PolGov - Quiz 1

The primary task of social or political philosophy is to describe different social or political systems, not to determine which of those systems are more justified or desirable.

• True

• False

Political philosophy is more concerned with describing different forms of government and civil relations than with explaining which of those forms or kinds of relations are justified or desirable.

• True

• False

To say that a citizen has a political obligation means that society (or its members) has a right to expect the person to perform certain tasks or to abide by certain regulations.

• True

• False

According to Plato, because human beings are naturally greedy and envious, they are also naturally anti-social.

• True

• False

Plato rejects democratic forms of government because most people in society lack the knowledge and emotional control to make informed and rational decisions about governmental policies.

• True

• False

Hobbes argues that in the state of nature no one has any natural rights because there is no sovereign or civil law in the state of nature.

• True

• False

In the Hobbesian state of nature, every person has the right to any thing as long as no one else makes a claim to the same thing.

• True

• False

According to Locke, in societies where governments are formed by means of social contracts, individuals freely give up all of their rights (including that of revolting against the government).

• True

• False

According to Rousseau, I am obligated to obey a law as an expression of the general will except if I disagree with the law.

• True

• False

In civil society, Rousseau claims, individuals are more sincere and motivated to act morally when they are forced to conform their naturally evil inclinations to the general will.

• True

• False