Political Philosophy Questions

If government decides that the society is more important than the individual, that government practices the principle of

_____ believed that since we are spiritual beings with an individual relationship with a supreme being, than we have certain rights that are inherent because we are alive.

In all societies, people must give up some _____ in order to preserve _____ in society.

True or False. In our society, government believes that people are inherently good and will make good choices given the right information and right opportunities.

According to the discussion notes, "politics" can be defined as

A _____ is a guiding principle by which decisions are made.

The life of man will be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.

It may peradventure be thought there was never such a time nor condition of war as this; and I believe it was never generally so, over all the world: but there are many places where they live so now

As long as this natural right of every man to everything endureth, there can be no security to any man, how strong or wise soever he be, of living out the time which nature ordinarily alloweth men to live

[The laws of nature] have been contracted into one easy sum, intelligible even to the meanest capacity; and that is: Do not that to another which thou wouldest not have done to thyself

"Were all these dreadful things necessary? [...] No! Nothing like it. The fresh ruins of France, which shock our feelings wherever we can turn our eyes, are not the devastation of civil war; they are the sad but instructive monuments of rash and ignorant counsel in time of profound peace." (39)

"Whilst they are possessed by these notions, it is in vain to talk to them of the practice of their ancestors, the fundamental laws of their country, the fixed form of a constitution, whose merits are confirmed by the solid test of long experience, and an increasing public strength and national prosperity" (58)

Happy will it be if our choice should be directed by a judicious estimate of our true interests, unperplexed and unbiased by considerations not connected with the public good. But this is a thing more ardently to be wished than seriously to be expected. The plan offered to our deliberations affects too many particular interests, innovates upon too many local institutions, not to involve in its discussion a variety of objects foreign to its merits, and of views, passions and prejudices little favorable to the discovery of truth

People need rights and restrictions in society - "But as the liberties and the restrictions vary with times and circumstances, and admit of infinite modifications, they cannot be settled upon any abstract rule; and nothing is so foolish as to discuss them upon that principle" (60)

"Formerly it was agreed that a man stood or fell by his actions; nowadays, on the contrary, every one idles about and comes off brilliantly with the help of a little reflection, knowing perfectly well what ought to be done. But what two people talking together [...] understand perfectly presented to them as a thought or as an observation, they cannot understand at all in the form of action."

"Government is not made in virtue of natural rights, which may and do exist in total independence of it; and exist in much greater clearness, and in a much greater degree of abstract perfection: but their abstract perfection is their practical defect. [...] Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants." (60)

"The distinction between good and evil is enervated by a superficial, superior and theoretical knowledge of evil, and by a supercilious cleverness which is aware that goodness is neither appreciated nor worthwhile in this world, that it is tantamount to stupidity."

Creating a constitution is a matter of skill: "It requires a deep knowledge of human nature and human necessities [...]. What is the use of discussing a man's abstract right to food or to medicine? The question is upon the method of procuring and administering them." (61)

Reflection is a snare in which one is caught, but, once the 'leap' of enthusiasm has been taken, the relation is a different one and becomes a noose which drags one into eternity. Reflection is and remains the hardest creditor in existence; hitherto it has cunningly bought up all the possible views of life, but it cannot buy the essentially religious and eternal view of life; on the other hand, it can tempt people astray with its dazzling brilliance, and dishearten them by reminding them of all the past. But, by leaping into the depths, one learns to help oneself, learns to love others as much as oneself, even though one is accused of arrogance and pride—because one will not accept help—or selfishness

The nearer opinion comes to unanimity, the greater is the dominance of the general will; whereas long debates, dissensions and tumult proclaim the domination by particular interests and the decline of the state. [...] At the other end of the political spectrum, unanimity circles back: that's when the citizens, having fallen into servitude, no longer have any liberty or any will. Fear and flattery then convert voting into acclamation; no-one considers issues any more; all they do is to fawn on those in power or to curse their rivals