Government Day 1 Essay

Submitted By Abel-Negash
Words: 2000
Pages: 8

Political science systematic study of political society
Human behavior
Large scale organizations that we create
Create for the sake of survival and good life
How humans interact with each other
How do these systems work? Are some better than others?
“Political Science is the master science in the realm of action” Aristotle politics gives direction to all kinds of other studies, political decisions determine a lot of things
Subfields of Political Science
American Politics how the American system works
Comparative Politics comparing countries systems and how they work
International Relations focus on how countries interact with one another; war; international organizations
Political Theory most philosophical branch; asks big picture questions
Law
Thomas Hobbes- “Leviathan”
True of all people- we don’t trust each other
Natural equality of hope- causes us to compete with one another
Competition, diffidence, glory make us fight in state of nature; use violence in sake of gain, reputation
Reason and passion lead us to organize into political society
*Life in the state of nature is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” state of nature is such a bad place to be in, gladly sacrifice our liberty to a centralized state
Anarchy----------------Despotism
Between Anarchy and Tyranny
Is Hobbes right about human nature?
Is there a political option between the Hobbesian extremes? If so, what is it?
Ancient Politics and Civic Virtue
Athenian Democracy
Polis “Politics”
City-State
Oikos as Foundation for Polis
Role of Women, Slaves, and Children
Direct Democracy
Oikos= Economics
Roman Politics
Comparison with Greeks
Res publicae= “public business”
Roman Republic:
Senate (patricians) old men, high class
Consuls heads of state, presidents, all together
Tribune (representing the plebians) one job- stop legislation; veto; on half of the common people
Secrets of Roman Success
**Right to vote, right to have contracts, right to a trial, roman citizen= could not be put to death except cases of treason right to move trial, can not be put to death by crucifixion**
Rome expands and controls much of Europe
From Republic to Empire
Shakespeare, Julius Caeser (1599)
Julius Caeser and Pompey
44 BC
Should Caeser be made King?
Caeser and the American Founding
Julius Caeser
Flavious & Murellus are tribunes= to protect people from the government
Upset because everyone celebrating Caeser
Don’t wont the celebration
Caeser enters with wife Calphurnia and Antony; closest thing to a son
Desperation for an heir= male son
Brutus is deep in thought; honorable man
Antony offers Caeser the crown, crowd cheers; keeps offering, Caeser keeps denying mostly for show; third time he faints and has a seizure Casca in line with Cassius; according to Casca, Caeser does want the crown
Why did Antony have the crown? Suspicious?
Crush the serpent instead of letting it hatch- Caeser
*Conspirators arrive; all swear an oath of secrecy Brutus says no, oaths are for distrust; get Cicero involved; Brutus says no; Antony Cassius and others say kill him and get rid of him, Brutus says no= too bloody, he will be nobody without Caeser, not a threat; sacrificing one man for the sake of Rome
Different kind of Republican government why we read this play
Calphurnia having nightmares, wants Caeser to stay home from Senate; he doesn’t want to be a coward, isn’t afraid; eventually agrees, sending the message “I will not go” because he is Caeser; ends up actually going; Artemidorus warns Caeser of the others
Caeser is stabbed
Brutus reassures the people and tells them not to panic, it is a sacrifice; explain why they have done what they have done
Antony reacts to the killing by making them believe that he supports them, pretends to be a friend; asks if he could speak at his funeral as a friend; Brutus agrees, has nothing against Antony; Cassius catches on to Antony’s plan, Brutus doesn’t believe him; Brutus will speak before Antony, explain his rationale, confident speech; wins