Foundational political theory from Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau, framed for an intro political science course.
40 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- Who wrote The Prince?
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Niccolò Machiavelli- In The Prince, what does Machiavelli mean by virtu?
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The skill, cunning, and capability to acquire and maintain power- According to Machiavelli, is it better for a prince to be feared or loved?
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Feared, if a choice must be made, because fear ensures obedience when love alone does not- What role does Machiavelli assign to fortune in a prince's success?
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Fortune determines roughly half of outcomes, but a skilled prince can counter it through preparedness and adaptation- What distinction does Machiavelli draw between how a prince should appear and how he actually is?
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A prince must appear virtuous but may act otherwise if necessary for the state, because people judge by appearance- For Machiavelli, what is the foundation of a state's power?
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Strong military and the prince's ability to command loyalty and respect through effective rule- What is Machiavelli's view on whether cruelty can ever be justified?
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Yes, if it is necessary to maintain order and the state's survival, provided it is decisive and not excessive- In Hobbes' Leviathan, what does he call the condition of humans without a sovereign?
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A state of nature, characterized as a war of all against all- Complete Hobbes' description: life in the state of nature is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and ___.
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short- What does Hobbes mean by the Leviathan?
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The absolute sovereign (ruler) whose power is necessary to enforce peace and prevent the chaos of the state of nature- According to Hobbes, what motivates people to leave the state of nature and form a social contract?
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Fear of death and the desire for self-preservation, which make the chaos of the state of nature worse than submission to authority- Does Hobbes believe the sovereign should have limits on their power?
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No, he argues the sovereign must have absolute authority to maintain peace, otherwise people revert to the state of nature- In Hobbes' state of nature, what natural rights do humans possess?
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The right to do anything necessary to preserve their own life, limited only by their power- What is the basis of obedience to the sovereign in Hobbes' theory?
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Fear and rational self-interest, not moral obligation or legitimacy- What major work did John Locke write to defend limited government?
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Two Treatises of Government
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