Today's History and Context lecture again looked at aspects of Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy, particularly Locke, his theory of knowledge and his political philosophy. John Locke (1632-1704) lived a relatively long life, but main body of his influential works were published between 1687-1693. He was an apostle of the 1688 revolution and his father fought for Parliament during the English civil war. Russel considers Locke to be "the luckiest of all philosophers" because he completed his work in theoretical philosophy just as men came to power who shared his political opinions. It wasn't until after the revolution that he was able to take any part in English politics, and up until 1688 he spent his time composing his Essay Concerning Human Understanding.
Unlike Descartes, Locke believed that we are born with no innate thoughts - that everything we know is learnt. He suggested that all we have is the ability to reason. Nothing is built in, but what we do have is the capacity to learn. His religion played a massive role in his philosophies. He was a devout Christian and believed that much of what we know can come directly from God through revelation. Despite this he still chooses to analyse professed revelations with rational safeguards. - "Revelation must be judged by reason."
John Locke published his political philosophy in his two Treatises of Government. In the second, and most politically important of these treatises, Locke discussed his idea of the state of nature, and natural law. The state of the nature had already been considered by another highly regarded philosopher - Hobbes. They both gave their very different view of a world "antecedent to all human government". Hobbes believed that the people's dominant passions are aggressive - that without a hierarchical social system and defined rulers that humans would resort to violence and aggression to achieve personal gain. This meant that we needed strong rulers sent by God in order to save mankind from a state of constant war; an idea that matches with the Catholic belief in the Divine Right of Kings. John Locke was strongly opposed to this. He believed that in a state of nature, man would enjoy natural freedom and revert to natural law. That we already have a sense of what is right and what is wrong and would apply these moral senses were we given the chance.
Based on this, Locke proposed his Manual for a Revolution - a new concept of government. This hypothetical new government would have very limited powers, primarily to protect property. This would mean taxes could not be levied without the people's consent. Locke also believed that in this new system, people would have the natural right of revolution and would have the support to revolt if they believed that government weren't obeying natural law. Despite the hypothetical nature of this proposal, many of his theories regarding natural law and the natural right of revolution were used in the American Constitution almost a century after Locke had died.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Cameron's assault on the dependency culture
According to today's The Sunday Times, David Cameron is set to unveil a plan to get millions of Britons who claim welfare benefits back to work. The programme, similar to plans which already exist in America, focuses on people that have been unemployed for more than six months. This includes disabled people and single mothers, who would be forced to join training schemes or face a cut in their welfare payments.
The big idea is said to be the responsibility of Iain Duncan Smith, the former Torie leader, who is often considered the boldest thinker with regards to social justice. The scheme would see him fronting a committee in a future Conservative government although it is unclear as to whether he would become a cabinet minister or be given a senior role outside of cabinet.
Cameron's bold moves are designed to counter the Labour argument, which suggests that a new Torie government would repeat the errors of the 1980's recession and disregard the unemployed. It is the idea of Lord Freud, the Labour defector, who joined up with the Conservatives earlier this year (talk about jumping on the band-wagon!), and would mean that those on incapacity benefit would face rigorous medical checks and that anybody who refused to take a place on a training programme would face their payments being cut.
There are currently almost six million unemployed people claiming welfare benefits, but Cameron aims to drastically cut this number in the first four years of Torie government. He refuses to say exactly how much money the government would save on welfare payments, but he did say that he expects the scheme to "bring down the bill". - Let's hope so, it may even help to fill the financial chasm left by the 2012 Olympics, and the bank bail-out. It should certainly be an improvement on Labour's plans to raise the tax rate to 50% for those who earn £150k or more per year. An idea which could spark an exodus of up to 25,000 of Britain's big earners.
The big idea is said to be the responsibility of Iain Duncan Smith, the former Torie leader, who is often considered the boldest thinker with regards to social justice. The scheme would see him fronting a committee in a future Conservative government although it is unclear as to whether he would become a cabinet minister or be given a senior role outside of cabinet.
Cameron's bold moves are designed to counter the Labour argument, which suggests that a new Torie government would repeat the errors of the 1980's recession and disregard the unemployed. It is the idea of Lord Freud, the Labour defector, who joined up with the Conservatives earlier this year (talk about jumping on the band-wagon!), and would mean that those on incapacity benefit would face rigorous medical checks and that anybody who refused to take a place on a training programme would face their payments being cut.
There are currently almost six million unemployed people claiming welfare benefits, but Cameron aims to drastically cut this number in the first four years of Torie government. He refuses to say exactly how much money the government would save on welfare payments, but he did say that he expects the scheme to "bring down the bill". - Let's hope so, it may even help to fill the financial chasm left by the 2012 Olympics, and the bank bail-out. It should certainly be an improvement on Labour's plans to raise the tax rate to 50% for those who earn £150k or more per year. An idea which could spark an exodus of up to 25,000 of Britain's big earners.
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Dragon's Progress
On the 60th anniversary of the Communist revolution in China, their powerful role in the world was underlined yet again. The 2008 Beijing Olympics was an incredibly spectacular event. The opening ceremony alone cost an estimated US$100 million, featuring a cast of over 15,000 perfomers and lasted over four hours.
This year they were at it again. Celebrating six decades of Communist rule the Chinese held another remarkable spectacle: a parade featuring everything from women soldiers with mini-skirts and machine guns, to nuclear missiles and another spectacular firework display. Even the weather bowed down to communist supremacy. The forecast was for rain, but a gap opened in the cloud and President Hu Jintao's specatators were bathed in sunshine. Quite an impressive display from a country that was, thirty years ago, unable to feed it's entire population. Now they boast the world's third biggest economy. The Times today showed exactly how much Communist China has improved in the last sixty years. From 1949 to 2009 the average life expectancy has risen from 36.5 years to 73.5, the population has more than doubled up to 1.3 billion and the total grain output has gone from 113 milllion tonnes to 529 million tonnes.
Whoever said Communism was a bad thing?
This year they were at it again. Celebrating six decades of Communist rule the Chinese held another remarkable spectacle: a parade featuring everything from women soldiers with mini-skirts and machine guns, to nuclear missiles and another spectacular firework display. Even the weather bowed down to communist supremacy. The forecast was for rain, but a gap opened in the cloud and President Hu Jintao's specatators were bathed in sunshine. Quite an impressive display from a country that was, thirty years ago, unable to feed it's entire population. Now they boast the world's third biggest economy. The Times today showed exactly how much Communist China has improved in the last sixty years. From 1949 to 2009 the average life expectancy has risen from 36.5 years to 73.5, the population has more than doubled up to 1.3 billion and the total grain output has gone from 113 milllion tonnes to 529 million tonnes.
Whoever said Communism was a bad thing?
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