POL 161 Lecture 14: october 18th
Document Summary
Virtues or mechanisms: often times under personal rule you end up with a horrible and unvirtious autocratic and his band of friends. Wanted a built in set of mechanisms so that the government must provide stability, individual freedoms/ liberty, choosing/throwing out leader, ability to appeal directly to the government. Solving the problem of not having a means for appeal > gives people a sense of buy in to the government in some minimal way. Example of reformation: tied & connected the early protestant reformation to islamic extremist > literal texts of scripture, imposed preferred practice on civilians, modest clothing, defacing of icons. Luther was not just challenging religion, but the government. Corruption: buying/selling of indulgences, buying/selling of positions within the church. Religious beliefs were not reflected in the lifestyle of religious officials > wanted to adopt a more straightforward and disciplined religion. Revolt took the form of a religious revolution.
