Political Philosophy Review

Vocabulary flashcards to review key concepts in political philosophy.

Social Contract

A voluntary agreement between people where we make implicit and explicit rules for governing society

State of Nature

The state of existence without government or enforced rules.

Hobbes

Believed the state of nature is inherently bad and needs a sovereign.

Rousseau

Believed the state of nature is inherently good; maximum good.

Locke

Believed in the state of nature we have inherent rights government should recognize.

Rawls’s Theory of Justice as Fairness

A way to think about what makes a society fair and just.

Original Position/Veil of Ignorance

Making fair rules without knowing your place in society.

Liberty Principal

Basic rights and duties should be distributed equally in society

Difference Principal

Inequalities in society are justified only if they benefit the least well off

Legitimate functions of government (libertarianism)

Enforced contracts, protect private property, keep the peace

Illegitimate functions of government (libertarianism)

Morals legislation, paternalism, wealth redistribution

Rawls (on Michael Jordan example)

Believed it is not fair for Jordan to get paid more.

Nozick (on Michael Jordan example)

Says to promote equality, you need to upset people’s free choices

Scanlon’s Contractualism

An action is wrong if it violates a principle that no one could reasonably reject

Justification of Moral Principles in Contractualism

We immediately recognize them when we are presented with genuine moral principles

Original Position Assumptions

Everyone is assumed to be free, rational, equal and self-interested.