Political Organization Within Political Organization Within Traditional French Society:Traditional French Society:

Environmental and Social Environmental and Social ChangeChange

• The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries underwent a series of crises: underwent a series of crises:

•Bad weather and diseaseBad weather and disease

•WarfareWarfare

•Religious SchismReligious Schism

•CrimeCrime

•Social UnrestSocial Unrest

• Feudal society was unable to respond to Feudal society was unable to respond to the various crises and so a new society the various crises and so a new society generally called the Renaissance evolved.generally called the Renaissance evolved.

• Renaissance society was engaged in Renaissance society was engaged in establishing a centralized sovereignty establishing a centralized sovereignty which would change the power which would change the power relationships from the more personal relationships from the more personal relationships based on homage and relationships based on homage and independence of feudal society to more independence of feudal society to more impersonal ones based on competition, impersonal ones based on competition, centralization, and order. centralization, and order.

• Sovereignty is the power to make Sovereignty is the power to make and enforce decisions about any and enforce decisions about any matter that is recognized to be within matter that is recognized to be within a defined jurisdiction. a defined jurisdiction.

Theoretical View of Political Theoretical View of Political and Social Relationshipsand Social Relationships

• The Renaissance The Renaissance perspective as laid out perspective as laid out by Machiavelli (1469-by Machiavelli (1469-1527): 1527):

Machiavelli (cont.)Machiavelli (cont.)•Human beings are selfish and Human beings are selfish and interested only in advancing their interested only in advancing their own interestsown interests

•Because society is basically Because society is basically immoral, a prince may find it immoral, a prince may find it necessary to be immoral for the necessary to be immoral for the good of the whole community good of the whole community

•The sole test of good government The sole test of good government was whether it was effective, was whether it was effective, whether the ruler increased his whether the ruler increased his power. Gaining and preserving power. Gaining and preserving power was the most significant power was the most significant goal a prince representing a state goal a prince representing a state can aspire to.can aspire to.

Machiavelli (cont.)Machiavelli (cont.)• "A prince, therefore, should not mind,,, "A prince, therefore, should not mind,,,

cruelty, for a few displays of severity, cruelty, for a few displays of severity, will really be more merciful than to will really be more merciful than to allow, by an excess of clemency allow, by an excess of clemency disorders to occur which... result in disorders to occur which... result in rapine and murder; for these unsure a rapine and murder; for these unsure a whole community, whilst the whole community, whilst the executions ordered by the price fall executions ordered by the price fall only upon a few individuals... It is much only upon a few individuals... It is much more safe to be feared than to be more safe to be feared than to be loved... For it may be said about men loved... For it may be said about men that they are ungrateful and fickle..." that they are ungrateful and fickle..."

The Practical Realities of The Practical Realities of Political Decision MakingPolitical Decision Making

• Rulers in the fifteenth century accelerated Rulers in the fifteenth century accelerated the process of building strong, centralized the process of building strong, centralized monarchies which were sovereign within monarchies which were sovereign within the state. Their objectives were to: the state. Their objectives were to:

•Reduce violence in society Reduce violence in society •Curb unruly nobles and other Curb unruly nobles and other dissension; dissension;

•Establish domestic order Establish domestic order •Control all competing jurisdictions, Control all competing jurisdictions, organizations, or interest groups in organizations, or interest groups in their territoriestheir territories

France: The Centralization of France: The Centralization of PowerPower

• In France, the centralization of power by the In France, the centralization of power by the monarchy was facilitated by the activities of monarchy was facilitated by the activities of Louis XIII;s chief minister, Louis XIII;s chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu..

• Richelieu was willing to use extreme Richelieu was willing to use extreme measures to strengthen the king's absolute measures to strengthen the king's absolute power. He executed nobles who opposed the power. He executed nobles who opposed the king and allied Catholic France with various king and allied Catholic France with various Protestant states to counter the strength of Protestant states to counter the strength of the Hapsburgs.the Hapsburgs.

• Richelieu's policy was the subordination of all Richelieu's policy was the subordination of all groups and class to the French monarchy.groups and class to the French monarchy.

The Practical Realities of Political The Practical Realities of Political Decision Making in Seventeenth Decision Making in Seventeenth

Century FranceCentury France • Louis XIV was to personify the absolute Louis XIV was to personify the absolute

monarch. During his reign he centralized monarch. During his reign he centralized power and once proclaimed that "I am the power and once proclaimed that "I am the state." state."

•All power was held by the king with All power was held by the king with the nobility excluded from the ancient the nobility excluded from the ancient right of advising the king. right of advising the king.

•Middle class bureaucrats were Middle class bureaucrats were selected to administer the government selected to administer the government because they were no threat to the because they were no threat to the king. king.

Louis XIV (cont.)Louis XIV (cont.)

•The The Estates GeneralEstates General was was never called. never called.

•A powerful, centralized A powerful, centralized bureaucracy, secret police, bureaucracy, secret police, and a system of informers and a system of informers were created to maintain were created to maintain control of society.control of society.

Flaws in Louis XIV's System of Flaws in Louis XIV's System of GovernmentGovernment

• Inability to raise money to support the Inability to raise money to support the government because of: government because of:

•the reliance on tax farmingthe reliance on tax farming

•the agreement not to tax the nobilitythe agreement not to tax the nobility

inin return for non-interference in return for non-interference in government government

• The inability to accept religious The inability to accept religious differences which culminated with the differences which culminated with the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. revocation of the Edict of Nantes.

Flaws (cont.)Flaws (cont.)

• The expense and extravagance of The expense and extravagance of Louis XIV's government as Louis XIV's government as exemplified by: exemplified by:

•his warshis wars

•the palace at Versaillesthe palace at Versailles

Theoretical Viewpoints on the Theoretical Viewpoints on the Allocation of SovereigntyAllocation of Sovereignty

• In the seventeenth and eighteenth In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries philosophers began to offer centuries philosophers began to offer new paradigms for dealing with new paradigms for dealing with organization and control of society organization and control of society

• Result: Result: The Age of EnlightenmentThe Age of Enlightenment

HobbesHobbes::• Humans are born with both passion and reason. Humans are born with both passion and reason. • Human passion leads to a state of war within Human passion leads to a state of war within

society that leads to anarchy, chaos, violence, society that leads to anarchy, chaos, violence, and destruction. The life of man in nature is and destruction. The life of man in nature is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.

• Reason suggests that peace is a better way of Reason suggests that peace is a better way of life. life.

• Peace can only be maintained if every person Peace can only be maintained if every person agrees to give up the right to govern themselves agrees to give up the right to govern themselves and to give absolute power to an individual (or and to give absolute power to an individual (or group) who will legislate peace and security group) who will legislate peace and security using force if necessary. using force if necessary.

• People must promise complete obedience in People must promise complete obedience in return for order and security. return for order and security.

• The choice for society is between absolute power The choice for society is between absolute power or complete anarchy. or complete anarchy.

Montesquieu:Montesquieu:• Focused on the conditions that promote Focused on the conditions that promote

liberty and prevent tyranny. liberty and prevent tyranny.

• Despotism could be avoided by dividing Despotism could be avoided by dividing and sharing political power among a and sharing political power among a diversity of classes and groups. diversity of classes and groups.

• A strong independent upper class was A strong independent upper class was especially important to prevent the abuse especially important to prevent the abuse of power. of power.

• In order to prevent the abuse of power, In order to prevent the abuse of power, "it is necessary that by the arrangement "it is necessary that by the arrangement of things, power checks power." of things, power checks power."

LockeLocke::• The human mind is like a bland tablet at The human mind is like a bland tablet at

birth birth • Human development is determined by Human development is determined by

education and social organizations, for good education and social organizations, for good or evil. or evil.

• The purpose of government is to protect the The purpose of government is to protect the 'natural rights' of life, liberty, and property. 'natural rights' of life, liberty, and property.

• Citizens have the natural right to rebel Citizens have the natural right to rebel against a government which does not against a government which does not respect the rights of its citizens. respect the rights of its citizens.

• Since all humans are born with minds that Since all humans are born with minds that have no learning and must be taught, there have no learning and must be taught, there can be no unborn cultural differences can be no unborn cultural differences between people especially men and women. between people especially men and women.

Voltaire:Voltaire: • Believed that the best humanity could Believed that the best humanity could

hope for was a good monarch. hope for was a good monarch.

• Did not believe in social equality. Women Did not believe in social equality. Women (as everyone) should be treated well in a (as everyone) should be treated well in a civilized society, but it should also be civilized society, but it should also be recognized that women have special recognized that women have special attributes which fit them for special roles. attributes which fit them for special roles.

• The only feasible equality would be based The only feasible equality would be based on that "by which the citizen only on that "by which the citizen only depends on the laws which protect the depends on the laws which protect the freedom of the feeble against the freedom of the feeble against the ambition of the strong." ambition of the strong."

Rousseau:Rousseau: • Was passionately committed to individual Was passionately committed to individual

freedom. freedom.

• Believed the human mind is like a blank tablet Believed the human mind is like a blank tablet at birth. at birth.

• Saw reason and civilization as destroying rather Saw reason and civilization as destroying rather than freeing the individual. than freeing the individual.

• Believed that any society would generate a Believed that any society would generate a general will which was sacred and absolute and general will which was sacred and absolute and which reflected the common interests of the which reflected the common interests of the people and to which interests were subordinate. people and to which interests were subordinate.

• Believed that women having a responsibility to Believed that women having a responsibility to society for child rearing should be education to society for child rearing should be education to be good mothers.be good mothers.