PHIL 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Absolute Monarchy, Meritocracy, Voluntary Association
21 May 2018
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CHAPTER 8- JUST SOCIETY
** Background info on this topic:
Anarchy= no ruler
Theocracy=God
Monarchy = one person
Autocracy =Absolute monarchy or Dictatorship
Aristocracy =Rule by “the best”, “the most excellent”
Meritocracy =Rule by those who have the most ability or talent
Oligarchy =Rule by a small number of people
Democracy = decisions are made by everyone;
What is the best form of government?
• No one! (Anarchy)
• Anarchy = Belief in the abolition of all government and the organization of
society on a voluntary, cooperative basis without recourse to force or
compulsion.
Values: Freedom; voluntary association Autonomy of the individual
Anarchism
Arguments for and against Anarchism:
• Mankind is born free
• If mankind is born free, slavery is murder
• as slavery is murder, so property is theft
• if property is theft, Government is tyranny
• if government is tyranny, anarchy is liberty
Objections:
• without the state society with transcend into violence
• even anarchist societies have primitive forms of government it cannot be helped
• a completely unregulated economy will deepen inequality
• Is it ok to let the less fortunate suffer?
• Kant’s argument, the law is only an empty recommendation, force would need to
be present for a civil state
• security, rights and liberties, who should use force to restrain wrong do’ers?
The Ring of Gyges
Magical ring mentioned by Plato
• whoever wears it becomes invisible
• what would a person do if they had the ring?
• Just vs. unjust, unjust would, lie, steal, cheat without any reprocutions
• Just would be same as unjust for both are not held accountable
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