The lecture covers key themes in Western political thought, particularly through the works of Emerson and Thoreau, highlighting the importance of individual nonconformity and civil disobedience. It discusses significant historical events like the march on Washington and influential figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. The session also explores the evolution of progressive movements, propaganda, and the impact of capitalism on culture and individualism.

1. Western Political Thought
Dr. John Paul Tabakian
Political Science 5
Fall 2012 – Power Point #4

2. COURSE LECTURE: WEEK #4
Today’s Lecture Covers The Following:
• Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self Reliance”
• Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden”
• Seneca Falls.
• Sojourner Truth
• Progressive Movements
• Modern Methods Of Influencing Culture
• Minor Paper #3

3. “SELF RELIANCE” (1)
1. Emerson was an essayist, poet and popular lecturer.
2. “The American Scholar” lecture 1837 was an “intellectual
Declaration of Independence” one person called it in its
call for American to put the old world culture aside to
explore our own American uniqueness.
3. Also, lectured on the “Over-soul” pantheistic idea. The
“Self-Reliance” essay is call for individual nonconformist
and cultivation of the individual.

4. “SELF RELIANCE” (2)
Textual References:
• What is the role of subjectivity? (“private
heart….genius….” = subjective introspection).
• What do great works of art teach us? (“to abide by our
spontaneous impression”).
• Interpret (“Accept the place divine Providence has found
for you…. Great men have always done so….
transcendent destiny….” = Puritan theology? Place in
history?).
• Reflections on Locke or Paine? (“Society everywhere is
in conspiracy…. conformity….”).
• Who might be today’s Public Intellectual(s)?

5. Progressive Movements (1)
This is the famous march on
Washington DC where Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. made
his famous “I Have A Dream”
speech. Many of you have
watched just the speech in
past classes or at home.
What makes this video
interesting is that it is not
clipped. This was shown to
the nation in its entirety.
Enjoy the video.

6. Progressive Movements (2)
Producer Richard D. Heffner of
the NBC Sunday television
program "The Open Mind"
interviews King and former
federal Judge J. Waties
Waring, who wrote the sole
dissenting decision against
school segregation in Briggs v.
Elliott. NAACP youth secretary
Herbert Wright helped enlist
King for this NBC Negro
History Week program on
"The New Negro." Heffner's
first question followed a brief
introduction of his two guests.

7. “WALDEN” (1)
• Emerson’s friend. Carpenter, mason, painter, surveyor
sailor, gardener.
• Went to Walden. “In wilderness is the preservation of the
world.” Father of the environmental movement.
• Essay on civil disobedience, regarding the Mexican War.
Both Gandhi and King read this essay. “If the law is of
such a nature that it requires you to be an agent of
injustice to another, then, I say, break the law….”

8. “WALDEN” (2)
Textual references:
• Key quote? (“The mass of men lead lives of quiet
desperation.”)
• Old vs. the new? ( ref. Emerson…. “wore a path”)
• Spartanism? (“to live deliberately”… “Simplicity, simplicity,
simplicity!”)
• Rebellion against conformity & materialism.
• Nature as an ideal.

9. DEFINITIONS
Abolitionist – A person who promotes abolition of a law or
policy; especially, slavery or capital punishment.
American abolitionist movement in the 19th century. See
John Brown, abolitionist zealot. Background: Methodist
secularization of religious ideas relates the concept of
natural law of the Enlightenment to abolitionist goals.
Sojourner – A person who takes up brief residence in a
place, then moves on.
Suffragette – A person who promotes suffrage. Suffrage is
the right to vote; the franchise (privilege or right granted
by a government).

10. PROPAGANDA – MEET KING JOE
Meet King Joe” is a classic capitalist
propaganda film from 1949 that tries to
convince American workers of their
good fortune. At the time of production,
American business was the best in the
world resulting from the worldwide
devastation following World War II.
Capitalism stresses the necessity for
capitalists to remain in pursuit of ever-
increasing levels of efficiency and
innovation that in turn will allow
continuous societal progression. How
does this propaganda cartoon contrast
with “Walden”?

11. PROPAGANDA & COMMERCIALISM
Private business utilizes propaganda to
market products and services through
various methods. Television remains
the best method of content distribution
even though the Internet continues to
claim greater market share. This is the
famous Pepsi commercial starring
Britney Spears and Senator Bob Dole.
Though the commercial is selling
“Pepsi” one may notice the patriotic
symbolism tying the “company” with the
United States. The first airing of this
commercial was in March 2001.