INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL THEORY- LIBERALISM

LiberalismAnswer 7 of the following in your own words as completely as possible. Do not copy from the Reader or from a classmate. Cite the page numbers for each of your answers. Must be submitted by class time on January 28th.

  1. Hobbes outlines three principal reasons why he thinks conflict in the state of nature is inevitable. These are "competition," "diffidence," and "glory." What does Hobbes mean by these terms, and why does he think they will inevitably culminate in "war," as he understands that term?
  2. What is the importance of the development of money for Locke's argument about the extent of property accumulation in the state of nature? What are the consequences of his argument from the standpoint of economic equality? Does Locke think this will be a problem? Why or why not?

3.According to The Rights of Man, what is the rationale behind Paine's claim that only the present generation has any claim on the politics of today?

  1. What are the specific grievances listed by the colonists in The Declaration of Independence?
  2. Which article of the Declaration most clearly attacks the notion of ascribed status and aristocratic privilege? Why?
  3. Adam Smith maintains that, "The difference of talents in different men is, in reality, much less than we are aware of." He goes on to add that while it may offend the "vanity of the philosopher," the fact is that: "By nature a philosopher is not in genius and disposition half so different from a street porter as a mastiff is from a greyhound" From Smith's account, then what accounts for the "very different genius which appears to distinguish men of different professions" ?
  4. Kant gives two broad sets of reasons why individuals have not heretofore thrown off their immaturity. What are they?
  5. Mill famously declares that: "If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind" (p. 97). Mill gives three basic reasons for this claim. What are they?
  6. The key figure in Sumner's analysis is the one he calls "the Forgotten Man." Who is this individual? How and why is he forgotten? Why does Sumner believe that the case of the Forgotten Man illustrates the problem of enabling government to do more than protect the persons and property of its citizens?
  7. At the conclusion of this piece, Green maintains that "we shall probably all agree that a society in which the public health was duly protected, and necessary education duly provided for, by the spontaneous action of individuals, was in a higher condition than one in which the compulsion of law was needed to secure those ends" Nevertheless, Green does not believe this will happen; therefore state intervention is absolutely necessary to achieve these ends. What reasons does he give for this failure?

11.Roosevelt argues that, in various ways, the opponents of the New Deal have been "deceitful." What examples does he give to justify this assertion?

12.Throughout this essay, Allen compares current debates about censoring and making illegal certain types of speech and behavior to the Prohibition movement. On Allen's account, what lessons should we learn from the failures of Prohibition that are applicable today?

13.Despite the fact that libertarians take some positions generally associated with the political left wing, and some positions associated with the political right wing, Rothbard does not believe that they are confused. Indeed, he argues that libertarianism is the only truly consistent variant of liberalism as an ideology. Why?

  1. There does not seem to be anything inherently unfair about treating your professors as "service providers," and seeing yourselves as "costumers" partaking of their services. Nevertheless, Ball still seems to think there is something wrong with this model. Why? Do you agree with his argument? Why or why not?