During the medieval era, there was not much theory involved in governing, beyond questions of ethics and justice proposed by theologians. The Renaissance and the Enlightenment which followed, saw a rebirth of interest in the human intellect, and a new belief that people could use their intellectual faculties to understand and then shape the world in which they lived. Thomas Hobbes, operating in this new intellectual environment, investigates why humans form societies in the first place.
The kind of work Hobbes did can best be understand as a form of intellectual speculation. We've called this the "hypothetical case" Before one can look to questions of the best form of government, one must probe more basic questions: What are humans like? How does fundamental human nature create a need for society? (Note the concept is society,not government. For Hobbes, these are quite different things. After one determines what society is for, one can then create a theoretical model for the government which society need. Remember what Thoreau said, "I heartily accept the motto, "That government is best which governs least"; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe--"That government is best which governs not at all".
Leave yourself good time to devote to Hobbes, as he is going to be difficult going. The language is old-fashioned, for one thing. Aside from some words you may need to discover (remember http://www.dictionary.com), the main problem will be the older form of verbs. In our day “th, or “eth” endings have become more or less obsolete, replaced by “s” or “es”. As you work on this,
keep an eye on Hobbes’ concept of equality. We think it a good thing and argue for it continually--does Hobbes see potential problems with it.
keep another eye on Hobbes’ view of human nature, or personality, or psychology (he doesn’t use those terms, but he does describe how he thinks we behave).
keep a third eye (you do have three, don’t you?) on how Hobbes argues his case. How does he prove his assertions? We’ll be looking at a new way to argue, the hypothetical instance. As far as anthropologists and sociologists know, humans have always been social animals.
For Tuesday, November 24Why Do We Need Governments, Anyhow?
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The modern celebration of “Thanksgiving” has its roots in religious practices in Plymouth and Boston, homes of colonists from England like John Winthrop, who provided two readings for this class . However, those “Days of Thanks-giving” were not associated with any particular day or even any particular season. When the colonies had periods of good fortune, the Governor would declare a Day of Thanksgiving. That good fortune might be anything from rain ending a period or drought, to the subsidence of sickness which had been laying townspeople in their beds.
Conversely, when the Colony experience bad fortune, the colonists interpreted this as a sign of Divine displeasure, and instead of a Day of Thanks-giving, the Governor would declare a Day of Fasting and Repentance, to ask forgiveness for whatever had caused misfortune to befall them.
President Abraham Lincoln was the first to declare a National Day of Thanksgiving, in honor of a victory of the Union forces during the American Civil War. But the holiday we now celebrate on Thursday in November was not regularized until the Twentieth Century
Thanksgiving was proclaimed by every president after Lincoln. The date was changed a couple of times, most recently by Franklin Roosevelt, who set it up one week to the next-to-last Thursday in order to create a longer Christmas shopping season. Public uproar against this decision caused the president to move Thanksgiving back to its original date two years later. And in 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, as the fourth Thursday in November.
Today we celebrate with football, parades, and the great American pig-out. It is probably a good idea to think a little about its original intent. Samuel Lane's prayer of 1793 is worth quoting in full. The illustration is byNorman Rockwell, probably the most popular American artist/illustrator of the mid-Twentieth Century
As I was Musing on my Bed being awake as Usual before Daylight; recollecting the Many Mercies and good things I enjoy for which I ought to be thankful this Day; some of which I have Noted after rising as follows viz:
The Life & health of myself and family, and also of so many of my Children, grand Children and great grand-children' also of my other Relations and friends & Neighbors, for Health peace and plenty amongst us
For my Bible and Many other good and Useful Books, Civil & Religious Priviledges, for the ordinances of the gospel; and for my Minister.
For my Clock and Watch to measure my passing time by Day and by Night
For Tea, Sugar, Rum, Wine, Gin, Molasses, peper, Spice and Money for to bye other Necessaries and to pay my Depts & Taxes &c.
For my Lether, Lamp oyl & Candles, Husbandry Utensils, & other tools of very sort &c &c &c.
Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Bless his holy Name. Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits, who Satisfieth thy mouth with good things, &c.
