1. Thinking about the concept of
'government'
Prof. Lourdes Veneracion-Rallonza,
PhD
Department of Political Science
Ateneo De Manila University
2. Liberalist Tradition
Importance of equality
Focus on ‘rights-carrying’ individual
Less government interference
....Vene'sVideosThe Cycle of Freedom Cartoon.mp4
3. Civic Republicanism and
Communitarianism
Dynamic civic life
Based on the character of citizens
Works for the common good
....Vene'sVideosYouth in Action - Get involved! -.mp4
4. Perfect freedom
Perfect equality
John Locke
Restraint from invading the rights of others
Consent to make ‘one Community, one Body Politick’ ---
power to act as one Body through the will and
determination of the majority (act of the whole)
First and fundamental positive law: creation of a
Legislature
as check to ambitions of the Crown
5. John Stuart Mill
Contested idea that
absolute power must be
in the hands of an
eminent individual
(‘good despotism’) Sovereign power resides in the
people --- power must be
vested in the entire aggregate of
the community
Perfect government:
representative
6. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Rule of general will
Citizens to protect their own freedoms and
equality
Point of establishment of a ‘republic’: based on
moral and civic aspirations of a community
Deputies/stewards of people; not representatives
7. Government as an ‘institution’
Institutional state structure
to create order in a society
primary task is to govern
Separation of powers –
checks and balances in the
system
