127 Questions
What was De Tracy's aim in developing a science of belief?
To explain, predict, and organize our political beliefs similar to Newton's impact on beliefs about the physical world
According to Hobbes, why is the state necessary?
To control the natural tendencies of humans
How does Locke's political philosophy differ from Hobbes'?
Locke believed in human moral agency, unlike Hobbes
Which of the following best describes the text's view on ideologies?
Inevitable due to natural and social environments' influence
What historical context contributed to the rise of conservatism according to the text?
The age of revolution in the 18th century
Locke's political philosophy aligns more with Hobbes' pessimistic view of human nature.
False
De Tracy aimed to develop a science of belief similar to what Newton did for our beliefs about the physical world.
True
Ideologies are not shaped by natural and social environments.
False
Locke's understanding of the state of nature includes concepts like law, rights, obligations, and property.
True
Conservatism did not emerge during the 'age of revolution' in the 18th century.
False
What is the foundation of political life according to nationalism?
Cultural unit
How does fascism view liberal values like equality and representative government?
Repudiates them
In what way does nationalism view the relationship between community and individual?
Self-evident
What does anarchism aim to achieve in terms of social order?
Absence of enforced authority
What is the primary focus of postmodernism in terms of challenging traditional beliefs?
Deconstruction
What is a key factor that determines the level of freedom in a society?
The extent to which the government interferes with individual lives
What was the primary issue at the center of the case involving Doğu Perinçek?
All of the above
What was the outcome of the Doğu Perinçek case in the European Court of Human Rights?
Perinçek's conviction was overturned, citing a violation of his free speech rights
What does the text suggest about the relationship between democracy and freedom?
A nondemocratic government can still allow significant freedom for its citizens
How does the text characterize the relationship between the 'who governs me?' and 'how far does government interfere with me?' questions?
The 'who governs me?' question is logically distinct from the 'how far does government interfere with me?' question
What was the reaction to the European Court of Human Rights' decision to overturn Doğu Perinçek's conviction?
Armenia appealed the decision, with Turkey supporting Perinçek
What does the text suggest about the relationship between governments and freedom of speech?
Governments may sometimes justify limiting free speech to pursue other valued objectives
What is a clear example of a constraint on individual freedom?
When others physically hinder one from pursuing their desires, such as through imprisonment or slavery
What is a key demand of the Black Lives Matter movement?
Defunding the police and reallocating resources to social welfare programs
What is the global scope of the Black Lives Matter movement according to the text?
It aims to eliminate white supremacy and empower local communities to intervene in violence against Black communities by the state and vigilantes
How does the Black Lives Matter movement in Canada relate to Indigenous struggles according to the text?
The movement aligns with Indigenous struggles for self-determination and advocates for the decolonization of Turtle Island and Nunavut Nunangat
What was the catalyst for the largest protests in US history according to the text?
The killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville in 2020
What is the central message of the text regarding the Black Lives Matter movement?
The movement calls for individuals to embrace anti-racism as neutrality in the face of systemic racism is deemed insufficient for achieving a just and equal society
Which of the following is a key argument made by John Stuart Mill in his defense of freedom?
Freedom contributes to the maximum amount of happiness
The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights primarily emphasize positive freedoms over negative freedoms.
False
Communist countries, like the Soviet Union, emphasized negative rights such as the right to employment and education.
False
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR) were both established by the United Nations in 1966.
True
States should only focus on promoting societal equality without safeguarding individual liberty according to the text.
False
Pierre Trudeau advocated for state-run healthcare while also supporting provisions in the Criminal Code restricting same-sex acts between consenting adults.
False
Freedom of religion is considered a positive right.
False
Social contract theory states that individuals have voluntarily agreed to accept unlimited freedom.
False
Ronald Dworkin argues that certain liberties known as 'strong' liberties should be considered inviolable.
True
Procedural justice focuses on the fairness of the outcome rather than the process.
False
Critics like Gray argue that determining which liberties qualify as 'strong' and uphold equal concern and respect is purely objective.
False
Positive rights require others to abstain from interfering with one's actions.
False
Social justice advocates for goods to be distributed solely based on merit.
False
Cultural pluralism involves the existence of different cultures with similar norms within a single society.
False
The notion that freedom is a fundamental human right does not rely on an argument in favor of rights in general.
False
According to Dworkin, equality is not inherently valuable in the context of liberty.
False
The harm principle, associated with John Stuart Mill, states that all actions should be allowed even if they harm others.
False
Intergenerational justice involves principles of justice between contemporaries living at the same time.
False
The meritocratic theory of justice advocates distributing resources based solely on inherited wealth.
False
Negative liberty can be enhanced by removing internal obstacles such as personal beliefs.
False
What is one argument supporting freedom based on fundamental human rights?
It is a fundamental human right.
According to Ronald Dworkin, what are 'strong' liberties and why are they essential?
Strong liberties are essential to ensure that individuals are treated with equal concern and respect.
What criticism does Gray raise regarding the determination of 'strong' liberties that uphold equal concern and respect?
It is subjective and influenced by personal opinions.
What becomes particularly problematic when considering the desirability of cultural pluralism?
Determining which liberties qualify as 'strong' and uphold equal concern and respect.
What is the concept of cultural pluralism and what challenges does it pose?
Cultural pluralism involves the coexistence of different cultures with distinct norms within a single society, posing challenges in determining which liberties are 'strong' and promote equal concern and respect.
What was a key factor that contributed to the rapid end of colonialism in sub-Saharan Africa?
Domestic and international incentives aligned against maintaining colonies
What does the text imply about the role of sovereignty in the modern state system?
Sovereignty is being challenged by non-state actors and international organizations
What was a key factor in the emergence of the modern state system?
The expansion of European colonialism over a period of 500 years
What does the text suggest about the relationship between formal independence and sovereignty?
Achieving formal independence was separate from gaining true sovereign status
Based on the text, what can be inferred about the role of international law in the modern state system?
International law has become increasingly important in governing state behavior
Legitimacy, sovereignty, and formal obligations are central concepts to the modern definition of a state.
True
The Peace of Westphalia in 1648 was a key event that led to the growth of the modern state system.
True
According to Max Weber, the state has a 'monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force.'
True
States do not have any formal obligations towards each other under the Peace of Westphalia principles.
False
The rivalry for power and wealth among European dynasties did not contribute to the emergence of the modern state.
False
What factors contributed to the rapid end of the five-hundred-year colonial process in sub-Saharan Africa?
Mobilized opposition within the colonies and European policymakers finding it difficult to justify colonialism.
How did the modern state system emerge according to the text?
From early modern Europe spreading through colonialism over 500 years.
What challenges the modern state system faces today?
Challenges from international organizations, non-state actors, and state weaknesses globally.
What role did reinforcing international and domestic incentives play in the decolonization process?
They all pushed towards decolonization, aligning interests internationally and domestically.
In federal systems, what distinguishes regional governments from the central government?
Receiving transfer payments from the central government
What is a key characteristic of federal states mentioned in the text?
Division of powers between central and regional governments
What is the primary factor contributing to the success of federal systems in countries like Canada and the United States?
Distribution of powers and responsibilities
Which form of government structure does the text suggest provides judges with an unparalleled degree of independence and security of tenure?
Federal systems
Where does the text indicate that the basis of governmental structure is established?
In the constitution
Federalism divides powers between the central government and regional governments.
True
In Canada, education is a federal responsibility paid for entirely by the central government in Ottawa.
False
Regional authorities in federal states like Canada have little to no functional role to play due to their small territorial size.
False
All western liberal democratic governments have constitutions.
True
States like Canada and Australia operate solely under a unitary system of government.
False
Which social classes championed liberalism and socialism respectively during the Industrial Revolution?
Middle class - Working class
What is a common characteristic of key Western political thinkers mentioned in the text?
Championing of liberalism
What makes defining liberalism challenging according to the text?
The diverse manifestations throughout history
What was a key factor that contributed to the emergence of conservatism during the 'age of revolution' in the 18th century?
A rejection of Enlightenment principles and a desire to preserve traditional social and political structures
How did fascism view liberal values like equality and representative government?
Fascism sought to eliminate these liberal values in favor of authoritarian, hierarchical rule
What was the central role of racial ideology in Nazi anti-Semitism?
Nazis believed that Jews were a subhuman race that needed to be eliminated to achieve racial purity
Which of the following best describes the role of ideology in relation to the existing political order?
An ideology presents a vision of the ideal political order and proposes means to achieve it.
How were ideologies viewed in the 20th century?
The 20th century was seen as the age of ideologies, with significant impacts from regimes rooted in communism and fascism.
What characterizes the nature of ideologies?
Ideologies are internally pluralistic, contested, complex, and overlapping.
How does the text characterize the relationship between liberalism and other ideologies in the 20th century?
Liberalism was seen as transcending the ideological conflicts of the time, although this perception was not entirely accurate.
How do ideologies relate to the social and historical contexts in which they arise?
Ideologies both reflect and shape the social and historical contexts in which they arise.
Which of the following statements best captures the relationship between anarchism and modern politics, according to the text?
Anarchism briefly held power during the Spanish Civil War but has had limited direct influence since then.
What is a key characteristic of populist movements?
They assert that certain institutions or groups have harmed the interests of 'the people' and need to be ousted from power.
Based on the information provided, which statement best describes the normative sway of anarchism in modern times?
Anarchism holds normative sway, especially among those protesting corporations and the state, as they adopt its oppositional views of hierarchical power.
Based on the information provided, which statement best describes the relationship between anarchism and recent social movements?
Anarchist tendencies have surfaced in recent environmental and anti-globalization movements among those disillusioned with the modern state and its alignment with big business.
The Enlightenment movement was influenced by the decline in the authority of the Christian religion.
True
Edmund Burke, a British conservative philosopher, was a critic of the Enlightenment and particularly denounced the French Revolution.
True
Conservatism and fascism were both attempts to challenge the assumptions of Enlightenment thought.
True
Nationalism views the relationship between the individual and the community as one of mutual exclusion.
False
Ideologies are not shaped by natural and social environments.
False
Ideologies are inherently pluralistic and contain overlapping elements between different strands or schools of thought.
True
The conservative movement arose primarily as a reaction to the French Revolution and its challenge to traditional social hierarchies.
True
Social democracy completely rejects religious values and institutions.
False
Edmund Burke, a key figure in conservative thought, defended the French Revolution as a progressive force for societal change.
False
An ideology necessarily presents a normative vision of what an ideal political order should look like.
True
Liberalism and socialism emerged during the Industrial Revolution and their peak coincided with the era of European colonialism.
True
Conservatism has its historical roots in Burke's critique of the French Revolution's embrace of radical social change.
True
Ideologies like social democracy and religious conservatism share a common emphasis on individual liberty and limited government intervention.
False
Conservatism is a politically homogenous ideology that has remained consistent in its core principles over time.
False
Ideologies are shaped entirely by natural and social environments, without any influence from human agency or philosophical thought.
False
Social democracy is an ideology that seeks to achieve greater economic and social equality through gradual reforms within the existing capitalist system.
True
Ideologies are solely shaped by economic and political factors, without any influence from natural or social environments.
False
Religious beliefs and values have played a role in shaping some conservative ideologies.
True
What is Anthony D. Smith's key contribution to the ethno-symbolist perspective on nationalism?
Smith's key contribution is his emphasis on 'ethnies', which he defines as named human populations with shared ancestry myths, histories, cultures, an association with specific territory, and a sense of solidarity.
How does the text describe the role of 'ethnic cores' in the formation of nations, according to Smith?
Smith argues that many nations are derived from 'ethnic cores' that possess characteristics enabling them to absorb and assimilate other ethnies, incorporating them into an emerging nation.
What is one of the key roles of individual legislators according to the text?
To bring the policy expectations of their constituents to the executive and legislature
How does the text describe the limitations on the power of the legislature?
The legislature's power is limited by principles such as the rule of law and constitutional conventions
What role do legislators play in assisting individuals or groups with bureaucratic issues?
Legislators are expected to assist individuals or groups that face bureaucratic 'red tape' or have grievances against the government
How do legislatures contribute to the performance of other branches in liberal democracies?
Legislatures contribute to the improvement in performance of the other branches through their various functions
How does the text describe the structure of legislatures?
Legislatures operate not only as single structures but also through a variety of committees and legislative subgroups
Legislatures operate only as single structures and not through various committees and legislative subgroups.
False
Individual legislators are expected to fulfill the representative function of legislatures.
True
Legislators are not expected to bring the general policy expectations and evaluations of their constituents to the attention of the executive and the legislature.
False
The power of the legislature, like other branches, is unlimited according to the text.
False
The legislature's functions do not contribute to the improvement in performance of the other branches in liberal democracies.
False
What role do individual legislators play in relation to their constituencies?
Individual legislators bring the general policy expectations and evaluations of their constituents to the attention of the executive and the legislature.
How do legislators assist individuals or groups facing bureaucratic challenges?
Legislators assist individuals or groups facing bureaucratic challenges by helping them navigate 'red tape' and addressing grievances against the government.
What limits the power of the legislature according to the text?
The power of the legislature, like other branches, is limited by principles such as the rule of law, constitutional conventions, and customs entrenched in legal and political culture.
How does the legislature contribute to the improvement of other branches in liberal democracies?
The legislature contributes to the improvement of other branches by fulfilling its functions effectively.
What are the key limiting factors on the power of the legislature?
The power of the legislature is limited by the rule of law, constitutional conventions, and legal and political customs.
Learn about the differences between ontology and epistemology, two branches of philosophy. Ontology focuses on the nature of reality and existence, while epistemology delves into the nature and scope of knowledge. Explore key questions addressed by each field.
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