01 Foundations of Political Philosophy Free Online FlashCards

What does political philosophy study?

Political philosophy systematically examines how people should live together and how shared political institutions should be organized.

What does justice concern?

Justice concerns what people are owed and how competing claims should be resolved.

What is political power?

Political power is the ability to influence or control people's conduct, including through laws and enforcement.

What does political legitimacy assess?

Legitimacy concerns whether political institutions and their exercise of power are justified.

What is a state?

A state is a political institution that exercises governing authority over a territory and the people within it.

What makes political philosophy's central questions normative?

They are normative: they ask what ought to be done, rather than only describing how governments operate.

What question does distributive justice address?

Distributive justice asks how benefits and burdens should be allocated, such as how limited school funding should be divided.

What is one concern of procedural justice?

Fair procedures include whether people can challenge decisions made by public officials.

What does political authority mean?

Political authority concerns whether a government is justified in issuing directives, enforcing them, or claiming a right to rule.

Can effective political power exist without rightful authority?

A government may successfully enforce a command yet lack adequate justification for it.

Name two considerations used to assess political legitimacy.

Consent, constitutional rules, democratic procedures, protection of rights, and fair treatment are considerations used to assess legitimacy.

Does institutional legitimacy prove every law is just?

No. Legitimacy does not automatically show that every individual law is just or that citizens must obey every command.