for People Politics 1. Socrates- Philosopher who wanted to sting the sluggish citizens of Athens out of complacency by raising questions about beliefs - was tried, convicted, and condemned to death by poison 2. Plato- believed democracy was bad because it puts political power into the hands of the ignorant - thought that from democracy, it was only a short step to despotism 3. Aristotle- Shared Plato's skepticism of democracy - Aristotle's classification of Regimes - said that governing power may be in the hands of one person, a few people, or many; and that the power may be used either for the good of the community or the good of the rulers - Polity 4. Niccolo Machiavelli- said that the greatest enemies of free government are complacent and self interested citizens - Maintained that a free government is a government ruled by laws, not of men. - like Aristotle, considered pure democracy a bad form of gov't while regarding a mixed constitutional republic as the best form 5. James Harrington- advocated in Britain for regular and frequent elections and a system of representation in which representatives would be rotated in and out of office. 6. Alexis de Tocqueville- saw democracy as a change for the better - Also warned that democracy produces mediocrity and conformity. Tremendous pressure to conform - "tyranny of the majority" 7. John Stuart Mill- Utilitarian who was a central figure in Liberalism - in democratic matters, thought that sources of happiness are private; the most efficient way to maximize happiness was for people to do it themselves. - greatest concern was to defend and extend individual liberty - like alexis, mill was worried about the tyranny of the majority - the harm principle- every sane adult should be free to do what they want so long as actions do not harm or threaten to harm others - said that in the long run, nonconformists work to the benefit of society 8. Martin Luther- was excommunicated by the Catholic Church. - 95 theses; later encouraged people to worship the way they so chose; Luther neither foresaw nor welcomed this development
9. Hobbes- Thomas said that the individual should obey whoever is in power as long as the person or persons in power protect that individual. - state of nature and natural right first emerge - government is founded in the consent of the people. But by their consent, the people authorize the sovereign to do anything necessary to maintain order and peace. 1. Includes the power to force everyone to worship 2. Hobbes saw religious diff as one of leading sources of conflict. 10. John Locke- said it was wrong for the governments to force their subjects to conform to a particular religion - also uses state of nature - 3 natural rights; life liberty, and property - If people consent to form a limited gov't , the gov't can do whatever possible to protect their natural rights, but if violated, people have the right to overthrow the gov't and establish a diff one. 11. Thomas Paine- common sense- society is a blessing, but gov't is a necessary evil. - if the gov't fails to protect natural rights it ceases to be a necessary evil and becomes an intolerable one - People have every right to overthrow gov't if this happens. 12. Adam Smith- thought that gov't should have little as possible to do with economic exchanges - as a remedy under capitalism, smith recommended an economic policy that would allow individuals to compete freely in the marketplace. 13. Jeremy Bentham- the original leader of the utilitarians. - said that people are motivated by pain and pleasure. - We need gov't because people can cause pain to others while pursuing their pleasures - People need liberty to pursue their own source of pleasure 14. John Rawls- welfare libist- revolutionized political theory, uses veil of ignorance - Distribution principle- an equal distribution of wealth and resources is rawls starting point, and an unequal distribution is justified only if it is better for those at the bottom of society 15. Robert Nozick- neoclassical libist- all individuals have rights that it is wrong to violate - natural right to property - taxation is forced labor - uses state of nature - minimal state