Political Philosophy - Theories of Political Obligation
- Created by: Olivia Grace Matthews
- Created on: 11-05-16 12:41
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- Theories of Political Obligation
- Actual Consent Theory
- People are under obligation to comply because...
- They have voluntarily entered the authority relationship
- By actually consenting to it
- Which signals a voluntary transfer or rights
- Historical Version: John Locke's Two Treatises of Government
- Thomas Hobbes' is in some ways similar to Locke's
- People are under obligation to comply because...
- Four Elements of Locke's Theory
- 1. State of Nature and Natural Rights - Moral claims against people and right to freedom
- 2. Problem of State, rights and SoN - State issuing commands and directives would compromise freedom
- Solution(Part 1): The Idea of an Obligation - Individuals incur an obligation by performing an act such as consent
- Solution (Part 2): Actual Consent as a ground for Political Obligation. By consent individuals pass on rights to the state
- Two Arguments in Support
- Argument from Respect: Renders justification of state authority and shows respect for individuals. Theory is quintessentially liberal
- Argument from Other Cases: Informed consent to surgery, permissible intercourse
- Tacit Consent
- There are certain acts that can be understood as forms of implicit or tacit consent
- Such acts include residing in a country, voting and accepting state benefits
- 2 conditions have to be met for tacit consent to be binding
- Consent must be deliberate
- Analogy: David Hume's ship
- Hypothetical Consent Obstacles
- It is not an actual contract
- What matters is what people consent or how they give their consent
- Principle of Fairness
- If someone enjoys a benefit available to all. You are morally obligated to share sacrifice necessary to provide this benefit
- eg. rounds in a bar. if you take are you obligated to buy?
- Surely difference between receiving and accepting?
- Passively received benefits
- Luxury vs. necessity vs. active vs. passive
- Actual Consent Theory
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