POLI exam 1

Heywood and chins

the buisness of expanding the scope of political thinking

political theory conceptualized

grappling with the past, present, and future society

harold lasswell’s definition of politics

the process of determining who gets what, when, and how

heywood and chins definition of politics

what we contest and cooperate over: what we think is of common concern

Sheldon wolins definition of politics

the field of politics is a created one. the designation of certain activities and arrangements as political, the characteristic way that we think about them, and the concepts we employ to communicate our observations and reactions- none of these are written into the nature of things but are the legacy accuring from the historical activity on political philosophers

political science

uses scientific method to acquire knowledge. describe analyze, and explain government and other political institutions, political behavior and wider political life. Key words: objective, value-free, truth

Political theory

Describes knowledge. Conceptual clarification of political ideas to enable the construction of theories as part of the process of empirical science. Key words: normative, ideas, concepts

Political philosophy

the search for wisdom and understanding, it attempts to clarify concepts used in political discourse and evaluates political concepts, their assumptions, coherence, and implications. it justifies particular understandings of concepts, and social/political institutions and arrangements

political theory is explication

both description(political science) and normative justification(political philosophy)

Political theory involves… 

the analytical, critical and normative study ideas, concepts and arguments that have been central to political thought, whether academic or public

heywood and chin on political theory

the human practice of reflecting on political life to both render our current practices and institutions meaningful and to prescribe amd enact change

Jonathan wolff on political theory

who gets what? says who?

Repeated problems/themes in political theory

power between ruler and rules, authority, social conflict, ends(goals) of politics and government, nature of political knowledge, justice

Ancient/ classical political thought

Greeks  and romans, city-states, empire, republic, politics and freedom, “ the good life”, ethicts and virtue

Modern political thought

Western europe and north america, social hierarchy, centralized power, individual liberty, rights, justice and equality

Contemporary political thought

examines the role of history and culture in society, anti foundationalist, often critical of existing institutions, analysis of power dynamics, includes critical theory

Raw material of political theory

theoretical texts of other political theorists and related fields(political philosophy, social theory) and the words, concepts, ideas and arguments within them

Problem of political change

is about how we understand, manage, prescribe, and justify, political changes

themes of theories of political change

progress, tradition, utopia

progress as political theory

progress in predicated on moving forward, making advancements

modernity and reason

modern political thought focused on understanding, analyzing, and prescribing the pathways of western modernity(inward focus, self reflection, reason and logic)

Forward march of history

Make progress by understanding, analyzing, and evaluating the past and how it comapres to the present

Divine right to rule

the idea thta there is someone appointed by a deity(a god) to rule over the people (common in wester europe until 1400s-1700s AD)

modern political thought and reason

Men are unique individuals with natural rights and ability to reason, each individual gets to govern themselves 

progress through reform

reform makes changes to existing structures (adaptation, gradual change, improvements, tinkering not scrapping, speed and scope of change are gradual)

Liberal reformism and utilitarianism

maximize happiness/pleasure, minimize pain/discomfort. benefits are change is peacful, does not disrupt social cohesion, no violence

progress and change through political disruption

throw out existing power structures and start over, comprehensive change because reform cant fix structural problems

shared characteristics of revolution

periods of sudden, dramatic change, revolutions often entail some violence, popular uprisings based on mass participation(marches, riots)

Concerns with reform

Reform does not address fundamental problems and reform will prop upa nd perserve existing power sructures

status quo

the way things currently exist(associated with conservatism)

Edmond burke

conservatism- not all change is good- not all change is progress

Conservatism

emphasizes tradition, social and political harmony, and time tested institutions. opposed rapid industrialization and revolutionary change, favoring gradual reform instead

thomas paine critiques…

conservatism prioritizes the authority of the dead over the rights and freedoms of the living

contemporary application

how an idea, theory, or concept, is seen of=r used in todays world(its relevance)

Utopia

imagined, hypothetical, or fictional worlds(increasingly common in enlightenment era)

Socialism

seeks to rectify the problems of the world as it exist right now and attain ideal society. belief that greed, corruption, and capitalism are the problem (marx)

Classic liberalism

promotes individual freedom, limited government, and free-market capitalism

capitalism

private ownership, free markets, profit motive

rousseau on state of nature and social contract

state of nature as peaceful and innocent with inequality arising only from social institutions. he aimed to serve the general will and common good, not private interests. direct democracy and active participation

the social contract

human nature, the state and civil society, the artificiality of the political

intellect vs instincts

to what degree does reason influence human conduct

Rationalism

belief in humans ability to reason energes out of enlightenment; humans have free will and senlf determination; places high values on individual freedom

Anti rationalism

view that not everything can be understood, humans navigate the world based on instict, impulse, emotion, not reason. fight or flight

Collectivism

theories built around and ideal of social cooperation in political life; shared social identitiy and importance of collective action

Social divisions

Social class, race, ethnicity, religion

absolutist governments

allows people in power to end up being judges in their own cases so they can violate natural law, abuse power and distort true response of governement