THEORIES OF GOVERNMENT

Types of Government

Dictatorship Monarchy Democracy/Republic Parliamentary

Needs for a “state”

Population, Territory, Sovereignty, Government

Where does this concept of a “nation” come from?

How much of the world is “free”?

How Government Arises

Who chooses? What choices are available? What is the need of the state?

Theories of Government

Force, evolutionary, divine right, social contract

How has government itself evolved over human history?

Classes, wealth, an educated populous Why you can have

Democracy and Republican Government in Greece and Rome?

Aristotle’s Politics –

“the politician and lawgiver is wholly occupied with the city-state, and the constitution is a certain way of organizing those who inhabit the city-state” (III.1.1274b36-8).

Polity – Combines elements of an oligarchy and that of a democracy

According to Aristotle….

Aristotle’s definitions of JUSTICE – 1. Lawfulness2. Equality or fairness

More on Aristotle…. From his

“Nicomachean Ethics” - “The end [or goal] of politics is the best of ends; and the main concern of politics is to engender a certain character in the citizens and to make them good and disposed to perform noble actions.”

From Greece to Rome to the USA

What was in between? Divine Right – God knows who should rule.

That ruler knows what’s best for the people Conquerors who do not consider the best for

the people

Both indicate a one-way relationship

When did government originate to “preserve, protect, and defend”? In other words, when did it mean something to be a citizen of a state?

View of “Human” Beings in Human History

Louis IVX – good example of a Divine Right Ruler – “L’etat. C’est moi.” Ruled during the height of Mercantilism (wealth of the state determined its power)

For a government to have a two-way relationship (contract), what needs to be present?

Putting the “Human” in Human History Rights – Natural or otherwise granted Recognition that government should

exist FOR the people, not to control them

This is why we see an evolution from the totalitarianism of Monarchies and empires, and to governments by and for the people

Enlightenment Philosophy Changed function of Government from

top down to the concept of a Contract between the government and the governed

Philosopher – Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Voltaire, Montesquieu among many others

Originated in France

Locke vs. HobbesJohn Locke

English-studied philosophy and science Greatly influence by the ideas of Descartes Affected by the Glorious Revolution Argued that Natural Law affirms citizen’s rights to make

government answer to the people. Wrote the Two Treatises of Government Argued that government should be based on natural rights-

life, liberty, and the pursuit of property. Government should be based on social contract-an

agreement between rulers and people, if a ruler took away people’s natural rights, the people had a right to revolt and set up a new government.

Locke vs.. HobbesThomas Hobbes

English-wrote about government and society. Strongly affected by the execution of King

Charles I. Wrote the Leviathan Argued that Natural law made absolute

monarchy the best form of government because people were “nasty, brutish, and short,” they need to obey government and have a leader who would give people direction.

Historical Developments During the Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment Europe

American and French Revolutions European Colonization End of Slave Trade and Slavery as an

institution 1848 Revolutions in Europe

Different Types of Government

Totalitarian Authoritarian Aristocracy Theocracy Oligarchy Democracy Direct Democracy Anarchy (no government)

How do different GOVERNMENTS emerge?

Through choice or by force?

What are the problems with each type of government?

The American Revolution

Taxation without Representation Sugar ActStamp Act

○ These laws were directed towards having the colonists pay for the French and Indian War and others

Quartering SoldiersThe American Colonists leaned on

Enlightenment Philosophies to center their fight against the British – they wanted “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”