POG 235 Midterm: pog235 Plato to Locke (Precis help)

• School: Ryerson University
• Department: Politics and Public Administration
• Course: POG 235
• Professor: Colin Mooers

Document Summary

Institutions are governmental powers separate from the individual, political theory analyzes and describes things as they are as well as studies the best values and methods institutions govern those beneath it. States generally have a monopoly on permitted violence. Divisions between the layman and the wealthy begin to create a ruler and ruled groups/ classes. Control over surplus production via use of their violent power. Social struggles between the rulers and ruled; democracy vs oligarchy, security vs instability. Political theory is historical in that it must not be subject to presentism. We can still learn general truths form them given their historical periods and contemporary culture. Why does historical context matter to the study of political theory. Property begins basis of political rule with peasantry being squeezed by landed aristocracy. Feudal style economy of property/ food equaling power and wealth.