Philosophy of Government Flashcards
Grade 12 · Social Studies · Flashcards
Key thinkers, concepts, and theories in political philosophy from ancient Greece to contemporary debates.
Flashcards
- Thomas Hobbes
- 17th-century English philosopher who argued for an absolute sovereign (Leviathan) to prevent the chaos of the state of nature; author of Leviathan (1651).
- John Locke
- 17th-century English philosopher who argued government exists to protect natural rights (life, liberty, property) and citizens may revolt if it fails; major influence on liberal democracy.
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
- 18th-century French-Swiss philosopher who argued for direct democracy and the 'general will'; believed human beings are naturally good but corrupted by civilization.
- John Rawls
- 20th-century American philosopher who developed a liberal theory of justice arguing for equal basic liberties and the 'difference principle,' ensuring inequalities benefit the least advantaged; author of A Theory of Justice (1971).
- John Stuart Mill
- 19th-century British philosopher and utilitarian who articulated the 'harm principle' (On Liberty, 1859) and argued for individual liberty, women's rights, and representative government.
- Plato's Republic
- Plato's foundational political philosophy work arguing that just societies are ruled by philosopher-kings with wisdom, and justice consists in each part of the soul and society performing its proper function.
- Deontological Ethics
- An ethical framework (associated with Kant) that judges actions based on adherence to rules or duties, regardless of consequences; contrasts with consequentialism/utilitarianism.
- Social Justice
- A political concept concerned with the fair distribution of advantages, resources, and opportunities in society; subject to debate between egalitarians, libertarians, and communitarians.
- Positive vs. Negative Liberty
- Negative liberty = freedom from external interference; positive liberty = actual capacity to act and achieve goals. Isaiah Berlin's distinction underpins debates between libertarians (negative) and social liberals (positive).
- Deliberative Democracy
- A theory of democracy (Habermas, Cohen) holding that legitimate political decisions emerge from rational public deliberation and debate, not just voting or preference aggregation.
- Anarchism
- A political philosophy advocating the abolition of all coercive government authority and hierarchy, in favor of voluntary cooperation and self-organized communities.
- Checks and Balances
- Constitutional mechanisms giving each branch of government some control over the others, preventing any single branch from accumulating excessive power.
- Political Legitimacy
- The justified right of a government to exercise power; grounded in consent (democratic theory), tradition (conservative theory), rational procedure (liberal theory), or outcomes (utilitarian theory).
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