This document outlines the aims and key concepts of political philosophy. It discusses why philosophy is relevant to politics, describing how political strategies must be justified. It then examines descriptive and normative approaches, different ideologies like liberalism and socialism, and concepts like freedom, rights, law, punishment, and the role of the state. The document provides definitions and examples to explain these complex topics in political philosophy.

1. POLITICAL
PHILOSOPHY

2. AIMS
To help the students understand how philosophy is
closely connected with Politics
To familiarize the students with the political theories
and ideologies
To understand the logic and the flaw behind the
political theories and ideologies
To learn different forms of social order and their
justification.

3. WHY PHILOSOPHY IN
POLITICS?
Some people define politics as the strategy to convince
or ‘force’ other people to follow what he or she wants.
However, that convincing or forcing needs to be
justified.
That justification makes philosophy relevant
Many philosophers will ask several questions before
they can be convinced
what is the best life possible for human being?
Who should care questioning or looking for the good life?
What sort of social order is necessary to enable people to
achieve a good life?

4. WHY NEED TO ASK ALL THE
QUESTIONS?
Is there other more
effective and efficient
practice?
Why it should be like this?
Or what is the justification?
Realistic? Utopian?
Idealisation?
Who should take part in
policy-making?

5. DESCRIPTIVE AND
NORMATIVE PHILOSOPHY
Descriptive = what is the case
 Ex. In Sweden, the state’s main function is the promotion of
social justice, the justice whatever Sweden people think it is
Normative = what ought to be a case or what is good or
bad about what is the case
 Ex. In the same case, the normative would assert that the
state’s main function ought to be the provision and
achievement of social justice.
 Minimalist=the standards below which one should not fall
(human rights)
 Maximinalist= ideal as the standard, although not achievable.

6. IDEOLOGY
1. A body of thought held by a group of people, which
they rely on to guide their action. It is relevant to political
action more than the technology or common sense.
Any group of people who share a common view of their
situation and act in the political forum to preserve it or
change it in accord with their values can be said to have an
ideology.
2. However, for Marx, ideology is the body of idea, which
give the impression of mediating reality. It protect the
interests of the dominant class, and function in its
exercise of power.
Claiming that all human beings have National right to private
property is ideology
In Politics, we have known many ideologies such as
Liberalism, Socialism, Communism, Conservatism,
Nationalism, and Anarchism, …

7. IDEOLOGIES: INDIVIDUALIST
OR COMMUNAL ?
Major division is due to the tension between those emphasize
the individual and those who give preference to the social.
Individualism
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) and John Lock (1632-1704)
Hobbes
Individual existed outside
society arrangement
Only because of the security need, they
individually agreed with one another to
accept limitations on their freedom
Lock
Take step only because they
individually would like to ensure
their rights protection
In the absence of law, impartial judge, and
effective power, people will agree to create the
government to make law, adjudicate disputes
and enforce law.

8. Communalism
Jean-Jacque Rousseau (1712-78) and Karl Marx
The individual of liberal political thought is a social
product.
Rousseau
The bonds of affection and belonging that
linked people to one another and to their
communities.
proposed a form of social order in which
people would not be subject to domination by
others but would remain free, in control of their
own lives.
Civic Republicationism: aspires people to an
absence of all forms of domination, so that
citizens participate in self-government on a basis
of equality.

9. Marx
 Saw the emphasis on the isolated individual as the
result of a process of alienation.
 We learn to compete and threaten one another because
we have the same capacity and would like to meet our
same need.
 All these issues driven by the division of labor (those
who own the capital and those who own the labor)

10.  Liberalism
 The sources and nature of political authority are based on
the rights, interests, or the aspiration for justice, or the
practical rationality of the individual.
 The philosophers of liberalism include John Rawl, Robert
Nozick, Ronald Dworkin and Joseph….
 Individual ‘s freedom of economic activity is respected.
 State can not interfere but should enforce the law fair to
everybody
 State allows as much expression of opinion as possible
will lead to the development of knowledge and the
elimination of error, myth and superstition.
 Can free market help people meet basic need?
EXAMPLE OF IDEOLOGIES

11. Socialism
Challenges the political control
Gives priority to the communal interest and advocate the
social control of economic activity in order to ensure
achievement of communal goals such as full employment and
provision of basic needs for all.
For Marxist socialists, it requires the abolition of private
property, labour for wages, and division of labour
Some other socialists, get rid of social hierarchy or classes is
their main purpose.

12. Communitarianism
Against liberalism that focuses more on the individual
freedom
Human person is the result of social construct, impossible to
be freed from the web of social relationship.
Aim at shared values and practices.
Use political power to realize all these shared values and
practices.

13. Nationalism
Humankind is essentially divided into nations, and each
nation has a right of self-determination.
Each nation should include common language, genetic
relatedness, shared history and culture, occupation of a
distinct and shared territory, and the willingness to identify
oneself as a member of the nation.
It can be a good tool to unify or to blindly lead people to be
extremists.

14. Anarchism
Some socialists believe that the state gradually disappears
due to the fact that people at grass-root level can plan and
control their own community.
But for the anarchists, they deny the need for any state. They
believe that any exercise of political power is an infringement
of human freedom.
Can you imagine how it will be if there is no state as a law
enforcer


15. FREEDOM
Negative Freedom: is referred to liberty or the
absence of restraint (Thomas Hobbes).
 Positive Freedom: is referred to the possession
of the capacity to act upon one’s free will.
Rights
1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Right is a legal, moral, or social claim that people are
entitled to, primarily from their government.
What does it mean to have a right, and what rights do people
have?
According to Wesley Hohfeld, Rights can be a liberty, a
claim-right, a power, or an immunity.

16. Law: what is law? Why we need law?
Why we have unjust law?
Why Civil Disobedience?
Why we have conflict and protest?
According to Mill’s Harm Principle, the prevention of harm
to others is the only legitimate basis for the restriction of
liberty.

17. Punishment
The justification of Punishment
Internal Deterrence: That will teach him! He needs to be
taught a lesson
Eternal Deterrence: I am going to make an example of
you
Social Protection: She ought to be locked up! Society
needs to be protected from the likes of her. We’re not
safe while she’s around.
Reform, rehabilitation: They need help. When you know
their background, you can understand what they do.
Retribution, Restoration: Criminals can not be allowed
get away with it. Wrongs must be righted, the
punishment must fit the crime.

18. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
AUTHORITY AND POWER?
Power:
Authority:
Legitimacy
Law
Tradition (hereditary)
Charismatic leadership
Obligation:
Consent of the governed
Original covenant, contract or compact
Achievement of the general will
Care for the common good
The provision of justice, including the protection of
rights
Soft Power (also known as persuasive
power):
Hard Power (also known as coercive power):

19. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE
STATE?
Control all legitimate use of force within its territory
Ex. Disarm or prevent someone from using force.
Has jurisdiction over all people within its territory
Has power to license and regulate the activities of all
other institutions and organizations within its territory.
Represent the people, the country and its institutions in
international relations.
Provide protection and social welfare