Moral Principles and Political Obligations

by Simmons, A. John

• ISBN13: 9780691020198
• ISBN10: 0691020191
• eBook ISBN(s): 9780691213248
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1981-09-01
• Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr

Summary

Outlining the major competing theories in the history of political and moral philosophy--from Locke and Hume through Hart, Rawls, and Nozick--John Simmons attempts to understand and solve the ancient problem of political obligation. Under what conditions and for what reasons (if any), he asks, are we morally bound to obey the law and support the political institutions of our countries?

Author Biography

A. John Simmons is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Virginia

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
Introduction	p. 3
Obligations	p. 7
Obligations and Final Judgments	p. 7
Obligation and Duty	p. 11
Positional Duties and Moral Requirements	p. 16
"Prima Facie" Requirements	p. 24
The Problem of Political Obligation	p. 29
The Limits of the Investigation	p. 29
Political Obligation and Political Language	p. 38
Utilitarianism and Political Obligation	p. 45
The Standards of Success	p. 54
The Consent Tradition	p. 57
Consent Theory	p. 57
The Major Assumptions	p. 61
Majority Consent	p. 71
The Argument from Tacit Consent	p. 75
Consent Defined	p. 75
Tacit Consent	p. 79
Locke and the Failure of Tacit Consent	p. 83
Tacit Consent and Residence	p. 95
The Principle of Fair Play	p. 101
Hart and Rawls on Fair Play	p. 101
Fair Play and Justice	p. 109
Fair Play and Political Obligation	p. 114
Nozick's Arguments	p. 118
The Principle in Political Communities	p. 136
The Natural Duty of Justice	p. 143
Rawls on Political Obligation	p. 143
When Institutions "Apply to Us"	p. 147
Justice and Political Bonds	p. 152
Gratitude	p. 157
The Benefits of Government	p. 157
Debts of Gratitude	p. 163
Gratitude as a Ground of Political Obligation	p. 183
Concluding Remarks	p. 191
Political Obligation and Disobedience	p. 191
Political Obligation and Legitimacy	p. 195
Notes	p. 202
Bibliography	p. 219
Index	p. 229
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