Hey Gang,
This week I want you to reflect on the role and responsibility of Government. Why do we have Government? Why do we leave a State of Nature? What do we rely on our Government for? What are the advantages of a democracy over other forms of government...... hereditary kingdoms, theocracies, parliamentarian monarchies, dictatorships?
Let Machiavelli, Mill, and Locke inspire you here, but do NOT simply spout them back to me. I know what they say.....I now want to know what your INFORMED input is!
As always, respond to classmates as well.
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I think we have gov't because we need organization. The government should be there to protect the liberty of its citizens and keep everyone in order without infringing on our personal rights. The advantage of a democracy is that it is closer to the people. If the people see a problem in the government or request assistance from it, they can go about that easier than, say, a monarchy.
ReplyDeleteHope that's an adequate response.
btdubs, you used the wrong "role"
Government, in most cases, is necessary to uphold good morals, I suppose. As Mill said, the government also needs to be there to protect the rights of its citizens so that they will not be infringed upon.
ReplyDeleteA state of nature would just be...Chaotic. When the population is this vast in number, I don't think it's possible to just let people do what they do. At least, it would not be civilized.
As said, we rely on our government for protection.
One advantage of democracy over many forms is the use of the people. The fact that people have a say in what goes on in the country, and also that they have the liberty to say whatever they want about the goings on (going ons?) in this country is great. That's something a dictatorship doesn't have.
I believe we have a government not only to protect the rights of the people and safeguard our liberties but also because without people in charge, not much would ever get done. There would be no final say or input for important decisions. But most importantly i believe its in place to make sure we have our God given rights. The state of nature was left because its simply too chaotic. There must be structure in a large society. A state of nature is possible if its a small group but when we're talking millions its simply not possible. We rely on our government for more than most think we do. They create a safe country for us to live in with the military and determine inflation to make sure that our economy is working effectivly. Also the obvious reasons of protecting the constitution. The greatest thing about a democracy is we have a say in what happens. While the electoral college may have the majority say (at least in the presidency) our opinions do count. We have the ability to vote on props, senators, etc. Also there is no one person with complete authority. Power resides in the people, the senators, the house, and the president (this being American democracy).
ReplyDelete@Frank, I'll blame it on fatigue!
ReplyDelete@ HerpDerp- so true- if men had to walk around all day with metaphorical clubs to defend their "women", there would be no time for anything else in life... I think we'd lose our sense of purpose and our sense of self.
Mithc's comments inspire me to say this: We've all had the philisophical discussion of "If a tree falls in the woods, does it still make sound? How do we know?". The reason I say this is abiding laws is the same. We don't abide by laws because a police officer is always around and we are sure we will be punished. We abide by laws because we've agreed to them as a part of our society....and yes, we "might" get caught (my speeding record is evidence to the contrary....lol....real lead foot, never get a ticket *jinx*)
We have a government to protect us from many things including as ourselves. Without government, people will get chaotic and start doing whatever they want. We need people in charge to give out directions. They help protect our rights and liberty.
ReplyDeleteThe state of nature would not work because it would be crazy with everyone doing whatever they want. There is alot of people out there and some of them might want to control everything and gain power.
One great feature of democracy is that the people have a say in the government. We chose who to run the country by voting and we speak our mind. Many types of government lack what we have and those governement are usually run by huge groups, not by the people.
We have a government For several reasons in our country. The first being that without a government any mass amount of population would fall apart and revert back into the state of nature mode. This would create a state of choas and fear since everyone has the same amount of power and can choose to bring about thier own justice to anyone who they belive has done them wrong. Well if we took a crazy person and 300 normal single people and we put them all together in a State of Nature then through the crazy person's own mind everyone of them could be wronging him and attack them, any way he wants to, and since none of the other people were attacked by him they can't avenge the sanes persons death since it is justified by the crazy person believing that the man he punished did him wrong. In this kind of society no one feels safe and fears for his life all the time and is always paranoid about the humans around him. This lead us to go to governments which have set laws and justices set by everyone and not one's own perception. This lead us to rely on our Governments to protects us against the choas created from the State of Nature. The advantage of a Democracy is quite obvious to the people who belong to them but hard for others to comprehend when they have only known about enslavement from evil governments. The amazing thing about a democracy is that the millions of citizens that are protected by it also control the laws, people and procedures that create it. The people get to vote for or against the laws, people and ways that our government will enforce and protect. In a democracy the governmet is willed by the power of the majority while also hearing out and acknowledging the minorities. And that is why Our country is Amazing and Free, while others are just under the hieght limit to ride the freedom rollercoaster!
ReplyDeleteThe government is there for the people and to protect the people. Without the government, people would not be free to do as they will. Although this is true,the government is also there to ensure that we are unable to get away with things that inflict harm upon others. People choose to leave a state of nature, becuase as Locke says the "state of nature is very unsafe, very insecure." At any given time, the people in a state of nature could lose their "Property" In a democracy, the people are able to choose whether they give consent or not to anything within the government. In other forms of government, the people are either not heard or silenced. Or in others, one person may be the only one capable or allowed to make decisions in the government, regardless of the effects on the people and the country.
ReplyDeleteWe have a government because we need an organized society. Without a form of government leading the way we would be in a state of perpetual chaos because there would be no structure in our society and everyone would be looking after themselves.
ReplyDeleteWe left our state of nature out of fear of everyone else. We really cant trust one another because of possible alterior motives behind someone's actions, and that doubt leads to fear of one another.
One of the major advantages to a democracy is that everyone gets to share and act upon their opinion. In a democracy we can have our voices heard and give our opinions without worrying about being put in prison. Also a democracy leaves more opportunity for someone to succeed in the future
Government is the tool utilized by society to organize itself. This organization is necessary for a large society, such as ours, to preserve order and protect the members of the society while working toward common aims. A state of nature, or a society absent of organization, would be devastating because the instinct to save one's self would outweigh the desire to cooperate with others in a non-hostile manner. An organized governing body has the responsibility of protecting the rights of individuals while at the same time setting restrictions in order to reduce inner-societal conflict. These are the reasons behind the constitution, bill of rights, and legal structure of our nation. A government can also be used as a tool to improve upon the situation of individuals within a country by adjusting the laws of that nation to preferences of the people. A democracy and specifically a democratic republic is the superior form of government in existence. It allows the general population to have a voice in government operations which limits the possibility of oppression and maltreatment (which are prevalent in forms of government when power is not so widely distributed). The system of using elected officials has it's benefit in the ability to construct an efficient yet fair political system that tops other options such has socialism, which is not practical due to the inability of this system to make quick decsions that affect most of the populace under the control of that system. To sum things up 'MERICA ROCKS.
ReplyDeleteWe have a government in order to maintain control over those who cannot control themselves and for organization. There are many people who would commit various acts of crime if they were not contained by laws. The government also acts as a common bond between people to work for common values.
ReplyDeleteWe leave a state of nature because it would be impossible to live peacefully if we all wanted to live a certain way and fights would break out because of people’s wishes for their own rules of life. We rely on our government for stability. People dislike change and the government can help by creating laws and abiding to them. When their are established rules many people will work better together.
The advantages to living in a democracy are that we the people have the ability to vote for the laws. We also have many more freedoms than other types of rule. The people are also more involved in the actions of the government.
We have a government for a lot of different reasons. Since the age of time there has always had to be a leader or group of leaders. Whether it be a prince or a royal family or a counsel of people, the Government simply gives our nation rules to follow and protects our rights. We rely on the government for protecting us from all of the countries who are against the U.S.. We also rely on government for providing aid to americans who are in desperate need, such as finacial aid. Governments make rights and establish the law and order of the nation. Without any type of government I believe any nation would turn to chaos.
ReplyDeleteI think we all leave our own state of nature because if everyone lived under their own conditions, then everyone would probably be enemies. Their would be no order or rule and it would be as if we were living back in the "cave men" times
The advantages of having a Democracy instead of any other government type, especially a Dictatorship, are great. For one, the people get a chance to vote for what they believe should be the law. Everyone gets a chance to voice their own opinion unlike in a dictatorship where the ruler gets to make all the decisions regardless of the people's intentions. In a democracy people will even get to vote for the president or ruler of their choice. Democracy gives us certain freedoms and gives the people a chance to be more involved in what's going on in the government
In very simplistic terms, the reason we have Government is to keep order. Without it, we would live in chaos; it establishes the rules and regulations that organize our lives. It should also promote its citizens to earn their wages by excelling at a beneficial task. With all these beneficial tasks combined, the society itself can better function as a whole.
ReplyDeleteWe leave a State of Nature because of the protection government offers. Laws guard rights, such as property, that people would otherwise have the freedom to take from each other. In a unified society, regulations are not infringed upon, which helps keep order. In a State of Nature, this would not be allowed since everyone acts upon instinct with nothing to stop their actions.
The reason that democracy works better than any other form of government is because democracy is essentially ruled by the people. If one person, or even a select few, governs a society, their direct rule will turn into an unhealthy amount of power. Democracy’s system of checks and balances allow for no one power to gain direct control. (Needless to say, anyone with too much power is dangerous.) Also, the people have the ability for direct elections of representatives.
Government is established to create order and maintain peace. Society would be too chaotic and unproductive without some form of organization since every man would be for himself, which is why we leave the state of nature.
ReplyDeleteWe ultimately rely on it for security, to provide justice, protect human rights and liberties.
The advatage of democracy is that it grants power to all citizens, providing representation of everyone's needs and input. Whether it's the option to elect officials or voting on laws, individuals have a say. Essentially its freedom
I believe that we have a Government for various reasons. One reason being protection and support. We can rely on our Government to give us the financial aid and support that we may need during times of struggle. For example, being unemployed and being able to rely on some amount of money (its never a lot but its enough). We can also rely on our Government to pass the laws that can keep our country stable. For instance, if we didn't have the rules and laws that we had today, we would have people all over the country trying to take power and doing the things that they want to do. We would have thousands of people killing each other over absolutely nothing. We leave a State of Nature because without a Government, our entire country would be acting on instinct which goes along with people killing each other over miniscule things.
ReplyDeleteThe advantages of our democratic government over other governments is that our People have a say in the decisions that go on everyday. We don't have just one person ruling the country, we all rule it.
We have government becuause it is what everybody needs to survive and thrive. Whether you like it or not, people need organization of a government in order to survive, whether it be as small as a tribe leader or the American Democracy. Government exists to create order so that markets of industry, trade, produce or whatever else can be established; it is in place to keep individuals in check by abiding to the law, and it allows for development and creation. Imagine where we would be today in the world if there was never a government to print money and then distribute that money to scientists, engineers, researches, etc. as grants. We would have never made it to the moon, invented such strong artillery, and more. Governments biggest responsibility, like Mill said, is to protect our rights as humans and make sure they are not infringed upon.
ReplyDeleteWe left our state of nature because it provides no stability. There are no laws that keep people from violating our liberties. Anybody can do whatever they want and that would not end out well. Plus, even though some people would not be harmed intensely by a state of nature, it provides no room to grow as humans or for one individual to thrive. Everything is simply survival.
Democracy has many advantages to it that have made America so successful. Since people are directly involved in the process they remain satisfied because they know whatever happens is their fault because they most likely led to the decision. Democracy also is the best at providing proper appreciation of peoples' rights. Its better than a dictatorship because a dictatorship does not consider the peoples' views nearly at all, and only is focused around the dictator.
we have a government to protect us. i do not believe that it is possible for so many people to live in a "state of nature". In an anarchist society only the corrupt will gain control. so, a lack of control will lead only to the power- hungry to take it forcefully.
ReplyDeleteWe depend on our government for many things. It provides many services like educatin, justice, and medical care.(although, they're not the best)Our government also provides us with human rights, which is more than some countries can say.But most importantly,as EVERYONE has already mentioned, it provides order And this order as a society, i believe, advances us as human beings. we make technological advances, we gain intelligence, and expand freely and creatively in all aspects of life.
A democracy is superior to other forms of government because the ability to say what people want out of their government leads to an increase in the quality of life. Take our new health plan for instance. it really sucks,(so i hear. i didnt read it.) but the good thing is that we can change it. in a monarchy or a dictatorship i would be hanged for having said that and no improvements to the quality of life would be made.
The government provides both security and organization to the people it rules over, but it also acts as the force behind making people do what they would normally not think of doing. An example of this is taxes; few people would be willing to spend their hard-earned money on a road that everyone would be able to use. How does that help them, considering the road would begin to wear out from all of the cars driving over it. However, it is necessary for an area to have roads in order to increase the efficiency of transportation, which could then increase the economy of the location and connect it with other people and cities.
ReplyDeleteRegarding leaving a state of nature, this can also be related to the example of taxes; since the road is necessary, someone has to build it. This is where the government comes in, which essentially hires workers to build the road for the people in the area. Normally, the people would have had to build it, but with a government, they were not forced to take a hand in it, thus saving them time. Those ideas also touch on what the government is used for: providing necessary products for the people it rules over, as well as dealing with any problems that may come up (such as criminals and financial crises).
Democracies will usually be superior to the other forms of government, for in a democracy, the people are able to choose (at least in some degree) what goes on in their area. Everyone enjoys being in charge of whatever affects them; a democracy not only gives the common person a feeling of being in control, but it reduces the amount of rebellion that might occur towards the government. If you chose who is in power, wouldn't you defend your choice and try to prove that he is doing exactly what is necessary (or perhaps what you wanted him to do)?
Well... everyone pretty much already said everything. haha.
ReplyDeleteWe have a government for various reasons; first for protection. This is mainly protection of our God-given rights. The government also provides us with the greatest military in the world. How lucky are we? Aside from protection, the government grants us structure in life and allows us a voice in the decisions made by the leaders in command. Thank goodness for democracy.
I believe that we don't exist in a state of nature do to our mass quantity of people! It would be pure insanity if everyone just did their own thing. A little structure never hurt anyone.
As I said before, our government provides us with structure and protection, along with an excellent military. Our government gives us a voice in the decisions that affect our lives and they give us freedom!
Having a democracy is so beneficial. We have the opportunity of decision making and playing a part in our countries existence. It's also advantageous that we don't have a sole dictator; we have a large group of representative whom we vote into office to voice our wants and needs.
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ReplyDeleteThe reason we have government, is to keep order. Government, as Lacie said, keeps a bond between the people. With this, bond people have a sense of security, because they feel as if they have said their part in who has been elected into office. (In the terms of a democracy) Government also creates laws, which people must follow and if these laws are not followed, there are consequences. Which keeps the disorderly in line, and out of trouble, and everyone else is protected from crime.
ReplyDeleteIn a state of nature, everyone is for himself or herself. There is no way to control those who commit crime, and no way to protect the innocent, unless they take matters into their own hands. Zach had a great point about if a road is needed, then a government can create jobs for the people to work on building a road. A structured government is desirable in many places, to help regulate expenses, laws, and anything else, without stepping over the threshold of communism.
Democracy lets the people decide whom they want in office, and as I said before they feel as they have a control in what the government does, because they voted to put these people in control. But, when the vote doesn’t go the way of your vote, many feel cheated and that the person elected isn't right. Which for those on the opposite side of the majority vote it is upsetting, but there isn't anything to do but wait for the next vote and try to get your voice heard. Anyone that votes can put their own opinion into what the government does, which is essential for a better public reaction to what the government does good or bad.
The role of the government is to manage chaos. We rely on the government to organize the people, the economy, politics, everything in America. It creates laws, it organizes every single aspect, and protects the Americans. Without a government, there would be no laws, no bills, no managing of your money, no constitution, nothing. We don't have a state of nature because of what was stated above, it would be completely insane. Crimes would be committed left and right, the "economy" would be so unstable, we would have no constitutions or rights, no laws, no anything really. The advantages of having a democracy over anything else is that it gives the person more power in choices. We vote on bills, laws, leaders, members of the government. We can protest, manage our money for ourselves, and more. We have a say in what goes on with the government. In other forms of government, like Communism, you really have no rights or say in much. What happens in the government, happens, and you can do nothing about it.
ReplyDeleteThe main roles of a government are to provide protection of rights, protect us in general, and keep us organized. Without a true sense of a government, true anarchy would ensue. Many people would be forced out of such rights as speech, and people would not be given liberty. The government provides its people with a sound military, and in the U.S. we have one of the best in the world. Leaders must be put in place by the people, so the interests of the people will be kept in mind more often than not.
ReplyDeleteall governments have their flaws, it is just about the one that has the least flaws. That one is democracy. In a dictatorship or a hereditary monarchy, the leader was not put in place by the people, therefore the interests of the people will not be kept in sight. In a republic people vote for all laws, but 90% of people do not take the time to be informed enough for this kind of power. They are best fit to elicit the help of leaders to put laws into effect for them. That is exactly what a democracy does, and is therefore a great form of government.
Even though time continuously evolves some of the necessary actions of the Government, the role of the government is and always will be to protect its people. As citizens of the United States, we are entitled many liberties, freedoms, and rights. Nevertheless, there are possibilities that others can gain control and power over us. For an example, the control of slaves by farmers, during the Colonial Era. Humans are naturally more self-interested and so, more biased. As a result they cannot accept laws, the judgment, and punishments of others especially if it stifles their own good. As a result, in order to protect themselves, people accept giving up some of these liberties in exchange for the protection of true equality and fairness. And so, the role of the government is to protect us: the people. Many government responsibilities are of the same characteristics that Machiavelli expresses for a "Prince". It must protect its citizens from rival countries, not burden its people with taxes, and create laws and punish law breakers.
ReplyDeleteThe good thing about any form of government though is that the people have the authority. It may not seem true, in communist countries, but in history, there are records that any government type can be overthrown by the people, if they feel abused. Thankfully our form of government has allowed us to truly fulfill/live the ideology that the "people have the authority". As a result our government does represent us and usually create laws with our consent, and so by trade, we abide (at least try our best). That is what differentiates us from the rest.
Government is important because it is very difficult for people to be accountable for themselves. The people who aren't need a government to give them paychecks and medical care and other benefits. We left a state of nature to improve society.Democracy is advantageous because it allows the people to directly communicate what they want out of their government.
ReplyDeleteKevin, what you said about how if we didnt have government we wouldnt grow "even though some people would not be harmed intensely by a state of nature, it provides no room to grow as humans or for one individual to thrive. Everything is simply survival." really jogged a little thinking. I always saw the state of nature as simply no people in rule, but the point you make takes it to the next level. And you are completely right. No one would accomplish anything worth accomplishing (besides the discovery of fire haha). People would simply be on the everyday hunt for food and not be set on advancement. Without government the world would be at a stand still.
ReplyDeleteThe government's purpose is to be able to keep order in the State and to protect it's citizens from threats and dangers internationally. They set rules and laws that keep eachother from causing havoc and chaos to one another. I think the government is here to keep the nation organized and united. People rely on their government because, during bad economic times such as these, they (or some), would turn to them and hope that they can get them out of the mess they are in.
ReplyDeleteIn a democracy, it is advantageous to us because we the people get to vote and decide who wants to run our government and it gives them the ability to show their opinions through voting. In other countries such as communist ones like China and Russia, where no citizen has the freedom of speech.
So I've been sitting here trying to find a way in which John Locke makes sense, because for the longest time I just couldn't bring myself to agree with him that a state of nature is completely equal. Finally I've realized, or at lease found the only agreeable explanation of what he meant. In a state of nature people have no power or authority over anyone or anything else other than themselvesm. However for reasons I do not know we humans lust for more power than we are natually given. It is in our nature to want more power either over ourselves, nature, others, or all the above. I'm not necessarily talking about power on a large scale, but power on any level. I'm talking about anything from the power to control one's feelings to the power to cultivate land. I feel it's power that drives us to set up governments.
ReplyDeleteThere are two types of driven powered people that want a government: those who don't have enough to obtain the power they want, and those who have enough power over others that they wish to exert it and increase it. There are those who fall between, and these people are usually more naturalistically inclined, and usually grow their own food and build their own shelters. These people while usually under a government do not care for it and really have no need for it since they solve their own problems and rarely interact with anyone else.
Those who don't have enough power to survive at the standards that they would like to, are most often the people who favor democracies. They depend on the government to give them the assurance that others will not be allowed to prevent them for succeeding, but also that they are not limited in raising their standards of living. Democratic governments give the people the right to choose who they want to guide them towards success.
Those with a lot of power tend to favor democracy as well if they don't wish to increase their power over others but wish to only increase their power over themselves and nature. These are usually businessmen who don't want there businesses to be limited by the government. You might say that businessmen exert power over others. Yes this is true many times, however they are still not powerful enough yet if they are unable to increase their power to that of a dictator. These men have already been emersed in governments that prevent them from becoming dictators. Had they not, they probably would assume the role of king or dictator. Which brings me to my next point. Those who have, in the past, had the power to overcome others usually prefer dictatorships if they have enough power to keep them, but most don't, so they usually then prefer monarchies, which deny them just enough power to keep their rule stable. Those who favor hereditary kingdom's, again are the ones who have acquired enough power that they can pass it down, and those who favor theocracies are those who are cunning enough to gain power through religion or those who are so religiously devout that they bow down completely to their religious leader.
The governments job is to protect its citizens; from near and afar. Simple as that, but where we must pay close attention to how much power they take over "for the good of the citizens." To be in a state of nature, anarchy, we are weak against our enemies where as when we unite, we are a force to be reckoned with. We have a form of democracy to help keep the government based on the majority vote, a choice if one will. A government is the voice of the people towards the world. We rely on our government to keep us safe (as previously stated) but we also rely on our governments to represent us as a whole and act on our behalf. Even more so lately, we have relied on the government to help those who cannot OR REFUSE to help themselves. The reason we have a democratic republic instead of another is that the majority rules. Not a dictator, who can embelish himself in all of his power (i.e. Saddam Hussein) nor a hereditary kingdom. If it follows a bloodline then there is not choice for the people. Thereby taking out the ability for the Citizens to control their government.
ReplyDelete@ Jonah! first things first good job at beating me but now I hate you. Second "They depend on the government to give them the assurance that others will not be allowed to prevent them for succeeding, but also that they are not limited in raising their standards of living" (from your post) I have to agree with your statement. It seems the most logical and the most probable since in a democracy everyone is empowered and protected by the government, and is allowed the same freedoms as any one else. I don't agree with "those who have enough power over others that they wish to exert it and increase it." because as a democracy the majority of us would not tolerate or even elect a power hungry person who can be clarely seen as a tyrant.
ReplyDelete@Mitchell's response to Kevin.
ReplyDeleteBut, why is the progression of society absolutely necessary? If society hits its peak at some point, or maybe just a nice steady settling off point, is there still need for progression?
Or let's say that society doesn't even know the meaning of progression and has been exposed to a state of nature for thousands of years, who's to say they need to evolve?
Oh!
ReplyDelete"or it just levels off"
I couldn't think of the phrase, but I knew it had a short "e" sound in there somewhere so I went with "steady settling".
Whatever man.
@Lucas. as reading just the opening words "government is a tool"... chuckled then kept reading
ReplyDelete@Kevin and @Jordan- your closing paragraphs are intriguing.
@everyone- the convo here between Kevin, Jonah, and Cody is worth following
@those of you who wrote one paragraph--- :( come on! While length does NOT equal quality- don't be minimalistic either
Hey Jake, on our curriculum binders, right on the front, is a link.
ReplyDeleteBOOM
@ms. duquette
ReplyDeletethanks, bro!
@ cody
a humans CAPACITY to learn is responsible for the progression. people dont learn specifically for the advancement of the human race.
i dont think its possible to completely stop intellectual progression of humans. Although in the dark ages it was stopped by disease, Italy came back with some of the greatest advancements in the arts and technology.
@ Jordan
ReplyDeleteI agree that humans can only evolve. Its like technology. There was a guy who said that all the technology have already been made. Then ipods came out with a whole new line of technology to help people with their business. Something can slow us down but we will thrive in the end. :D
To those of you who argue that we would not be advancing, there are two sides to this coin. In many cases, technological advancements do not only result because of government funding. We must remember that the fuel of big business competitions, also result in innovations like computers, (or as Khanh brought up) iPods, and other electronics. Nonetheless, it can be argued that governments are still necessary. This is because, they fund schools, which develop "scientists, engineers, researches, etc.", ultimately providing society and even those big businesses their "little Einstein’s". So, it is a chain reaction.
ReplyDelete@khanh- your talked about technology and how there is always room for improvement, just like people will always advance, a good point. there isn't a way people will stop learning, unless as jordan said disease takes over and stops it completely. but, advancement happens everyday even if we donnt feel like it did, we learn something new everyday, and also learn from our mistakes.
ReplyDelete@victoria- another great point, government doesnt just directly influence advance, but it also indirectly influences it. goverment creates jobs and chances for people to advance, but it also creates schools and other means that teach children to grow up, and changes things. which there is two sides to it like you said, influencing the current generation to make a change, and influencing the future generation to make a change. government is needed, and without people become stagnant, and nothing happens, unless someone steps up. over all i think government is needed not only for advancement, but for other reasons too.
@Victoria
ReplyDeleteI agree that not all technological advancements, or any advancements for that matter have been due directly to government funding, but it all had to start somewhere. Sure the government did not fund the production of the ipod, but they helped the entire technology business begin by globalizing computers and software technology. And like you said, government funded schools are the only way to get bright minds started in their quest to invent.
@Cody, Mitch, Khanh, Jordan
First off, Cody asked what the problem would be if there was never any development. You are right that people wouldn't really even realize what they are missing out on. So life to them would just seem normal. The question is more rhetorical. Imagine what a shame it would be if we never developed and all of the amazing technology available to us was never produced.
As for humans being able to constantly grow and evolve their minds, its really fascinating. Over history it has been such small changes that trigger new ideas in humans and from that grows even larger change. Its like our parents always saying that they would have never predicted the future would be this amazing when they were a kid, but now that it is, we as kids have our own ideas that far surpass everything they imagined as kids. The mind is constantly growing and pushing the limits of what is possible.
To add to what kevin was saying, and to respond to some of those questions from Cody, im not sure that progression is necessarily needed. I think needed is the wrong word though. They strive to have a better and more modern society. Its in peoples nature to change, evolve, and improve. There will always be a problem with the current system of society and i think that as long as society exists people will want to make it better. So yes while at some point in may "level off" and seem flat, a small spark of an idea could change the entire system.
ReplyDeleteAnd Kevin i enjoyed the comment of the constantly evolving mind. The mind is always changing and expanding. As more and more technology becomes available, society changes. When one person has a new idea, it may spark other minds to improve that idea and by imporving that idea may find a new idea entirely. The process is truly never ending. What we find crazy today, could easily be possilble in 20 years. And these new inventions could change the way politics work. By changing the economy, the focus of the mainstream politicians may change. Interesting.
For all people who will be posting late to night here is a simple question; If humans initially lived in the state of nature, but when to societies to be protected, then how come some forms of government, like totalitarianism and aristocracies, still have the base feeling of the state of nature in them? (As in why do the people continually live under them if they have 0 freedoms and liberties?, let alone allowed to continue in our more or less democratic world?)
ReplyDelete@ Zach- I like the point you brought up about how the government encourages us to do things we wouldn’t normally do. Taxes are a great example, because most of the work they use our tax dollars for is beneficial. Do you think there are times though where we as the American public know more about how to spend our tax dollars (and how much to spend)?
ReplyDelete@ Jeff- You said that in difficult economic times like these, it’s the government job to help us out. However, it’s also fair to say that sometimes they get us into a bigger mess. With so much government control, there’s a bigger chance for them to mess things up. With that being said, in my opinion, that’s one part of the government’s job that they should be very careful with. Anyways, are you speaking in general terms, or do you always support big government in the economy?
@Kevin
ReplyDeleteI don’t think that it was necessarily the formation of a government that boosted knowledge and provided incentive for innovation. With the state of nature in effect before government the people would have had to find solutions to problems. From this their is a great possibility that they were leaders found from this process. These leaders would have been the ones who began thinking forward towards keeping order which is one of the greatest responsibilities that the government has along with protecting our rights.
@Victoria
I agree with you on the fact that competition creates innovation. When people are competing with each other for either survival or for monetary gain creativeness emerges because of necessity.We could say that many of humanities innovations have arisen because of the will to survive and that government was formed out of necessity to allow people to have these freedoms to compete.
@Jake Hunt "all governments have their flaws, it is just about the one that has the least flaws. That one is democracy." very intriguing point and i like the way that you stated this. How we aren't necessarily perfect but were the closest to it.
ReplyDelete@Ty to Knahn "but, advancement happens everyday even if we donnt feel like it did, we learn something new everyday, and also learn from our mistakes." Great point! it was exactly what i was thinking when i was going over that conversation. Whether we realize it or not, new advancements are taking place everyday. And sometimes those advancements are "flying under the radar." if you want to describe it like that.
@Mason If you think about it this way, if a State of Nature was the only form of "government" that we had initially started with, than that was the only thing that we knew. We only knew how to live in a state of nature. Just like people living in a state of Totalitarianism and aristocrasies only know how to live in those types of governments.
@khanh- our government in the U.S. would actually be more of a republic as we vote for representatives who in turn make the laws.
ReplyDelete@ cody' response to mitch- Whether a society likes it or not, it is always progressing. THey have no control over that. Even if the people do not quite know what it means, it will never stop happening. And progression in this case does not necessarily mean forward. There is always the possibility that a society will get worse with time, it will just never stay the same
@ Kahn I agree with your views on government and the state of nature. People would be out of control if they could do whatever they want without restriction. The government does protect our rights and uses authority to establish order. One cool thing that I learned while reading was that the government looks toward the people to give new laws legitamacy. Without that the law would ultimately fail.
ReplyDelete@Jake felton I also agree with your views on the state of nature. People would live in fear knowing that their property is subject to be taken. By joining a society and setting up a Democracy or Democratic Repupblic, as said in Chapter 1 of our textbook, things would be made a whole lot easier. For one, there would be order and laws and consequences for breaking those laws. Thus, the people wouldn't have to live in fear of robbery or muggings
@Jake: Progress, by definition, is moving forward toward a goal, so I disagree with you. Not every society is progressing.
ReplyDeleteEvery society is always changing in some form or another, yes, of course, but progressing? No.
Mason, to answer your question, as Heather stated, many people are born into their government systems and so they live with it. However, since the American Revolution, people across the world have begun to realize that they have the ability to determine their own fate and who controls it. As a result, events such as the French Revolution and others have occurred. So, as long as the governments act with some consent of the people, the people will accept it.
ReplyDeleteAshlyn, I agree with you, when you stated "that government was formed out of [the] necessity to allow people to have these freedoms to compete". To elaborate on this, our form of government exemplifies your point, perfectly. Because democracy does not control economical aspects of society, Capitalism can be our economic system. If we had any other form of government, this would be very difficult. Socialists or Communists will never have these abilities because their governments control their economical systems. As The Undercover Economist outlined, the corrupt government of Cameroon will always prevent them from advancement in almost EVERY aspect (political, social, and economical).
@ Victoria- I like your point about how people tend to just accept their governments that they are born into, especially when they feel like they have a say in it.
ReplyDeleteAlso Jake, at your point that Heather pointed out: "all governments have their flaws, it is just about the one that has the least flaws. That one is democracy."
ReplyDeleteIt's exactly like what Winston Churchill once said:
"Democracy is the worst form of government. Except for all the others"
Thanks to Cody for keeping Jake straight and for being this week's best blogger!!
ReplyDeleteGood dialogue here b/c you all took the time to substantiate your statements. Keep that up.
The role of government is to protect the citizens from themselves and each other. Government is part of the structure of society, and helps keep everyone in line. Human nature requires a government, as people are power-hungry and have an odd desire to force everyone else to live exactly as they do. The NECESSITY of a government is not debated nearly as often as the extent to which the government may interfere in the individual rights of the citizens.
ReplyDeleteDemocracy is better than hereditary kingdoms, theocracies, and dictatorships because in a democracy the citizens can choose how much they are governed, and by whom. Hereditary kingdoms are flawed because the king or line of kings can be brutal or incompetent, and short of a rebellion, the subjects can’t do anything about it. Democracies are also better in that the citizens of a democracy are all considered sovereign individuals, whereas in kingdoms, the only sovereign person is the ruler. Theocracies are not completely effective because people have different beliefs, and the dissidents in a theocracy are often forced to be outcasts – which is an ineffective way to run a society because the dissidents will eventually gain power and form a rebellion. Theocracies also operate on the notion that it is one person’s job to make someone else religious- a notion, as Mill mentioned, that has started every religious persecution in history. Religious persecutions never end well, and allowing an entire government to persecute is just a bad idea. Dictatorships are flawed because they attempt to control absolutely everything. However, no government can possibly control every aspect of society, so the dictatorships control just enough of society to prevent anyone from getting anything useful done, like making legislation that is logical and effective.