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PHL 230 FINAL (MY WORK)

Terms in this set (18)

What is Mill's argument in favor of democracy?
-Mills is in favor of a "Representative Democracy"

-Ruling power is vested in the entire community
-Because all cannot participate but in the smallest community, we have to chose a representative governments(as opposed to Rousseau's Direct Democracy)
-The Sovereign elects their deputies
Be familiar with the basic details of Mill's ideal society.
-Mill on the purpose of governments-
-To improve the citizens and to manage their public affairs. Governments are to be judged by their effects on individuals, whether they improve them morally and intellectually and by their efficiency in dealing with matter of public concern."

-The standard for each branch created in Government is the same-"How well it advances general happiness

-Mill's ideal society would reflect a Representative Democracy.
How does the ideal Mill's defends differ from Rousseau's ideal?
Rousseau
• Collective body acting as one will, but comprised of many persons

• The conflicts caused by people's varying interests are outweighed by a common interest for the security of themselves and their property, which is lacking in the SON

• General will is sovereign

-Representation is incompatible with sovereignty
-R would say, you can not divide up sovereignty, it remains with all the people undivided.

-In order for the General Will to be effective, an egalitarian society must exists in which each person has a vote and the action of society have an equal effect upon all

Mills
• Individual liberty, each person acting on his own will
• Citizens are bound by their equal possession of individual liberty, they unite into a society to prevent infringements on these liberties
• Mill specifies even, that law should not impose itself on a man acting in a way disapproved of others because he has "perfect freedom, legal and social, to do the action and stand the consequences unless he affects others interests"

-Representative Dem. has the chance to oppress minority opinion to maintain in the majority power and stop any ideas not in accordance with the majority.
What conditions must be met for democracy to function in Mill's view?
2 Conditions-
-Good management of public affairs
-Improvement in Active, Intellectual and Moral faculties

-Interest protection: we are all the best protectors of our own rights and interests; everyone is able to stand up for their own rights and interests.
What is the system of 'plural voting' and how does Mill justify it?
-Argues that people who are especially well qualified to exercise their judgement should be given more than one vote

-Mill's states that he believes that the particularly intelligent or well educated should be favored with two or more votes

-Concerned with the fact that the uneducated poor-the numerical majority- out of ignorance and class judgement, will make the wrong decisions that favor the laboring class over the wealthy.

-Mill's wants to ensure that representative democracy contains safeguards to prevent it from being dictated by stupidity and class interest.
What are the three levels on which democracy can be understood (see pp. 214-218)?
-A membership organization
-Democracy involved universal and equal citizenship of all the permanent members of a society who live under the jurisdiction of a state.

-A mode of government
-Democracy is government by discussion among equals

-A culture
-Democracy consists in the freewheeling cooperative interaction of citizens from all walks of life on terms of quality in civil society
What is the distinction Anderson draws between the instrumental and the non-instrumental value of democracy?
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What does the non-instrumental value of democracy consist of, in her view?
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How do her arguments relate to Mill's view on the expressive (or symbolic) significance of suffrage?
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What is meant by 'civic virtue' and what role does this notion play in the discussions of democracy of Plato, Rousseau, and Mill?
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What is Mill's argument in favor of promoting negative freedom?
-Negative Freedom (Freedom From)
-Duty/obligation of a person not to interfere with the holder of the right to exercise that right.

-Freedom from interference
-Mills-Individuals should have a large amount of freedom which the state must not interfere with

-Marking out a sphere in which one is able to act as one wishes as must as possible without infringing the freedom of others.
What particular individual rights does Mill's defend?
-Complete Freedom of thought and discussion

-Actions and Conduct

-Right of Assembly.
Explain Mill's 'harm principle' (Wolff refers to it as the 'liberty principle')
-You may justifiably limit a person's freedom of action only if they threaten harm to another
On the basis of what kinds of harms may the state legitimately interfere with citizens on this principle?
-Society may legitimate use its authority to limit the freedoms of an individual whenever ones inaction causes:
-A failure of a specific obligation to another or others

-Definite damage or definite right of damage to another
What is 'paternalism'?
-Mill opposes state paternalism
-Individuals know their own good better than the states does
-Paternalism disrupts the development of an independent character.
Explain the difference between negative and positive freedom.
-Positive Freedom (Freedom To)
-Possibility of acting in such a way as to take control of ones life and realize ones fundamental purpose
-People should be free to flourish and be autonomous-do something without being controlled.
What is Berlin's worry about positive freedom?
-Liberty of some must depend on the restraint of others and smaller groups may suffer

-"Freedom for the pike is death for the minnows"
What are some concerns about negative freedom?
-People become more involved in their personal lives and become less engaged in the political discussion
-Government that we consent to then become more willing to engage in our lives.
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