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POLI2410 Quiz > Rousseau + M > Flashcards

Rousseau + M Flashcards

1
Q

What are the estates of the realm?

A

“The estates of the realm, or three estates, were the broad orders of social hierarchy used in christendom from the medieval period to early modern europe….
The system was made up of:
Clergy (The First Estate)
Nobles (The Second Estate)
peasants and bourgeoisie (The Third Estate)…

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2
Q

How does M define natural laws?

A

Natural laws - an objective moral truth that usually just exists and predates civilization

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3
Q

How does M define moral universalism?

A

there are foundational moral truths binding upon all peoples in all times.

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4
Q

Why did M write the persian letters?

A

Persian letters trying to get people to think about how absolutism can be destructive. The Purpose was to equate political absolutism of persia to france

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5
Q

What was the key focus of the Spirit of the Laws?

A

Difference in regimes was key focus of M (The Spirit of Laws)

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5
Q

What is the difference between monarchy and despotic regime?

A

The distinction between monarchy and despotism, for instance, depends not on the virtue of the monarch, but on whether or not he governs “by fixed and established laws”

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6
Q

What kind of intermediate powers did M identify?

A

Nobility
The Church
Commercial interests
Traditions and customs

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6
Q

What is the spirit of monarchy?

A

Honor

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6
Q

What is the spirit of democracy?

A

virtue

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7
Q

What is the spirit of aristocracy?

A

moderation

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8
Q

what is spirit of despotic regimes?

A

fear

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8
Q

What are the 4 types of regime M identifies that have a spirit, and what are their spirits?

A

Monarchy - honor
Democracy - virtue
Aristocracy - moderation
Despotic regimes - fear

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9
Q

What does M mean by liberty?

A

A wider sense of freedom that is non-individualized

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10
Q

What does M define as a free state?

A

Free state: independent, autonomous state

Not being dominated by other people

Responsibility of each citizen to keep society free

You’re free in that society, because it is your society

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11
Q

You had a lot of small, European city states, how did they protect themselves from invasion?

A

If they were wealthy they could hire mercenaries
Could make connections with other states/leagues
Whole idea of a small city state is that everyone had a responsibility for the protection of their nation
(people were expected to show up and fight to the death)
You had to be able to make sure every citizen would rally to the cause
You have to be able to count on people to show up, must cultivate sense of civic ownership
Modern citizenship: we don’t have an obligation to really do anything
Republican conception of citizenship: must be active, engaged, willing to accept responsibilities, underlying assumption of equality

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12
Q

What is the division of power (M)?

A

Division of power is used to maintain democracy so that one group does not have too much power. This is all about balance, how can we think about the structures such that we can call to account very powerful figures.

Made up of legislative, executive, and judiciary

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13
Q

What is Amour de Soi (R)?

A

Amour de soi – emotional self-reliance (NOT “self-love”, which connotes a sense of narcissistic self-importance)

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14
Q

What is Amour Propre (R)

A

Amour propre – a sense of self based on others’ opinions of us

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15
Q

What is a Legislator?

A

Legislator – a guide who suggests appropriate laws that must then be ratified by the people (the sovereign)

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16
Q

What is perfectability (R)?

A

Perfectibility – the ability gradually to develop a capacity for rationality under the right circumstances

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17
Q

what is Pitié?

A

Pitié – natural empathy

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18
Q

What is the sovereign (R)?

A

Sovereign – the group of citizens collectively in their active function as law-makers

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19
Q

What does R say about the difference between subjects and citizens?

A

When you are a subject→ ruled, passive involvement

When you are a citizen → geneva consider themselves to be free citizens, not passive very active.

20
Q

What is wrong with modernity?

A
  1. self interest loosens social bonds
  2. rationalism as a divisive force (common opinions disparaged by one side; hatred of the elites on the other)
  3. time spent working on development of newfangled things leads to withdrawal from political engagement
  4. rewarding talents leads to inequalities between individuals
  5. people lead ‘inauthentic’ lives
21
Q

Why is it important to know R grew up in Geneva?

A

When he was growing up Geneva was independent until 1814 and the population was 16,000.

City state - Independent republic - governing body was called the council of 200, most powerful families share the power. Small executive council within it

The genevans were proud of themselves because they thought of themselves as free

22
Q

For Montesquieu what kind of advantages would a small state have?

A

In a small state it is easier to have a successful democracy

23
Q

For Montesquieu how could small states protect themselves?

A

Confederate with other states coming together

24
Q

For republican theorists what is the difference between citizens and subjects?

A

Subject - passive (subject to ruler)

Citizen - active (health of a society and continued freedom depends on activity)

25
Q

In what ways did montesquieu suggest that states could enhance and preserve civil society?

A

Division of power within government
Intermediate powers (non state actors, clergy, nobility, aristocracy)

26
Q

What does it do to a society when some people are revered more than others?

A

People get jealous and upset. Others get smug. There are the ‘in’ group and the ‘out’ group and people get contemptuous.

This is highly destructive in society.

Some ppl are glorified and some are dismissed

27
Q

What are the similarities between Rousseau’s two works?

A

Both works have similar starting points, makes distinction between natural beings (uncorrupted in State of Nature) and civilized beings
So for Rousseau there is a distinction between past and present, and the present is worse than the past according to him.
But even though the past is better, we cannot go back.

28
Q

What is the relationship between Rousseau’s two works?

A

Discourse = sets out problem which is that society corrupts us
Social contract = sketches out the solution

29
Q

What was rousseau’s state of nature like?

A

Almost like an eden, people lived peacefully and cooperatively, there wasn’t competition because there were lots of resources for everyone.

Quiet and peaceful because people were isolated from one another and as they connected + developed they gradually became a civil society with relationships, then according to Rousseau, the standard of living began to decline after this.

30
Q

What is the 3 stage model

A

State of nature
State of nature for rousseau is not violent, but it also isn’t super sociable
Only with the external force of laws and sovereigns with ability to impose laws do you have peace
In a moral society, people get along but you don’t need the heavy hand of hobbes sovereign to get people to behave

1st transitions
SON to CS (pre-moral civil society) (1 to 2)
No bonds or overarching social or political force on people in Rousseau’s State of nature
In step 2 (in two step model) : there are bonds, and so they can make society work you have the heavy hand of the state to ensure people get along, Rousseau says we can do better than that

2nd transition
From a society to a better society (2 to 3)
Bonds between people are stronger, therefore you don’t need the external force on people to make sure they behave themselves

31
Q

Why cant you consent to a regime where you are for all intents and purposes, a slave?

A

Locke: you can’t do it because you are property of god and it isn’t in god’s best interest (Offense against God).
Your body isn’t yours to give to someone else.

Rousseau: You can do it because to renounce one freedom to renounce what makes one fully human.
So to take away freedom of will from someone is to take away morality from someone;s action
It is all about what it is to be human

32
Q

What does Rousseau say about morality?

A

Rousseau: We are moral because of the choices that we make.
You have to give people enough freedom so they will choose to do the right thing
Need the ability to do or not do.

33
Q

What mechanism should be in place so there is legitimate political authority?

A

Trick Q
Basically instead of asking what mechanisms will work, we have to rethink the problem itself to find a solution.
“You’re asking the wrong question.”

34
Q

We should ask not what political institutions we should have, but how we change human nature so it fits into the type of political system that we want?

A

One of the points of the discourse is that human beings behavior, thought processes, etc are malleable. Our behavior isn’t fixed.
Rousseau argued that if we get inside people’s mind so they think differently then they’ll be able to succeed in the types of institutions that we want
Very much along the lines of what Montesquieu was arguing
Spirit of democracy would be virtue, for it to work you can’t be an asshole

35
Q

4 points of develop along the way of the 3 stage model

A
  1. development of the powers of reasoning
  2. development of self-consciousness
  3. development of human industriousness
  4. development of temporary and then permanent human associations
36
Q

where did the social contract take place in the 3 stage model

A

the social contract is the second transformation

37
Q

3 relations of freedom (R)

A

1.Individuals’ liberty in relation to each other (more hobbesian)
2. Individuals’ liberty in relation to the state (more lockean)
3. The ceaseless inner conflict within each individual (freedom from yourself)

38
Q

What kind of liberty do you have in the State of Nature ?

A

Liberty to do anything (natural liberty called by Rousseau) (Hobbes calls it license after licentious behavior)
Free from dependence on other and political subjection

39
Q

How are they not free in the State of Nature?

A

Freedom is tempered by others’ licentiousness
Behavior is entirely determined by their impulses (enslaved by impulses)

40
Q

What kind of liberty do you have in Civil Society?

A

Legal liberties
Freedoms within confines of the laws

41
Q

How are they not free in Civil Society?

A

Legal liberties are also unfree because we are bound by laws imposed by us
The liberties they give us may not be meaningful to us
Still enslaved by our impulses (we know we shouldn’t do it, but do it anyways)

42
Q

What kind of liberties do we have in Moral Civil Society?

A

Positive or ‘moral’ liberties (active liberties unlike laws that are passive)
Imposes an obligation on us to do something
By imposing this moral law on ourselves and by willingly acting in accordance with it we can become free (morally free)

43
Q

What are 2 things inherent in a natural man according to Rousseau?

A

Reason, Pitié (empathy)

44
Q

what is a negative liberty

A

a liberty that you have that is protected against other people

45
Q

what is rational compassion

A

It is what allows us to impose a moral law on ourselves, we are free because we are doing it to ourselves.
Nobody is imposing it on us.

46
Q

For Rousseau, why can we never go back to the state of nature?

A

We cannot go back because we have a capacity of self-awareness.
State of Nature was a state of innocence
People weren’t aware of how miserable it was, but once they became aware, they couldn’t go back

47
Q

How do we generate a solution to the problem?

A

Problem: find a form of association
Solution: form an association such that each person subject to its laws has a voice equal to that of every other person in determining what these laws shall be

48
Q

Positive Liberty

A

Imposing the moral law on ourselves and therefore acting in accordance to it willingly.
Requires active engagement
Not something we can enjoy passively
Have to understand the moral law, articulate it, and impose it to act in accordance with it

49
Q

What is a moral law vs civil law?

A

Moral laws are moral, they’re not constraints. You aren’t punished like a civil law
A moral law is something that you accept, and that you are willing to take on the responsibility of obeying the law for
Moral laws aren’t constraints on behavior.
A moral law is something that everyone thinks is right, not constraints but mechanisms that assist and enable us to do what we think we should be doing anyways.
Moral laws are not punitive, they are enabling mechanisms for us to do what we already wanted to do
Laws cannot be oppressive, because they are only supportive
Imposing the moral law on ourselves and therefore acting in accordance to it willingly
We have the ability in civil society to figure out what this moral law is
Not oppressive because it is only helping you to achieve your goals
But we only become morally free when we impose this law upon ourselves
and we are “forced to be free”

50
Q

No obligation without participation

A

Rousseau says people are Justifiably obliged to obey because they have made the law (consented)

51
Q

How do we achieve the general will?

A

To achieve the general will (as opposed to the will of all), it is necessary to remove the conflicts of will between individuals
People are malleable, people can change the way they think
One thing is to remove as many conflicts of will as possible

52
Q
A

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