Political Theory Final Outline

Thesis

Although, because each of these theorists has distinct ideas about the aim of politics, sovereignty and freedom respectively, they therefore arrive at differing ideas of freedom.

Order of the essay (outline in intro)

1. aim of politics for both (individual free-will + sovereignty vs collective freedom + action)

2. Rousseau on freedom

3. Arendt on freedom

4. Which is more compelling

Rousseau aim of politics outline

• believes the goal of politics is to protect individual freedom and free-will

• freedom is more individualistic and thus his politics is rooted in individual will. 

• argues that sovereignty, located in the people, is the only form of legitimate politics.

Arendt aim of politics def

collective freedom + collective action

Arendt aim of politics outline

• the aim of politics is collective freedom, and from that, collective action

• Politics as performance art in that it requires an audience, actors, creating something new, etc.

• Freedom is only present when politics is boundless, irreversible, and unpredictable

transition from aim of politics to R

Thus, Arendt directly challenges Rousseau on sovereignty and the importance of free-will which leads to their differing concepts of freedom.

Rousseau’s conception of freedom (def)

the manifestation of the general will

R on freedom topic sentence

Thus, Rousseau conceptualizes freedom as rooted in individual free-will which manifests through the sovereignty of the general will

R on freedom outline

• state of nature: natural (limited by the individual) vs civil liberty (limited by the general will)

• general will: definition, force to be free

• sovereignty: def, indivisible + inalienable

• freedom (repeat)

R def of general will

the collective or public good for all

general will section

• Add all the private wills and cancel out the contradictions to establish a will that's the best for everyone

• Can only dictate generally, can't weigh in on individuals or a specific event

• In the general will, majority of the people will want what’s best for everyone

• General will only wills what is necessary for the preservation of the community (and by that the individual) so you should always be able to will that…hence how can be “forced to be free” (the law compels you to be free in the way that you already agreed to when you entered the social contract)

R def of sovereignty

• the power and discretion of the general will

• Indivisible + inalienable because it is grounded in the general will which is collective

Arendt on freedom topic

In contrast, Arendt argues that modern philosophers like Rousseau misconceptualize freedom which she characterizes as the ability to engage in collective action and create something new.

Arendt on freedom outline

• ancient philosophers + pure expression of freedom

• classical philosophers + sovereignty + free will: dangerous + unrealistic bc individuals don’t have that level of control in politics/society (unless totalitarian); criticizes “I-will”

• freedom is action in the public sphere, engaging with others: “I-can” (capacity to act)

• natality: creating something new

which is more compelling

R: circular log that you can be forced to be free, more abstract, freedom is something you innately have not something to act on

A: recognizes complications of political life + emphasizes agency + collective action (seems more feasible to translate: protests, civic engagement)