Grigsby slides 4
- 1. Chapter 4 Examining the Ethical Foundations of Politics
- 2. • How do governments deal with value judgments concerning what is right and wrong? • Normative questions
- 3. Plato (427-347 B.C.) • Taught by Socrates • The search for wisdom should engage the mind • Academy educated others in philosophy, law, mathematics, and logic. • 387? B.C. and A.D. 529 • Ideal system similar to fascism or communism • The Republic
- 4. What purpose should the state serve? Plato vs. Hobbes
- 5. Plato • Highest purpose of the state is the promotion of justice • The best form of state is one that pursues justice Justice presented as “following nature”
- 6. Plato’s “Following Nature” • Being true to the person you are • Doing what is natural, honest, correct for yourself • Following your natural calling, your natural purpose
- 7. Plato • When each person is acting justly, the state itself is just. • Natural class system • Workers • Auxiliaries (military leaders) • Guardians (rulers) • Each person should do what is natural and enter the group consistent with his or her natural inclinations, talents, and abilities.
- 8. Plato’s “Injustice” • Acting contrary to nature • Plato warns against • Ambition • Upward or downward mobility • Doing something simply because it’s popular or because you have the power to do it • These actions can lead us away from our nature and bring unhappiness to ourselves and harm to the state.
- 9. Views re Teachings of Plato • Plato hierarchical and authoritarian in his thinking • Plato was a critic of democracy • Convinced that ruling and policymaking were natural talents possessed by some people, but not by all. • Plato self-serving • Philosophers the class most naturally suited for ruling the perfect state.
- 10. Views re Teachings of Plato • Plato’s criticisms of ambition, competition, and individual self- promotion are antidotes to U.S. culture’s message that the only life worth living is the frenzied climb-the-ladder-of- success-to-the-very-top approach to life. • Living justly is more important than following personal ambitions.
- 11. Thomas Hobbes 1588-1679 • English political theorist • We cannot know the purpose of the state until we have answered the question: “What is human nature?” • To understand human nature, must look into your own psyche. • Will find passion, desires, fears, aggressive impulses, and instinctive urges to acquire power.
- 12. Hobbes • Must understand the mixture of passion and reason in human nature if politics is to be understood. • The violent and impulsive components of human nature lead to social conflict • Whenever aggressive human beings live in groups, violence is always a possibility • Each of us is vulnerable to all others • No one is safe • The strongest can fall at the hands of the weakest.
- 13. Hobbes • It is in our best interest to join with others to create a power over all of us that will deter each individual’s natural aggressiveness. • It is natural to create a power that will leave us alone unless we act aggressively toward another, in which case it is to punish us severely and quickly.
- 14. The power Hobbes describes is the state
- 15. Hobbes’ State • It’s purpose is to provide security through deterrence • Thus promoting the survival of humanity • Rejects lofty and utopian dreams of the perfect just state, and concentrates on the importance of creating a state that can crack down on violence.
- 16. Hobbes’ State • We can have a powerful no-nonsense state that will protect us; or • We can live desperate and terrified in a violent world in which every single person has the power to kill any of us at any moment.
- 17. Views re Teachings of Hobbes • Hobbes attacked for justifying what looks like a police state. • Hobbes blamed for steering political theory away from questions of justice and toward issues of law and order. • Hobbes a convincing argument that governments need to be concerned with fighting crime and promoting safety.
- 18. What are the purposes of states? How should people be governed?
- 19. Should State Promote Equality? • Theorists disagree • Aristotle • Thomas Jefferson • Tecumseh • Chico Mendes • Friedrich Nietzsche • Kurt Vonnegut
- 20. Aristotle • Equality means equal consideration of interests. • Should be promoted by states • Six forms states can assume: • Monarchy • Aristocracy • Polity • Tyranny • Oligarchy • democracy
- 21. Power to what people? • Monarchy: Rule by • Tyranny: Rule by one in the interests one in the interest of of all the ruler • Aristocracy: Rule by • Oligarchy: Rule by the few in the the few in the interests of all interest of the rulers • Polity: Rule by the • Democracy: Rule many in the by the many in the interests of all interests of the rulers
- 22. For Aristotle: • It is less important to have equal participation in the process of decision making than it is to have equality reflected in the results of the decision arrived at. • Example: • Right-handers get 10 bonus points • Left-handers lose 20 points • Contrast with single ruler with same rules for all
- 23. Aristotle • Good states serve the public’s interest, not most of the public’s interest, but the interest of the entire public
- 24. Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) • Theory of equality of natural rights • Individuals are created naturally equal • Individuals possess natural rights • It is the proper role of government to protect and respect these natural rights • If governments aggress against these equal natural rights, individuals may overturn such governments
- 25. Jefferson vs. Aristotle • Equality is discussed not in terms of political results, but in terms of human essences • Equality an attribute of people, not an attribute of decisions • People, by their human nature, possess equality of natural rights • Having the right to life, liberty, and happiness is a fundamental part of being a human being • Fundamental duty of the state is to protect these rights!
- 26. Tecumseh (1768-1813) • Shawnee theorist • Argued for equality of natural rights with an emphasis on property rights. • A spiritual force placed Native American on their lands and members of the Native American community had an equal and natural right to the lands. • Argued that Native Americans could recover their lands on the basis of natural equality doctrines. • Equality is an attribute (a right) of people.
- 27. Chico Mendes (1944-1988) • Rubber-tapper in Brazil • Depended upon rain forest for livelihood • Fought development of rain forest • Demanded equality of participation in the decision-making process • Advocated land set-asides • Protection from deforestation • Murdered in 1988 • Equality in the process of decision making is the only way to ensure equality of results.
- 28. Aristotle, Jefferson, Tecumseh and Mendes Share the position that equality is a desirable political goal for individuals and governments.
- 29. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) • Professor of classical philology • Controversial writings on the death of God, the pettiness associated with religious beliefs, and the lies that make up the teachings of traditional morality • Father a Lutheran minister • Maintained that equality is rooted in a certain type of morality
- 30. Nietzsche’s Morality • Slave Morality • A morality articulated by the weak and thus designed to serve the interests of the weak • Master Morality • Ethical codes that serve the strong and praise the attributes of strength, conquering, ruling, and dominating • Both self-serving • Neither provides a concept of good or bad that exists beyond its own context
- 31. Christianity • A slave morality • Teaches forgiveness, humility, and meekness • Advocates of slave morality seek a vengeful retribution against those who are strong • Christians deeply resent the powerful and love the idea of the powerful being made to suffer. • Equality a part of slave morality • Weak uphold equality as “good” and “ethical” because they want to destroy the privileged positions of the powerful.
- 32. Nietzsche • Both moral systems serve interests • Master morality • Serves the interest of those who need to legitimize their position of dominance • Slave morality • Serves the purposes of those who need to delegitimize dominance and legitimize equality
- 33. Kurt Vonnegut • “Harrison Bergeron” • Nietzschean themes • Equality becomes a basis for attacking those who use their talents to become strong or intellectually dominant • Equality is exposed as being a self-serving position • Equality is not a neutral concept but rather one that harms some and favors others.
- 34. • Is it possible to equalize all without harming some? • Should individuals be equal in every way? • Should laws pursue equality so diligently that laws provide for equality of capabilities rather than equality of opportunities? • Can equality become a basis for oppression?
- 35. Should states be organized to maximize their own power or organized to restrain this power?
- 36. Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) • Argues in favor of state organization to maximize state power • The Prince • A blueprint for organizing states in a manner to seize and maintain power • Classic text on the mechanics of state power • “Win at any cost” approach to governing
- 37. Rulers should use just the right amount of cruelty against their own citizens so that fear is created but popular vengefulness against the government is not. • Use cruelty to make citizens fear politicians but not hate them • By being cruel, the state is really being kind • Maintain order and peace • Provide protection and security
- 38. James Madison (1751-1836) • States should intentionally restrict their powers by a means of • Separation of powers • Checks and balances • Limit state power to protect against tyranny
- 39. Should states protect citizens from government? Or should states protect citizens by government?
- 40. Should states try to help us be ethical?
- 41. John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) • English Philosopher • Individuals should be allowed to judge ethical questions for themselves • Governments should not interfere with individuals unless individuals pose a threat to others • Defended widest possible range of individual freedom of thought and action. • Respect the individual’s right to think any thought no matter how outrageous or unpopular
- 42. John Stuart Mill • Everyone benefits if government removes itself from questions of personal morality • Individuals benefit because they possess the liberty to live their lives as they please • Society benefits because society gains whenever it encourages freethinkers to express themselves and explore new ideas • Even if opinions are erroneous, they should be expressed and the error exposed • States should avoid the role of moral guardian
- 43. Fundamentalism • Asserts that • Religious truth is authoritative • Religious truth is compelling and not to be disregarded or reduced to being a mere option • If fundamentalism is to guide government policy, laws must codify the authoritative truths of the religion • Not a posture of neutrality or silence on the issues of politics
- 44. The Taliban Decrees • Men must grow beards • Girls and women forbidden from attending school • Women cannot be in public without religious attire and without male escorts • Ban most games • Ban photography • Ban American hairdos • Ban nonreligious holiday observances
- 45. • How do we deal with those who disagree with our understandings of what is ethical? • Is it best to uphold no single morality as the absolute truth? • Should each person decide morality for him- or herself? • If so, are all opinions to be tolerated? • If we live moral lives, does our morality require us to speak up against immorality wherever we see it?
- 46. One Nation, Underprivileged Rank 4: In Our Self-Interest
- 47. “Your own property is at stake when your neighbor’s house is on fire.” ~ Horace
- 48. The American Revolution “The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments of their duties and John Adams obligation…. This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments and affections of the people, was the real American Revolution.”
- 49. Why Care? • Impoverishment breeds: • Serious health problems • Inadequately educated children • Higher rates of criminal activity
- 50. • Poverty a “normal” life-course event • A majority of Americans will experience at least one year of poverty during their lifetime • Building bridges • Create a more accessible route • Nonpoor ► poor ► back again
- 51. Impact of Poverty • Drains us individually and as a community and society • Is inconsistent with American core values and principles • Violates our concept of Citizenship
- 52. “Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.” ~ Aristotle