Introduction to Political Theory Midterm Exam

Lycurgus, Plato's Republic, & The Prince

Lycurgus - author & simple summary

written by Plutarch; Lycurgus was a lawgiver who transformed Sparta to a disciplined military state; view of “equality” for individuals (coinage, furniture, marriage, etc); three reforms: elderly council (political), redistribution of land (economic), and system of common messes (social)

Lycurgus’ First Reform

Establishing an elderly council, political reform, established a balanced government, advised 2 kings & assembly of citizens to vote on laws, brought stability and prevented tyrants

Lycurgus’ Second Reform

Redistribution of land, economic reform, eliminated extreme gaps in wealth, discouraged greed & luxury by removing gold and silver (only iron coinage)

Lycurgus’ Third Reform

System of common messes, social reform, all citizens eat together in common messes, implemented military training system involving boys leaving the home

Lycurgus’ View on House Building

only an axe should be used to make the roof, & a saw w/ no other tools for doors

Lycurgus’ View on Lifestyle

tough regime of physical exercise for unmarried women, enduring child birth & birthing healthy children, killed children who were not sufficiently healthy, basic education geared towards obedience, brusque but elegant way of speaking

Lycurgus’ View on Marriage

Marriage ceremony involved forcible abduction of a woman in her prime → handed to bridesmaid → cut hair, men’s clothing; banished “womanish” feeling of jealousy by making it acceptable to share the business of procreating children w/ others of sufficient excellence

Eiren

someone in the year after childhood

Lacedaemonias

Most cultured/most warlike

Ideology

normative concepts that hand together coherently

Rule of Law

All (no matter authority) are subject to law (rule by laws, not by men)

Constitution

laws for the law

Civic Virtue

right action for a common, civic good

Laconic

To speak in a precise fashion

Austerity

Self-imposed material deprivation

Agoge

Spartan school system, leave the home, trained to fight

Etymology

study of the roots of words

The Republic of Plato: Simple Summary

Voice of Socrates; Books 1-2: Challenges of Justice (Cephalus, Polemarchus, Thrasymachus defintions, Glaucon & Adeimantus challenge; Books 3-4: Constructing the city (3 levels), defining justice - harmony; Book 5: Radical reforms of the city, gender equality, nuclear abhilition, philosopher-king; Definition of justice; in-state specialization without interference, in individual: 3 parts of the soul in harmony

Republicanism

civic virtue; emphasizes public over private; res/publica (public things)

Phalanx

Closely guarded unit, suffering together, shield protection

Anandreia

unmanly, cowardly (an - un)

Philosopher

lover of wisdom; philo/sophia (love/wisdom)

Plato

student, follower/voice of Socrates

Cephalus

name means “head”, old man, rich, has an heir (Polemarchus), believes that justice is telling the truth and paying your debts (refutation is the “crazed gun owner”

Polemarchus

archwarrior, son of Cephalus, ‘polemic’ - win, believes that justice is giving what the law owes (kind to friends, harm to enemies); refutation is unknowing, good to enemies, harm to friends

Thrasymachus

“tyrant”, sophists, hate Socrates, wants $$$, believes justice is in true interest with advantage of the stronger, refutation is that there has to be other kinds of justice

Glaucon

Plato’s brother in real life, noble, seeing the light

Adeimantus

brother of Glaucon, the two talk in a pair

Settings of The Republic

Piraeus: port of Athens, sailors having a good time, where ships come in; Religious Festival: religion meant a good time, under threat; Initial Confrontation

Method of The Republic

dialogue - using speech to get the truth of something; elenchus - logical refutation

Book 2 Summary - What is Justice?

1st order goods: pleasure, 2nd order goods: reward/outcome; Socrates wants to argue both, Glaucon only second, Adeimantus has reputation for perfect justice while acting with perfect injustice, soul magnification

3 Iterations from City in Speech (each more complex)

1. Purely Economic City (oikia/nomos - house rules), no government, only households, one man one art, specialization in jobs

2. Origin of Luxury, War, Warriors: luxury leads to war and greed, fit nature for jobs, able bodies and education of guardian class

3. Education: What kind of poems will they have? Mimesis (to immitate); we learn what is good VS bad from observation of others

Book 3 Summary - Guardian Education

Don’t fear death, don’t complain, don’t lie, don’t laugh, temperance, austerity, restraint, music, sex, gymnastics (harmonization)

Anoikia (an - un, oikia - house) no household, job, financial worry

Establishment of three classes: guardians (older, skilled), auxiliary (fighters, helpers), commoners (economic class)

Four Virtues

Wisdom: good council, knowledge of city & what is best for city

Courage: willingness to defend/fight & defend on behalf of guardian view/what is right for the city
Temperance: when city controls itself, harmony between classes (classes accept that higher classes are better fit to rule)

Justice: justice has been differentiated, each job does what it is supposed to

Book 5 Summary

Idea of 3’s: three parts of soul and city, no difference between male and female leaders, no marriage nor parent/child relations, philosophers only to rule, Socrates will rule w/ Polemarchus auxiliary, non-beings, beings, and Beings

The Prince Central Ideas/Summary

Political realism, violence is needed to conduct order, giving credibility to science & observation, as opposed to religion and scripture

Niccolo Machiavelli Background

1469-1527, Florence, Italy, was exiled, wrote The Prince as a plea for his return, politician, artist, philosopher, observation to see general rules/historical examples

After Plato

Greek philosophy -→ Roman philosophy → christianity; Plato’s elites looked like early Church leadership

The Modern Age

1. Renaissance (1350-1600)

2. Age of Discovery (1400-1600)

3. Reformation (1500-1650)

4. Age of Reason (1670-1700)

5. Enlightenment (1700-1800)

Humanisn

Humanists studied languages in universities

Idealism VS Realism

Idealism: How the world “ought to be”

Realism: How the world actually is

To be modern is to believe in progress

View on Violence

Violence (with Borgia) was necessary and created order, it lowered the overall violence levels of Romania; we give Agathocles no credit because he didn’t exert his will in the right ways.

Virtù

“know-how” to governing, ability to act within the law

Fortuna

Tendency of the world to go off of the rails

Statescraft

Can you manage the “ship” and get it to where it needs to be better

Prudence

Knowing how and when to do something

Two ways to fight as a beast → lion and fox

Fox: Needing to be clever & how to use deception

Lion: When to be cruel in order to be kind

Grandi VS Popoli

Grandi: “Great”, people want influence and power

Popoli” “Commoners”, people don’t want to know/want to be alone

Virgil

Wrote aenid, & lead Dante through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven but waited outside

Logos, Thumotic, Appetite

Logos: Rational Part of Soul

Thumotic: Sprited Part of Soul

Appetite: Irrational Part of Soul