State of Nature
What is the state of nature?
Life without government
What is it?
A set of laws/rules by which a society is to operate.
How are decisions made?
By majority rule.
Why is justice blind?
Because real justice applies to all people the same no matter their race, gender, creed, or any other factor.
Where do natural rights come from and who can take them away?
They come from birth and no one can take them away. Individuals can give up their rights but they cannot be taken without cause.
Why is the state of nature good?
Because everyone enjoys perfect liberty and perfect equality. People have complete control of their actions, possessions, and person. There is no subordination as no one is above anyone else.
Why is it good?
It creates societies and societies provide comfortable, safe, and peaceful living.
What is government authority based on?
The consent of the people.
What is the double trust put into an executive?
The power to help create laws and the power to enforce laws.
Why is majority rule necessary?
Because unanimous decisions are nearly impossible to come by.
Why is it bad?
The perfect freedom and equality enjoyed in the state of nature are uncertain. The security of all is constantly exposed to the invasion of others since there is no strict observer of equity and justice. All property in this state is unsafe and insecure.
Why is it bad?
You must give up your natural rights and regulate your behavior. You can no longer provide for just yourself, you must put the group ahead of yourself.
What is necessary for it to exist?
A social contract and a government to enforce it.
Why can't legislatures transfer their power to create laws to anyone else?
Because it is only the legislature that has the consent of the people.
How can executives ruin political societies?
The same why legislatures can but with the added action of being able to corrupt the system. They can do so through force, bribes, or the appointment of offices.
How do you get out of the state of nature?
By entering into a social contract and conforming to the rules of society.
What must you do to enter it?
Give up much of your natural liberty, entirely give up your rights to defend yourself and punish transgressors against you, and give up much of your self-interest.
What right so the people in political societies always have?
The right to overthrow their government if the social contract is violated.
Why must justice be taken out of the victim's hands?
Their passions, emotions, and anger would lead to unusual cruelty.
Why won't people constantly be in a state of revolt against their government?
People do not easily change, people will tolerate a lot of government mistakes, and people respect and have bought into the system.
What are natural rights?
The rights of life, liberty, and property entitled to all humans.
What obligation does it create?
You must submit to a government and the will of the majority, even when decisions are not made in your favor.
What are the three necessary parts for political societies?
A system of justice to review cases of law, a legislature to create laws, and an executive to enforce laws.
What are the only two reasons that someone's natural rights can be taken away from them?
As reparation, to pay for a crime, or as restraint, to prevent a crime.
What three ways can the legislature betray the people's trust?
Take away or destroy the property of the people, reduce the people to slavery, or enter into a state of war against the people.