1. Ideas about civic life
Unit 1 Lesson 2

2. Be able to describe how and why natural rights philosophy differs from classical republicanism and how both systems of thought influenced the founding generation in America.
Explain the kinds of challenges that a society faces when it strives to preserve the right to life, liberty, property and the “pursuit of happiness” while at the same time promoting the common good and civic virtue.
Be able to evaluate, take and defend positions on the importance of civic virtue today and the role of the political philosophy in thinking about the government.
Lesson objectives

3. Influences of Values from antiquity
Roman Republic:
Heavily influenced founders
Mixed constitution – monarchy, aristocracy and rule of the common people
Promoted the common good: doing the best for the society as a whole.
Classical Republicanism – believe in ultimately the common good and often placed the needs of the whole above the needs of individual liberty and self-determination.
Work together a team or nation to promote the good of the country.
Work together to promote and protect the republic to keep it free from the dominion of others.
Cicero view public life as the highest calling; required citizens to make personal sacrifices for the common good.
At that time Rome was a vast empire. Selfishness of citizens would cost them freedom, as civil war ensued.
In 48 BC, Romans accepted the rule of Julius Caesar – appointed dictator to restore order and stability in the after make of the war.
Influences of Values from antiquity

4. Influential aspects of Classical Republicanism
Small uniform communities: Man is a political animal ~Aristotle
Live together for security and to live well
Believed that like people tend to live together
Culture, Religion, Wealth
18th Century American
Dependent upon each other
Devotion to common good
Citizenship and civic virtue
“office of citizen”
Use of slavery throughout ancient societies permitted wealthier citizens to focus on civil matters.
Citizens were expected to be well informed and engaged in community affairs.
Citizenship was a duty; less emphasis on individual rights
Acknowledge political rights: voting, expression of opinions about government, hold public office.
Less concern about individual freedoms: privacy freedom of conscience or religion
Influential aspects of Classical Republicanism

5. INFLUENTIAL ASPECTS OF CLASSICAL REPUBLICANISM
Admired Cato the Elder – Roman patriot, orator and writer
Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus – Called upon to be dictator twice…after defending Rome he voluntarily relinquished political power to return to civic life.
George Washington was admired for giving up personal life to lead the army in the Revolutionary War and also to serve as President of the United States.
Moral Education – Civic Virtue
Not what we might think of:
Symbols, rituals and values of that society
May want children to develop: Proper habits for a citizen

6. Colonial America – Civic education
Courage
Civic Virtue
Generosity
Respect
Importance political debate
Admire heroes in history
Trustworthiness
Military service
Fairness
Self-control
Communities were homogenous
Churches were responsible for instilling habits/practices
Believed self-interest if promoted would cause communities to suffer
Colonial America – Civic education

7. Influences of philosophy
What is American Philosophy?
We hold these Truths to be self-evident that all Men are created equal that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Mend, Driving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.
~Declaration of Independence, 1776
Influences of philosophy

8. Origins of the state theories (4)
Force Theory:
An individual or a group claimed control over a territory and forced the population to submit. That control allowed the state to become sovereignty and those in control formed a government.
Many groups have the ability to use
barbaric acts to incite fear through
intimidation and brutality.
Evolutionary Theory:
A population formed out of families. The heads of these families become the government. When these families settled a territory and claimed it as their own the formed a sovereign state.
* Many groups in history have began their government through family organization.
Origins of the state theories (4)

9. Divine Right Theory Divine Right Theory:
Rulers have a “divine right” to rule that is given to them by God
Families and dynasties are often included in that right to rule
Challenging/disobeying them was contrary to the will of God.
Declaration of Independence was a direct challenge to this theory
D of I asserted that God gave them their rights, “Endowed by our Creator”
What does this say about the founders ideas of hierarchical power?
What does this say about their choice to disobey?
Divine Right Theory

10. Social contract theory
Social Contract/Natural Rights Theory:
Developed to construct self-government.
Looks at how people would govern themselves without a forced government
Explores the natural strengths and weaknesses of citizens
How do you protect the weak and keep the strong in check?
Considers what each citizen would have to give up to make self-government work
Would everyone have to come to an agreement to give up some self-interest for the common good? How much is too much?
What “rights” of self-interest can you think of that you have given up?
Social contract theory

11. Philosophy and the founders
Hobbes: State of nature is a war of every man against every man.
To survive people must band together to survive and to eventually enter into a social contract
Warned of a government that he called “Leviathan” that ruled using fear
Locke: All people in a state of nature are free, equal and rational.
Argued for inalienable rights and a social contract for a civil society and a second contract for government.
Philosophy and the founders

12. Specific ideas Individual Rights:
Founders were very aware of rights regardless of status, birth or wealth
Lockean view became very popular
Popular Sovereignty:
Power belongs to those who are governed or the populous.
Governed can withdraw their consent
Right of revolution: people have the right to create a government that best serves their needs.
Limited Government:
Purpose of government is to serve private ends
Protect life, liberty and property
Government must obey law set forth
Human Equality
People are free from one another
Equal to one another
Slavery still existed and women were dependent upon men legally
Natural Rights was eventually used to address slavery and women’s rights.
Specific ideas