20489 | Human beings can never really flourish in a long-term state of nature |
20483 | Collective rationality is individuals doing their best, assuming others all do the same |
20532 | Should love be the first virtue of a society, as it is of the family? |
20490 | For utilitarians, consent to the state is irrelevant, if it produces more happiness |
20493 | Social contract theory has the attracton of including everyone, and being voluntary |
20494 | Maybe voting in elections is a grant of legitimacy to the winners |
20500 | We can see the 'general will' as what is in the general interest |
20497 | How can dictators advance the interests of the people, if they don't consult them about interests? |
20506 | 'Separation of powers' allows legislative, executive and judicial functions to monitor one another |
20530 | Political choice can be by utility, or maximin, or maximax |
20487 | A realistic and less utopian anarchism looks increasingly like liberal democracy |
20488 | It is hard for anarchists to deny that we need experts |
20529 | Utilitarianism probably implies a free market plus welfare |
20510 | A system of democracy which includes both freedom and equality is almost impossible |
20511 | Democracy expresses equal respect (which explains why criminals forfeit the vote) |
20502 | Democracy has been seen as consistent with many types of inequality |
20496 | A true democracy could not tolerate slavery, exploitation or colonialism |
20498 | We should decide whether voting is for self-interests, or for the common good |
20499 | Condorcet proved that sensible voting leads to an emphatically right answer |
20509 | Occasional defeat is acceptable, but a minority that is continually defeated is a problem |
20524 | Market prices indicate shortages and gluts, and where the profits are to be made |
20518 | Liberty principles can't justify laws against duelling, incest between siblings and euthanasia |
20531 | Either Difference allows unequal liberty, or Liberty makes implementing Difference impossible |
20526 | Utilitarians argue for equal distribution because of diminishing utility of repetition |
20528 | Difference Principle: all inequalities should be in favour of the disadvantaged |
20503 | Political equality is not much use without social equality |
20512 | Standard rights: life, free speech, assembly, movement, vote, stand (plus shelter, food, health?) |
20513 | If natural rights are axiomatic, there is then no way we can defend them |
20514 | If rights are natural, rather than inferred, how do we know which rights we have? |
20522 | Utilitarians might say property ownership encourages the best use of the land |
20534 | Rights and justice are only the last resorts of a society, something to fall back on |
20492 | Following some laws is not a moral matter; trivial traffic rules, for example |