Intro to Government Debates

Summary

This video script offers an introductory exploration of government concepts, focusing on the role of government in mediating citizens' interests, maintaining order, and balancing liberty with security. It delves into the social contract theory, contrasting the philosophies of big government intervention, small government minimalism, and the middle ground approach. The script also distinguishes between various systems of government, including democracies, monarchies, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism, and provides guidance on constructing obligation arguments for government actions, using criteria that encompass responsibility, direct results of actions, and alignment with professed values.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video is an introductory session on government concepts and aims to enhance understanding of politics and international relations.
• 👨‍👧‍👦 The speaker advises viewers to watch a related 'choice' video for a balanced perspective on government and individual choice.
• 🤔 The importance of understanding content over merely regurgitating information is emphasized, with a call to question or learn about anything not understood.
• 🌏 A hypothetical world without government is discussed, illustrating the potential chaos and lack of order without a governing body.
• 🏛 The role of government is to mediate interests of its constituents, ideally through democratic processes, to maintain order and protect citizens.
• 📜 The social contract theory is introduced, suggesting citizens trade certain rights for protection and benefits from the state.
• 📚 Different interpretations of the social contract by philosophers such as Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau are highlighted, each with their unique perspectives on governance.
• 🏛️ The philosophies of governance, including big government, small government, and the middle position, are discussed, each with their justifications and examples.
• 🏫 The video distinguishes between liberalism and libertarianism, explaining their core beliefs and how they relate to government involvement.
• 🌐 Different systems of government, such as democracy, monarchy, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism, are outlined with examples and their unique characteristics.
• 💡 The video concludes with guidance on constructing obligation arguments for government actions, providing criteria and examples to build a compelling case.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video session on government and concepts?

The main purpose of the video session is to provide an introductory understanding of government concepts, including the social contract theory, different philosophies around governance, types of policies, and systems of government, as well as how to construct an obligation argument.

Why is it important to watch the 'choice' video after this session?

It is important to watch the 'choice' video because most debates revolve around whether the government should take action or individuals should have the choice to do something. The 'choice' video offers the perspective of people, complementing the government perspective provided in this session.

What does the speaker emphasize about understanding the content rather than just memorizing it?

The speaker emphasizes that understanding the content is crucial, and one should not regurgitate information without comprehension. If something is not understood, one should ask questions or learn more about it, rather than simply repeating it.

What is the concept of a world without government according to the video?

In a world without government, individuals would have absolute liberties, meaning they could behave as they wish without any external protection or consequences for their actions. However, this could lead to interests overlapping and conflicts arising due to the lack of a mediating authority.

What is the universal obligation of a government as per the video?

The universal obligation of a government is to mediate the interests of its constituents, ideally in a democratic manner, to maintain order and ensure that everyone's interests are considered and balanced.

Can you explain the social contract theory as discussed in the video?

The social contract theory suggests that citizens, by virtue of being born in a state, give up certain rights in exchange for protection from a collective state or government. It is a mutual agreement to follow societal rules in return for benefits like social welfare and security.

What are the three key authors mentioned in the video who have contributed to the social contract theory?

The three key authors mentioned are Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, each providing different interpretations of the social contract theory in their respective works: 'Leviathan', 'Two Treatises of Government', and 'The Social Contract'.

What are the four main things citizens give up according to the social contract theory?

According to the social contract theory, citizens give up natural rights, the right to enforce personal justice, the monopoly on violence, and certain liberties such as freedom in exchange for security and stability.

What is the difference between the philosophies of big government and small government as per the video?

Big government philosophy supports extensive intervention in individuals' lives for their well-being, while small government philosophy, often associated with libertarianism, advocates for minimal intervention, emphasizing individual autonomy and the belief that individuals are best suited to make decisions regarding their own lives.

What is the middle position in governance philosophy and how does it differ from big and small government?

The middle position in governance suggests that the government should not directly tell people what to do but can influence their decisions through nudges or incentives. This approach differs from big government, which intervenes directly, and small government, which advocates for minimal intervention.

How does the video explain the process of creating obligation arguments for governments?

The video explains that to create an obligation argument for governments, one must prove that the action falls within the scope of their responsibilities, is a direct result of their actions, and aligns with their self-professed values. Additionally, showing that they have the capacity to perform the action can strengthen the argument.

What are the different systems of government mentioned in the video?

The different systems of government mentioned are democracy, monarchy, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism, each with its unique characteristics and ways of functioning.

Can you provide an example of how to apply the criteria for obligation arguments as discussed in the video?

An example given in the video is the obligation of the government to protect the environment even at the expense of economic development. The criteria for this argument include proving that environmental protection is within the government's responsibilities, that environmental issues may be a result of government actions, and that intervention aligns with the government's values, such as sustainability.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Government Concepts

The video script begins with an introduction to the concept of government, aiming to provide a foundational understanding of politics and international relations. The speaker humorously acknowledges potential background noise and emphasizes the importance of understanding over memorization. The session will cover the social contract theory, governance philosophies, types of government policies, and constructing obligation arguments. The speaker also suggests watching a related 'choice' video for a complementary perspective on individual liberty versus government intervention.

05:01

🏛 Social Contract Theory and Government Obligations

This section delves into the social contract theory, which posits that citizens relinquish certain rights to the government in exchange for protection and benefits. The government's role is to mediate interests and maintain order, ideally through democratic processes. The theory is explored through the works of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, each offering unique perspectives on the balance of power and individual rights. The script discusses the implications of this theory, including the surrender of natural rights, personal justice enforcement, the monopoly on violence, and the trade-off of liberties for security.

10:02

🌐 Philosophies of Governance: Big vs. Small Government

The script contrasts big government and small government philosophies, explaining their approaches to individual freedoms and state intervention. Big government supports active intervention to improve citizens' well-being, justifying policies that may restrict personal choices for the greater good, such as mandatory seat belt laws or educational requirements. In contrast, small government, often aligned with libertarianism, advocates for minimal state interference, arguing that individuals are best suited to make decisions about their own lives. Examples of policies from both perspectives are provided, illustrating the different levels of state involvement in citizens' lives.

15:03

🔍 Middle Position in Governance and Policy Types

The script introduces a middle ground between big and small government approaches, where the state nudges citizens towards certain behaviors rather than directly intervening. This can include incentives or disincentives, such as taxes on unhealthy products. The section also covers different types of policies governments might implement to address social issues, such as majoritarian and pluralist views, which focus on majority agreement versus the protection of marginalized groups, respectively.

20:05

🏳️‍🌈 Systems of Government: Democracy, Monarchy, Authoritarianism, and Totalitarianism

This part of the script outlines various systems of government, starting with democracy, where power is held by the people through voting and referendums. It then describes monarchies, which have a single ruler with varying degrees of power, and contrasts them with authoritarian and totalitarian regimes. Authoritarianism concentrates power with limited opposition, while totalitarianism seeks to control all aspects of life. Examples of each system are provided, along with a discussion of how these systems can overlap and the nuances between them.

📘 Constructing Obligation Arguments for Government Action

The final section of the script focuses on constructing obligation arguments for government action. It presents criteria to prove that the government has an obligation to act, including whether the action falls within their responsibilities, is a direct result of their actions, aligns with their professed values, and whether they have the capacity to act. An example argument about government environmental policies is provided to illustrate how to apply these criteria. The script concludes with a call to action for viewers to practice constructing such arguments and an invitation to support the creators through donations.

Keywords

💡Government

Government refers to the system or group of people governing an organized community, typically through the exercise of authority and the enforcement of laws. In the video, the theme revolves around understanding the concept and role of government in society, including its obligations and the various systems through which it operates.

💡Social Contract Theory

The Social Contract Theory is a philosophical concept that suggests that individuals implicitly or explicitly agree to surrender some of their freedoms to a governing authority in exchange for protection and the benefits of social order. The video discusses this theory as a foundational idea for why people accept government authority and the trade-offs involved.

💡Governance

Governance encompasses the processes of interaction and decision-making among the actors involved in a collective problem that lead to the creation, reinforcement, or reproduction of social norms and institutions. The video explores different philosophies and systems of governance, illustrating how they affect policy-making and the balance of power and freedom.

💡Policies

Policies are courses of action adopted and implemented by governments to address social problems or to influence the behavior of individuals or organizations. The script mentions types of policies and how governments use them to mediate interests and protect certain values or groups within society.

💡Systems of Government

Systems of Government describe the various organizational structures and processes through which a group of people are governed. The video outlines different systems such as democracy, monarchy, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism, each with unique characteristics and implications for citizen rights and freedoms.

💡Obligation Argument

An Obligation Argument is a type of argument used to establish that an entity, such as a government, has a duty or responsibility to take a certain action. The video explains how to construct such arguments, particularly in the context of government mandates and responsibilities.

💡Democracy

Democracy is a form of government where power is vested in the hands of the people, typically through elected representatives and direct voting on issues. The video contrasts democracy with other systems, highlighting its emphasis on popular sovereignty and civic participation.

💡Monarchy

A Monarchy is a form of government in which a single individual, usually a king or queen, holds supreme authority over the state. The video discusses absolute and constitutional monarchies, and how they differ in terms of the ruler's power and the legal framework that may limit it.

💡Authoritarianism

Authoritarianism is a system of government characterized by highly concentrated power in the hands of a single leader or a small group, often without significant checks on their authority. The video describes authoritarian regimes and their tendency to suppress opposition and restrict civil liberties.

💡Totalitarianism

Totalitarianism is a political system where the state holds total authority over the society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life. The video mentions totalitarian regimes as having extreme control and using various means to ensure compliance and adherence to the state's ideology.

💡Liberalism vs. Libertarianism

Liberalism and Libertarianism are two political philosophies that differ in their views on the role of government. While liberalism tends to support a balance between individual freedoms and state intervention for social welfare, libertarianism advocates for minimal government intervention and maximal individual liberty. The video clarifies this distinction, especially in the context of small government approaches.

Highlights

Introduction to government concepts and theories to enhance understanding of politics and international relations.

The importance of watching the 'choice' video for a balanced perspective on government and individual freedoms.

The necessity for understanding content over regurgitation, emphasizing the need for true comprehension in discussions.

Imagining a world without government to illustrate the concept of absolute liberties and the potential conflicts arising from them.

The role of government in mediating interests and maintaining order through democratic processes and rule of law.

The social contract theory, where citizens trade certain rights for protection and benefits from the state.

Different interpretations of the social contract by philosophers Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Rousseau.

Surrendering natural rights, personal justice enforcement, and monopoly on violence as part of the social contract.

Philosophies of governance including big government, small government, and the middle position on intervention.

Big government's role in intervening in personal choices for perceived greater good and well-being.

Small government advocating for minimal intervention and individual rationality in decision-making.

The middle position's approach to nudging citizens towards right actions without direct intervention.

Types of policies addressing social problems, including majoritarian and pluralist views.

Distinguishing liberalism from libertarianism and understanding their impact on government approaches.

Exploration of different systems of government: democracy, monarchy, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism.

Criteria for constructing obligation arguments for government actions, focusing on responsibility, action results, and values.

Practical example of constructing an obligation argument for government environmental policy.

Practice motions provided for developing skills in creating obligation arguments for government mandates.

The volunteer-based nature of After Freedom and the invitation for donations to support their educational mission.

Transcripts

hello everyone today we're going to be

talking about government and Concepts

around the

government so this is meant to just be

an introductory idea and an introductory

session we're going to cover quite a few

things um this should give you a better

understanding of how to approach

something like politics or international

relations if you hear screaming children

in the background I promise you we take

care of them very well what are we going

to be covering today we're going to

cover a bit of an intruction to

government I'm going to talk to you

about the social contract theory we're

going to look at the different ways or

or the philosophies around governance

we're going to look at types of policies

that governments can have we're going to

look at systems of government and how to

construct an obligation argument that

last bit is

important right before we begin a few

important important things firstly

immediately after watching this video I

think you should watch the choice video

because most debates circle around the

idea of should the government do

something or should people have the

choice of doing something so this is

only half of the understanding which is

from The Cho from the perspective of the

government the other half of the

understanding of from the perspective of

people will come from the choice video

that's currently up second thing do not

regurgitate information I need you to

understand the content we're providing

here and not just regurgitated as it is

written here what I like to say

specifically when I'm coaching schools

again is if you don't understand

understand something don't say it I have

no desire to hear it if you don't

understand it you will either ask

questions around it or you will go back

and try to learn it then you will

communicate it but if you don't

understand it but understand it don't

regurgitate

it I want to briefly look at what a

world without a government would look

like and I want you to close your eyes

and kind of imagine that with me so it

would be a world where we can all behave

how we want and no one would have you

know the right to protect you but

yourself no one would protect you other

than yourself we a self- sustain so

basically there would be cuz without a

government or without a group of people

agreeing on how trade is going to happen

there's really no way it's going to be

done so we'd all be kind of working on

our own as far as trade goes and there'd

be no real like consequences to our

actions we could kill someone and be

like w well that just happened and

there'd be no one to arrest us or

anything like that so what I kind of

want to drive is the idea that in with a

in a world without a government

government we have absolute Liberties

right and generally the problem with

having those absolute Liberties is that

sometimes they may overlap with each

other so the government has existed

throughout time and the structures are

there to create order right they group

or an organization that's there to

maintain and create order ideally they

should be democratically elected but the

universal obligation of a government is

to mediate the interest of its

constituents what what I mean by

mediating the interest is what I was

talking about a second ago that we would

all do whatever we want you know it'll

it would be like think about The Purge

for that period of time I know some of

some of you may have watched that that

movie I'm not sure if the rating is you

know accurate for for high school kids

but maybe you did so for a certain

amount of time there are no laws that

are enacted everyone is free to do

whatever they want the problem with that

is that everyone's interests would

undercut each other so you might have

the interest to live to see The Purge

that interest is mutually exclusive and

contradictory to your friend's interest

to possibly kill you right your friend

may want to have I don't know the their

house on a certain block of land you may

also want to have it on that blot of

land so your two interests are competing

with each other and you both can't have

what you want so governments were put

there to mediate the interests between

people so that everyone is able to

within reasonable jurisdiction have what

they want and within reasonable

jurisdiction to also be protected that

is the underlying philosophy of

governance and how it should

work now let's have a a short

conversation about the social contract

theory so the social contract theory

suggests that by virtue of being born in

a state citizens have to give up certain

rights in exchange for protection uh

from a collective state or government so

basically we participate in a society in

accordance to the rules of the

government in exchange for protection

and benefits like social welfare what

that is suggesting at its simple and

most basic core is that in order for the

the government to be able to mediate

your interests as people you should give

them the right and ability to mediate

that interest so if you give them the

power to say hey you can mediate my

interest uh in relation to someone

else's interest then that is what the

government is going to do basically

we're going to look at a lot of the ways

that government mediate interests is

predicated on on the creation of laws so

they limit one person's ability to to

murder whoever they want in exchange for

someone else being able to be protected

so that is an example of a legislated

means of mediating people's interests um

and you have to allow the government to

do that via the social contract theory

so different authors have written uh

about it such as Thomas Hobbs uh John

Lock um and rosu each has had different

interpretations of the social contract

with Hobs emphasizing the need for

strong governmental authority to prevent

chaos lock focusing on natural rights

and limited government and R emphasizing

the idea of a collective agreement among

individuals to form a society so Hobbs

wrote about it in his work Leviathan

which was released in 1651 Lo uh wrote

about it in treaty in two treaties of

government which is released in

1689 and Ru wrote about it in the social

contract which was released in 1762 so

you guys can check those out if they

interest

you more on the social contra Theory so

it works on the idea that you would be

giving up certain rights to the

government this would be one of four

things firstly natural rights so some

philosophers argue that individuals

surrender some of their natural rights

such as the right to absolute freedom in

order to live in a civilized society the

second one would be their right to

enforce a form of personal justice so

you can't just go around and do whatever

you think is correct because remember

you've elected this group of people to

kind of determine what is right and

wrong and how Justice should be enacted

and part of that is all kind of leaning

on to point three which is the idea of

the Monopoly on violence what this means

in a non-fancy way is that the state is

the only body that has the right to be

violent or legitimately use violence so

you surrender your rights to uh you know

violently kill someone or like beat

someone up um to the state who are the

people who really decide if you can have

the death

penalty or you know incarcerate someone

or anything of that nature there are

some exceptions to this like in the case

of self-defense but that's basically

what the the Monopoly on violence refers

to the state is the only actor that can

use violence

legitimately again it's when I phrase it

like that it it it offers a few

questions but yeah and then you also

give up some Liberties so this is

depending on people's interpret ation of

the social Contra uh contract so

Liberties such as freedom in exchange

for security and stability these are all

things we've kind of already alluded

to now we're going to touch on a few

philosophies of governance and basically

how they work so we're going to talk

about um the three big approaches to

governance which is big government small

government and the middle

position in relation to big government

so the big government position suggest

that the government can interfere with

individuals freedoms if the person

affected would be better off or if they

would be less harmed as a result of the

policy so in this case the government is

as involved um as possible within

people's lives and the way that they

would work and the way that their

realities are kind of created Created

and manufactured that's the concept and

the idea around big government so they

can inter intervene in people's personal

choices and their right to choose H and

you know they aim to further a person's

well-being by kind of making the

decisions for them when you watch the

choice video you're going to look at the

alternative side to

this and then there are various

justifications that are used for um big

government and kind of white right so

one of them is you know the the idea

that the person who is making the

decision ER you know it is is making a

decision that's against their own

interest um even if they are like

knowledgeable so that is one suggestion

so the government would make a decision

that is in their best interest a second

one is the idea that the policy would

protect a moral well-being and for and

enforce a sense of community standards

and then the third one is the idea that

the policy is necessary to kind of

promote a sense of social interest the

interest of a collective Society

generally speaking they'll lean on

theide idea that people are making

decisions ill informed so they don't

know as much as the government does so

these are all different ways you can

kind of justify the big government

approach and big government they can

lean on multiple examples in terms of

the applications of their policy this

could be stuff like Banning harmful

drugs uh making wearing seat belts

mandatory requiring workers to

contribute to their super annuation fund

requiring miners to have blood

transfusion even if their religious

beliefs forbid it and requiring parents

to ensure that their children attend

school and a wide variety of other

things the point is big government

intervenes in your life under the

assumption that they are best suited to

make decisions for your life as opposed

to you as a citizens who as a citizen

who may not know as much as the

government the direct opposite of that

is something referred to as small

government so the small government

positions supports limiting intervention

in the lives of citizens to the greatest

possible extent right so libertarianism

is the most popular political theory

that supports the small government

approach so it suggests that the role of

the government is limited to narrow

functions of protecting against Force

theft fraud and enforcing

contracts and so on and so forth so I

think the Conservative Party in the USA

is an example of a party that in many

cases

campaigns you campaigns using small

government retoric so they just believe

that the government should not be

heavily involved in people's

lives so the way that these uh the the

small government approach is kind of

Justified is that individuals are

rational actors you know uh so they can

make decisions on their own lives also

the fact that individuals rather than

governments are better suited to make

decisions that would maximize their own

happiness and that the government just

doesn't have a right to infringe on

people's choices um based on what they

think is best for people right let's

look at a few examples of uh policies

that would be supported by the oh oh

policies that the small government

approach would deem as illegitimate as

wrong or wrong so prohibiting self-

endangering activity like driving

without a seat belt prohibiting deviant

but harmless Behavior like you know

non-standard sexual practices and so

forth so these are all the things that

uh small government would deem as

illegitimate then there is a really

interesting middle ground here which is

the middle position so simply put the

middle position suggests that government

shouldn't tell people what to do it

shouldn't directly intervene in their

lives instead it can nudge them in the

right direction or convince them of what

is right or wrong so an example of this

would be providing a tax a syntax on

things like smoking or impos opposing

more taxes on something like alcohol or

maybe the alternative is providing

incentives for you to buy certain things

as opposed to other things so providing

incentives or like tax write offs for

people who like wear seat belts more

frequently I don't know basically the

the main function of middle position is

to nudge you towards doing the right

thing such that it is coercion but you

still are the person who is making the

decision so that's the middle uh

position often you'd find that

governments use a combination of of all

of these

things

so the fatty food example is is

important when you're looking at the way

that different approaches would take it

so a small government would approach uh

this by essentially ending all syntaxes

and allowing individuals to make their

own choices a big government might ban

the fatty food Al together but a middle

position would you know might ensure

that the food is properly lab and also

impose a syntax so these are the

different ways a government may approach

uh the idea of how to mediate people's

interests and how to act within a

state now we're going to look at the

types of policies uh that a government

can have specifically when looking at

how they address social problems so

there's the majoritarian view which

suggests that a policy can be moved

forward if majority of the people agree

on on it so if we want to uplift a

disenfranchised group or the

marginalized group in society that can

happen so long as the majority agrees on

it the alternative is the pluralist view

the plural The pluralist View suggests

that we should or the government has an

active obligation to protect

disenfranchised and marginalized groups

at all times even if the majority

doesn't agree with it when we're when

you guys are watching the video about

advancing social change we we provide a

lot more details on both of these views

and kind of how they work but yeah these

are the types of policies that you might

have then here we have a a bit of a

tossup where I kind of want to draw a

clear difference between liberalism and

libertarianism which I don't necessarily

think is the same thing it's important

for you to understand the difference

between the two given that

libertarianism is the main belief that

bolsters the the the small government

approach uh so it's important for you

guys to understand each of these so do

go through this table pause it and give

it a read whatever you

prefer all right now we're going to kind

of look at the different systems of

government that we have the first one is

a democracy so in a democracy power is

vested in the hands of the people so you

vote people directly into power and

mostly you have things like referendums

where you can directly vote on a lot of

issues so voting is a major part of a

democracy there is another video on

Democracy that you can that you know

we've also made uh that was made by

Leighton actually and you guys can give

that a watch it's a very nice video then

from there there's a monarchy so in a

monarchy there's a single ruler it's

usually a king or a queen and they hold

supreme authority over the state so

monarchies can be absolute where a

monarch can have unrestricted power or

they can be constitutional monarchies

that are limited by the laws and the

Constitution but basically there's a

ruler and a k which is a king and

generally there might even be a rer

family or something of that nature so

that would be how a monarchy would

function then there's authoritarianism

so authoritarianism is a

system that concentrates power in the

hands of a single leader or a small

group of individuals without any real

accountability or checks on their

Authority so their regimes often

suppress any political opposition they

restrict civil civil liberties and they

maintain control so these would be

things like dictate dictator leers ships

um and militarily run countries and one

party States the fourth one is

totalitarianism so totalitarianism is a

system characterized by extreme

government control over all aspects of

private life so they seek to to exert

total dominance over society and claim

descent through propaganda surveillance

censorship and a whole wide variety of

other things totalitarian regimes often

um involve ideology that seeks to trans

form Society in accordance to a

particular Vision such as communism or

fascism let's do some work to kind of

draw the distinction between each of

these views so if you want to look at

democracy it's very different from the

rest of the three I don't think I need

to spend a lot of time on it the main

thing that's important in a democracy is

that people have the power to choose who

to vote for right they have the power to

launch referendums where they can vote

on policies a monarchy is whether he's a

royal family or like a king or a ruler

or a queen or whatever ever the case may

be and they rule over the rest of the

nation so in the case of a monarchy it

can be a monarchy that has unrestricted

power where they do all of the ruling or

it can be like in the case of uh the UK

where there's a monarch but it's

constitutional so there's also a prime

minister and a wide variety of other

political

structures then with

authoritarianism and totalitarianism

which I think is is seems very very

similar but within an author itarian

States it's a system that concentrates

power in in the hands of a single group

of of individuals or one person they

don't have any opposition or anything so

then how does that is that separate for

to to totalitarianism with

totalitarianism they're most focused on

just controlling your life it's not

about leadership having all the power

they're in totalitarianism they just

want to control various aspects of your

life and kind of move you towards a very

specific Direction so those are the

differences between in the four of them

in a democracy I think there are two

examples and again the more we learn the

more we going to kind of see that a lot

of these things are a lot more fluid

than you think but I think the USA is an

example of a democracy India can be an

example of a democracy if you want to

look at at at a monarchy Saudi Arabia is

a monarchy the UK is also a

monarchy and you can kind of read up

about um how they how they exist and

kind of how they function thereof

and if you want to look at

authoritarianism Russia under Vladimir

Putin is a clear an example of

authoritarianism I think China to a a

great degree is also an example of

authoritarianism and then

totalitarianism that would be something

like Nazi Germany where they literally

controlled every aspect of life the

textbooks you read um what you could eat

when you could go out who could occupy

certain spaces that

totalitarianism so and then North Korea

is is is another example of a form of

totalitarianism that kind of exists in

in Modern Times And modern day what's

important to note about all of these

things is that they can kind of overlap

a monarchy can have Democratic Values a

totalitarian state can have very

authoritarian and like monarchy uh

values within it there's there's

generally overlap between them there's

never a clearcut idea of what is what

and and you know what is it but this

this is just so you have a a surface

level understanding of what each of

these forms of governance are and kind

of what they look

like now I want to talk to you about how

to create obligation

arguments the reason why that's being

done in this video is because the most

common obligation argument to generally

come come across is the government

mandate so I think that's what we used

to call it know as a speaker they'd be

like you're running a government mandate

argument um which is not a bad thing but

we need to find ways to construct

Arguments for why governments should do

things correctly so this is kind of a

criteria that would help you to do that

it applies to literally any actor and

why they should have an obligation but

I'm going to kind of apply it to

government in this uh scenario so we can

talk more specifically about government

so in order to prove that an act as an

obligation to do something we ought to

do we ought to prove three things

firstly that it falls with with in the

scope of their responsibilities secondly

that it is a direct result of their

actions thirdly that the action Falls

within the scope of their own

self-professed values and as a bonus

just to make sure you have a nuanced

argument and people won't respond to

your argument stupidly it's also nice to

prove that they have the capacity to do

that particular thing let's look at an

example here we have the motion this

house believes that government should

put in place policies to protect the

environment even if it is at the expense

of Economic Development and I chose side

proposition and I'm making one argument

here the idea that the government has a

direct obligation to protect the

environment and there are three like the

the first level to the argument is the

criteria which is when does the

government have an obligation to

intervene in a problem a when it falls

within the scope of their

responsibilities what you'll notice with

each of these is that I add an example

at the end to prove why my criteria is

true cuz my criteria could be apples

oranges bananas thank you how but

clearly that's wrong in order for me to

prove that my criteria is right I need

to provide an example of how it applies

in the real world right so for example

it's the prot it's the obligation of the

government to protect uh its citizens

from National threats we all understand

that we all know that the second level

is when the problem exists because of

their actions an example here was when

the US accepted responsibility and paid

rep reparations to Japanese Americans

after they put them in internment camps

during World War II then the third level

is that when the intervention is within

the scope of their self-professed values

so for

example uh political parties make

promises during elections and on their

manifestos they have the obligation of

sticking to those promises because they

are the ones that profess to them so

make sure you are justifying your

criteria in that way as well right level

two is me proving my criteria so here

you can pause read or go through the

slides I provide three levels of

analysis as to why the criteria is true

um and then in addition to that I also

provide a third level which explains why

the government has the capacity to

intervene in this problem then I get to

my very simple conclusion that is how

you should always construct your

obligation

arguments all right then there are a few

motions here that you guys can use for

practice so be like make sure that you

kind of go through these let us know

what you think and yeah that is just

about it I hope that the video was

otherwise beneficial to you and that you

were able to learn uh a few things along

the

way thank you everyone for making it

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