Review questions Flashcards
Montesquieu - What are the 4 types of government?
Republic (Democracy, Aristocracy), Monarchy, Despotism
Montesquieu - What is the main characteristic of each form of gov’t?
Republic = virtue Monarchy = honor (nobility) Despotism = fear
Montesquieu - What are forms of government are “moderate”?
Republic and Monarchy
Montesquieu - What forces can corrupt a democracy?
Loss of faith in virtue
Montesquieu - What are the structures of a despotic government?
In a despotism, everyone is equal in absolute servitude to the despot. The despot devotes him or herself to pleasure and appoints a vizier to do the dirty work thus transferring absolute power temporarily. Religion becomes important in the despotic state, because there is no depository of law.
Burke - What does he mean when he says that nature is rational and that liberty is irrational?
Burke argues for tradition. He states that nature is reason and liberty is irrational.
Burke - What does he mean when he says that liberty is good only when it is constrained by law?
Civil rights and freedoms are natural. Burke does not like human rights.
Burke - What does Burke say about social change? Is change good? If so, how should it done best?
Burke says that social change is good. He says society should be changed but only following tradition.
Burke - Why should political power be limited to a small group?
Political power should be limited to aristocracy. They are governed not by self-intent but governed by virtue of being noble/honored.
Describe L’Ouverture.
- believed that rights of men are universal and apply to all people (including Black slaves)
- Blacks of Haiti wanted to be citizens of France and would rather the whole nation burn than return to slavery
- After liberation, slaves had to return to plantations in order for Haiti to economically survive
- L’O argued that the chief characteristic of a good leader is compassion for his people
Wollstonecraft - Why are women in her society like wealthy people?
Both women and wealthy people gave nothing back to society
Wollstonecraft - Why do women in her society fail to think critically? Is it biological, social, economic?
Social conditioning and economic dis-privilege, social bias and social oppression, economic exploitation
Mill - How does liberty relate to democracy and democratic government ruling over its people?
Liberty means protection from our leaders - even in a democracy.
Mill - What reasons does Mill give for why a society ought to support individual freedom over the whole?
Self-protection
Mill - What is the tyranny of the majority?
Tyranny of the majority is when society, not the state, mandates things that it has no right to meddle in - society needs protection from such invasion.
