POL 270 First Exam
Answer two of the following essay questions. Use quotes from the relevant writings.
1) Provide a summary of the ideal form of government provided by Plato (Socrates) in The Republic
. Why does Plato (Socrates) consider the state (and society) run by philosopher-kings to be ideal? 2) What is Plato’s allegory of the cave meant to illustrate? Explain how it does so. What conclusion are we meant to draw from this extended analogy? Furthermore, is the cave metaphor valid in a modern society where abundant information is easily accessible? Why or why not?
3) Describe the qualities of Machiavelli's ideal prince. What characteristics should a prince possess, and how should a prince behave? Also, why is the prince's public image important to Machiavelli? What should a prince do to maintain a “good reputation” among his subjects?
4) Why does Hobbes believe that his philosophy, which is ultimately based on the authority and judgment of the sovereign, is more secure and more capable of ensuring peace than any philosophy based on the observation of nature? Incorporate what we discussed about inductive and deductive reasoning in class.
5) How did Hobbes influence the work of other philosophers, specifically Locke and Rousseau? On what issues do these three men agree? How do their philosophies differ? Be sure to discuss concepts such as Man in the State of Nature, natural rights, the Social Contract, property, and moral liberty.
6) What are the assumptions about human nature on which Locke bases his depiction of the state of nature? How do these assumptions inform his opposition to absolute monarchy and to slavery, and his belief that political authority must rest upon the consent
of the governed? 7) What, according to Rousseau, is the General Will? How does it differ from the will of all? What is the role of consent in determining the General Will? How can individual wills conflict with the General Will? How does Rousseau believe that the General Will is to be determined? Is unanimous consent either necessary or sufficient for
an expression of the General Will? Is there any reason to believe that any kind of voting procedure would ever express the General Will? Why or why not?
