Political Philosophy, The Enlightenment and

Revolutionary IdeologyI. Intro Stuff

A. 4 White Guys did NOT wake up one morning and think,

“Hey, we should have an American Revolution and throw the British

out of N. America.

B. Political Philosophy is about

differing ideas (philosophies)

about how much power the “polis”

(the People) should have.

The Political Spectrum

Far Left__________________________________________________Far Right

Real Communism Am. Pol. SystemAbsolutism

Absolute Democracy Representative DemocracyFacism/Monarchy

Socialist Capitalism Democrats RepublicansDictatorships

II. The “Modern” Political Philosophers

A. Thomas Hobbes (early 1600s, about the time of the first immigration of the English to America)—grew up in the midst of the English Civil War. Lots of violence! So Hobbes craved stability, order and peace.

1. Absolutism Rocks! But, Hobbesian ideas basis

for “liberalism.”

--People are bad. They’re “state of nature” is selfish

and violent.

--The People are a “Great Beast”

2. BUT, people deserve to be treated EQUALLY, and RATIONALLY.

3. Hence, the SOCIAL CONTRACT. Hobbes social contract went like this:

--people need safety and security

--leader/monarch provides safety, security

--in return people give up liberty to monarch—have no right to complain.

--Monarch acts justly. Everything monarch does IS Just, cause the Social Contract says so.

B. John Locke

1. Like Hobbes, and English Philosopher, but slightly younger, missed the Civil War– Late 1600s, early 1700s.

-- People not “naturally” good or bad– “Tabula Rasa.” People inclined to good if allowed.

--Like Hobbes, people deserve liberty.

--Unlike Hobbes, people’s

fundamental right is to PROPERTY

(Not Safety).

2. Locke’s Social Contract:

--Ruler agrees to respect people & protect property.

--People have a right to their own religion– tolerance of other people’s religion is central to this right.

--If people don’t like ruler, people can replace ruler (like England did, or

Nixon!).

III. The Great Awakening

A. Series of Evangelical Revivals, 1730s and 40s.

--most colonial Americans not going to church by 1730.

--Puritanism not doing it for New Englanders. Remember the witches?

--Anglicans/Church of England in southern colonies seen as for Rich People Only

--Young men went to college to be preachers, learned ENLIGHTENMENT IDEAS– couldn’t be Puritan or Anglican Preachers anymore– too many wild new ideas.

B. Revivals and the Spread of Ideas

1. Ideas spread at Religious Revivals.

2. 2/3 of Revival Goers– WOMEN!! Women take ideas home– teach them to husbands and children!

C: What were the Enlightenment Ideas?

No more predestination!

YOU chose God or Satan!

You are the Boss of YOU!

V. Political Ramifications of Free Will

A. People want to make their own churches

B. People need “Freedom of Religion” to do that. No more State Religions

C. People become skeptical of authority.

D. People want to replace Unreasonable Power/Authority

E. People want Home Rule– not to be ruled by a King (who’s an authority they don’t recognize, cause God’s not the boss of them), far way, across the Atlantic Ocean.

F. Revolution is in many women’s and men’s heads and hearts.

Women and Regular Guys made the American Revolution, Not 10 Pasty White Guys. Cool,

huh?