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Review Questions: Locke and Rousseau

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Review Questions: Locke and Rousseau
Review Questions – Locke and Rousseau
Please answer the following True or False. Please support your answer.
• For Rousseau, a family is a natural institution
Answer: Does Rousseau make this claim? What claim does Rousseau make about a family? Critically evaluate Rousseau’s claim about a family.
• To justify the existence of a state Rousseau used the slogan: Might is Right.
What does Rousseau say about the relationship of a state and force? Critically evaluate Rousseau’s claim.
• For Rousseau, a sovereign is an independent state.
Answer: What is a sovereign? What is a state? Critically evaluate Rousseau’s theory of a sovereign.
• Rousseau argues that since subjects created a sovereign, they (the subjects) have a right to disobey it.
Answer: What is a subject? Critically evaluate the relationship of a subject to the sovereign in Rousseau’s philosophy.
• In Rousseau’s society, individuals can delegate their legislative power. This delegation of legislative power allows individuals to specialize in different activities.
Answer: Can individuals delegate their legislative power in Rousseau’s philosophy? Critically evaluate the relationship of individuals to the sovereign.
• God does not play any role in John Locke’s political philosophy.
Answer: Does God play any role in John Locke’s philosophy? Critically evaluate the role of God in Locke’s political philosophy.
• John Locke believed that the nature of human being changes with changing social conditions. Answer: What is the nature of human being in Locke? Is it constant or is it changing?
Critically evaluate the nature of human being in Locke.
• The role of a Lockean liberal state is to ensure economic well being of its members through welfare programs.
Answer: What is the role of a Lockean state? Critically evaluate this role.
• John Locke believed that absolute monarchy was an ideal state.
Answer: Is an absolute monarchy consistent with Locke’s political philosophy? What kind of a state did he advocate for England? Critically evaluate Locke’s theory of a state.
• John Locke is a champion of modern civil society organizations.
Answer: What does Locke mean by civil society? What is the contemporary meaning of civil society? Critically evaluate Locke’s civil society.
• John Locke, like Rousseau, believed that a legitimate political society was an association.
Answer: What is an association? What is a legitimate political society for Locke and Rousseau? Critically evaluate the legitimate political society for both Locke and Rousseau.

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