Comprehensive Review: Citizenship, Ideology, and Democratic Theory

These flashcards cover key concepts from political philosophy, democratic theory, psychological approaches to ideology, and educational models for citizenship based on the provided lecture transcripts and reading materials.

According to Peter Levine, what is the fundamental plural question a good citizen must ask?

"What should we do?"

How does Peter Levine define 'polycentric' politics?

A view in which the state is not a monolith but an array of offices, rules, and norms that interrelate with non-state institutions.

What are the three general categories of problems for groups identified by Peter Levine?

Problems of collective action, problems of discourse, and problems of identity/exclusion.

What is the 'Tragedy of the Commons' as defined by Garrett Hardin?

A situation where individuals acting in their own self-interest deplete a shared resource, bringing ruin to the entire group.

What is Garrett Hardin's proposed solution to the population problem?

Mutual coercion, mutually agreed upon by the majority of the people affected.

How does Thomas Hobbes describe the 'State of Nature'?

A 'war of every man against every man' where life is 'solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short' due to a lack of a common power.

According to Hobbes, what three principal causes lead to quarrel in human nature?

Competition (for gain), Diffidence (for safety), and Glory (for reputation).

What is the core concept of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's 'Social Contract'?

Individuals alienate all their rights to the whole community to form a 'general will,' remaining as free as before because they obey only themselves.

How does Ostrom's view on collective action differ from the rational choice model?

She argues people are not just self-interested free-riders but are willing to cooperate based on trust, reciprocity, and social norms.

In ideology theory, what is the difference between the 'Essentialist' and 'Social' theories?

Essentialism says beliefs flow from a single core principle (like change); Social theory says people first join a 'tribe' and then adopt its beliefs.

What is the 'Alliance Theory' of political belief systems according to David Pinsof?

Belief systems derive from strategic alliance structures (allies vs. rivals) rather than abstract moral values.

How does Alliance Theory explain double standards in political behavior?

Partisans use perpetrator biases to defend allies and victim/attributional biases to attack rivals, regardless of consistent moral logic.

What is the 'Interactionist' approach in democratic theory (Farrell, Mercier, Schwartzberg)?

The idea that individual cognitive biases can be corrected or utilized through social interaction and group deliberation under the right conditions.

What are Aristotle's three means of persuasion discussed by Nathan Robinson?

Logos (logic), Ethos (character/credibility), and Pathos (emotion).

In 'People are Persuaded by Rational Arguments,' what is Dan Williams' warning about persuasion?

Rational arguments give power to those who are best at constructing them, which may favor skill over truth.

What is Martha Nussbaum’s 'Human Development Paradigm'?

A model that measures a nation's success by the 'capabilities' and dignity of each individual rather than just GNP growth.

What are 'Moral/Anti-Moral Emotions' in education according to Nussbaum?

Compassion is a moral resource, while 'projective disgust' (treating others as animal remnants) is a threat to democratic equality.

What was Thomas Jefferson’s advice to Peter Carr regarding the 'moral sense'?

He believed morality is an innate sense like seeing or hearing, which is best decided by 'common sense' rather than artificial rules or science.

According to Alexis de Tocqueville, why are Americans uniquely 'enlightened'?

Because for Americans, 'politics are the end and aim of education,' and they learn the law by participating in governing and jury service.