TERMS LIST
INTRODUCTION
emancipation The fact or process of being set free from legal, social, or political restrictions; liberation. a process full of tensions,
conflicts and contradictions between various groups, in the first place between social classes
ideology A set of ideas that forms the basis for organized political action whether it is intended to preserve, adjust or overthrow
the existing power system.
doctrine A set of views that seeks to shape the socio-political relationships, but is formally proclaimed by an official body that takes
the lead within an institution.
post-politics A situation in which oppositional ideologies that were supported by different parties and who, within democracy, vied for
the favour of voters, is replaced by a general consensus that capitalism and the free functioning of the market form the
basis of politics.
PART 1
religious radicalism The religious liberation of man, the creation of a direct bond between individual and god, without the intervention of an
ecclesiastical institution.
Humanism (Rennaissance) An intellectual movement that expresses a new self-awareness of the human mind in which love for man and nature are
central.
Obrigkeit All believers must submit to a strong authority.
Consistory A part of Calvin’s government, consistory was responsible for morality in the city. The consistory also functioned as a kind
of court where it investigated complaints about morality and (often very harsh) punishments. In this way questions about
morality were turned into legal questions subject to the power of the ruling administration.
Long Parliament the Parliament summoned by Charles I that assembled on Nov 3, 1640, was expelled by Cromwell in 1653, and was finally
dissolved in 1660
Grand Remonstrance A list of all the failures and miscarriages of Charles’s reign made by the Puritans.
Levellers The Levellers were a political movement during the English Civil War (1642–1651) committed to popular sovereignty,
extended suffrage, equality before the law and religious tolerance. The hallmark of Leveller thought was its populism, as
shown by its emphasis on equal natural rights, and their practice of reaching the public through pamphlets, petitions and
vocal appeals to the crowd.
Agreement of the People A constitution in which the Levellers wrote down their views on political organization and the way or ruling. The basic
, principle of the new constitution is that the ultiamate sovereignty rests with the people.
Il Principe An analysis of politics as an art stripped of morality and religion, a book written by Machiavelli.
popular Machiavellism The fact that morality seems to have been pushed aside, leads to the fact that the end justifies the means.
Leviathan Is a book written by Thomas Hobbes, the work concerns the structure of society and legitimate government, and is
regarded as one of the earliest and most influential examples of social contract theory.
homo-homini-lupus society A society in which each individual is both combative towards others and in a constant grip of fear of the power of others
and a fear of death.
commonwealth The general good.
civil society A society considered as a community of citizens linked by common interests and collective activity.
freemen A person who has been given the freedom of a city or borough. Or a person who is not a slave or a serf.
majority rule The principle that the greater number should exercise greater power.
Polygenetics The idea that there are different types of people (races) that can be arranged in a hierarchical context.
(Enlightenment)
checks & balances Montesquieu his system of ‘checks and balances’ is aimed at preventing absolutism, but also at restraining people’s
participation. For him “power must stop power” this means that in the first instance the nobility should fulfill its
intermediary function between the monarch and the people (or commons).
volonté générale (general The will of the community that serves only the interests of the community as a whole and not those of this or that group.
will)
utilitarism The idea that every human act must be measured by its consequences ; whether or not it contributes to the increase of
happiness.
principle of regressive utility When someone accumulates more and more particles of happiness, the last units that are added reoresents less
happiness than the first one that was collected.
laissez-faire principle Private capital accumulation as an engine for further development, implies a social division into owners of the means of
production and those who only have their labor-power to sell
invisible hand A number of economic laws which are beyond the control of men, which is not necessary, since these economic laws are
automatically regulating the market and improving the general welfare
social sympathy The capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing (today we would talk about empathy) works as a
moderating force
Decreasing surplus yield Due to population pressure, more and more land of lesser quality was being cultivated. More and more efforts are needed
to compensate for the natural shortcomings of the soil.
Theory of labor value A commodity is a product that is manufactured for the market (not something for own use, nor a unique work of art). If
there is an exchange between 2 goods then there must be a common measure to test their value. The price expresses the
