Test 1 Flashcards
(49 cards)
Smith value
produces tangible good
Hayak value
Subjective
What would Locke, Rawls and Hayak say about opening a casino?
Locke no objective value (something that contributes to the betterment of yourself and others)
Hayak would say yes it’s none of your business
Rawls would not object to it on a basis of value but on the basis that it hurts the poor more than others. If allowed casino owners would be taxed heavily
What would Locke and Rawls do about putting up the ten commandments
Rawls = No you can’t have anything that promotes a single religious belief. It would privilege some people over others within the vale of ignorance
Locke = Government should be religiously neutral but the Ten Commandments are universal statement of inherent moral law and are thus acceptable
Political theory
what’s the best political system
Most political theories are a ______ to a ______
Response, Crisis
The crisis of modern political theory
Nihilism (no truth or morals)
Death of Nature
Nature is unchangeable and there are limits to mans ability to control it but this has broken down and led to Nihilism. For example people thought that it was natural for most people would die in infancy or childhood
Early Liberal theorists try to ________ based on _______ while simultaneously saying that _______ can be changed causing internal tensions within their theories.
create neutral systems, nature, nature
18th century definitions
Liberal = a person who was capable of living in freedom.
Conservative = people who were cautious and suspicious of change
19th century definitions
Liberal = all people are capable of living in freedom (if you’re a white property owning male)
- Constitutional government
- Free market
- Democratic system
Conservative = supported the aristocracy and wanted to maintain the former system in opposition to free markets
19th century liberals want..
Constitutional government
Free market
Democratic system
20th century Definitions
Liberal = free markets were creating a new aristocracy through major income difference and people trapped in poverty
Conservative = 19th century liberals. This does not mean neoclassical liberals who did away with the moral code that accompanied classical liberalism
20th century liberals want
Regulation
Redistribution
State of Nature
how people govern themselves without government (Locke)
Law of Nature
Universal moral law that says you can’t harm yourself and others making most people peaceful
Why is government needed within the State of Nature
- Some people don’t follow the law of nature and thus people need protection
- There needs to be a way to mediate disputes between rational people
People in the State of Nature value
life, liberty and property
You must have limited constitutional government because
government can be a threat to rights
If Government fails to protect your rights you are
morally obligated to overthrow it.
Humans creating ________ was a radical idea of _____ but there are natural limitations on them.
government, Locke
Locke Distributive Justice
In the State of Nature the land is owned by everyone. If someone wants ownership they must labor and create objective value with it. Once you have done that it becomes your private property but you can only take what you need. You can accumulate as much money as you want as long as you invest it productively.
Locke Religious Toleration
There should not be a forced public religion because if the state gets it wrong everyone goes to hell.
Locke Role of Government
deals with the physical. Government shouldn’t regulate the physical means of worship such as buildings and vestments. The Government shouldn’t deal with speculative elements of theology. Government can deal with the regulation of morality.
