oral test i study guide

How was warfare important in the origins of states? What functions
did early states perform?

• it linked citizenship. rights, & military obligations

• statehood improved warfare cause it gave war efforts better mobilization, discipline, command,

• war efforts strengthened stronger states, weakened weaker ones

What are the fundamental differences between
the democracy of ancient Athens and modern representative systems like that of Canada?

ancient athens:

divine authority

-was woven into the state politics

-and justified hierarchy

canada:

separation of state and church

divine authority is forbidden from entering politics let alone state hierarchy

Why did Plato favour rule by philosophers? Why was he suspicious of democracy?

the importance of understanding valuable goals and the means to achieve them, while critiquing the notion that wealth and fame equate to effective leadership.

Additionally, he viewed democracy as a popularity contest, favoring informed policymaking, with broader participation only when society is adequately prepared.

How did Aristotle distinguish between "good" and "corrupt"
forms of government, and where did he place democracy in this system?

He asks how many people govern and whose interests the govt serves.

He also used the rules by "one,” "few,” and "many” to determine.

“good” govt:

one: when oriented towards common good= monarchy

few: when those regarded as the best rule for the community= aristocracy

many: when groups are balanced around the common good= polity

“corrupt” govt:

one: when oriented towards the rulers own interest= tyranny

few: when a wealthy minority primarily serves itself= oligarchy

many: when the poorer majority primarily pursues its own sectional interest= democracy

Describe the three main institutions of the Roman Republic and
how they were intended to create a balanced government.

How did Thucydides history of the Peloponnesian war influence political
thought? Explain the issues discussed in the Melian dialogue. What is the ‘Thucydides
trap’?

What was the core of Machiavelli’s political thought? Why is he considered to
be a ‘teacher of wickedness’ by some? How did he understand the responsibilities of
government?

Contrast Thomas Hobbes’ and John Locke’s
descriptions of human life prior to the institution of government.

What is the role of the social contract in liberal political thought?

Describe what ‘liberalism’ is in political thought. How does it
conceive legitimacy? What is the purpose of government? What institutions define
liberalism? When can a liberal government justifiably curtail freedom?

How did slavery, women’s exclusion, and colonial rule conflict with
liberal claims about freedom and equality? Illustrate your answer using the American,
French, or Haitian revolutions

How did the foundation of America base itself on liberal
principles?

Explain the trade-off of freedoms that occurs when
moving from a "state of nature" into a governed society

How does the Marxist view of "wage labor" differ from the liberal
view of "free contracts"?

What does it mean for a state to be totalitarian, and why were some
totalitarian states fascist and others communist?

What are some of the main characteristics of Fascism? What is the root of its
mass appeal? How does it criticize liberalism?

How was communist government supposed to overcome the problems of
capitalism? Why could its claim to represent workers’ interests conflict with workers’ and
peasants’ actual preferences?

What are the core assumptions of "Realism" in international
relations, and how does it explain the actions of large powers?

What is hegemony in international relations? What are the benefits and
drawbacks of a system dominated by a hegemon?