Description
Please answer all five short answer prompts, and two essay questions (one from section A/B, and one from section C/D). Your grade will be based on how thoroughly and analytically you argue an answer, and how well you use evidence from a broad array of theorists to support your claims. (Remember that this exam covers our readings and discussions on Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke and Wollstonecraft.) Your essays should be typed, double-spaced, and total no more than 12 pages. Answers must be submitted via Canvas no later than 5 pm on Friday, March 1st.
Short Answer (6 points each – please limit your answer to no more than 4 sentences each):
- Compare and contrast Aristotle’s view of the best type of political regime to Hobbes’ view.
- Compare and contrast Augustine’s view of the role/relationship of religion to politics, with Machiavelli’s view of the role of religion in politics.
- Compare and contrast Locke’s view of revolution/regime change to Burke’s.
- Compare and contrast Plato’s understanding of the relationship of virtue to politics, with Rousseau’s view.
- Compare and contrast Locke’s view of the purpose of politics to Aristotle’s view.
Essay One (must choose either A or B, 35 points):
- Western political theorists -- from ancients like Plato and Aristotle to modern thinkers like Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau-- have discussed the important role that private property plays with regard to political life. Is private property a harmful, or necessary, or beneficial motivation for political action? How should we properly think and act with regard to property in the polis?
- Does a good political system/community promote and protect equality? Why or why not? If so – how can it best do this?
Essay Two (choose either C or D, 35 points):
- What is tyranny, and how has it been understood over time to be dangerous or destructive to political life? How are its dangers to be avoided in political community? What should people look for in their leaders and regimes, and what should they resist?
- Machiavelli advised the Prince to “learn not to be good” in order to be successful. Is this necessary and/or sufficient for effective political leadership? Why or why not? Should rulers/politicians be held to a higher standard of morality and ethics than citizens?
Explanation & Answer
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Running Head: POLITICAL SYSTEM AND POLITICAL VIEWS
Political System and Political Views
Student’s Name
Institution
Date
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POLITICAL SYSTEM AND POLITICAL VIEWS
The similarity between Aristotle's and Hobbes's view on the best type of political regime
is that they both believed in a specific political government that would eventually enhance
happiness and leads to a good life. Aristotle believed in aristocracy as the best political regime
ruled by a few virtuous individuals who governed to the advantage of the citizens and the state.
He preferred aristocracy because it values the interest of all citizens. Aristotle's belief is,
however, in contrast with Hobbes's idea as he viewed absolute monarchy to the best political
regime due to his negative views on human nature. Absolute monarchy empowered the king to
use supreme power over his citizens, and he believed that it was the only political regime that
could sustain humanity's cruelty (Habib, 2016).
Machiavelli saw religion as a strategy to maintain the citizens' morality on a political
situation; he stated that immoral leaders always outdid religious politicians, he encouraged
politicians to adopt Machiavelian virtues and to ignore religious virtues. Machiavelli referred to
religion as the main strategy to maintain the state in order by ensuring that moral virtues and
citizenship were preserved highly. Augustine on the other side believed that the state and the
society were both God’s creation, he believed that God created the state to bring people to the
right path from sin he also thought that the country was religious and no political leader had
authority over it. However, the similarity between Machiavelli and Augustine is that they both
believed religion influenced politics in one way or another.
Both Locke and Burke had similar views of revolution but ended up with different
conclusions. Locke advocated for man's rights and had an easier time because he was a
significant influence on modern socialism and considered to be the father of liberalism. He was
also regarded as the greatest philosopher after Pluto, unlike Burke who did not acknowledge if a
man had any rights and experienced a stricter time and audience especially after the division of
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POLITICAL SYSTEM AND POLITICAL VIEWS
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governing officials hence having a non-effective influence as compared to Locke. However, they
both had the task of proving their backgrounds and themselves to future readers and governing
officials to decide on who was more influential than the other (Habib, 2016).
In Plato’s theory of virtue, Plato debated that virtue was advantageous to the soul
especially in politics because it enhanced the passion of politics, gave attributes like courage
enabling politicians to be courageous in their leadership work and wisdom which enabled
political leaders to rule wisely. The similarity between Plato and Rousseau is that they both
believed that men are equal and free believed virtues were related to politics in some way. Their
differences, however, are as follows; Plato considered morality as the soul's excellence, he
argued that practical implementation and logical order did not exist without virtue. This was in
contrast to Rousseau who admired the modern philosophy principles and regarded the return of
virtues as problematic to politics.
Locke ...
