GOVERNMENT

So what is Government?

What did you do today?How was government involved?

WHY Government?

Was Hobbes right about human nature?

Do you agree with Hobbes’ outlook on the ‘Right Kind of Government?

Would Hobbes agree with Locke’s idea of natural rights

Do you prefer Hobbes of Lockes ideas about government?

Social Contract Theorists & Enlightenment Thinkers

THOMAS HOBBESJOHN LOCKEJEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAUBARON DE MONTESQUIEU

Social Contract Theorists

What is a social

contract?An agreement among

peopledefining the rights and

duties of individuals with each

other and with the government.

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)

Hobbes challenged Divine Right Theory

Did not challenge Monarchy - Any government is better than no government.

Why? Must examine the State of Nature: Life without institutions, a primitive state before governments.

Hobbes and the State of Nature Wrote the Leviathan Pessimistic - Man in the

state of nature is essentially equal and at “war”

Without government, life would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

A constant struggle to survive against the evil of others

Hobbes and the Social Contract

Out of fear, people want to be ruled.

People enter into a social contract with the government.

People give up rights and liberties in order to control society and to safeguard property.

Individual obedience is necessary in order to stop the greater evil of an endless state of war.

John Locke

English 1632-1704 An Essay

Concerning Human Understanding

Second Treatiseof Civil Government

Locke and the State of Nature State of perfect freedom and equality no

king has the power to void those rights All human beings in their natural state

were equal and free to pursue life, health, liberty and possessions (inalienable rights).

In this state, everyone is the judge and jury.

Creates problems – Gov’t remedies these problems.

Governments allow man to pursue his goals more efficiently.

Lockeand the Social Contract

Men enter into a social contract with the government to preserve life, liberty and property and to assure justice.

From this state of nature people would not choose an absolute monarchy, they choose a society governed by standing laws, with power distributed among different groups.

If the government acts improperly it breaks the contract with the people. Revolution in some circumstances is not only a right, it is an obligation.

Review the Views on the Social Contract

Hobbes: the social contract restricts conflict in the state of nature by surrendering power and instituting justice.

Locke: the social contract carries man from the state of nature to be governed in order to preserve liberties and property rights.

Rousseau: the social contract limits the power of the state and brings citizens closer to the state of nature.

Jean Jacques Rousseau

Swiss - French

1712-1778

On The Social Contract,

1762

Rousseau and the State of Nature “Man is born free, but everywhere

he is in chains.” (Thesis) Natural State is freedom, but

people in modern states are not free. Why?

The only natural society is the family.

Problems begin when people form societies.

Original “tribal” societies were alright, but the introduction of property created inequality and jealousy.

Cannot return to the natural state so we form governments to restore some of our freedoms.

Baron de Montesquieu “On The Spirit of Laws” 1748 Admired British system Separation of governmental powers

into three divisions the executive, who carries out

(executes) the laws the legislative, who makes the laws, and the judicial, who interprets the laws.

Tyranny can be avoided by dividing political power among different groups. (Separation of Powers)

Tyranny can be avoided by keeping watch on the other branches of government (checks and balances)

These would prevent anyone from gaining a monopoly of power.

State of Nature: No laws You are on your own

Social ContactGovernmentLawsCompromises are madeRights are protected

In both Categories:Natural rightsLife LibertyProberty

Life, Liberty, Property

Life, Liberty and property are all natural rights that people are born with according to Locke

State of nature/ War

In a state of nature, people are constantly in a state of war because there are no laws

Government/Social Contract

A social contract happens when the people agree to give up some power and rights in exchange for protection and services

The State• A body of people living in a defined territory,

organized politically, who have the power to make and enforce laws without the consent of a higher authority.

• Over 190 “States” in the world. • A state is a legal entity• Often called nations - an ethnic term describing

race or other large groups of people• Often called country - geographic term referring to

a place, region, or area of land.

The State

Four Characteristics of a State

Population

Sovereignty

Territory

Government

Four Characteristics of a State

• Population - Must have people • Territory – Land with known and recognized

boundaries.• Sovereignty - It makes its own decisions.

Not reliant on any other nation to decide for them.

• Government - an organized way to make and enforce public policies.

Origins of the State

• Force Theory – A group of people claimed control over an area and forced all within to submit to the group’s rule

• Evolutionary Theory – The state developed naturally out of the early family

• Divine Right Theory – God created the state and gave royalty the “divine right to rule”

• Social Contract Theory – People went into contract with the state for protection and promotion of society’s well-being

The Purpose of Government

1. Form a more perfect union 2. Establish Justice 3. Insure Domestic Tranquility 4. Provide for the Common Defense 5. Promote the General Welfare 6. Secure the Blessings of Liberty