophical definition of human nature.

Is a thought experiment upon which definitions of proper society and government are built

Enlightenment philosophers used the state of nature to define human nature and argued for a proper society and government based on that nature.

Question 13

Which conditions are required for a social contract to work?

Answer 13

Consensus among those whom the social contract applies to correct

Uniformity of ability and purpose among those who agree to the social contract correct

The conditions needed for a social contract to work include consensus among those involved in the social contract and a uniformity of ability and purpose among those who agree to it.

Question 14

Which statement describes the theory of the social contract?

Answer 14

Society is not natural but created by the people.

The social contract acknowledges that the people are in relationship with the government and there are obligations the citizens have to a society.

Question 15

Which natural right was explicitly protected in the Declaration of Independence?

Answer 15

Liberty

Question 16

Which Constitution principle, suggested by Montesquieu, lessens the potential harm of the national government over the people?

Answer 16

A bicameral legislature

The Constitutional principle of bicameralism was meant to counterbalance the power of factions over the government by making each chamber of Congress obligated to different social groups.

Question 17

Which Constitutional system, suggested by Montesquieu, balances the national government and allows each branch of government to the limit the power of the other two branches?

Answer 17

Checks and Balances

The Constitutional system of checks and balances is meant to prevent any one branch of government from gaining complete power and control over the government by allowing each branch to monitor and influence what happens in other branches of government.