Constitutional 4 pptx
Summary
TLDRThis presentation discusses key political thinkers during the time of the Wars of Religion, focusing on Hugo Grotius, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke. Grotius introduced ideas of international law and natural rights, while Hobbes emphasized the necessity of strong government due to the flawed nature of humanity. Locke, more optimistic about human nature, argued for limited government and expanded on the concept of the social contract, which became foundational for modern democracies. These thinkers’ differing views on government power and human nature influenced both Enlightenment thought and political revolutions, such as the American Revolution.
Takeaways
- 📜 The presentation focuses on the evolution of political ideas during and after the Wars of Religion, influenced by the Reformation and the Renaissance.
- 🌟 Key figures like Hugo Grotius and Thomas Hobbes are highlighted for their contributions to political philosophy and the concept of international law.
- 👑 The debate over the extent of monarchical power versus limited government is central to the period, with examples like Louis XIV of France and the Dutch Republic.
- 📚 Hugo Grotius' work 'The Laws of War and Peace' is noted for its influence on international law and the Peace of Westphalia in 1648.
- 🌱 Grotius introduced the concept of natural rights inherent to people, distinct from property rights, influencing later thinkers like John Locke.
- 🔍 Thomas Hobbes is characterized by his scientific skepticism applied to politics, as seen in his book 'Leviathan', which argues for a strong central government.
- 🌐 Hobbes' view of the state of nature and the social contract is contrasted with Locke's, emphasizing the origins of government power as deriving from the people.
- 🏛️ John Locke's 'Two Treatises of Government' supports the Glorious Revolution and presents a case for limited government and individual rights.
- 🤔 The presentation emphasizes the importance of understanding the historical and philosophical context of these thinkers to grasp their ideas fully.
- ⏰ A quiz on the material is预告ed for the next day, prompting students to prepare by understanding the key concepts and differences between Hobbes and Locke.
Q & A
What historical events influenced the political ideas discussed in the presentation?
-The ideas emerged during the time of the Wars of Religion, the Reformation, and the Renaissance, all of which led to a rethinking of government and its power.
Who was Hugo Grotius and why is he important in the context of political thought?
-Hugo Grotius was a Dutch humanist, lawyer, and author, known for his work 'The Laws of War and Peace,' which laid the foundation for international law and introduced the concept of natural rights.
How did Grotius influence international law?
-Grotius introduced the idea that countries are part of a broader international society bound by natural laws, which influenced the development of international law, especially in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648.
What is the significance of the term 'natural rights' in Grotius' work?
-Grotius popularized the idea that individuals are born with innate natural rights, shifting the notion of rights from property-based to people-based, influencing later thinkers like John Locke.
How did Thomas Hobbes' political ideas differ from those of earlier thinkers?
-Hobbes rejected the idea of divine right and instead argued that government power comes from a social contract between people, which was a radical shift in thinking during his time.
What is Hobbes' 'Leviathan' about and why is it important?
-'Leviathan' is Hobbes' most famous work, where he explores the idea of political power, its origins, and the necessity of a strong government to control human nature, which he believed was inherently bad.
What was John Locke's main contribution to political theory?
-John Locke contributed the idea that government should be limited and that people have natural rights to life, liberty, and property. His work influenced the Enlightenment and the American Revolution.
How did Locke's views on the state of nature differ from Hobbes'?
-Locke believed that the state of nature was not as bad as Hobbes suggested. He thought humans were generally good and that government should protect their natural rights, whereas Hobbes saw the state of nature as chaotic and requiring strong control.
What is the social contract theory, and how do Hobbes and Locke interpret it differently?
-The social contract theory is the idea that government power comes from an agreement among people to create a government for security and order. Hobbes believed in a strong government to control people's bad nature, while Locke believed in a government with limited power to protect individual rights.
Why is the social contract important in modern political thought?
-The social contract is the foundation of most modern governments, as it opposes the idea of divine right and establishes that governmental power comes from the consent of the governed. It is crucial in understanding democratic systems and constitutional governance.
Outlines
📜 Overview of Government Theories During Religious Wars
The paragraph introduces a brief presentation focused on two famous writers' ideas about government during the wars of religion. It highlights how the period was fertile for new governmental concepts, as thinkers began reexamining the role of government due to the chaos caused by religious conflicts, the Reformation, the Renaissance, and scientific discoveries. The primary debate revolved around how much power monarchs or central governments should have, with examples ranging from absolute monarchy in France to more limited forms of government like in the Dutch Republic and England.
🌍 Hugo Grotius and the Emergence of International Law
This section introduces Hugo Grotius, a Dutch humanist and lawyer, and discusses his influential book, *The Laws of War and Peace*. Grotius proposed that nations weren't mere possessions of monarchs but were part of an international society governed by natural laws. His work laid the foundation for international law, limiting sovereign power and encouraging lawful international relations, especially influencing the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Grotius also advanced the idea of natural rights, which shifted from being tied to property to being inherent to individuals, a concept further developed by John Locke.
🔄 The Changing View of Rights and Hobbes' Ideas
This paragraph explores how Grotius popularized the idea of natural rights, a notion previously tied to property but now attributed to individuals. The discussion then shifts to other thinkers of the era, particularly Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher, and royalist who was influenced by the English Civil War. Hobbes, who had connections to scientific minds like Galileo, applied scientific skepticism to politics. His key work, *Leviathan*, challenged divine right theory and presented a new interpretation of political power, which sparked controversy, especially among religious groups in England.
📘 Hobbes' Leviathan: Power and Controversy
Hobbes' *Leviathan* is central to this paragraph, with a focus on its famous cover image symbolizing the monarch's political power. The book argues for political authority derived not from divine right but from human agreements. While Hobbes' ideas on government were groundbreaking, they were also controversial, drawing strong reactions from his contemporaries. Protected by King Charles II, Hobbes managed to avoid severe punishment, despite the controversy surrounding his rejection of traditional religious views on political authority.
⚖️ Locke’s Political Views and Influence
This paragraph contrasts Thomas Hobbes with John Locke, highlighting Locke's political ideas and background. Locke, aligned with the Whig Nobles who supported the Glorious Revolution, wrote *The Second Treatise on Government* as a defense of the revolution and an expansion of his political views. Though less radical than Hobbes, Locke’s ideas about limited government and individual freedom were seen as more modern. His influence on the Enlightenment and the American Revolution is noted, emphasizing Locke’s significant role in shaping modern democratic thought.
🔑 Key Ideas of Hobbes and Locke
This section summarizes the key ideas of Hobbes and Locke, focusing on their differing views of human nature and the role of government. Hobbes, having experienced the English Civil War, believed that human nature was inherently bad, necessitating a strong government for control. Locke, on the other hand, had a more optimistic view of human nature, arguing for more individual freedom and less government interference. Despite their differences, both philosophers agreed on the concept of a social contract, a revolutionary idea that moved away from divine right and laid the foundation for modern government structures.
📚 The Social Contract and Its Modern Impact
The final paragraph emphasizes the importance of the social contract theory, as articulated by both Hobbes and Locke, as a foundation for government legitimacy. The theory argues that governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed, marking a major shift from the divine right of kings. This concept is now the basis for most modern governments. The paragraph concludes with a reminder of an upcoming quiz covering Hobbes and Locke, urging students to prepare.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Wars of Religion
💡Reformation
💡Hugo Grotius
💡International Law
💡Natural Rights
💡Thomas Hobbes
💡Leviathan
💡Social Contract
💡John Locke
💡Glorious Revolution
💡Divine Right of Kings
Highlights
Presentation focuses on the ideas of two famous writers and their impact on government and society.
The period of the Wars of Religion led to a rethinking of government and the individual's relationship to it.
The Dutch Golden Age produced thinkers who challenged the idea of monarchical possession of countries.
Hugo Grotius introduced the concept of international law and the idea that countries should operate within a lawful framework.
Grotius' work influenced the Peace of Westphalia and later international organizations like the United Nations.
Grotius popularized the idea of innate natural rights, which would later be influential in the works of John Locke.
Thomas Hobbes approached politics with a scientific skepticism, rejecting the divine right of kings.
Hobbes' Leviathan explored the idea of political power and its derivation in a new and creative way.
Hobbes' view of political power was controversial and challenged strong religious feelings in England.
John Locke, from a later generation, provided a counterpoint to Hobbes' views on government and power.
Locke's views on government were more modern and had a significant influence on the Enlightenment and the American Revolution.
Both Hobbes and Locke believed in the social contract theory, where government power comes from the people.
The state of nature is a theoretical concept used by Hobbes and Locke to describe human nature and the need for government.
Hobbes believed in a bad state of nature requiring strong government, while Locke believed in a good state of nature allowing more freedom.
The social contract theory is a fundamental concept in modern government legitimacy.
The ideas of Hobbes and Locke are central to understanding the development of political thought and the basis of government.
The presentation concludes with a warning about a quiz on Hobbes and Locke's ideas.
Transcripts
today's presentation is very short
because you'll be primarily working from
some documents trying to pull out the
main ideas of two very famous writers in
here we're going to look at some of the
ideas emerging from the time of the wars
of religion and in the previously
following about government this is a
very fertile time for new ideas on
government and the person's relationship
to government all these ideas are really
being kind of rethought by thinkers who
are looking at the chaos of the wars of
religion they're thinking about the new
ideas emerging from the reformation and
the Renaissance also coming from science
and all these are really making them
rethink how government works where its
power comes from
how it should relate to people in
particular a really key issue was this
one we're seeing fought Out Among the
political Elites of Europe how much
power should a monarch a central
government have should it have absolute
sovereignty hasn't theoretically I
believe the 13th Louis XIV France or
should it be more limited like in the
Dutch Republic or what eventually
emerged in England that's really the
central argument but it was part of a
broader deeper philosophical sort of
review of government itself and how
power works
one of the figures we're looking at here
is a product of the Dutch Golden Age a
humanist very educated lawyer author
playwright you go groceries he was from
the Netherlands and he was an author of
many different things but we're
primarily concerned with the single book
he wrote he wrote many called the laws
of War and Peace in this he laid out the
idea that individual countries weren't
just the possessions of their monarchs
or really just about the people in that
country alone they're part of a broader
International society that functions on
natural laws akin to those being found
in nature by scientists at exactly the
same time period this idea will emerge
as the concept of international law
the idea that there should be limits on
the sovereignty and actions of
individual countries that countries
should operate not like in a total Wild
West fashion but within a lawful
framework it was very influential in the
way the Peace of West failure was
approached and negotiated and worked out
in 1648. so his impact is pretty big it
comes and goes until his impact will
fade later with the rise of really
Sovereign National States but especially
after the first world war as ideas of a
huge impact on those seeking to restrain
Sovereign aggression through
international law things like the United
Nations are firmly founded in the works
of Hugo Grocers also with him another
important shift is happening
and that's the word rights the four
gracious the idea of a right was really
attached to a property I have a right to
this property I have a right to this
land to the use of it to the control of
it but it wasn't something attached to
people the idea of people having rights
wasn't really there but grocious does do
that he popularizes the idea that people
are born with innate natural rights an
idea we'll see again especially in John
Locke so he's a very influential figure
in a lot of different ways but he also
shows there's major shifts in thinking
happening in this time period and we'll
see that especially in the idea of the
Hobbes and why but do note they're not
alone there are many thinkers out there
who are really addressing these issues
of the relationships of states to each
other
of states to individuals and of the role
of the individual in society they're
affected by the religious changes of the
time groceries was strongly Protestant
but the same time they're also kind of
moving beyond the limits of religion now
keep in mind the same time period will
see Jacques Benin bousway write his
famous article on the divine right of
kings a lot of people have a lot of
different ideas in this time period
speaking of different there's Thomas
Hobbs what an interesting cranky weird
individual character he is I already met
him before he was English he was born in
the year of the Spanish Armada and
claimed at his mother's fright at the
time made him naturally timid I don't
know it might have been a joke he had a
sense of humor Hobbs is connected with
of course the English Civil War during
that war he was on the side of the
royalist of the royal family he
supported the royal family and when
things went sour for them he fled to
France there he became for a Time the
math tutor of Charles Stewart later
Charles II of England who would like
this cranky goofy math teacher Hobbs is
also a scientist he was a pen pal of
Galileo another leading scientist he
primarily thought of himself as an early
scientist what they would call a natural
philosopher back then
Hobbs brought that scientific skepticism
to the discussion of politics you are
not going to see in the excerpts from
Leviathan his most famous book any sign
of God this is not a divine right
approach to politics Instead try to
figure out from there where he says the
power government comes from it's a
profoundly influential idea he's not
totally original or unique here but he's
one of the first to really articulate it
well and effectively and that makes him
extremely influential many people don't
like Hobbs make fun of Hobbs attack
Hobbs but you can't ignore Hobbes his
influences large partly in terms of his
new and creative ideas but also in terms
of people reacting to him most notably
John live
here is the famous cover plate to his
book Leviathan this shows up on seven AP
exams so pay attention look closely at
the body of the Leviathan this great
looking Monarch State thing as it looms
over the land what do you see there that
says a lot about hobbs's view of
political power and how it's derived so
when you're going to read keep this
image in mind but in this case this this
all-powerful state we see here our
Monarch is wielding The Sword and the
scepter of power there's a lot of
symbolism wrapped up in this famous
document the Leviathan explored the idea
of political power where it comes from
in a really new and creative approach it
broke a lot of ground and it ruffled a
lot of feathers it got him in trouble
particularly with strong religious
feeling in England we return there after
the Civil War luckily for him he was
protected by the new King Charles II
which otherwise probably would have seen
him in prison maybe even execute you did
for his ideas see if you can figure out
what's so controversial about them when
you're reading them
the guys held up as the antithesis to
Thomas Hobbs is John Locke that's not as
it turns out quite true lock is from a
later generation and he's on the other
side of the political Spectrum he was a
supporter of the wig Nobles who
overthrew James II he actually worked
for them was a tutor to the son of one
of the leading wig Nobles at the time so
Locke is from the opposite political
party but he's still from the English
camp and as we'll see in the next unit
on science that's really important uh
Locke as a scientist wrote about Optics
he wrote about how the brain worked as
best they could figure that out but he
also wrote about politics in the second
treaties on government notice the Arts
published the year after the Glorious
Revolution it was in some ways an
apology for the Glorious Revolution but
also expanded Locke's views on politics
in many ways lock is actually less
radical than Hobbes but his conclusions
about government and how powerful it
should be are seen as being more radical
or more modern Locke will have a huge
influence on the upcoming Enlightenment
and also on the American Revolution and
the foundation of the new American
government in the 1770s and 80s
by now you should be fairly familiar
with some of the key ideas of Hobbs and
lock two guys who talked a lot about
politics who come from different times
in English History and have very
different views on what government
should be like I think to a great degree
based on their backgrounds anyway Hobbes
unlocked with them you want to know some
key things first off know a little of
their background Hobbs being older
having lived in the Civil War lot being
associated with the Glorious Revolution
know what they believe about the state
of nature the state of nature is that
theoretical idea that Hobbs came up with
but Locke uses to describe the time
before there was government now no one
knew for sure what that was like so
really this is a metaphor for their view
of human nature if human nature is bad
the state of nature will be bad if human
nature is generally good the state of
nature won't be that bad at all you can
hopefully connect that to Hobbs and lock
in their views if you start there with
that premise human nature is bad or
human nature is good that'll take you on
to the next question really which is
what is the purpose of government if
people are bad you need a strong
government to keep them in control you
people are good you don't need so much
government they can be allowed to have a
lot more freedom which of those two
views applies to Hobbes which applies to
Locke do note though they agree on
something which is the basis of
government's power where does that power
come from it does not come from God here
instead you find both deriving the power
of government coming from a social
contract of the people at the time of
the founding people came together to
create government that gave up that
total freedom in the state of nature to
have a government that provided some
degree of security stability and order
that is a huge switch from divine right
like we saw with Bishop Bruce Wayne it's
also the basis of our own government so
it's kind of important so make sure you
understand social contract it is one of
the most important things you'll see in
this whole course the idea originates
primarily from England but it also could
be found to some degree on the continent
it primarily comes from the Protestant
schools of thought at the time it's a
big counter to absolute monarchies claim
to Divine Right and today most
governments in the world use social
contract as the basis of their
legitimacy so it is a very big deal
indeed
tomorrow on the quiz expect to see a
fair bit about Hobbs and lock so you've
been warned be prepared
okay quiz tomorrow be ready for that
talk to you later
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