Political Science 1020E Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Distributive Justice, Social Inequality, Market Failure
15 Apr 2016
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De nition of politics (social, process, con ict, binding decisions, enforced) Successfully claims legitimate monopoly for use of force. Sovereignty ( nal decision making authority) including monopoly of legitimate violence. The right to punish those who disobey. Thought experiment by hobbes (imagine life w/out state) Claims the worst scenario is life without a state. A powerful state is needed to avoid disastrous interpersonal con ict (solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, short) Reasons to attack: competition, lack of trust (dif dence), glory/reputation. Right of liberty: do what"s necessary to preserve oneself. We need a state because of inconveniences. Problem: administration of justice justice cannot be done if the offender is stronger than the victim (some lack power) Law of nature: everyone should be preserved as much as may be. State of nature is initially peaceful/equal/natural liberty (not free if coerced) Critical of state unlike locke and hobbes. Human nature: desire for self preservation, natural savages, pity and compassion for suffering.
