Review
8 October 2008
Ancient Conceptions of Politics
• What role does justice play in Cleon and
Diodotus' speeches on the Mytilenian
debate? What role does justice play in
Thucydides’ view of international
relations?
• Describe the Melian debate. Does
Thucydides sympathize with the Melian,
the Athenian, or neither position?
Ancient Conceptions of Politics
• What does Aristotle mean by saying that the
state is natural? What is the difference between
this view of the state and the view that the state
is a kind of social contract?
• What is a natural slave? Does Aristotle think that
natural slaves exist?
• Does Aristotle condemn or defend democracy?
What role can “the many” play in political
decisions?
Just War
• What is necessary for a war to be just? Would
those conditions be found in a contemporary
case, e.g., Iraq?
• What is Erasmus’ challenge to just war theory?
Does Erasmus deny that there can be just wars?
• What are the key just causes of war in the
conquest of the Americas, for Vitoria? Does
Vitoria believe the Spanish are justified in
waging war against the natives of the Americas?
New Conceptions of Politics
• What constitutes a free regime, according to
Machiavelli? Why are such regimes desirable for
Machiavelli? Is Machiavelli’s advocacy of free
regimes consistent with his advice to princes?
• What are some of Machiavelli’s
recommendations to the aspiring prince? Are
these recommendations consistent with good
government?
• Would a dictator like Hitler or Stalin earn
Machiavelli's praise? Why or why not?
The State of Nature
• Why is the state of nature a state of war in
Hobbes? Why is morality impossible in it?
• Is a sovereign authority the only possible
solution to Hobbes’ state of nature? Given
his assumptions about human nature, is
his solution plausible?
The State of Nature
• What are Rousseau's objections to
Hobbes' description of the state of nature?
• What are the roots of conflict and war, for
Rousseau?
Democracy and Intervention
• What does Mill mean by saying that some
people are "civilized" and others are not?
What is the implication of this distinction
for international relations?
• Why does Mill think that imperial
government can sometimes help another
country? Under what conditions is this
claim true, for Mill? Critically evaluate his
arguments for benevolent imperialism.
Perpetual Peace
• What does Kant mean by a "federation" of states? Why
is a "federation" of states, and not a world state, required
for world peace? Why does Kant think a world state is
undesirable?
• Why does Kant think that perpetual peace is possible
even if men are not naturally good?
• What are Hegel's criticisms of Kant's proposal for a
perpetual peace?
• Does Hegel believe that war is always negative? Or
does he think that war can be positive? Why?
• Compare and contrast Hegel and Marx's view of history.
Where does history lead, according to Hegel? Where
does it lead according to Marx? What are the
mechanisms of history?