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Sovereignty
Ultimate Political power - having the final say.
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Human Predicament
The cycle from tyranny to anarchy to which sovereign power and its ill effects give rise.
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Despot
A ruler excercising absolute power
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Revolution
A means of removing tyranny from power; part of the human predicament cycle
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Tyranny
absolute power centralized in one person (or small group); part of the human predicament cycle
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Anarchy
No one person or group maintains absolute power. Characterized by mass disorder caused by failure to agree on a common course of action. Part of the human predic cycle
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Competeing Groups
groups that, in astate of anarchy, fight for supreme power and control; part of human predic cycle.
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Good society
Reasonably stable and prosperous society without an oppressive tyranny. Usually includes peace, respect, vibrant culture, and personal freedom to live the way one chooses.
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Plato
- 427BC-347BC
- Greek philosopher and author of The Republic, which extolled civic virtue and the necessity of arete.
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Political Legitimacy
ruling by a sanction higher than stark necessity; sanction may stem from devine right, wisdom or consent, ect.
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King James 1
1566-1625 King james 1 of England claimed political legitimacy through a "devine right of kings".
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Devine right of Kings
Political theory that royal lines are established by God and that kings rule by devine decree.
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theocracy
Divinely inspired rule, or rule by religion.
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Aristocracy
Rule based on distinguished or wise ancestors and heritage.
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Greek Freedom
The privilege of taking part in the political process and observing society's rules.
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Human Nature
The fundamental disposition of humans that determines their behavior.
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Arete
Greek term for human virtue, the backbone of republican morality. Striving for excelence.
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European Enlightenment
18th century philosophical movement that proposed individual self-interest, rather than Greek virtue or Christian humility, as the motivating factor in human behavior.
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Autocracy
One of the four alternative forms of government; sees people as children in need of a carefully controlled environment provided by government.
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Classical Repulicanism
one of the 4 alternative forms of government; sees people and government as mostly good but corruptible and so government should have restricted power and try to encourage a good moral climate.
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Bill of Rights
First 10 amendments to the Constitution regarding basic protections of rights from government, passed in response to the Anti-Federalist argument against the initial constitution.
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Libertarianism
one of the 4 alternative forms of government; sees the most important value as individual freedom and holds that government should only protect that freedom and nothing else.
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Liberalism
one of the 4 alternative forms of government; sees people in the most favorable light, but institutions or other influences can corrupt them, so government is necessary to protect them from such corruption.
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Thomas Jefferson
- 3rd president
- principle author of dec of independence
- influencial father of the United States
- Promoted classical liberalism, republicanism, and the separation of church and state.
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Structure
Rules and restrictions designed to better harness virtue.
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Polis
city or city-state, often self-governed by its citizens as the ancient greek city-states were.
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Social Compact
The social concept of a group of autonomous individuals living in a state of nature, making a common agreement about the sort of political world they want to live in.
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State of nature
Hypothetical condition assumed to exist in the absense of government where human beings live in "complete" freedom and general equality.
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