American htg midterm

yoni applebaum

believes america is in democratic crisis because people arent telling its unified national story

thomas griffith

warns of “crisis of contempt” where people think people of other political views are morally evil, so they dont have civil disagreements

oaks

advocates for peacemaking, principled accommodation

johnathan rauch

believes in “thick christianity” and pluralism, peaceful social coordination

sandel’s 3 values of justice

used to evaluate a just society. freedom (individual agency), virtue (moral goodness, civil excellence), welfare (material prosperity)

thomas hobbes

human nature in the state of nature is evil, we need a strong monarch/government to maintain order

rousseau

says humans are naturally good but corrupted by social institutions

hume

believes that people can cooperate on a small scale, but collective action problems on a large scale wont work

john rawls

thought of the veil of ignorance. if people didnt know their place in society, theyd be able to make rules without giving themselves advantages

human predicament cycle

cycle where society moves between tyranny, revolution, anarchy, and competing groups fighting for control

legitimacy

the rightful and accepted authority of government to exercise coercive power over citizens

sovereignty

ultimate political power within a jurisdiction

collective action problem

scenario where it would be best for everyone to cooperate, but better for the individual to not

solutions to collective action problem

selective incentives, political entrepreneurs, shared values, coercion

pluralism

system where diverse people can coexist peacefully

3 types of christianity

thin, sharp, thick

thin christianity

very culturally accommodating, no strong moral structure, bad for democract

sharp christianity

deeply political, damaging to religion and democracy

thick christianity

strong beliefs, community, willing to coexist (rauch favors this one)

good society

ideas not always the same, perfect society

aristotle

justice is teleological and honorific

teleological justice

define the telos (purpose) of practices and institutions

honorific justice

allocate honors to people best fitting the telos (best flutes to the best flute players)

ancient liberty

civic participation, community over individuals

modern liberty

individual autonomy, private persuits, individual over community

nozick

libertarian, argued for a minimal state (gov should only protect against theft, fraud, breech of contract). liberty naturally creates unequal outcomes so nothings wrong with money inequalities. michael jordan example

utilitarian logic

transfer money to the poor enough that it hurts the rich as much as it helps the poor

libertarian logic

unfettered markets, no gov regulation, no money redistribution, you own yourself, object to paternalism and morals legislations

paternalism

gov stopping people from making choices that only affect themselves

morals legislations

use of laws to enforce the morals of the majority

libertarian thinkers

hayek, friedman, nozick

polis

a society fulfilling the telos of cultivating virtue

greek view of human nature

people are political, community is necessary

modern view of human nature

people are self interested, individual autonomy over everything

theocracy

god rules through ecclesiastical means

jamestown

money motivation, struggled until the invention of tobacco

john rolfe

creates new tobacco

tobacco

saved jamestown, led to race based slavery

martin luther

believes that faith alone saves, scripture is ultimate authority, shifts responsibility from church to individual

john calvin

believes in pre-destination, prove that youre elect, no rewards for good behavior

mayflower compact

formed covenant communities. prove to others theyre elect, motivation of love. cooperate for the good of society. religious

natural liberty

dont want to be constrained at all

civil liberty

people are free to do only what is good and honest

rodger williams

wants to separate religion and state. believes in freedom of conscience and religion

cotton mathers

calling matters. believes in general and personal callings

general calling

serve christ, save ur own soul

personal calling

do the job youre good at to serve the public because youre part of the body of christ. dont be idle

john cotton

people are inherently evil, any power given is abused. all power should be limited

hume

came up with the marsh situation/collective action problem

john winthrop

city on a hill, prove youre elect, celebrate with others. likes civil liberty

opportunity cost

the value of the next best thing that you give up

corporate colony

established for profit

economic systems

command/planning, market

command/planning economic system

power for the gov to create cooperation and distribute. mercantilism, communism

market system

free exchange. capitalism

mercantilism

economic success is money for the king. use taxes to encourage exports, discourage imports

adam smith

believes in national wealth through free trade. success is how much a nation produces and consumes, not how much money is in the treasury. likes free trade, specialization. invisible hand

instrumental rationality

people pursue their own interests, they know whats best for them better than rulers

economic competition

no buyer/seller controls price in exchange. benefits: more efficiency, incentive to innovate, no monopolies

libertarian thought on government

it should only prevent fraud, provide basic transportation and communication, define property rights, enforce contracts, provide money as a medium of exchange

Adam smith’s thoughts on gov

only provide transport, education systems, judicial systems

invisible hand

market prices and profits automatically coordinate social cooperation without state coercion. supply, demand, equillibrium

order of sympathy

adam smith’s idea that natural empathy is strong for oneself, family, and close friends but weak for distant people and all of mankind

sperling

thinks all forms of competition are structured by rules we choose, so we should choose rules that promote virtue and fairness

specialization

adam smith’s idea of the division of labor. focus on making a few things, its more efficient

law of comparative advantage

every group is a low opportunity cost producer of something, specialize in producing goods where you have the lowest opportunity cost

law of demand

as prices increase, demand of people willing to buy them decrease

law of supply

as prices increase, suppliers want to produce more

brennan and jaworski

if something is morally ok to give away for free, it is perfectly fine to sell it for money

exceptions to brennan and jaworski

wrongful possession, incidental limits

sandel

disagrees with brennan and jaworski. says selling some things degrades the value. also brings up instances when people could be coerced, says theres inherant limits .also disagrees with ben franklin

benjamin franklin

dont be lazy, american dream, you get what you work for

ben franklin’s 4 musts

industry- work hard, independence/carefulness, frugality- dont spend more than you earn, prudence- dont judge others

difference between cotton mathers and ben franklin

cotton mathers- benefit community, glorify god, prove youre elect

ben franklin- how to get rich, if you do this you are elect

sandel’s tyranny of merit

believes in meritocracy, but understands that luck still plays a big part. worries about monetary success as a determinator of vitrue

meritocracy

you get what you deserve

utilitarianism

gov should do whatever will have max pleasure min pain for the community (cost/benefit)

bentham

utilitarianism, no pleasures are higher value than others

Mill

utilitarian who said that protecting personal liberty maximises society’s long term social progress

John locke 2nd treatise

state of nature (unstable because you cant always protect your rights), natural rights, mix of labor and materials are yours, gov comes from the people and is to protect rights, social contract

social contract

government is only legitimate if it is consented to

rule of law

rules laws should have. generality (nobody singled out), due process (fairly enforced), publicity, prospectivity, consent

executive order 9066

violated rule of generality. singled out Japanese americans to go to internment camps

marijuana arrests

violated due process. way more blacks arrested for marijuana posession than whites

declaration of independence

gave philosophical justification for the revolution. gov should protect rights. listed rights everyone has, listed abuses by the king

thomas paine

common sense. government is a necessary evil but should exist to protect freedom. revolt against england!

george washington

symbol of american unity. strategy was to outlast the british. helped maintain collective action in the revolution

glorious revolution

argument about who has power: monarchy v parliament. origin of the english bill of rights

john adams

defended the british soldiers accused in the boston massacre to prove that the rule of law and due process applies to all

rule of law v rule of will

principle that society is governed by neutral, established laws rather than arbitrary human whims

colonial response to intollerable acts

committees of correspondance (generally inform others and catch everyone up to date), continental congress (delegates from each colony coordinating collective action)

abigail adams

wants equality for women, says its inconsistant and arbitrary now. doesnt want full power to the husband because men are naturally tyrannical. protection of rights requires representation for all

john adams

dismissed abigail, defended masculine systems, says there needs to be a limit and it should be drawn at gender.

thomas jefferson

sees obstacles in a multi race society, thinks there are fundamental differences between blacks and whites

Banneker

black scholar who sent a letter to jefferson saying were all children of god so were entitled to the same liberty, exposes his hypocrisy (jefferson says prove it)

battle of trenton

battle after many losses and hardships, revives army moral, won

slaves petition to governor gage

by slaves demanding freedom using revolutionary language and lockean logic

seneca falls declaration of sentiments

womens rights document. declaration of independence for women