Principles of Political Philosophy

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on key concepts from political philosophy, emphasizing definitions and important principles discussed in the lecture.

Liberty, Tradition, Reason

The three principles emphasized by different political ideologies: conservatives (tradition), libertarians (liberty), and progressives (reason).

Limited Government

Government has a legitimate but limited role in human flourishing; conservatives favor it due to human tendencies to abuse power.

Flourishing

A state of complete human well-being, regarded as the goal of government.

Subsidiarity

The principle that a higher authority should not interfere with a lower community except in cases of need.

Political Authority

Libertarianism: protect rights or no authority at all

Conservatism: need + special relationship Progressivism: unaddressed

Rights (for libertarians)-Minarchy

·       Can’t be violated by the government

·       Life, liberty, and property

Four Pillars of Progressive Values

Freedom, Opportunity, Responsibility, Cooperation.

Freedom of Association

The right to decide who or what one associates with.

Right to Disassociate

The freedom to disengage from affiliations that do not serve one’s interests.

Egalitarian Objection

The concern for equality and dramatically different life prospects based on birthplace; advocates for immigration policy adjustments.

Wellman’s Response to Egalitarian Objection

Argues that assistance to oppressed individuals can occur without allowing immigration.

Affirmative Action (AA)

A policy aimed at restoring equality by providing preferential treatment based on race.

Strong vs. Weak Affirmative Action

Strong AA favors preferential treatment based on race; Weak AA increases opportunities for disadvantaged individuals.

Compensation Argument

The claim that historically, white society owes compensation to black individuals for past discrimination.

Robinson Crusoe & Swiss Family Robinson theories of human nature

·       Robinson Crusoe: an isolated single individual can flourish (Schluter rejects this idea)

·       Swiss Family Robinson: an isolated single family can flourish (Schluter rejects this idea)

Limitations on rights (for conservatives)

The government should protect rights but also maintain order, meaning some restrictions are necessary. (right to liberty and right to property)

Pragmatic arguments in favor of libertarianism

·       Only you have enough knowledge to be the boss of your life, not the government

·       Bossing people around in a world of limited knowledge leads to unintended consequences

Three types of libertarianism

·       Classic liberalism

·       Minarchy

·       Anarcho-capitalism

Four progressive beliefs about the role of government (and whether libertarians/conservatives would agree or disagree with each)

1.     Secure & protect our rights (C – agree L-agree)

2.     Protect from harm (C- agree in subsidiary L-disagree)

3.     Expand opportunity (C- agree in subsidiary L- disagree)

4.     Foundations of Prosperity and Fair Market Competition (C-agree in subsidiary L-Disagree)

Boy Scouts & Augusta National Golf Club

·       Groups and organizations have the right to FOD and FOA

·       Boy Scouts: excluded girls, homosexuals, and atheists

·       Augusta National Golf Club: excluded girls

The libertarian objection (& Wellman’s response)

·       LO: Right to property/Right to free movement: preventing people from having whoever they want on their land

·       Wellman’s response: property rights cannot be completely unlimited unless one is an anarchist

Wellman’s “two debatable claims” (from Fine’s article)

·       States have a right to self-determination, which includes choosing who they associate with

·       This right allows states to exclude immigrants

Central Park example

·       A yoga club that meets in Central Park can exclude people from attaining a membership or joining their classes but cannot throw people out of Central Park. The park doesn’t belong to the club it belongs to everyone equally yet no one at the same time.

The race analogy (the argument from past discrimination)

·       A race starts but some people are held back (two ways to restore fairness)

o   Hold back those who are ahead

o   Push ahead those who are behind (what AA does)

Tierno on “reverse discrimination”

·       AA is not reverse discrimination

·       Each person should have an equal opportunity to develop and flourish

·       AA seeks to restore the equality that was destroyed by prejudice

Tierno’s three “qualifications” on affirmative action

1.      AA disqualification for wealth (upper middle class can have AA, upper class can’t)

2.     Powerly qualifications; ex. White men for Appalachia

3.     Occupational contexts in which AA should not be practiced; physicians, nurses, teachers, airplane pilots

Argument for compensation from those who….

·      Many white males today are innocent of discrimination themselves but they are unjust beneficiaries of others’ discrimination