Political Philosophers: Essential Concepts for AP Government

Know these political philosophers and their ideas for a high-scoring AP Government exam:

Thomas Hobbes

• Key Concept: Social Contract
• View of Human Nature: Selfish and competitive
• Ideal Government: Absolute monarchy with sovereign authority to ensure order
• Famous Quote: “Life in the state of nature is ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.'”

John Locke

• Key Concept: Natural Rights
• View of Human Nature: Rational and rights-bearing
• Ideal Government: Limited government with separation of powers
• Famous Quote: “Government is instituted for the good of mankind, and the preservation of property.”

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• Key Concept: General Will
• View of Human Nature: Basically good, but corrupted by society
• Ideal Government: Direct democracy where the people rule as a whole
• Famous Quote: “Man is born free, but he is everywhere in chains.”

Plato

• Key Concept: Ideal State
• View of Human Nature: Divided into three parts (reason, spirit, appetite)
• Ideal Government: Philosopher-kings ruling over a society based on justice
• Famous Quote: “I am the Republic, which, as you believe, is but a word and a shadow.”

Aristotle

• Key Concept: Virtue and the Good Life
• View of Human Nature: Rational and political animals
• Ideal Government: Mixed government with elements of monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy
• Famous Quote: “Man is by nature a political animal.”

Thomas Jefferson

• Key Concept: Declaration of Independence
• View of Human Nature: Capable of self-government
• Ideal Government: Republicanism with limited powers and emphasis on individual rights
• Famous Quote: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

John Rawls

• Key Concept: Veil of Ignorance
• View of Human Nature: Rational and self-interested
• Ideal Government: Just society based on fairness and equality
• Famous Quote: “No one has a claim to more than an equal part in society.”

Charles Montesquieu

• Key Concept: Separation of Powers
• View of Human Nature: Prone to abuse of power
• Ideal Government: Division of government into executive, legislative, and judicial branches
• Famous Quote: “In order to prevent the abuse of power, it must be arranged so that one power checks the other.”

Mary Wollstonecraft

• Key Concept: Women’s Rights
• View of Human Nature: Women are rational and deserve education and equality
• Ideal Government: Government that respects the rights of all citizens, regardless of gender
• Famous Quote: “I do not wish them to have power over men; but over themselves.”

Hannah Arendt

• Key Concept: Human Action
• View of Human Nature: Agents capable of independent thought and action
• Ideal Government: Pluralistic society that fosters political participation and dialogue
• Famous Quote: “Action is the only activity that can create new things.”

Tables for Reference

Table 1: Political Philosophers and Their Key Concepts

Table 2: Political Philosophers and Their Views of Human Nature

Table 3: Political Philosophers and Their Ideal Governments

Table 4: Political Philosophers and Famous Quotes