Jean-Jacques Rousseau, “The Origin of Civil Society,”
2. Rousseau states that the use of force in establishing the power of the state makes the people’s relation to the state one of Obedience rather than of Duty. What is the difference between Obedience and Duty? Do you think that the relationship between the people and the government is or should be based on Obedience or on Duty?
Obedience is recognize as if I do not do something , I will get punished for not doing what I suppose to do. Duty on the other hand is recognize as if I do something, I will feel good and others will do the same in return for the same benefit. Obedience and duty are as equally as important and should be implied to the people of the nation as a pair that comes together. The people should have the duty to choose positive actions and be obedient for in return they would get the same benefit . 3.What is the difference between natural liberty and an individual’s liberty as a member of a civil society (that is, civil liberty)? In what way can a person give up some degree of natural liberty and still be as free under a condition of civil liberty? How can a person’s freedom under civil liberty be seen as equal to the freedom under natural liberty?
Natural Liberty is the freedom one has once born, is the freedom to do whatever one chooses to do with out anyone saying anything. Individual’s liberty as a member of a civil society is the freedom to do whatever one chooses as long one does not break any laws. An individual can give up their right to hunt after their food and still be available to eat by going to the grocery store where food has already been gather under civil liberty.
5.How do these two types of liberty relate to a person’s right to possession or ownership of property? What is the basic difference between possession and ownership and how does the role of government act in establishing that difference? It relates by giving the tools to the right of ownership of property, where no other individual can claim it or take it away under their natural liberty. Possession is something that one say is theirs but have to hold on it and defend against anyone that says the opposite. Ownership on the other hand begins with an idea if is not mine is someone else, there for one does not have to hold on it to prof ownership and can acquire legal documents. The government created the contract that expects obedience and the duty of people to respect someone else property and not trespass or take it.
Thomas Jefferson, “The Declaration of Independence
What did Jefferson intend by the statement that “all men are created equal?” Based on Jefferson’s own life and on the government that was later established, which kinds of people do you think he meant by all men? Which kinds of people were not included in this statement? Are there any people in the country today who you think are still not treated as equal? If so, in what ways are they not equal?
By all men I believe that Thomas Jefferson meant land owning white males to be specific. People who were not included in his statement were people of color or ethnic minority, women and even white males without land. In todays America I feel that all people are treated with a sense of equality that is still progressing.
Jefferson, by stating that men are created equal, seems to suggest that our equality and our rights come from a creator, a god. Do you think that these rights should be considered as coming from god; if so, do you think that the exercise of our rights should depend on some religious or moral basis which is also derived from god? If you think that it is possible for rights and equality to be derived from some other source, without the need of a reference to a creator, where do our rights come from?
I don’t necessarily think that our rights come from a single creator but I do think that religion is a good basis of morality. Religious people usually tend to display outstanding morality at least to