Why Should I Obey The Law?
Well, Socrates was imprisoned and sentenced to death for corrupting the youth, whilst he was in prison his friend (Crito) attempted to persuade Socrates to escape the prison but Socrates dismissed Crito's arguments. Socrates has a valid reason for this, he does not wish to break the covenant/contract between him and the state. Socrates says that because he has lived in the city and has benefited from the city itself, he should abide by the laws of the state and stay in prison like he is supposed to. Socrates develops this by saying that if he does break the law and escape from prison he is attempting to destroy the whole city completely. This is because he is a role model in society and people admire him and will follow his actions, so what would happen if everyone began to break all of the laws and follow Socrates? The state would not be functional. Basically, Socrates is merely being good and doing as he is told.
The Social Construct
1651 - Leviathan
-Hobbes- was writing at a time when the King was executed and Cromwell was trying to establish himself after the war in the city.
- Civil War - 1641-1651
- Charles I executed - 1649
- Cromwell then rules - until Charles II - 1660
- James I - Catholic King
- Glorious Revolution - 1688 - William of Orange
State of Nature
- This is People's dominate passions, and are aggressive.
- People acting on their own passions will produce a state of war.
- Everyone will live in fear of everyone else.
- No one is safe from others.
- A constant war
- "Every man against every man".
In the state of nature there will be "no arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, Brutish, short".
The power of Leviathan is limitless (Hobbes called him "Mortal God"). The people agree to be represented by a sovereign - they agree to hand all of the power over to him. So he promised to stop all of the madness and mayhem in exchange for all the power over everything. Fair deal?
Locke - 1689 - Locke's Treatise of Government
It attacks the concept of the "Divine Right of Kings".
The idea that God gave Adam the right to rule over everything - "Let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air" - Genesis
Locke had a completely different approach to the state compared to Hobbes, he believed it was more of a positive thing and was not pessimistic about it all! He said that there are 'natural laws' in which all people knew and they believe are from God, everyone knew not to break these laws because of the obviousness of them, people didn't go around killing each. These 'natural laws' created a sense of equality and natural freedom among the people. Locke then introduced the system of taxation and that the people should consent to it, which creates a certain equality between the people and the state.
Hobbes - The State of Nature
In the state of nature - there will be "no arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, short". This is what Hobbes believed. He thought like this because his life was in constant war where "every man against every man" was how it went for a very long time.
Locke had a completely different approach to the state compared to Hobbes, he believed it was more of a positive thing and was not pessimistic about it all! He said that there are 'natural laws' in which all people knew and they believe are from God, everyone knew not to break these laws because of the obviousness of them, people didn't go around killing each. These 'natural laws' created a sense of equality and natural freedom among the people. Locke then introduced the system of taxation and that the people should consent to it, which creates a certain equality between the people and the state.
Hobbes - The State of Nature
In the state of nature - there will be "no arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, short". This is what Hobbes believed. He thought like this because his life was in constant war where "every man against every man" was how it went for a very long time.
Hobbes and Locke had different ideas when it came to the state. Hobbes was more pessimistic about the view of the state of nature, whilst Locke believed that the state of nature was good and civilised.. He believed that everyone agrees with what is right and wrong, there are natural laws that everyone knows, a ready made right and wrong.
"Interwoven in the constitution of the human mind".
However, humans will have disputes which will mainly be about ownership of land and possessions so there is a need for law and state. Locke's idea led to the concept of GOVERNMENT.
Rosseau
He believes that our freedom is to be guided by our own will and he wishes for civil freedom. If everyone is involved in making the laws they will be following their own will. The people are part of the state.
so basically...
Hobbes - complete collapse of society.
Locke - collaborative state.
Rosseau - state of freedom.
Plato's Republic - Dreams of States
Plato believed in forms for a distinct and perfect world.
The soul is divided into three parts:
REASON - knows the forms and therefore reality.
SPIRIT - courage, ferocity, aggression wants honour, but does not know what honour is.
DESIRE - constant craving that is pushed hopelessly from one desire to another like a ruddless boat on the ocean. It will eventually be destroyed by this - this means that reason needs to control desire.
There are three types of soul, so there are three types of state.
REASON - this state is dominated by people who are guided by reason. They control the demands of spirit and desire. IDEAL STATE
SPIRIT - aggressive state which prizes military glory and power.
DESIRE - this state will be a democracy because everyone believes they have the ability to lead. This state will be characterised by an obsession with money - money is necessary to satisfy desire.
Machiavelli - 1467 - 1527
He believes that our freedom is to be guided by our own will and he wishes for civil freedom. If everyone is involved in making the laws they will be following their own will. The people are part of the state.
so basically...
Hobbes - complete collapse of society.
Locke - collaborative state.
Rosseau - state of freedom.
Plato's Republic - Dreams of States
Plato believed in forms for a distinct and perfect world.
The soul is divided into three parts:
REASON - knows the forms and therefore reality.
SPIRIT - courage, ferocity, aggression wants honour, but does not know what honour is.
DESIRE - constant craving that is pushed hopelessly from one desire to another like a ruddless boat on the ocean. It will eventually be destroyed by this - this means that reason needs to control desire.
 |
| Chariot = the soul Horses represent SPIRIT and DESIRE. |
REASON - this state is dominated by people who are guided by reason. They control the demands of spirit and desire. IDEAL STATE
SPIRIT - aggressive state which prizes military glory and power.
DESIRE - this state will be a democracy because everyone believes they have the ability to lead. This state will be characterised by an obsession with money - money is necessary to satisfy desire.
Machiavelli - 1467 - 1527
- From Florence
- The Prince (book) written in 1513 was a manual on how to acquire and to keep political power
- How to guide rulers
- How to get power and how to keep it
- Key work of Renaissance - key theme: "man is the measure of all things".
- What is interesting is that some (Rosseau, Leo Strauss, Harvey Mansfield) saw The Prince as a piece of deliberately comical and satirical work which was actually aimed at the common people.
Machiavelli's views on the state were linked to realism as his 'rules' in The Prince were based on his own experiences with the Medici of Florence.
- Armed prophets succeed, unarmed ones fail.
- 'It is better to be feared than loved'.
very thorough notes
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