Study Guide for the 1st Exam
Fall, 2007
 

 

The quiz will consist of a number of short essay questions. For each of the philosophers and social science theories that we have covered, you should be able to give an account of the basic claims and the arguments that support these claims.  You should be able to apply the theories to a concrete situation.  You should also know some major criticisms that can be offered of each philosopher and each theoretical perspective.  In terms of philosophy, we may give you quotations from the philosophers that we have studied and ask you to identify the philosopher and to explain that quotation. What follows is a list of major ideas that may help with your review.

 

1.      Hobbes

  1. People are self-interested and rational.
  2. The state of nature equals a war of all against all.
  3. It is rational to end this state of nature with a social contract.
  4. A strong centralized government (preferably a monarchy) is needed to maintain social order.
  5. The laws of the state define justice.
  6. Revolution can never be justified.
  7. In conflicts between states, no appeal to justice makes sense, because there is no social contract.

     

 2.      Locke

  1. Even in the state of nature, there are natural rights.
  2. The purpose of the social contract is protecting the natural rights of its citizens.
  3. There is a right to revolution under certain circumstances.
  4. The best government is a representative democracy with branches of government that check and balance one another’s powers.
  5. In the state of nature something unclaimed becomes property when someone mixes his labor with it.  Certain conditions apply on how much can be claimed until money is in common use.
  6. Only certain people have full rights of citizenship.
  7. War between states does not negate the natural rights.

     

3.      Marx

a.   Marx presupposes two sets of assumptions about human beings: human beings as self-creating beings and human beings as ensembles of social relationships

b.   The theory of alienation is primarily a description of the situation of workers under capitalism, and there are at least six aspects of this alienation.   Marx clearly values self-determination and self-realization

c.  The theory of alienation provides the philosophical reasons for Marx’s most basic condemnation of capitalism.  The degradation and manipulation of human needs and powers is an important part of this.

d.  What Marx means by communism and what he doesn't mean, the aspects of capitalism that he praises

e.   Ideology as a conceptual framework that fits a particular mode of production, ruling classes and ruling ideas, the transition from feudalism to capitalism as an example.
f.   You can read Holly’s summaries of the theory of alienation and ideology on the website.

 

4.      Modernization theory

a. See poverty as resulting from internal shortcomings

b. Lay great deal of blame on “traditional” unchanging nature of 3rd world cultures which keep them from trying to improve their lives

c. 3rd world nations have been isolated and detached from global economy

d. some claim problems also stem from “corrupt” leadership and lack of democracy

e. some claim these countries lack resources necessary for development (natural and human)

f. solution is to open economies to investment from 1st world as well as assistance from 1st world organizations such as the Peace Corps.

 

5.      Marxist theory

a. See poverty as an internal problem

b. Argue that tiny elite exists in each 3rd world country which is extremely well off – poverty isn’t equal across the board

c. Impoverished in 3rd world have historically been exploited by the small elite who have controlled the means of production and taken wealth for themselves leaving majority poor in the process.

d. Argue that most 3rd world nations still feudal in economic structure – wealth extracted through control of land and resources

e. solution is lies in 3rd world opening up to capitalist exploitation to develop means of production and then redistribute wealth through revolution

 

6.      Dependency theory

a. See poverty in 3rd world as resulting from external sources

b. Developed ideas from Marxist ideology

c. see 3rd world poverty as resulting from 500 year exploitation of 3rd world by 1st world (imperialism) bringing great wealth to 1st world and impoverishing rest of world “development of underdevelopment”

d. see 3rd world as integrally tied to capitalist world economy and as soource of capital and raw materials for 1st world industrial development

e. Claim corrupt 3rd world leaders only held power through support of 1st world benefactors

f. Solutions vary but one dominant view was for countries to break free of capitalist world system and develop trading blocs among themselves.

 

7.      World systems theory

a. A school within Dependency Theory developed by Immanuel Wallerstein

b. Divided world into core, periphery and semiperiphery states (know what role each of these play in the global system)

c. Claim you cannot understand any nation’s development in isolation, must study all nations within the context of their role(s) in the global system

 

8.      Causes of imperialism

a. Hobson Thesis: imperialism developed as a result of maldistribution of income in 1st world by 1890s leading capitalists to seek new markets and sources for capital investment.

b. Lenin: Imperialism is highest stage of capitalism in its monopoly stage

c. Schumpeter: Imperialism caused by continued power of precapitalist leaders who still have control in Europe – must break free of them and follow free trade capitalism

d. Isbister: Imperialism tied to the west’s need for raw materials to fuel industrial – capitalist economy.

 

9.      Stages of imperialism

a. Conquest and Resettlement (1492 -1776 ) – know patterns and places (the Americas)

b. Informal Empire or Imperialism of Free Trade – Britain (1770s-1870) –understand how Britain used economic domination to promote British interests around the world – military used as last resort (don’t forget PAN movements –US and Russia)

c. New Imperialism – scramble to gobble up rest of world (Africa, southeast Asia, etc.) by other European powers and US expands across oceans (Philippines, Cuba, Hawaii, etc.) “Open Door Policy”

d. Neo-Imperialism – 1920 - present

 

10.  Impact of imperialism

a. Holocaust of native peoples in the Americas

b. Linkage of Africa, through slave trade, to global economy

c. Development of monocultural societies (dependence on one crop or product)\

d. Changes in culture – language and religion (syncretism)

e. Loss of craft skills in 3rd world

 

11.  There may be questions that call on you to combine your knowledge of philosophy and social science.  For example, based on your understanding of land acquisition during the different stages of imperialism, what might a follower of Locke say about these different practices.

 

12.  There will be geographical identification questions – Spain, Portugal, Britain, Ireland, Ottoman Empire, Aztec Empire, Incan Empire, Slave Coast, China, India, West Indies, Congo, Egypt, Guatemala, Bolivia, Burkina Faso

 

13.  There will be extra credit questions on current events.


Please note that the material on Fanon and on decolonization will be on the next exam.