Political Ideas First Take-home Exam Due: Oct. 3

Answer any three of the following questions. Answer each question with essay approximately 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pages long (typed, double-spaced). Draw on the relevant readings and our class discussions, but try to express your ideas in your own words, using only brief quotations, if any. When you do quote or paraphrase the ideas of other authors, give them credit and indicate where you found the idea. A page reference in parentheses is sufficient for this purpose; formal footnotes are not necessary. For example: (Heywood, p.39) or (Locke, in Political Thought, p.36)

1. Locke used a version of social contract theory to argue that the functions of government should be quite limited. How does his argument go? Do you think this Lockean argument is a cogent one? Why or why not? In general (leaving aside the details of Locke's particular version of social contract theory), do you think that it is useful to conceive of government as deriving its authority from some kind of contract or agreement? (Explain.)

2. Locke's defense of the institution of private property included an assumption that "enough and as good" would be left for others, so that no one individual's acquisition would ever foreclose opportunities for other individuals to acquire property. How realistic do you think that assumption is? How does it affect his political position if that assumption is dropped or weakened? Do we need to suppose that property rights are more limited than Locke thought they were? Explain and defend your answer.

3. Do you think that people should be regarded as having rights that governments ought to respect? How extensive do you think such rights are? In particular, do you think that people should be regarded as having positive rights (examples: a right to an adequate diet, or to a job, or to a decent education)? Or should we limit our list of rights to negative rights (examples: rights not to be killed or assaulted, not to be unjustly imprisoned, not to be tortured, not to be subject to government censorship)? Explain and defend your answer. (Explain how you would reply to those who have argued for either a more extensive or a less extensive conception of rights than your own.) You might find it helpful to focus on one positive right -- a right to food or to education or to health care, for example -- and explain why you do (or do not) think that society should recognize such a right.

4. Heywood says that one element of traditional conservatism is a belief that the 'natural' structure of society is hierarchical and, consequently, a refusal to accept any strong principle of social equality. (See p.79.) What reasons might such a conservative offer for this belief? Does this mean that a conservative must deny that "all men are created equal?" What sort of equality can a conservative believe in? What sort of equality do you believe in?

5. Supporters of "laissez-faire" capitalist democracy (classical liberals and some conservatives) say that it is the political system that provides its citizens with the maximum feasible amount of liberty or freedom. But modern liberals like Hobhouse say that real freedom is undermined by poverty and insecurity, and that, therefore, government measures to promote economic equality are necessary to create a genuinely free society. Explain and critically evaluate this argument.

6. Explain as clearly and concisely as you can what the differences are between the liberal and the conservative traditions in political thought. What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of each tradition? Where would you place yourself in relation to these two traditions? Why? (Note: in answering this question, do not rely only on your previous understanding of the terms 'liberal' and 'conservative' as these are used in contemporary U.S. political discussions. Rely on the meanings of these terms as explained in the course readings.)