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Single Idea 5660

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 3. Natural Values / c. Natural rights ]

Full Idea

Personally I regard allegiance, in the manner of Hegel, as prior to the recognition of individual rights.

Gist of Idea

Allegiance is prior to the recognition of individual rights

Source

Roger Scruton (Short History of Modern Philosophy [1981], Bibliog)

Book Ref

Scruton,Roger: 'A Short History of Modern Philosophy' [ARK 1985], p.291


A Reaction

Scruton notoriously generates rather right-wing views from this basis, but it is also the basis of communitarianism, which can take a softer form. It seems to me self-evident that rights cannot be the prime concept in a society. What society?


The 4 ideas from 'Short History of Modern Philosophy'

Allegiance is prior to the recognition of individual rights [Scruton]
A right is a power which is enforced in the name of justice [Scruton]
Nowadays logic is seen as the science of extensions, not intensions [Scruton]
Cartesian 'ideas' confuse concepts and propositions [Scruton]