Political Authority and Its Extensions

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture on political authority and the implications of its extension, as discussed in the provided notes.

The first chapter discusses the extension of political authority beyond its __, justified by utility.

necessary minimum

Philosophers like and supported the idea of extending political authority.

Fénelon, Rousseau

M. Necker believed that the sovereign power acts as the tutor of __.

public happiness

Governments are often viewed as institutions that must surround individuals with __ through laws.

virtue

The text suggests that any time the law abandons us, it gives time for __ to tempt and control us.

passions

The document argues that the extension of political authority is not absolutely __ but is driven by the hope of utility.

necessary

The author states that authority must have __; otherwise, it risks sliding into arbitrary rule.

limits

One hypothesis for the legitimacy of extending political authority is that the government is more __ than the governed.

enlightened

Governors are not necessarily less liable to __ than the governed, questioning the idea of their superiority.

error

The document argues that governmental mistakes can be __ than individual mistakes.

more dangerous

The means of political authority may produce harm greater than the __ it seeks to achieve.

good

Arbitrary measures often arise because governments think it is necessary to respond to potential __, threatening individual freedoms.

crimes

The proliferation of laws in states often leads to the feeling of being governed by __ rather than laws themselves.

men

According to the text, arbitrary measures may initially seem to ensure a more pleasant life compared to the __ of laws.

proliferation

The author suggests that a lack of security leads to a degradation of __ in citizens.

moral life

Arbitrary measures create a sense of __ among the government officials that can lead to despotism.

anxiety

Governments justified their actions during the Reign of Terror in terms of preventing __.

crime