week 13: revolution Flashcards
What is ‘absolute’ government, according to John Locke?
Government with unchecked power that violates natural rights (life, liberty, property); rule without the consent of the governed
(Source: Second Treatise of Government, 1689)
Why did John Locke reject absolute government?
It destroys natural rights and justifies rebellion against rulers who become tyrants.
Which historical events were influenced by Locke’s ideas?
Glorious Revolution (1688) — constitutional monarchy.
American Revolution (1776) — Declaration of Independence.
What quote by Locke captures his view on tyranny?
“Wherever law ends, tyranny begins.” — Second Treatise of Government (1689)
What is the social contract according to John Locke?
An agreement where people consent to government to protect their rights; if government fails, people have the right to revolt.
Example of Locke’s social contract theory being carried out?
Thomas Jefferson wrote that governments derive “their just powers from the consent of the governed”, and that people have a right to “alter or abolish” a government that becomes destructive.
How did John Locke influence Jefferson’s ideas on religious freedom and theology?
In fall 1776, Jefferson took extensive notes on Locke’s A Letter on Toleration (1689), shaping his views on religious freedom and separation of church and state; he also studied The Reasonableness of Christianity (1695), which likely influenced his theological doctrines.
(Source: Sanford Kessler)
What was the role of intermediate powers, according to Montesquieu?
To balance and limit the monarch’s power by creating independent bodies like the nobility, courts, and guilds.
(Source: Spirit of the Laws, 1748)
Why did Montesquieu believe intermediate powers were essential?
They prevented tyranny by creating multiple centers of authority that could check each other.
Source: Moderation as Government, Thomas Osborne)
What key concept about government is Montesquieu most famous for?
Separation of powers — dividing legislative, executive, and judicial powers to safeguard liberty.
Which historical event reflected the loss of Montesquieu’s “intermediate powers”?
French Revolution (1789) — abolition of nobility, guilds, and parlements, leading to increased centralisation.
What quote by Montesquieu summarizes his view on political power?
“Power must check power.” — Source: Spirit of the Laws (1748)
How, in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s view, could government reflect the ‘general will’?
Through direct democracy where citizens actively participate and prioritise the common good.
(Source: The Social Contract, 1762)
What is the ‘general will’ (volonté générale) according to Rousseau?
The collective interest of all citizens aimed at the common good, distinct from individual or factional interests.
(BRANDON KONOVAL, Aristotle)
Why did Rousseau reject representative government?
He believed citizens must directly make laws to truly express the general will; representatives distort it.
Example of representative government (which Rousseau criticised) in early modern history?
The English Parliament (especially after the Glorious Revolution, 1688) — elected representatives made laws on behalf of the people, rather than citizens directly legislating.
Which historical event was heavily influenced by Rousseau’s idea of the general will?
French Revolution (1789); especially during the Jacobin rule and the Reign of Terror (1793–94).
citizens voted in local assemblies and revolutionary committees to enforce laws themselves.
What famous quote by Rousseau captures his political philosophy?
“Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains. One thinks himself the master of others, and still remains a greater slave than they.” — The Social Contract (1762), opening sentence.
According to Andrew Levine, how did Robespierre use/manipulate Rousseau’s ideas during the French Revolution?
He claimed to act on behalf of the general will to justify revolutionary dictatorship and the Reign of Terror.
