Introduction to Politics - What is Politics?

These flashcards cover the introductory concepts of political science, the state of nature, the social contract, and course administrative details from the first lecture.

How did Thomas Hobbes famously describe life in the 'state of nature'?

He described it as "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."

According to the lecture, when and where did systematic co-operation begin?

It began around 7500 BCE in Mesopotamia and then around the Nile and Yangtze rivers.

What is the 'social contract' as defined in the course?

The implicit agreement between the governed and the governors, where power only works if the governed consent and governors do not overstep their legitimacy.

What are the four levels of power identified by Lukes and Digeser?

Decision-making power, Non-decision-making power, Ideological power, and Agenda-setting power.

What is the assessment structure for the lecture quizzes in this course?

There are 5 multiple choice lecture quizzes worth 5% each (conducted in weeks 2, 4, 6, 10, and 12).

In the provided public goods regression equation, what does the dummy variable $D_{jt}$ represent?

It equals one if the country $j$ is under military dictatorship in time $t$, and zero otherwise.

What was the title of Jim Chalmers' 2004 doctoral dissertation at the Australian National University?

BRAWLER STATESMAN: Paul Keating and Prime Ministerial Leadership in Australia.

What concept did British settlers use to justify the colonization of Australia by viewing it as 'no one's land'?

terra nullius

How does Jean-Jacques Rousseau's view of the 'natural state' of people differ from that of Hobbes?

Rousseau thinks "people in their natural state are basically good," describing them as a "real libertarian type."

According to John Locke, why do people give consent to be governed?

To protect their personal rights, including property.