Philosophical Framework of American Government

Philosophical Framework of

American GovernmentPolitical philosopher’s that impacted the Framer’s of the

Constitution.

Brainstorming

• What might be some advantages & disadvantages to living in a state of nature?

• What rights would you expect to have in a state of nature?

• Would anyone have the right to govern you? Would you have the right to govern anyone else?

Who is John Locke?

• 1632-1704 in England• Father served in English Civil

War • Educated: Masters degree• Political Beliefs: Liberal

– Whigs• Experiences:

– Enlightenment– Glorious Revolution

• Accomplishments:– Second Treatise on

Government.– An Essay Concerning Human

Understanding– Fundamental Constitution of

the Carolina’s

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Locke’s Influence• Political philosophy later influenced:

– Jean-Jacques Rousseau– Immanuel Kant– Framer’s of Constitution

• Revolutionary ideas impacted:– American Revolution– French Revolution

Locke’s Political Thinking

• Government must be accountable to the people.

• Purpose of government is to preserve natural rights.

• A government must consist of institutions and the legally prescribed process for making and enforcing collective agreements.

• An absolute monarchy is inconsistent with the purpose of government.

• When government misuses power & authority, the people have the right to revolt.

Second Treatise On Government

• Written in 1689.• Why was it written?

– To defend the Glorious Revolution of 1688.• Supported a limited monarchy.• Supported English Bill of Rights.

– To counter thinking of Thomas Hobbes.• Human nature is good and reasonable,

but may be driven by self-interest.

A key to John Locke

• Inalienable Rights: rights that cannot be taken away from anyone (free speech)

• Equality: The belief that all persons, regardless of race, sex, ethnicity, age, etc. have the same rights as everyone else.

• Questions to consider:– What is happening in this

painting?– How does this painting

relate to the concept of inalienable rights? Equality?

“The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which treats everyone equally…[B]eing equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, or possessions.”

-John Locke

A Key to John Locke• Limited Government: A

government that does not have absolute authority.

• Consent of the Governed: The political theory that government’s gain their authority from the people. A government is not legitimate if the people do not give their consent.

“Whensoever…the [government] shall…put into the hands of any other an absolute power over the lives, liberty, and estates of the people, by this breach of trust they forfeit the power [of] the people…who have a right to resume their original liberty, and by the establishment of the new [government] provide for their own safety and security.”

-John Locke



Question to Consider:

What is happening in this picture and how does it relate to the topic of limited government?

Key to John Locke

• State of Nature: a state of perfect freedom where people do as they see fit within the bounds of the law of nature. (Problem is self-interest causes conflict!)

• Law of Nature: a state of equality, where people have the same advantages, use of same authority; in which the rights of men are not invaded by others. (utopia)

• “And that all men may be restrained from invading others rights, and from doing hurt to one another, and the law of nature be observed, which willeth the peace & preservation of all mankind, the execution of the law of nature is in that state put in every man’s hands…

-John Locke



A Key to John Locke

• Social Contract: An agreement among men to create and live under government & give that government the power to make & enforce laws.– Government only exists when

people choose to resign their state of nature and create it.

– Government gets it’s power & authority from the people.

• “…he authorizes the society, or which is all one, the legislative thereof, to make laws for him, as the public good of the society shall require…and puts men out of a state of nature into that of a common-wealth, by setting up a judge on earth, with authority to determine all the controversies, and redress the injuries that may happen…”

John Locke



Questions to consider:• How does this photo communicate Locke’s belief about human nature? •In regards to the government of Iraq, if there is a social contract between the citizens and the government, why is

there still conflict?

Who is Thomas Hobbes?• 1588-1679, England.• Lived in Paris off & on.• Educated: Received

degree in 1608.• Experiences:

– English Civil War

• Accomplishments:– modern founder of the

social contract tradition– In 1651, wrote most

famous work, Leviathan.



Hobbes: Saving us from ourselves.

• Human Nature: humans are basically selfish creatures who would do anything o better their position.

• “For the laws of nature (as justice, equality, modesty, mercy, and in sum doing to others as we would have done to) of themselves, without terror of some power, to cause them to be observed, are contrary to our natural passions, that carry us to partiality, pride, revenge, and the like”

» Hobbes

• From this view of human nature, what kind o government is best?

• Do you agree with Hobbes?

Hobbes: Saving Us From Ourselves

• State of nature is the philosophy regarding how humans would act in their most basic state without a civil government. Hobbes believed the state of nature in which man lived before the formation of society was founded on a savage selfishness, which drove man to obtain pleasure without concern for justice or mercy toward other men.

• Questions to consider:– What event in history in does this

image portray?– Do you believe that this picture

represents a state of nature? Why or why not?

• Hurricane Katrina victims experienced riots and looting (among other crimes).






• State of war: Hobbes believed that in the state of nature, people were always at war with one another, a war of all against all. Each individual was endowed with the right to do anything they pleased and people were in constant fear for their lives.

• There are three causes of war:– Competition (violence)– Self-defense (safety)– Glory (reputation)

• “Hereby it is manifest that during the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war; and such a war as is every man against man…”

» Hobbes

• Questions to consider:– What is the conflict

represented in this picture?– Does this event represent a

state of war?


• Social Contract: Hobbes believed people seek collective action in search of peace and security.

• Role of Government: Hobbes stated that government should be designed to protect and defend it’s citizens from invasion and war. – Requires trust in gov’t.

• Sovereignty: Hobbes believed that government must have “use of so much power and strength conferred on him that , by terror thereof, he is enabled to form the wills of them all, to peace at home, and mutual aid against their enemies abroad.”

» Hobbes



Who is Jean-Jacques Rousseau?

• 1712-1778 (Geneva)• Education:

– Self-taught

• Experiences:– Secretary to French

Ambassador in Venice (Republic)

• Notable Ideas:– Natural goodness of

humanity– “General Will”



A Key to Rousseau

• Human Nature: believed that man was neither good nor bad; self-sufficient.– The demise of man

was society.– Knowledge increases

the power of government & crushes individual liberty.



A Key to Rousseau• Social Contract: the idea that

people join groups, and these groups make a presence known as a society. A social contract is the compact that the people agree form rules and conditions for membership in their society.

• Equality: the belief that all persons are entitled to equal rights and treatment before the law.– Private property & division of

labor causes inequality.– Inequality causes conflict.

• Questions to Consider:– What is the picture describing

in regards to equality?



A Key to Rousseau

• Civil Society: occurs after people leave the state of nature. Signs of this transfer are: people act on rules of justice rather than on instinct, physical impulse is replaced by the voice of duty, and people consult reason rather than inclinations. By entering civil society people gain civil liberty and the legal right of property in what he possess. They also gain moral freedom, making people masters of themselves.

An armed policeman guards a truck loaded with fuel from potential looters in New Orleans (REUTERS/Jason Reed)

A Key to Rousseau• General Will: the desire or

interest of a people as a whole. Decisions are made community of citizens unanimously when attempting to discern the common good.– Popular sovereignty– Rejected representative

government.– Strongly believed that

people must play an active role in government for it to be successful.



Documents

Philosophical Framework of American Government