The State and Modern Political Ideologies:

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The State and Modern Political Ideologies

• Lecture 6 - Republicanism Conservatism and
  Socialism

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Outline

• I. Republicanism
• A. Definition
• B. Historical Origins and Key Texts
• C. Main Tenets
• D. Republicanism today
• II. Conservatism
• A. Definition
• B. Key Texts
• C. Main Tenets
• D. Neo-Conservatism

• III. Socialism
• A. Definition
• B. Key Texts
• C. Main Tenets
• D. Socialism today

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I. Republicanism

• Republicanism A Definition
• An ideology which rejects tyrannical forms of
  government and embraces civic virtue and the
  citizen as central to political life.
  Republicanism emphasizes the organic and
  transcendent nature of the republic along with
  duty to country.

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I. Republicanism

• B. Historical Origins and Key Texts
• Greeks - Platos Republic transcend individual
  good
• Roman Res publica Everything public
• Focus is on virtue of citizens
• Ward off corruption, tyranny and factionalism
• Freedom from tyranny of other states
• Mixed constitution - Consuls, Senate, Assemblies
• Renaissance Revival of Classical Republicanism
• Machiavelli - Defense of Republic (mixed
  constiution)
• Monarchy is consistent with republican ideals

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I. Republicanism

• Modern Republicanism (18th Century)
• Jean Jacques Rousseau Social Contract 1762
• Defends general will of people
• Popular sovereignty
• American Revolution (1776)
• Anti-monarchical, emphasizes the people and
  rule of law
• Emphasizes civic virtue/duty
• Preferable to Liberalism and Democracy
• No foundational religion - separation of church
  and state
• Enormous debate - is America liberal or
  republican?
• Immanuel Kant Perpetual Peace 1795
• State is either republican (rule of law) or
  despotic
• Perpetual peace requires that the constitution
  of every country be republican.

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I. Republicanism

• D. Main Tenets
• Civic Virtue and Duties of Citizens are Key
• Factionalism must be avoided - republic is
  indivisible
• Fear of Corruption
• Rule of law
• Anti-monarchical
• E. Republicanism Today
• French Republic
• Anti-factionalism, secularist, anti-monarchical
• American Republican party
• Neo-conservative, emphasis on duty, and service
  to the people
• Moral language emphasized/link to religion

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II. Conservatism

• A. Conservatism A Definition
• An ideology which views political hierarchy and
  inequality as natural, wishes to avoid
  large-scale or radical change, and ultimately
  seeks to conserve tradition, maintain existing
  institutions and defend general law and order.

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II. Conservatism

• B. Key Texts of Conservatism
• Edmund Burke Reflections
• on the Revolution in France (1790)

EDMUND BURKE
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II. Conservatism

• C. Main Tenets of Conservatism
• 1. Anti-Romantic/Revolutionary/Republican
• 2. Organic View of Society
• 3. Conservation of Tradition
• 4. Skepticism of Change
• 5. Pessimistic View of Human Nature
• 6. Belief in Law and Order
• 7. Inequality and Hierarchy are Good
• 8. Emphasis on Duties rather than Rights

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II. Conservatism

• D. Neo-Conservatism (1980's -
• 1. Definition An ideology which brings together
  a belief in fiscal conservatism (return to
  classical liberalism) with a social conservatism
  (return to traditional notions of social and
  political morality).
• 2. Fiscal Conservatism
• a) Minimal gov't intervention in market
• b) Maximize private sector
• c) Decrease social spending/taxes

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II. Conservatism

• D. Neo-Conservatism (1980s -
• 3. Social Conservatism
• a) State's control functions strengthened
• i) Increased Police powers
• ii) Tough on Crime - Focus on victims
• b) Increase in military expenditure
• c) Pro traditional family values
• Definition of marriage
• Tax laws re stay at home spouse
• d) Christian Right
• i) Abortion
• ii) Capital Punishment
• iii) Anti Gay and Lesbian

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III. Socialism

• A. Socialism A Definition
• An ideology which believes that capitalism (as an
  economic system which creates poverty, alienation
  and inequality for the vast majority of people)
  must be replaced or modified by a more
  egalitarian economic system which would include
  common ownership of production, free education,
  healthcare and social services.

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III. Socialism

• B. Key Texts of Socialism
• Karl Marx, Communist Manifesto, 1848

• Eduard Bernstein, Evolutionary Socialism, 1899

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III. Socialism

• C. Main Tenets of Socialism
• 1. Economics/Technology Determines History
• Dialectical Materialism (Marx)
• What do people do? Material base
• How do they justify it? Superstructure
• 2. Class Conflict in Society
• 3. Capitalism Must be Replaced or Modified
• Poverty
• Inequality between people
• Alienation of workers

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III. Socialism

• C. Main Tenets of Socialism
• 4. The Utopia New Collectivist Economic and
  Political System
• a) Communal Ownership of Production
• b) Free Education, Health care
• c) Possible Abolition of Family
• d) Redistribution of Income

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III. Socialism

• D. Socialists in the 20th Century
• 1. Marxists
• 2. Socialists
• 3. Social Democrats