POL 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Thought Experiment, Social Contract, Nicolaus Copernicus
Document Summary
Political authority: perception that the use of political power is legitimate. Key cause of american revolution: perception by the colonists that britain was engaged in an illegitimate use of political power. Revolutionaries thought england was simply too powerful, and thus likely to engage in the abuse of power; taxation without representation . Politics and economics: king dukes barons lords serfs. Religion: pope cardinals bishops monks parishioners. Religious: martin luther in 1517 rebelled against what he thought was a fundamental flaw in the church (catholic) A representative for the church arrived on his doorstep asking for money to build st. peter"s cathedral in rome. Martin luther felt that the church"s right to decide who would go to heaven or hell was based on who donated money to them, and felt this was very wrong. Indulgences -- you could pay priests money to absolve your family of the sins they have committed.
