Key Concepts in Political Philosophy

Consent

• Permission or acceptance - “consent of the governed”- a government only gets power from the permission of the people

• A legal term that refers to the act of agreeing to something

• A type of agreement that is not legally binding

• A formal document that outlines the terms of an agreement

John Locke

• English philosopher who developed the ideas of natural rights and natural law.

• French mathematician known for his work in calculus.

• German physicist who formulated the laws of motion.

• Italian artist famous for the Mona Lisa.

Natural Rights

• God gives everyone the right to life, liberty, and property

• Governments grant rights to citizens based on laws

• Rights are determined by societal norms and values

• Only citizens of a country have rights

Social Contract

• A mandatory agreement enforced by the government

• A voluntary agreement between rulers and their people to follow basic rules and respect each other

• A contract that only benefits the rulers

• An agreement that requires citizens to give up all their rights

Legislature

• A group that is responsible for ruling a country

• A type of government building

• A collection of laws and regulations

• An assembly of elected representatives

“No Taxation Without Representation”

• Taxes imposed by the British government because they had no representation in Parliament

• Taxes that were fairly distributed among the colonies

• Taxes that were approved by the colonial assemblies

• Taxes that were used to fund the American Revolution

Unalienable rights

• life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

• freedom of speech, assembly, and religion.

• the right to bear arms and defend oneself.

• the right to privacy and due process.

The Enlightenment

• A philosophy that emphasizes education, reason and logic as its primary teachings.

• A movement that focused on religious faith and tradition.

• A period characterized by the rise of monarchies and absolute rule.

• An era that rejected scientific inquiry and promoted superstition.

The Boston Tea Party

• an Act of rebellion by the Sons of Liberty where colonists dressed as Indians and emptied 342 chests of tea into the harbor (worth about $1 million today)

• a peaceful protest against British taxation by the colonists

• a celebration of tea drinking among the colonists

• a meeting held by the Sons of Liberty to discuss independence

Natural Law

• Any law passed by the government to protect natural rights.

• A law that is universally accepted regardless of government.

• A law that is only applicable in certain countries.

• A law that is based on religious beliefs.